*Easy Weight Loss with Water

I had you at “easy” and “weight loss” didn’t I?  It has always been assumed that drinking water was a solution to slimness.  Some researchers found that this is actually true.  Overweight adults drank about 16 ounces of water thirty minutes before eating.  They were compared to another group that were given water with no instructions as to when to drink it.  After 12 weeks, the water-drinkers lost more weight compared to the non-drinkers.  They lost on average 5 pounds more despite being allowed to eat as much as they wanted. 

You know you need to drink more water anyway.  It helps so many things including bowel, bladder, muscle and joint function.  Just do it before you eat for an easy way to aid weight loss.



* Cancer Screening in Local Area

Bonnie's Bus, a state-of-the art mobile mammography unit, will be providing breast and cervical cancer screening at the Clarksburg Mission on Wednesday, December 8, 2010. The Mission is located at 312 N. 4th Street in Clarksburg.   An order from a health care provider is required for screening. They accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurances.  Some women may qualify for free pap tests, pelvic exams, breast exams, and mammograms.  Call Health Access at 304-622-2708 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

You can also check out the calendar at the website for Bonnie's Bus to see if bus will be coming to your local area.

*Osteoporosis : Did you know?

October 20^th, 2010 is World Osteoporosis Day

Did you know:

• Up to 44 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis
• 34 million have osteopenia which is low bone density and therefore at risk for osteoporosis
• Osteoporosis increases the risk of a bone fracture, especially in the bones of the back, hip and wrist
• Early diagnosis and treatment helps prevent fractures
• See your health care provider to get your bone density tested and determine the best course of action
• Weight bearing exercises such as walking are important ways to improve bone strength

Check out www.nof.org for more info and tips on osteoporosis



*Wall Street Journal Features PTs for Prevention

You take your car in periodically for a check up to prevent problems from happening, why not your body?  Most people are familiar with seeing a physical therapist after an injury, but did you know we can help you prevent injuries before they happen?  The Wall Street Journal featured an article September 27, 2010 describing the benefits of seeing a PT before you get hurt.  Physical therapists are experts at evaluating and addressing problems in the muscles and joints and developing exercise plans to improve your weak areas.

Whether you have a fitness goal in mind or just want to live life more fully with less pain, a PT can help you achieve this.  Most insurance will cover PT for an injury.  Check with your individual insurance to find out coverage or if you need a physicians referral. 



*October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  To read more about this topic check out http://www.nbcam.org/.  You can find out more about current annual mammogram recommendations and information on the disease.

If you would like information on Physical Therapy and breast cancer check out my past newsletter on the topic. 

West Virginia has a program that provides free cancer prevention screening including mammograms to qualified people.  Check out the WV Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening program web page to see the criteria and when this screening is available in your area.