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HEALTHY HAPPENING October 2018

Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention

Most people seek physical therapy after an injury or when prescribed by your doctor. The state of Utah is a direct access state- meaning you can go directly to the physical therapist for an evaluation prior to seeing your medical doctor. Many people may not realize since 2005 physical therapy education programs became clinical doctorate degrees, with a higher level of education to screen for issues that may need more serious medical care.

At Moab Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Rhonda Cowern, DPT will perform a detailed evaluation to help you understand what issues may have contributed to your initial injury. We will compare your physical strength, functional movement, and flexibility to address postural habits or work-related demands that may contribute to your current symptoms. Chloe Hollis, our physical therapist assistant will also help carry out your individual plan of care with PT guidance. Our unique setting of two licensed providers (PT/PTA) that work closely together affords you complementary care of two for the price of one! Physical therapy will give you the tools to maintain a pain free lifestyle. We believe that sometimes your rehabilitation takes teamwork. We can help direct your care toward other health care professionals for massage therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture or nutrition coaching when needed to reach your personal goals.

Once your functional mobility has improved, Moab offers several great group classes: Adaptive yoga with Star at Moab Yoga is a great option to maintain flexibility and movement while not being overwhelmed with holding yoga poses. Another all level option is water aerobics at Moab Arts and Recreation Center on Tuesday/Thursday at 10am with Cathy! Physical therapy is not pain and torture. Instead, it’s about healing your mind and body to continue participating in activities you love. Seek help from Moab Physical Therapy and Rehab for simple changes to improve quality of life. Please call to set up an evaluation (435) 210-1985 or check out our website to hear what patients have been saying: moabphysicaltherapy.com/success-stories/

Relay for Life. A Reel "Taste of Moab"


Grand County Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society are excited to announce some new changes to our 2018 Season. ACS is launching a new pilot program called Home and Hope. Moab Utah has been chosen to be part of this new venture.

Hope and Home brings a percentage of the money raised in Grand County back into the community. Money raised in Grand County not only helps fund Cancer Research, ACS is the largest non-governmental agency that supports cancer research, last year close to 3 million dollars’ worth of research grants were in Utah alone, research being done at the University of Utah and the Huntsman Cancer Center. It also helps support the Hope Lodge in Salt Lake, where Cancer patients and one caregiver can stay free of charge while undergoing cancer treatment in the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys. Through this program 50% of the money raised in Grand County comes back to Grand and San Juan County to help your friends, family and neighbors with transportation costs to and from cancer treatment in Utah and Colorado. Grand County Relay committee is so excited about being part of this opportunity.

So we decided as long as were becoming part of the fun and exciting new venture, we decided maybe we would mix up our event a bit. That we would come back into town from the Arena and highlight the Taste of Moab. The Taste of Moab has been part of our Relay for about 7 years and has been a great success; it was an opportunity to honor our survivors and their caregivers. As Cancer survivors ate for free and one caregiver paid half price. This event is also open to the public, We are hoping this year that it not only does that, but becomes an fun event in its own right. That it becomes a chance for our guest to try out some of the best our local restaurants have to offer and gives the restaurants a chance to showcase some of their favorite foods.

As Moab not only offers some great food, but also some great beverages, this year we are adding local beer and wine to our Taste. As Our Silent Auction has also been a great success in the past, we are bringing it to the evening plans as well.

What a great way to celebrate Moab’s Survivors and Remember those loved one who have lost their battle and to help our friend and neighbors in their battle with this terrible disease.

When and Where is this Fun Event Happenings. October 27, 2018 at the Grand Center from 5-10 Pm

Please join us. For information please call Yordy at 970-986-9141 or visit our website at www.TasteofMoab.org to purchase tickets or they will be available locally at the copy center or from one of our committee members, they will also be available at the door.

Please call Yordy at 970-986-9141 with any questions




Learning Later in Life: Cultivating Beginner’s Mind
by Jess Reilly


I learned to ski when I was four years old. In true East coast, we-don’t-need-a-ski-instructor style, my parents glued plastic milk jug caps to the tips of my skis: red for right, green for left. As I skittered down an icy slope, they would yell, “Red! Green! Red!” and I would weight whatever foot on that color, careening back and forth down the hill. I never learned my right or left very well, but I did learn how to ski. Jess Reilly

Twenty years later, I moved to Moab and took up mountain biking. I confidently hurled myself down rocky slopes, but this time, I didn’t have years of muscle memory (or bottle caps) to guide me. This created some comical moments: superwomaning over my handbars or awkward sideways crashes, all part of an exponential learning curve. I did the same a few years later learning a new language, creating some cringe-worthy moments (like repeatedly calling my husband “my compromised one” in a presentation.)

Yet these experiences profoundly molded me: I discovered the power of learning later in life. Mastering new skills can feel excruciating in a society that values expertise over failure—but I’ve been able to practice crashing in my yoga practice the whole time, which helps it feel a little less scary in my daily life.

Smart Old Dogs
For a long time, researchers believed that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Turns out the brain is a lot more adaptable, or “plastic,” than previously thought. Humans can grow new neural pathways for their entire life—and the older we get, the smarter our brain gets at doing this. Research suggests this has to do with attentiveness. Experimental psychologist Zoe Kourtzi at Cambridge notes that “what seems to matter is your strategy in life – so if older people have really good attentive abilities they can learn as fast as younger people.”

Beginner’s Mind and Yoga Practice

Now as I approach 40, I have the my most wondrous challenge yet: raising my daughter. She reminds me of the marvel and excitement of beginner’s mind every day—and that falling is a requirement for growth.

My yoga practice has been the lynchpin to help me move through these new daily (and nightly!) challenges with beginner’s mind. This means bringing an open mind to all life’s interactions. Instead of focusing on some imagined failure, yoga gives me the opportunity, in the safety of the studio, to bring my attention and awareness to balance and breath for a few moments in the day. I practice awkwardness, failure, and learn (and relearn and relearn) how to take new approaches to the same asanas—and daily events.

As we get older, embracing beginner’s mind can bring joy to that which may have otherwise felt awkward or ungainly. Yoga helps me remold my brain and bring an attentive mind to life challenges, old and new. All it takes is a little practice. Attending a yoga class can restore and rejuvenate the mind. It helps me practice finding grace and power in adversity: I can embrace the “growth” in growing old, and take a whole new perspective on age. Come practice Prana Yoga, a breath and movement-based practice, with Jess: Wednesdays from 12-1pm, Moab Yoga 37E Center St. www.moabyoga.com 435-259-2455


 


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