Plant Based TeleHealth June Newsletter

Monthly news & updates

June 1, 2022 | Issue 18

Physician's Perspective --

The Power of Movement: National Fitness and Sports Month

By Elisabeth Fontaine, MD

Let’s start with a proclamation of President Joe Biden:

I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2022 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. I call upon the people of the United States to make daily physical activity a priority, to support efforts to increase access to sports opportunities in their communities, and to pursue physical fitness as an essential part of healthy living.

Elisabeth Fontaine, MD

Last month was National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. You might ask why do we have to have a National Physical Fitness and Sports Month?? The answer: To highlight the priority of being active! As a reader of the Plant Based TeleHealth newsletter you are aware of the importance of a whole food plant-based diet for your health but are you aware of the almost equal importance of exercise? Here are some facts:

The Center of Disease Control (CDC) revealed the 4th leading risk factor of death worldwide: Physical Inactivity is an urgent public health priority. So then let’s not be surprised that a majority of adults (81.6%) and adolescents (81.8%) do not get the recommended amount of physical activity.

The urgency of physical inactivity is not a new message, yet we should not continue to ignore it. We should also attempt to focus on it every month, not just in May.

I personally prefer to discuss movement as opposed to exercise. Exercise has become such a buzzword that seems to represent a high athletic level. It's time to fact-check "exercise". The truth is that you don't have to be a marathoner or a gym rat to get meaningful health benefits from exercise.

Everything counts when it comes to movement. Here is the activity level recommendation per the American College of Sports Medicine. We all should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week including some resistance exercise twice weekly.

As human beings, we overthink what movement represents. Just taking a few minutes at the beginning of a week or even every day when you wake up will make a great impact. Just a few minutes to question what will I do today to help my body to stay active? This way you will allow yourself to be intentional about the simplicity of how you want to move. The fact that you are getting ready to provide yourself a moment to move is going to be registered by your brain as an engrained possibility for more action and before you know it a habit you enjoy.

Besides the amazing gain on your physical health, there is ample evidence of the impact of movement on your mental state with a significant impact on the reduction of anxiety and depression. It is even better when done outside as research has demonstrated the effect on our well-being and it allows you to get some natural Vit D. Furthermore, what really makes it a no-brainer is when you do it with a friend or family member as an accountability partner. There you have it a perfect recipe for the Lifestyle Medicine (LM) pillar.

Remember that exercise is not all or nothing. It is important to focus on how exercise makes you feel. Figure out what kind of exercise and workout location makes you feel good. Keep trying different types of exercise until you find an activity or workout routine that makes you happy. Reflect on how you can craft your physical movement so that you want to do it and so that you’re able to do it today or tomorrow.

As a Physician who practices Lifestyle Medicine, with a background in Exercise Physiology, I consider Exercise a vital sign. In every visit with Plant Based TeleHealth, I discuss movement/exercise as a prescription for health with my patients.

Let National Physical Fitness and Sports Month create the spark you need to set a movement goal you can commit to -- and carry it throughout the rest of the year.

It is as simple as going out and playing!

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/04/29/a-proclamation-on-national-physical-fitness-and-sports-month-2022/

https://www.npr.org/2018/12/12/676129459/get-started-exercising

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Plant Based TeleHealth is looking for another Patient Care Coordinator to assist patients with questions, scheduling, preparing for appointments, and more, and a Medical Assistant to assist physicians with answering patients, coordinating labs and other orders, responding to questions, rescheduling appointments, and more.

If you know someone who is passionate about lifestyle medicine, whole food plant-based nutrition, and helping patients to have access to an incredible team of physicians who's aim is to prevent and reverse disease whenever possible, please send them our way!

You may reach out to Anthony directly at anthony@pbtelehealth.com

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Daily Green Smoothie

This is a smoothie recipe that Dr. Keary O'Connor makes almost weekly (and it makes a few smoothies!) It has evolved from a compilation of a few recipes and with Dr. O'Connor's own experimentation.

Give it a try...and then adjust it to your liking! Green smoothies are a great way to kick off the start of your day!

Makes 2-3 smoothies, depending on the amount of each ingredient used. Stores well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Can ad-lib addition and substitution preferences of your choosing. Adding flax or chia thickens it.

Ingredients:

1 very large blender container such as Vitamix's 8c/64oz container

1 thumb-sized piece of turmeric root. I buy ahead and freeze; you can throw it in frozen.

2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger root. Again, I buy ahead and freeze and use frozen.

2 large (or 3 small) granny smith apples, washed, cored, and cut into chunks. I do not peel.

2 large celery stalks with leaves, cut into chunks.

1 very large English cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks.

1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley, washed.

1 small (or half of a large) lemon peeled and seeded

Several large handfuls of greens of choice (kale, spinach, collards, etc). I use collards.

water

Directions:

Place all in a blender (you may have to do in stages with water) and blend to desired consistency.

7 Simple Ways to Add Activity to Your Daily Life

As Dr. Fontaine wrote in the Physician's Perspective, we just finished up National Fitness and Sports Month. The intent of months like this is to bring awareness to different topics and this is an important one! Not just for the month of May, but for every month and every day.

As we get older and busy with everyday life, it's easy to slowly stop moving as much and get into a very sedentary routine. However, a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy and it's important to work daily movement into our lives as routinely as possible. The thought of exercising every day can be overwhelming...but it doesn't have to involve going to a gym or running several miles. Movement can be added in all sorts of ways. Here are some simple ideas of ways to start adding more activity to your daily life.

Plan outings that encourage movement. Going places on the weekends like Farmer's Markets, outdoor art festivals in your area, or strawberry picking will give you the opportunity to get lots of steps in!
If you have a grocery store nearby and need just a few items, take a walk instead of hopping in the car to drive. If distance or weather doesn't permit walking to the store, challenge yourself to walk all the aisles during your shopping trip (even though we know you're focused on fresh produce 😉).
If you work a typical 9-5 schedule, take a break around lunchtime and make it part of your routine to walk around the building or block. Take frequent breaks to stand and stretch!
If you're able, do some or all of your own yard work. Pushing a mower or planting and tending flowers or a garden can add a lot of activity during warmer months. As can shoveling snow in the winter!
Explore YouTube for beginning yoga or stretching classes. There are many offered for free. This can help you discover a new form of exercise, and eventually, you may enjoy and want to find a local in-person class.
Start with a small goal, such as touching your toes each morning, and then as you master it and make it a habit, add a bit more in. Your doctor can give you some good ideas for starting an at-home exercise routine.
Finally, when given the chance...run around with the kids, grandkids, or pets. Play is important and good for your mind as well as your body.

Like Dr. Fontaine said, "It is as simple as going out and playing!"...doctor's orders!