As we prepare and participate in the Holiday Season the Evolve team wants to remind each of you to take the time to take care of yourself!  Here is a list of 30 ideas...just enough to get you through a month of wellness.  Start today and repeat often!
1.    Drink plenty of water:  add lemon and basil garnishes for added color and flavor.
2.     Take a daily walk.
3.    Write down one thing each day for which you are grateful.
4.    Give yourself a hand/foot massage using a peppermint or lavendar oil.
5.    Smile to at least 10 people a day...you will both feel better!
6.    Sit quietly for at least 5 minutes each day:  do nothing, think nothing, simply BE.
7.    Eat breakfast.
8.    Try a new healthy recipe.
9.    Take at least 10 deep breaths a day.
10.    Leave a love note for someone special.
11.    Listen to beautiful music...really listen!
12.    Notice something you have never seen before on your commute to work.
13.    Sit down and eat:  no TV or other distractions.
14.    Drink 8 ounces of room temperature water 30 minutes prior to eating.  
15.    Use a smaller plate to eat from.  It will appear that you have a nice full plate of food and you won't over eat.
16.    Get plenty of sleep.
17.    Write down everything you eat for 30 days.  You might be surprised by the results.
18.    Commit to a workout routine with a friend.  Hold each other accountable for "showing up".
19.    Clean out one drawer a week.  It is amazing how much freedom this will give you.
20.    Reach down and touch your toes at least 5 times right after you get out of the shower.
21.    Burn a nicely scented candle at your desk or work area.
22.    Get a massage or take a Yoga class.
23.    Grab a handful of almonds to snack on between meals.
24.    Plant a container garden of herbs outside by your kitchen. 
25.    Move the TV out of the bedroom. 
26.    Stop working on computers and other hand held gadgets at least 30 minutes before you go to bed.
27.    Place a fresh flower or living plant on your desk or work area.
28.    Shop only the perimeter of the grocery store...stay out of the aisles.
29.    Replace your toothbrush at least once a month.
30.    Record one happy thought in a journal before you go to bed!

The team at Evolve wishes you peace of mind and prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to

  The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscles at the back of your lower leg to your heel bone.  By definition, Achilles tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon.  This inflammation is usually caused by an overuse injury.  It is most often seen in runners following an increase in the intensity or duration of their runs.  It is also common in sports involving quick, explosive motions (cutting and jumping) such as tennis and basketball.
Symptoms:
1.  Pain of varying intensity along the Achilles tendon, at the back of the heel, and possibly up into the calf muscles themselves with and after activity.
2.  Inflammation along the tendon itself.
3.  Stiffness after prolonged periods of immobility.

An acute case of Achilles tendonitis generally responds to simple treatment.  General rest, avoiding aggravating factors, ice, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, and gentle stretching should reduce symptoms.

In more severe or persistent cases, physical therapy can help speed the healing process.  At Evolve Physical Therapy + Advanced Wellness, your physical therapist will design an individual program for you detailing specific stretches and strengthening exercises to promote tissue healing, strengthening of the Achilles tendon and supporting structures, and improved foot/body mechanics.  In some cases, orthotics may be useful to help improve body mechanics and to remove stress from the tendon.

Are you recovering from an injury?  Working hard to reach the next level of your training regime?  In order for your body to heal, you have to provide it with the right nutrients.  This article titled "KitchenRx" has basic and valuable information for you.

To get more wellness and nutrition information that you can use right away, attend Wellthy Wednesday at Evovle Physical Therapy + Advanced Wellness on Wednesday November 7th, 2012  Pharmacist Chris Givant and nutritionist Coreen Reinhart will be discussing men's and women's hormones, nutrition for healthy aging, injury rehabilitation and meal plans to help you survive the holidays.  The program starts at 6pm and will end at 7pm.  Both Chris and Coreen will stay after to answer individual questions that you many have regarding your health and nutrition.  To learn more about Chris and Coreeen click on their names which will direct you to their bio's and website

Yesterday (Sunday, October 28, 2012) it was 80 degrees and beautiful in San Diego.  I am awed everytime I hear that the weather in other places isn't the same.  The newspapers and air waves are heaped with news of the ominous hurricane that is pressing down on the entire east coast.  Possibly the worst storm to ever be experienced in the United States.  Thoughts of people preparing their homes and their lives for what is soon to ascend upon them with unstoppable power and might tumble around in my mind.  All the while, I am enjoying the most breathtaking day free from the rush to shore up as much as possible before the storm hits.
All of us at Evolve Physical Therapy + Advanced Wellness send our thoughts and prayers to the hundreds of thousands of beautiful souls who have battened down the hatches and who are courageously sittling out the storm.  May you be safe and in the company of loved ones knowing that we are cheering you on

