NEWSLETTERFebruary, 2018 Featured in this issue:
February, the "oddest" monthIn the 8th century BCE (Before Common Era), the Romans used the Calendar of Romulus, a 10-month calendar that kicked the year off in March (with the spring equinox) and ended in December. January and February didn’t even exist; it was an afterthought. Back then, winter was a nameless period that no one cared for much. (Planters and harvesters used the calendar as a timetable. To them, winter was useless and wasn’t worth counting). So for 61 days out of the year, Romans could ask “What month is it?” and you could correctly answer, “None!” King Numa Pompilius thought that was stupid. Why have a calendar if you’re going to neglect one-sixth of the year? So in 713 BCE, he lined the calendar up with the year’s 12 lunar cycles—a span of about 355 days—and introduced January and February. The months were added to the end of the calendar, making February the last month of the year. But no Roman calendar would be complete without some good old-fashioned superstition mixed in! The Romans believed even numbers were unlucky, so Numa tried to make each month odd. But to reach the quota of 355, one month had to be even. February ended up pulling the short stick, probably because it was simply the last month on the list. Later, Caesar aligned the calendar with the sun and added a few days so that everything added up to 365. February, which by now was at the top of the calendar, kept its 28 days. To ensure that the calendar stays in line with the Earth's movement around the sun, in 46 B.C., Ceasar added an extra 24 hours to the calendar in the form of February 29, also known as leap day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shhh...the R is silent...or is it?In the United States, the most common pronunciation is feb-yoo-air-ee. Both Merriam-Webster and American Heritage dictionaries consider the common pronunciation to be correct, along with the less common, more traditional standard feb-roo-air-ee. The loss of the first r in February is not some recent habit propagated by lazy teenagers. People have been avoiding that r for at least the last 150 years, and probably longer than that. Given certain conditions having to do with word stress and the other sounds in a word, we simply do not like to have two r's so close to each other. The name for the linguistic process where one sound drops out because another of the same sound is too close to it is dissimilation, and it affects lots of languages. Consider your pronunciation of the following words, and be honest about whether you really say the r's in parentheses: su(r)prise, gove(r)nor, pa(r)ticular, be(r)serk, paraphe(r)nalia, cate(r)pillar, southe(r)ner, entrep(r)eneur, p(r)erogative, interp(r)etation. Not everybody drops these r's, but at the same time, nobody seems to get too upset when they hear others do it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ American Heart MonthTraditionally, the month for lovers and all things heart related, February also reminds us to take care of our heart. It is American Heart Month. Some risk factors for heart disease and stroke are preventable. American Heart Month teaches us the ways we can help reduce our risks while eliminating those we have control over. You can make healthy changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Controlling and preventing risk factors is also important for people who already have heart disease. To lower your risk:
Valentine's Day Treats - Allergy FreeThere’s clearly more than one type of treat that can convey your feelings this Valentine’s Day, but remember to refer to individual ingredient statements to avoid any allergic reactions when selecting a sentimental sweet. If food allergies for Valentine's Day is a concern (especially with children at school), play it safe and head for alternatives. Make a homemade craft or visit the floral department or jewelry store to eliminate any chance of accidental exposure. While an ingredient list may look safe, some confectionery manufacturing plants may also process tree nuts, peanuts, and other common allergens as ingredients for other products. While they are not directly included in the candy, trace amounts of these allergens can contaminate the product and elicit an allergic reaction upon consumption. To avoid this less-than-romantic fate, be sure to examine ingredient lists and statements to verify which allergens may have contacted the sweets. Do a little extra research before February 14th to look into smaller businesses that specialize in allergen-free candies or look into local shops that may have Valentine’s Day gifts that don’t involve food. Here are some helpful web sites to help you find an allergy free alternative this V-Day!
The Importance of Core StrengthThe core muscles are the network of tissues and musculature surrounding the back and abdominal region. These muscles contract in unison to keep the spine in a stable or neutral position during all movements, preventing injury. In addition, the core muscles transfer and receive impulses between the upper and lower limbs, essentially being used for nearly every movement we experience in our daily lives. Core strength training is a vital component of injury rehabilitation regimens because it provides stability beneath the affected muscles that provide movement, thereby helping reduce pain in the lower back, sacroiliac joint pain, hamstring, shoulder, and groin. Physical therapists strongly emphasize injured individuals to engage in core strengthening exercises to help the surrounding muscles work together more efficiently. Winter Weather Tip: Dressing in LayersWhen the weather is constantly changing, as it has been lately, remember to layer your clothing. Choosing a layered approach when dressing offers flexibility for a wide range of activities and weather conditions. LAYER 1: The base layer: Choose a polyester fabric that wicks moisture away from the skin to keep you dry and trap a layer of dry air next to the skin for warmth. LAYER 2: The insulation layer: This layer traps air around the body for warmth and moves perspiration from the base layer to layer 3, the shell. Synthetic fibers are typically recommended, but you can also choose wool, cotton, or fleece. LAYER 3: The shell layer: This layer's function is to keep out the wind, snow, and rain. Choose well-designed water and wind-proof fabrics that provide flexibility and durability for the activities you enjoy. LAYER 4: The Accessories layer: Chose accessories based upon the weather conditions. Do not forget your hat, gloves, and scarf. Remember, we lose as much as 50% of our body heat through our head and neck. Is it a Cold or the Flu?The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Flu can have very serious associated complications. If you have the Flu:If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group, or are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your health care provider (doctor, physician assistant, etc.) immediately. Certain people are at high risk of serious flu-related complications (including young children, people 65 and older, pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions). This is true both for seasonal flu and novel flu virus infections. If you are in a high risk group and develop flu symptoms, it’s best for you to contact your doctor immediately. High risk groups include people with: Asthma, Neurological and neurodevelopmental issues, COPD, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, blood disorders, diabetes, kidney disorders, liver disorders, weakened immune system (HIV, AIDS, cancer or those on chronic steroids) or those with a BMI over 40. Remind the doctor about your high risk status for flu. CDC recommends that people at high risk for complications should get antiviral treatment as early as possible, because benefit is greatest if treatment is started within 2 days after illness onset.
Disinfecting surfaces to protect your family and co-workers if you do get the flu:Here are some helpful links for disinfecting the home and office:
AFPT's Inclement Weather PolicyWe generally follow the closings for the Naval Academy, but it is best to call our office if you are unsure if we are open. If we are open when there is snow or ice on the ground, please use your best judgement as to whether or not it is safe for YOU to come to therapy, especially if you use an assistive device for walking/balance. Please call us to let us know if you will not be making your appointment so that you don't get charged for a missed appointment. |