Author: D. Bents

Back in 1999, Congress declared May as Military Appreciation month.  We at Paragon are encouraging everyone throughout Southern Oregon to recognize those in your circle who have served or are currently serving our country.  It is a selfless act, one from which we all benefit.  You might have seen the t-shirts that say, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.  If you can read this in English, thank your military.”  From all of us at Paragon Orthopedics, a sincere and heartfelt thank you for the sacrifices you have made to protect the freedoms we enjoy each and every day.  If you would like a few tips about how you can recognize someone in the military, or information about some of the national events to recognize our military, check out the link below.

https://militarybenefits.info/national-military-appreciation-month/

Paragon Orthopedics is always happy to help you with your orthopedic needs and our blog addresses other aspects of your health because we care about your overall health.  Today we’re looking into how you feel: your mental health.  Mental health can be ignored and we’d like you to take a moment to check your emotional, psychological, and social well-being.  Here are ten tips from the University of Michigan:

• Value yourself
• Give of your time and talents
• Set realistic goals
• Take care of your body
• Avoid alcohol and drugs
• Alter your routines every once in a while to rejuvenate
• Quiet your mind through prayer, silence, or meditation
• Surround yourself with good people
• Learn how to deal with stress
• Seek help when you need it

Please make sure that not only your body is in good shape, but also your thoughts and feelings.  Read more details about each one of these pointers in this article:
https://uhs.umich.edu/tenthings

Trigger finger is a condition where most often the patient complains about the finger getting “stuck” or “caught” during movement.  Sometimes it’s with extension, and sometimes it’s when you flex your fingers into a fist.  It happens because of inflammation in a very small space within the finger.  In best case scenarios, they go away on their own, but at worst, the finger locks in a bent position.  Paragon Orthopedics Center has a very informative video that we will link to below.  Can Paragon Orthopedics help you with this problem?  Absolutely.  Dr. Bents does these almost weekly for patients around Southern Oregon with great results.  Look for our monthly newsletter this month for more details on this condition, what you can do, and what Dr. Bents does for treatment.

https://www.paragonorthopedic.com/trigger-finger-release.php

Good news came out late yesterday for high school athletes in non-contact sports.  For sports such as golf, tennis, and track, you do not have to wear a mask during competition, but you still need to keep at least 6 feet of distance from others.  Masks are necessary before/after the sport.  A runner from Summit High School collapsed last week at the end of her race due to oxygen debt.  Oregon was one of the only states to mandate masks for high school runners.  Read more from OregonLive:

https://www.oregonlive.com/highschoolsports/2021/04/mask-rules-revised-for-oregon-high-school-runners-other-noncontact-outdoor-sports.html

The past year has been tough on everyone, and for many, our health has suffered.  Some reasons for that are beyond our control, but some we can change.  Focus only on what you can control and simplify.  Just like for a child, we improve when we feel success.  Keep the changes small and attainable.  Are you eating too little veggies and fruits?  Try adding a salad every other day to one of your meals.  Are you eating too many convenience snacks?  Prep some vegetables at the beginning of the week so that they are easily accessed.  If you drink multiple sodas in a day, begin by eliminating just one.  Wanting to get more exercise?  Take your pet for a short walk every day.  Get a membership to a gym and start low with your goals.  Don’t let guilt be a motivator.  Guilt never works for a boss or a parent, so don’t expect it work for yourself.  Keep the goals easy at first to feel success and then build on them.  Keeping a record to mark off your successful days is also a good motivator.  The Mayo Clinic has an article that details more about how to simplify.  Paragon Orthopedics Center wants you to make your change count and get started today for better health!

