Are You Taking Care of Your Heart?
Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure? Do you get out of breath going up a flight of stairs? Your heart is vital to your survival. At GTS Physical Therapy, our therapists understand how important it is to address underlying issues and create a plan to help prevent injury and disease.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, accounting for one in four deaths each year. Fortunately, most forms of heart disease are preventable by making lifestyle changes, including exercising, practicing good nutritional habits, and reducing stress in your everyday life.
February is American Heart Month. Our team at GTS Physical Therapy can help improve your heart health by helping you learn how to eat a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly, and avoid anything that can cause damage to it.
Request an appointment with one of our specialists to learn how to keep your heart healthy!
5 Tips for Better Heart Health
Taking action and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will assist you in making sure your heart is healthy. When your heart doesn’t get enough attention, significant problems might arise in the artery lining, leading to plaque buildup. Plaque forming in your arteries is the cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Here are 5 simple ways you can make sure your heart continues to perform at its best:
1. Exercise to increase your heart rate:
Walking and biking around your area regularly can help you raise your heart rate. Exercising regularly can help you lose weight, reduce your stress and improve your mood.
2. Participate in strength training:
Strength training is one of the most effective injury-prevention strategies for the body and heart. Your therapist can help you develop safe strength-training techniques.
3. Maintain mobility of the joints and muscles:
Regular stretching and mobility work keeps you active and makes you feel better. The more active you are, the healthier your heart is! Knowing the right workouts and therapies for your joint and muscle health will help you feel better and enhance your overall function.
4. Eat healthy meals:
Nutrition plays a huge role in heart health. Plant-based foods, whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats like fatty fish and olive oil should all be in your diet. Fried foods, trans fats, processed foods, and added sugar should all be avoided.
5. Manage your stress:
Stress can raise blood pressure, so do your best to find daily ways to relax. The less stressed out you are, the less tension and stress you place on your heart. Exercising, getting adequate sleep, stretching before bed, or taking a nightly warm shower are all things that could help with relaxation.
The best approach to keep your heart strong and healthy is to exercise regularly. It’s a natural, safe, and effective way to help improve your heart function! Physical therapy is an excellent method to add additional physical activity to your daily routine.
GTS Employee of the Month: Kennedy Cooper
Favorite snack: Ranch Corn Nuts
Go-to weekend activity: Hiking
One thing people don’t know about me: I’ve always wanted to be a forensic psychologist
“Kennedy is a doer in every aspect of the word. If there is a need, she will selflessly give of herself, her time, and her resources to brighten someone’s day, help out her teammates, or make sure others have what they need to be successful It may be in the form of countless movie impressions, keeping up the Joke of the Day, having a secret stash of candy for a patient who just lost their spouse, helping out the PT techs with cleaning, laundry, and mopping so everyone can be done a little earlier, or even giving of her own self to ensure a kid has a solid pair of shoes for winter. Kennedy is genuine and kind but also direct and honest. Patients and colleagues alike respect and cherish her.” -Reannon Russell
What to Expect in Physical Therapy
If you’re looking for a safe way to improve your heart health, physical therapy is a great option. At GTS Physical Therapy, our team of experts can play a leading role in preventing, reversing, and managing heart-related conditions. Our therapists can help you improve your heart health by advising you on lifestyle adjustments that include daily exercises, nutrition, and stress reduction strategies based on your individual needs.
Our team comprises movement experts who have the knowledge and training to evaluate and treat several kinds of acute and chronic pain conditions and abnormal physical function related to an injury, disability, disease, or unhealthy lifestyle.
We perform a thorough evaluation that includes your overall health status to create an exercise plan that ensures you’re getting as much physical activity as you can throughout the day. This will consist of treatments to address any injuries you may have and to help prevent other health issues.
We can guide you through proper exercises and specialized treatments to relieve your joint and muscle pain, increase your strength and flexibility, and improve your overall health by getting your blood flowing and your heart rate up. Participating in regular physical therapy appointments can help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, significantly decreasing your chances of cardiac arrest in the future.
