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It’s a well-known fact that regular physical activity is beneficial for your body. It strengthens bones and muscles, combats health conditions and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy, and makes you feel better. But there’s another benefit to physical activity, and that’s the positive impact it has on your brain!

Being physically active improves cognitive health – it can improve the way you think, learn, problem-solve, and help you enjoy balanced emotions. Exercising can also improve your memory, reduce anxiety, and even help improve your quality of sleep. And here’s the best part – any amount of physical activity has been shown to be beneficial.

Some of the effects of exercise on brain health happen immediately, meaning they occur right after exercise or shortly thereafter, such as a reduced feeling of anxiety, improved sleep, and improved aspects of cognitive function. With regular physical activity, other long-term benefits occur, such as improvements in executive function (the ability to plan and organize, initiate tasks, control emotions), deep sleep, and more manageable long-term anxiety.

What Can You Do?

Being active might be easier than you think. Here are some ideas for how to stay active throughout the day. Remember – every little bit counts!

• Daily Chores – what might count as physical activity? Cleaning, light yard work, laundry, and other household chores can count as activity for the day! If it’s getting you up and moving, it certainly counts.
• Be Active While Watching TV – think of ways to be active to reduce the amount of sedentary time in the day. Keep a list of activities, such as arm circles, marching in place, or leg kicks, to do during commercial breaks while watching your favorite shows.
• Walk – walking is one of the simplest and most effective things we can do. Walk your dog, walk with a friend, walk to get the mail. Take the long way to get to dinner. Walk two times around the building. Think of ways to get extra steps in!

The pros of exercise are countless. The next time you attend an exercise or dancing class, take a walk, or take a dip in the pool, remember you are improving your physical health and your cognitive health!

If you need help determining which exercises might be best for you, reach out to the Functional Pathways Therapy Team and we will be happy to help guide you!

Hello Summer! Hello warmer temps! And HELLO HYDRATION!

Aside from the air we breathe, water is the most essential element to human survival. Approximately 60% of the adult human body is made up of water, and drinking water is more important than eating. In fact, a person can live about a month without food, but only 3-4 days without water. Moral of the story? Drink up!

With hotter temperatures here now, it’s even more crucial to stay hydrated. When it’s hot outside, we are more likely to perspire and lose water through our sweat, putting us at a greater risk for dehydration. We know drinking water is important, but do you know the other ways you can help your body stay hydrated?

Additional Ways to Rehydrate:

• Fruits and Vegetables – Incorporating water-rich fruits and vegetables into your diet gives you an easy way to add more water content without drinking more fluids.
• Cucumber – 96% water
• Celery – 95% water
• Tomatoes – 94% water
• Asparagus – 93% water
• Spinach – 91% water
• Cantaloupe, peaches, carrots, bananas – 75-90% water

• Coffee and Tea – While caffeine is a diuretic (something that increases urine production), you do retain most of the water from the beverage. In other words, you won’t lose more fluid through urine than you take in by drinking a caffeinated beverage.
• Milk & Juice – There are several beverages that have just as high (if not higher) of a hydration index (how much of a drink is retained 2 hours after consumption) as water. Those include – Pedialyte, fat-free milk, whole milk, and orange juice. Some of these, like OJ, have a higher calorie count and sugar content, so drink cautiously.
• Smoothies – Many smoothies include water, juice, fruits, and vegetables. If you add high-water content fruits and vegetables to your recipe, you can create a SUPER DRINK full of hydrating ingredients!!

If you are feeling thirsty, you’ve likely already lost 1% of your body’s total water content. So, drink up, buttercup!

I’m a big fan of water….it really FLOATS MY BOAT!

Water you doing later? I’m just going with the flow.

Do you remember The Jetsons? Set in 2062, you may remember The Jetsons as a futuristic show that played with ideas about the future for laughs. People lived in houses in the sky, worked a three-day workweek, and drove aerocars that looked like flying saucers. The most impressive part of the show was the incredible conveniences that left the Jetsons with plenty of leisure time.

