HOW DID YOU COMETO PRACTICE IN YOUR CAREER FIELD? In high school, my sister had leukemia and received physical therapy while in the hospital, and I thought it would be a fun job because you get to help people be the best versions of themselves.
WHAT TYPE OF EXERCISE (WEIGHTS,CARDIO, YOGA,PILATES, ETC.) DO YOU PREFER AND WHY? The best exercise is one that a person is the most consistent with and enjoys the most. In my practice,I do a combination of all of them on an individual basis. Personally, it’s quick strengthening with some cardio due to time constraints.
WHAT DOES YOUR EXERCISE SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE ON A TYPICAL DAY, WEEK? My job as a pediatric physical therapist is good exercise with moving infants or big kids on a large therapy ball or moving the kids in therapeutic handling, so I don’t get much time and energy left at the end of the day to add more. I opt to do a quick routine of intentional strengthening while at work, lasting only 5 minutes.
WHAT ARE YOUR PRACTICES TO KEEP YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY HEALTHY? I have learned to eat about 10 cups of vegetables a day, with many new recipes and easy ways to incorporate vegetables into meals, without my family knowing, often roasting and blending them. It keeps me going to the grocery store often but I do meal prep one to two days per month. I also minimize dairy and sugar intake (easier for me than for my family).
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HEALTHY MEAL? I recently started making a tasty cauliflower Alfredo sauce with chicken and put it on top of pan-fried zoodles (zucchini noodles)that my whole family loves. I also make a roasted red pepper soup that tastes great; and I freeze it in individual portions.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST HEALTH, WELLNESS TIP? Stay disciplined with eating vegetables for all the vitamins/minerals, and move a little every day. If joint pain or cardiovascular pathology limits you, find a good physical therapist to help eliminate the pain and improve endurance. And finally, I recommend cooking with and ingesting high-quality olive oil as a therapeutic agent for reducing risk of heart disease, lowering inflammation in the body, improving cognitive abilities and reaping other benefits