Have you taken your ‘meds’?

Have you taken your MEDS today?

Probably not the kind of meds you’re thinking, but our natural instinct is to think of a prescription when we hear about medications.

The kind of MEDS we preach at Loon State Physical Therapy are a little bit different:

M - mindfulness

E - exercise

D - diet

S - sleep

Let’s dive a little bit deeper into the meaning of each -

Mindfulness - are you practicing self-reflection and being present in the current moment? At Loon State, we don’t want your injury to define you. Mindfulness is one of the best ways to decrease stress and be present in the now. Ways to increase mindfulness on your own may include meditation, yoga, journaling or spending time outside.

Exercise - physical activity helps with healing, overall health and wellbeing. There is evidence stating that exercise decreases all-cause mortality. At Loon State, we prioritize keeping you exercising throughout injury as we know just how beneficial it is!

Diet - food helps with energy, mood, cognition, physical health and prevention of noncommunicable disease. Eating a diet rich in fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables, and adequate protein will promote healing in our body and eliminate unnecessary inflammation - aka decrease pain.

Sleep - 7-8 hours of sleep helps our body function properly, reduces inflammation, promotes healing, increases immunity, and improves cognition - aka decreasing pain.

These kinds of medications don’t come with negative side effects like prescription meds, which is why we want to start prioritizing them. More than 30% of Americans are getting less than 7 hours of sleep and 77% of Americans fail to meet weekly exercise guidelines despite the health benefits. We have the change this.

You’ll hear all of us at Loon State Physical Therapy asking questions about your MEDS during visits as we know pain isn’t a one dimensional concept. Our goal is to not only help you get out of pain, but stay out of pain and live a healthier life.

Take a look at this article from 2022 from our Physical Therapy colleagues talking further about the importance of MEDS:

Hughey L, Flynn TW, Dunaway J, Moore J, Sabbahi A, Fritsch A, Koszalinski A, Reynolds B. Mindfulness, exercise, diet, and sleep - A necessary and urgently needed skill set of the musculoskeletal practitioner. Musculoskeletal Care. 2023 Mar;21(1):198-201. doi: 10.1002/msc.1686. Epub 2022 Aug 22. PMID: 35989616.

Have questions or want to schedule a free discovery call? Reach out here

Lexi Noel, Doctor of Physical Therapy