While we may not have aerocars that fly us around, we certainly have many technologies and devices to make our lives easier like the Jetsons!

There are numerous assistive devices that address specific needs we may have, such as walkers, canes, hearing aids, and glasses. Remember, an “assistive device” includes anything designed to help in performing a specific function. There are infinite options out there – it really comes down to what you need a little help and support with.

The most common categories of devices include:

• Mobility Devices – help you move from place to place with more independence
  • Examples: Rollators, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, canes, prosthetics
• Daily Living Devices – help you complete activities of daily living
  • Examples: Adapted cutlery and cups, shower seats and stools, dressing sticks
• Hearing Aids – help you hear or hear more clearly
• Vision Devices – help you see more clearly
  • Examples: Magnifiers, eye glasses, screen readers

Assistive technologies are different than devices and might include smart home assistants, medication reminders, and medical alert systems. These technologies can either be low-tech, such as phones with larger number buttons on them, or high-tech, like balance and fall prevention systems. In today’s world, you can even ask an AI to record your shopping list, set a reminder about taking your medication, or ask what day of the week it is.

We have technology at our fingertips – much like the Jetsons did! Imagine where we will be in 2062! What assistive devices do you use – and are they the most appropriate device(s) for you?

April is a BUSY month!! Lots to celebrate – Occupational Therapy Month, Earth Day, and National Walking Day, just to name a few. Information about OT Month was covered earlier, so let’s look at National Walking Day and explore ways to celebrate all month long!

National Walking Day is the first Wednesday in April every year, and it encourages Americans of all ages to get out, stretch their legs, and get their hearts pumping. The American Heart Association sponsors this day to help remind people about the benefits of taking a walk. Just because we missed the official day by the time of the posting of this article doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate!

By committing to walking at least 30 minutes each day, you can improve your mental and physical health. And remember, those 30 minutes do not have to be done all at once. Depending on your availability and your physical fitness, three smaller 10-minute walks throughout the day might be more appropriate. As always, check with your healthcare provider for specific recommendations.

Here are some tips for how to make walking more enjoyable:

• Wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes.
• Walk with a friend or family member to help pass the time.
• Stretch prior to and after your walks to prevent injury and soreness.
• Drink plenty of water. You may even consider bringing a water bottle with you to ensure you stay hydrated.
• Choose different routes for your walks. Change things up with a variety of scenery, terrain, and elevation, if possible.

There are also plenty of easy ways to get in a few more steps each day. Maybe you don’t have 30 minutes to spare – it happens to the best of us! Instead, incorporate ways to get in more steps throughout your day. I promise they will add up over time!

Here are some tips for adding more steps into your day:

• Park further away. Instead of taking the spot closest to the entrance, park at the other end of the parking lot. The extra steps it takes to get into the building will certainly add up.
• Take the stairs. If you are able, take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator when you have the chance. Not only will you be adding extra steps, but the elevation is also great for muscular strength and endurance.
• Walk while you talk. During your next phone call, try pacing around your office or home to get in a few extra steps. Take breaks as you need, but getting up to stretch your legs will certainly help you get through the day.

There are plenty of ways to celebrate National Walking Day all month long. Perhaps we can even turn these celebrations into some lifetime habits, too!

March is National Nutrition Month! Did you know – Americans average approximately 270 calories of sugar each day, which is around 17 teaspoons a day, compared to the recommended 12 teaspoons per day (200 calories).

Consuming too much sugar can impact your health from head to toe. An excess of sweetened foods can lead to obesity, heart disease, Type II Diabetes, cancer, sleep problems, liver disease, and more. It’s a good idea to try and keep added sugars (those added during the processing of packed foods) to a minimum whenever possible.

Let’s look at some ways to cut down on your added sugar intake.