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/better-health-starts-by-changing-one-thing

Here is our monthly newsletter put out by Paragon Orthopedics Center.  This month is focusing on Stress Fractures.  We will help you understand what they are (not true fractures, by the way), risk factors, and what you can do to help yourself if you have one.  You can always sign up for our email list to automatically receive this in your Inbox.  Just ask our helpful staff at Paragon’s front desk!  Click on the attachment below:

Paragon Press, April 2021

Protein is important for building strong bones and muscles, having a strong immune system, and enzyme/hormone regulation.  We’d like for you to think about how you get the protein you eat.  Plant-based protein sources are popping up in all the grocery aisles, from boxed noodles to frozen burger patties.  Are they better than animal-protein sources, like steak and chicken?  A great starting point for this answer is to think about the overall nutrition of the food and how it affects your body.  Animal-based proteins frequently have high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats that plant-based proteins do not.  Plant-based diets are showing reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain cancers.  Some believe plant-based proteins cannot provide all of the amino acids to make them nutritionally “complete.”  You can get close to the same nutritional content of “complete” proteins in plants by combining grains and a legume.  As far as digestibility, not much evidence is being found that plant-based proteins are less digestible with the commercial cooking and processing that is done to them today.  If you are looking to lessen the environmental impact of your choices, you could do this by eating at least some of your proteins from plants.  Some suggestions for plant proteins are:   tofu, tempeh, garbanzos/chickpeas, beans, and edamame.  This article from Discover Magazine will provide more in-depth understanding of all these points and Paragon Orthopedics Center always encourages you to be educated about your health.

https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/is-plant-protein-better-for-you-and-the-planet

Protein is important for building strong bones and muscles, having a strong immune system, and enzyme/hormone regulation.  We’d like for you to think about how you get the protein you eat.  Plant-based protein sources are popping up in all the grocery aisles, from boxed noodles to frozen burger patties.  Are they better than animal-protein sources, like steak and chicken?  A great starting point for this answer is to think about the overall nutrition of the food and how it affects your body.  Animal-based proteins frequently have high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats that plant-based proteins do not.  Plant-based diets are showing reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain cancers.  Some believe plant-based proteins cannot provide all of the amino acids to make them nutritionally “complete.”  You can get close to the same nutritional content of “complete” proteins in plants by combining grains and a legume.  As far as digestibility, not much evidence is being found that plant-based proteins are less digestible with the commercial cooking and processing that is done to them today.  If you are looking to lessen the environmental impact of your choices, you could do this by eating at least some of your proteins from plants.  Some suggestions for plant proteins are:   tofu, tempeh, garbanzos/chickpeas, beans, and edamame.  This article from Discover Magazine will provide more in-depth understanding of all these points and Paragon Orthopedics Center always encourages you to be educated about your health.

https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/is-plant-protein-better-for-you-and-the-planet

Golf seems to be one sport that Covid did not affect.  Many people got in their usual swings uninterrupted.   Others have picked it up as a new way to get out and some exercise.  The Wall Street Journal, with advice from a professional, recently detailed eight exercises that can help improve your game, and you don’t even have to find your clubs.  They will help swing rotation, dynamic posture, club speed, and your short game.  Videos within this article give you the ability to make sure you understand the exercises as described and you can check your form against them for the best chances of improvement.  Two of the eight require no additional equipment, and for the other five, you can probably improvise with items from around your home.  A couple exercises use resistance bands.  Dr. Bents is a huge fan of these and has purchased them for local teams to use as a way for young athletes to get stronger.  Get started and elevate your game!

https://www.wsj.com/articles/eight-exercises-to-improve-your-golf-game-11617994800

We all eat foods we shouldn’t, but some of them might be wreaking havoc on our body’s ability to fight off bacteria and viruses, which is very important as we navigate life with the coronavirus.  Paragon Orthopedics Center has blogged about foods you should eat, but please consider those you might want to eat less of, or eliminate altogether.  Healthline.com recently reviewed ten foods to avoid because of their effects on our immune systems:

-salty foods, foods with added sugars, processed/charred foods, fried foods, foods high in Omega-6 fats, foods high in additives, highly refined carbs, artificially sweetened foods, fast food, and certain high fat foods.

You could look at that list and know some are bad for you, but the article will give you details about why these can be so detrimental to your immune health.  Whether they impair your immune response or promote inflammation, educate yourself and others to make good food choices and keep your body in top shape for a long, high-quality life.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-that-weaken-immune-system#The-bottom-line