Posture has long been considered a predisposing factor in causing musculoskeletal injuries and a source of chronic pain.  It is your physical therapist responsibility to come to the aid of you, the patient, and offer possible solutions.  Normal postural alignment allows for ease of movement, quick reactions in poor environmental conditions, full range of motion of joints and the ability for muscles to maximally contract and expand. With no abnormal forces on the musculoskeletal system, there will be less compensatory changes and substitution patterns and less stress on the joints. The penalties for poor posture include; increased joint wear and tear, decreased efficiency, disuse atrophy of muscles, fewer muscles recruited and abnormal muscle patterns resulting in substitution. Jacqueline Perry, MD describes normal posture in the following way, “the organism recognizes a forthcoming threat from the environment, and reacts to it quickly enough with efficient use of muscle work to prevent injury.”
Prevention of injuries begins with good vertical alignment resulting in normal load bearing throughout the joints. Every movement, especially in sports, begins from a posture and ends in a posture. In normal alignment, postural changes and adjustments can be rapid and automatic. The body cannot operate in malalignment efficiently. The result is poor performance, musculoskeletal injuries and pain. Changing postural relationships requires focusing on alignment, a thorough evaluation and an effective treatment plan and program. Frequent reevaluations are required to analyze the changes in alignment and adjust the treatment program accordingly.
In order for your physical therapist to be complete and maximally effective in treating your injuries, they must evaluate and realign your posture.  There is static and dynamic posture. Static posture is the skeletal system and the positions of the various joints and body segments using tonic muscle control. Dynamic posture refers to active muscle contraction, muscle coordination and control over the body. With the body in malalignment, dynamic muscle groups become weaker and static postural muscle groups become shorter. Following the evaluation, a specific sequencing of exercises is dictated to change the postural faults.
After a muscle has been caused to shorten, there is no appreciable spontaneous lengthening of the muscle during relaxation. Muscles are caused to lengthen by the pull of the antagonistic muscle, and by the action of gravity. In this program, the lengthening of a shortened muscle is a passive, not an active process. Which is different than contract relax or functional lengthening programs.
Postural realignment is accomplished through a progression of exercises that target the intrinsic postural muscle groups and retrains the neuromuscular system.  All of these exercises can be preformed as a home exercise program.  As a patient, it is your responsibility to do the exercise progam given to you in order to experience the ultimate outcome.  To learn more about receiving an individualized posture program that address your specific needs, contact us at Evolve Physical Therapy, San Diego, CA  92122, 858-457-3545.  We can help!

What are shin splints?
Pain located along the front of your shin is often termed “shin splints”.  The condition, medically known as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, is often seen in runners or athletes who do a lot of quick start and stop motions.

What causes shin splints?
Shin splints result from the application of too much stress to the tissues (muscles, tendons) that attach to your shin bone (Tibia).  This tissue overload can be due to several factors such as poor body mechanics, tight calf muscles, improper shoes, running on uneven surfaces, over training, and increasing your training regimen too quickly.

How do you treat shin splints?
Acutely, your best options are to ice and rest the leg to allow the inflammation to calm down.  This process can be accelerated with anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy modalities, stretching, and soft tissue work.

Before restarting your fitness training or sport, it is important to see a professional at Evolve Physical Therapy + Advanced Wellness who can evaluate your body mechanics, footwear, and muscle balance.  They will also be able to advise you on how to properly design your training program to reach your goals while avoiding re-injury.

We have all been there, wanting and needing to go to sleep and it just isn't happening.  Counting sheep isn't going to get you there and the harder you work at it the more sleep eludes you. 

Poor sleep habits and the resulting fatigue is one of the most common challenges in our society.  We want to offer you some simple yet often ignored tips on getting the sleep you need.