1. Eat fruits in this order: Fresh > Frozen > Canned – Fresh is always best – this way, you are also getting the added fiber benefits and all the nutritional value of the fruits you are consuming. Frozen is second-best, as many of the nutrients are preserved in the freezing process. Canned is certainly an easy way to keep fruits on-hand, so if this is how you are going to eat them, choose fruit that is canned in 100% water or natural juice. Avoid fruits canned in syrup, which contains a lot of unnecessary added sugar. Drain and rinse your fruits in a colander to remove excess syrup or juice.
2. Swap out the soda – We know soda is PACKED with sugar. In fact, some of the most popular sodas, like Pepsi and Dr. Pepper, have more sugar than 4 donuts! When looking at healthy beverages, water is best. But if you want something sweet to drink, try using flavor packets, or fruit, to give water some added taste. You can also try sparkling water or unsweetened seltzers. Diet soda is also better in terms of sugar content, but aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are still not ideal.
3. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store – Next time you go to the grocery store, stick to the perimeter as much as possible. This is where the fresh and frozen items are kept. As you make your way to the center aisles, you get into the more processed foods, which tend to contain lots of sugar.
4. Read the labels – Have you ever stopped to look at the nutrition label printed on your packaged food items? Understanding the basics of a food label can help you make healthier food choices.  Things to pay particularly close attention to are serving size, calories per serving, and added sugars.
5. Stick to “plain” whenever possible – Any time something is flavored, it has a bunch of added sugar. For example, plain yogurt has around 8 grams of sugar, whereas flavored yogurts have around 26 grams of sugar. When possible, stick to the “plain” or “original” version of food and add your own flavorings to cut down on unnecessary sugar.

Consider your sugar intake when you are looking at your nutrition and meal planning. Simple changes can make a BIG impact!

Traffic lights – whether you love them or hate them – help to control the flow of traffic. They tell you when it is your turn to GO, STOP, or use CAUTION. We all understand how they work, and they have been around since 1868! But what you may not be as familiar with is the Functional Pathways Traffic Lights!

What are they?

FP has a plethora of traffic light handouts to facilitate and guide residents on typical signs of their health conditions, such as Heart Disease, COPD, Stroke, and even COVID. The star of today’s show is the traffic lights for therapy services! 

Staying well is everyone’s priority, so utilizing these helpful tools can assist residents, families, and caregivers to thrive in place and avoid hospitalizations.

Green Means Go!

• All is well – therapy services most likely are not needed.

Yellow – Time to Act!

• Therapy might be helpful to ensure you are able to participate in your favorite activities with ease and prevent risk of a decline in function.

Red – STOP!

• New onset of these symptoms could result in a hospital admission if the issue is not addressed. Contact your therapy team immediately.

Interested in learning more about all our resources that encourage health and wellness? – reach out to the therapy team at Functional Pathways or call 888-449-2212 to speak to a member of our team!

Pain is something no one wants to endure. Any time we experience pain, we immediately look for ways to make it stop.

But what if we worked to prevent pain from happening, and used those same techniques to manage pain when it does inevitably rear its ugly head?

The goal of a comprehensive, holistic pain management program is to promote consistent participation in activities, exercise, and education to enhance quality of life. This concept merges both traditional western and eastern medicine principles. Western medicine traditionally views the mind and body as separate entities. Eastern medicine is an art that views the mind and body as one.

Many of us may have pain conditions that are not reversible. A comprehensive and holistic pain management program, such as our Pathways to Chi program, focuses on approaches that allow participants to increase their engagement in meaningful activities while managing their chronic conditions.

Chi is energy which provides human bodies with circulation, nutrition, and minerals needed to thrive. In traditional Chinese medicine, Chi is referred to as “life force” and a measurement of vitality. Integrating Chi into your routine can help you feel more alive, alert, and present. This, in turn, can help you overcome illness and pain, increase vibrancy, and enhance mental ability.

How to Find Your Inner Chi – massage, trigger point release, meditation, guided imagery, Yoga, Tai Chi, Ai Chi (water Tai Chi), are just a few of the ways to find your chi.

For more information on Pathways to Chi or how to use eastern medicine to help manage your pain and enhance vibrancy, contact the Functional Pathways Therapy Team!