[re+think]

Can exercise improve thinking and memory? The short answer is yes!   Research has shown exercise to improve executive functioning, memory, problem solving, vision and perception—this list goes on and on!   So, if you are like me, and sometimes don’t feel as sharp as you used to (this happened to me after having kids)—exercise is a great way to sharpen your mind. But, what we really want to know is the how exercise can do such a thing, and then get to the nuts and bolts of how do we harness this power of exercise? First, how does it work?   I want to give you three simple ways that has been show in research in Parkinson's Disease and other disorders such as Alzheimer’s: 1) Increased brain blood flow and health 2) Altered dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission (our key messengers in the brain)!   3) Increased number of brain connections Now the nuts and bolts:   how do you do this? Again—I like things in groups of threes—so here you go: It takes a b

So you want to get a better night's rest? Stress Free Mattress Shopping by Chelsey Brown, SPT USC DPT Class of 2017 image source:  http://sleepdelivered.com/best-mattress-for-back-pain-buy-online/ "I am not sleeping well; maybe it’s my position, my mattress or even my pillow?  I want something healthy for my back but I am overwhelmed by the information."   Does this sound like you? Then you have come to the right place. We are going to spend the next few paragraphs outlining 1) why a good mattress is needed, 2) the levels of firmness and 3) the pros and cons of different mattress types to equip you for a more informed mattress-shopping extravaganza. Why a good mattress? : Let’s first think about the benefits of having a good mattress.  They can be expensive but they are also a crucial foundation to facilitate your sleep and restfulness.  As your MD, PT or friends have probably told you, we all have natural spine curvature.  So, f

The entire [re+active] team got together last week to share our passion about exercise!  About 8000 people were reached throughout Facebook Live videos and our live exercise class.  How awesome is that!?  In our ideal world, many lives would be changed by using exercise as a potent medication to  manage the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.  In order to make the educational videos more accessible--we wanted to put them in one place so you can have easy access.  Let's start with the Top 5 reasons to use exercise as medicine in PD:  #5: Exercise helps with constipation!  I know so many people that are on all kinds of different medications to help with constipation--let's just take the natural remedy--exercise.  Dr. Chelsea Duncan shares about how this helps.  #4: Exercise helps you sleep better.  Yikes--I know that I need this! Dr. Erin Caudill explains about the importance of sleep and how it is improved with exercise.  #3: Exercise gives you energy.  

Namaste.  A statement so often heard and said at the close of a yoga practice.  An everyday greeting in Indian tradition.  But what does it mean in the context of a yoga practice?  Why is it said with such reverence?  The first explanation I heard was from a patient, ever-present yoga teacher who always listened with an open heart.  She said, “When you are with the light in you, and I am with the light in me, we are one .”  Now, this can represent something different to each person depending on their circumstances of day, time, life history, etc.  But what makes the most sense to me is the profundity of such a subtle concept:  when you recognize and honor the essence of who you are, and I recognize and honor the essence of who I am, we can see who the other person is without judgment, without contradiction, and with deep, compassionate empathy.  How beautiful is that? Ok, that sounds awesome, right?  But how on earth does one even begin to sort through the complex, intrica

*Disclaimer! Before we go any further, this is not another blog post about a fad diet that is aimed at guilting you into changing the way you eat. This is simply a few positive reasons why adopting a whole foods plant-based diet will help you feel amazing! I will also try to avoid using big scientific wording and just give you the most important points. Hope you enjoy! It’s that time of year again where people set New Year’s resolutions. If you’re like me, you love making New Year’s resolutions! If you’re not like me, hopefully this blog post will change your mind! Over the years, I have realized a trend in my resolution setting: The goals that were meaningful to me, I achieved! Simple enough, right? As a physical therapist, health and wellness have always been extremely meaningful to me. This is why I hope to provide you with my three favorite reasons for making one, simple, life-changing resolution this year. When I began adopting a more plant-based diet I go