Our goal is to incorporate activities to improve your heart health so you can enjoy your life!
Expert PT Video Tips!
Exercise of the Month
DEAD BUG
(Core, Lower Back)
Lie down on your back with your arms by your sides, your knees bent to 90-degrees, and your feet on the floor. Raise one arm up straight and one knee up towards the ceiling at the same time. Your arm should stay straight and be pointing straight up at the top and your knee should be at 90-degrees and be pointing straight up at the top.
3 Sets, 10 Reps.
GTS West Plains Named #1 Physical Therapy Clinic in West Plains
GTS West Plains is proud to announce that it has been voted #1 Best Physical Therapy Clinic in West Plains, a recognition made possible by the incredible support of our community. This honor reflects our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional care, personalized treatment, and outstanding results for every patient we serve.
Adding to this exciting achievement, Brandyn Batterton has been voted #1 Physical Therapist in West Plains. Brandyn’s dedication, expertise, and patient-first approach have made a lasting impact on countless individuals, helping them recover, regain strength, and return to the activities they love.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who voted and continues to trust GTS West Plains with their care. This recognition motivates our entire team to keep raising the bar and delivering the highest level of physical therapy services to the West Plains community.
Strengthening Our Hometown
Become strong by attending one of our hometown workshops. All are welcome, although spots are limited, so sign up today!
Bentonville, Jonesboro, Mountain Home, Pocahontas, Paragould, West Plains, MO.
March 17th at 4 PM – Knee Pain
Request an Appointment Today
Caring for your heart is just as important as caring for any other part of your body. For American Heart Month, our team at GTS Physical Therapy can help you get back into shape safely and healthily!
Contact us this month to learn how you can improve your heart health by incorporating more physical activity into your life!
Exercise & Mental Health
Everyone knows that regular exercise is good for the body. But exercise is also one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to feel better.
Exercise and Depression.
Maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing. It promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.
Exercise and Anxiety.
Anything that gets you moving can help, but you’ll get a bigger benefit if you pay attention instead of zoning out. By adding this mindfulness element—really focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise—you’ll not only improve your physical condition faster, but you may also be able to interrupt the flow of constant worries running through your head.
Exercise and ADHD.
Exercising regularly is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the symptoms of ADHD and improve concentration, motivation, memory, and mood. Physical activity immediately boosts the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels—all of which affect focus and attention.
Exercise and PTSD and Trauma.
Evidence suggests that by really focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise, you can actually help your nervous system become “unstuck” and begin to move out of the immobilization stress response that characterizes PTSD or trauma. Instead of thinking about other things, pay close attention to the physical sensations in your joints and muscles, even your insides as your body moves. Exercises that involve cross movement and that engage both arms and legs—such as walking (especially in sand), running, swimming, weight training, or dancing—are some of your best choices.
Spread the Love: $50 Giveaway
Seasonal Recipe: Rose Latte
This Rose Latte is a cozy, romantic treat with delicate floral notes that feel like a little self-care in a cup. It’s the perfect way to slow down, savor the moment, and add a touch of love to your day. 💗
Ingredients:
- 2 1⁄2 cups Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Beet Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Rose Water
Optional:
- 1⁄2 tsp Ground Cardamom
- 2 Espresso Shots
Instructions:
Add the unsweetened plant-based milk, maple syrup, beetroot powder, and cardamom (if using) to a small pot over low heat. Heat on low for about 5 minutes or until warmed to your liking, stirring frequently. Then take off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract & rose water. Pour the espresso shot into your mug (if using). If you have a milk frother, use it to froth the plant-based milk mixture (this is optional too). Pour the rose milk latte into your mug and top with dried rose petals and an extra dash of cardamom if you like. Enjoy!
Start the Journey to An Active Lifestyle Today!
No matter your needs, the physical therapists at GTS Physical Therapy will help you get active in a way that works for you. Call us to schedule your initial consultation!