• Develop a regular schedule of a bedtime and rising time.  This means seven days a week and even if you are retired or not working.  Your body will get used to falling asleep and waking at a certain time, but it has to be consistent.
• No Napping!  Remember when you were a kid and someone made sure you took a nap every day and now you would give just about anything to sneak in a nap on most afternoons?  Most people will have an afternoon lull, especially after a heavy lunch, however if you nap throughout the day you won't sleep at night. 
• No Alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.  Most people believe that a glass of wine or a sip of brandy helps them sleep.  Even though alcohol does have an immediate sleep-inducing effect, in a few hours when the alcohol levels in your system drop there is a tendency to experience a "wake-up" call.  And once you are up, it can be very difficult to get back to sleep.
• Say no to caffeine.  No cafeinated beverages 4-6 hours before bedtime.  Coffee isn't the only culprit.  Be careful about tea, sodas and chocolate too. 
• Eat healthy.  No heavy, sugary or spicy foods 4-6 hours before bed.  You can have a light snack like warm milk or a banana which is high in tryptophan prior to going to bed. 
• Exercise, but not right before bed.  Daily exercise, especially in the afternoon can help you to sleep.  Refrain from doing any strenuous exercise 2 hours before bedtime.
• No TV or computers.  Stop watching TV and working on computers at least 30 minutes prior to going to bed.  Light has a big effect on our bodies desire to go to sleep.  Watch TV and work on your computer in another room.  These distractions do not belong in the bedroom. 
• Create a relaxing sleeping environment.  Make sure your bed is comfortable and your bedding is too.  Find a comfortable sleeping temperature and keep the room well ventilated.  Don't sleep near a window where you have a constant breeze blowing on you. 
• No computers, TV's or bright lights.  This means even turning your alarm clock away from you if it is lit or backlit. 
• Only sleep  and sex.  Do not use the bed or bedroom as an office, workroom, craft area or exercise venue.  Let you body know that the bed and bedroom are associated with sleep.
• Make it inviting.  Choose relaxing colors, paintings, photos, bedding and furniture for your bedroom.  Get rid of clutter and other distractions.  Create a peaceful atmosphere that allows you to be calm and relax.
• Don't worry, be sleepy.  If you have a lot on your mind, take time before you go to bed to write everything you have on your mind down in a notebook or on a piece of paper.  Make to-do lists, and put any distracting thoughts on paper prior to bed.  You can revisit all these items the next day.  Who knows, maybe they won't seem so daunting after a good night's sleep!

                                        SWEET DREAMS TO ALL
 

With Fall upon us, it is nice to have some hearty, healthy and easy recipes to please the palate.  This Thai-Style Chicken Pizza will hit the spot!

Ingredients:

• 4 6 inches whole wheat pita bread rounds
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup sliced fresh shiitake or button mushrooms
• 2/3 cup fresh pea pods cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup packaged coarsely shredded carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast or turkey breast (about 8 ounces)
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup bottled peanut sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped unsalted peanuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degree F. Place pita bread rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, turning once.

2. Meanwhile, lightly coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, pea pods, and carrot to hot skillet; cook about 3 minutes or just until tender. Stir in chicken breast and green onions. Remove from heat.

3. Carefully spread each hot pita bread round with 1 tablespoon of the peanut sauce. Top with hot vegetable mixture; sprinkle with peanuts. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts (Thai-Style Chicken Pizza)

• Servings Per Recipe 4,
• Calories 359,
• Protein (gm) 26,
• Carbohydrate (gm) 49,
• Fat, total (gm) 8,
• Cholesterol (mg) 45,
• Saturated fat (gm) 2,
• Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 7,
• Sodium (mg) 579

The last few weeks have been warmer than usual; it feels like the middle of summer.  Most people are still geared towards heading to the beach for a dip in the ocean to cool off.  However, it is the end of September and soon it will start to feel a lot like Christmas!  This means that the winter sports season is right around the corner and it is time to start preparing!!
Before you show up for basketball tryouts or head to the ski slopes, make sure you are ready.  Focusing on your fitness before the season starts will make you a better athlete and help to decrease and in many cases eliminate injuries.
Should your cardio training focus on distance or short interval work?
Do you have adequate leg strength to perform your sport?
Is your core in good shape? 
How about your posture, does it need some correcting?
Are you flexible enough to bend over and touch your toes?
Let an expert at Evolve Physical Therapy + Advanced Wellness evaluate your overall fitness and strength.  We will point out any areas that need a little fine tuning before the season starts.  Also, we will teach you proper body mechanics for your specific sport to help decrease your risk of injury.  Call our office today for a general health and wellness evaluation!

The heart of a woman is different from the heart of a man, and so are the symptoms they experience when having a heart attack.  Read this and share it with others.  It could save some beautiful womans life!