Beyond leafy greens, living a life that’s full of potential means fueling the body with the nutrients you specifically need, moving through the day in a present state, and connecting with nature.
At Gardyn, we’re all about living a healthy life centered around the whole person, starting with a well-rounded approach to nutrition.
During the month of March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign focused on the importance of informed food choices and establishing healthy eating and physical activity practices. From inflammation to mental health, we’re here to help you on your journey to a fulfilled life, inside and out.
This week, our focus is on recovering from physical trauma and how a few changes to your lifestyle can help aid in the healing process.
Suffering from an injury, even a minor malfunction of how your body operates can be frustrating and painful at the very least. Car accidents, unexpected falls, how you sit when looking at your smart device – no matter what your age or activity level, unfortunate incidents can cause minor to severe long-lasting trauma on the body.
Gardyn is committed to working with health-focused practitioners and communities to inspire you to live a more harmonious lifestyle. This week, we introduce Dr. Ryan Todd, DPT, doctor of physical therapy, health coach, and owner of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Center of South Oak Park, Illinois.
Gardyn talked to Dr. Todd about a few steps we can take to improve the chances of recovering and living out a robust life of adventure and happiness…
“Most of the people I see at my practice are coming in because they’re in enough pain that they can’t function on a daily basis anymore,” explains Todd. “I’m a firm believer in building a relationship with my patients and working as a guide to find solutions to resolve pain.”
So why is diet and nutrition a key component of recovering from an injury?
“The standard American diet (SAD) is laden with inflammatory agents based on the ingredients added to maximize shelf life and benefit low-cost production. Preservatives and additives are inflammatory in nature,” explains Dr. Todd.
“The combination of consuming a diet with inflammatory properties with an injury that is either acutely or chronically inflamed prolongs and can even stop the healing process. You’re essentially pulling the rug out from under any healing.”
Dr. Todd encourages his patients to keep a varied diet, one where protein is a part of the plan for accelerated tissue healing.
In addition to a diet stocked with leafy greens like kale, arugula, mustard greens, and Swiss chard (all packed with essential immune function benefits of vitamin C, magnesium, and folate), Dr. Todd breaks down practical suggestions for quality healing with what he calls “The Big 3” – sleep, mindfulness, and water.
“It may sound repetitive, but there’s a reason doctors encourage getting quality sleep.”
Our bodies go into intense repair mode on a cellular level when we sleep, removing waste products, resolving problems that happened throughout the day, and repairing tissue.
The sympathetic nervous system (the network regulating the fight or flight response) has a chance to slow down, adding to the long list of reconstruction that happens when we sleep.
What happens if our sleep is poor quality:
“I can’t overemphasize the importance of sleep as the repair and maintenance of our bodies happens during this time of necessary shut down,” said Todd. “All of these systems are interconnected, and the key to quality sleep is being challenged with the uptick in hours of technology use.”
Dr. Todd explained the light of mobile devices, tablets, and laptops all disrupt our internal clock, hijacking circadian rhythm, making it harder to sleep.
Currently working on a clinical trial at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Todd is working with fellow practitioners on a study comparing the value of spinal manipulation to mindfulness-based stress reduction on patients with lower back pain.
“Based on experience with my own patients, manual physical therapy and mindfulness/meditation to treat chronic low back pain is an excellent combination,” comments Dr. Todd. “The mindfulness element helps the patient create a different relationship with chronic pain.”
The constant nagging of chronic pain can easily segue into a feeling of hopelessness. Living with prolonged pain, a 2017 study comparing the relationship between chronic pain and depression found up to 85% of the patients who suffered from chronic pain also had depression.
Dr. Todd hopes the study at Rush will open up more discussion about using mindfulness and meditation in tandem with spinal manipulation therapies.
The transport medium of the body, water gets waste out, and the “good stuff” in on a cellular level. Just like having a balanced nutritional strategy – our bodies need a consistent supply of water – full stop.
What happens if you don’t drink enough water:
Your body lacking water is similar to trying to push your car another 10 miles when you’re running on fumes. It stalls a bit, has a hard time accelerating, and overall does not perform to its full potential.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 258 thousand physical therapists are in practice, so how do you find a practitioner that’s right for you?
Dr. Todd says to call the office and ask.
“In my practice, we’re all on the same mission, to find solutions to resolve pain and help patients return to the activities they love. This process takes a focused guide to meet with patients and establishing an honest relationship. Ultimately, a one-on-one approach to treatment will help a physical therapist maximize where the patient succeeds and strategically troubleshoot areas that need improvement.”
To learn more about Dr. Todd and his hands-on approach to relieve pain and enhance mobility, visit fyzical.com
Disclaimer: Articles, interviews, and suggestions featured on the Gardyn website should never be used as a substitute for professional medical advice from a licensed doctor and/or clinician. Please contact your preferred health provider for personal care and advice.
Herbs are one of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow at home. Learn about which herbs are best for tea, their flavor profiles and benefits, how to grow them on your Gardyn, steeping times, and more.
Learn about the differences between sprouts, microgreens, baby greens, and fully grown greens and how they fit into the plant life cycle. Each stage of the plant has its own qualities and benefits, and Gardyn lets you choose your own adventure!
Our most exciting accomplishment in 2022 is the impact that all of our Gardyners have collectively had on our environment. At Gardyn, we want to imagine a world where communities grow their own food from the highest quality of seeds, 100% pesticide-free, full of nutrients, and grown in a sustainable way to have no impact on the environment – and we’re doing it. Together we made a fundamental change and look forward to doing even better in 2023!
As the leaves and temperatures continue to fall, Gardyn props open the door to fresh, sweet, summer indulgences all winter long with the introduction of Gardyn Strawberries! We selected our organic, sustainably-grown strawberry variety to align with our mission to rethink the future of food. Gardyn strawberries are meant to be picked and enjoyed at their peak ripeness, providing you with the tastiest fruit and the most nutrition, all while remaining pesticide- and plastic-free.
5 Reasons Gardyn Makes a Great Gift Finding that perfect gift doesn’t have to be a challenge – and with Gardyn, your gift is not
© 2019-2023 Gardyn | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Membership Policy | Return Policy | Warranty | Patents | Referral Terms & Conditions
© 2019-2023 Gardyn | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Membership Policy | Return Policy | Warranty | Patents| Referral Terms & Conditions
A variety of easy-growing Gardyner Favorites
Cherry Tomatos, Jalapeños, Sweet Peppers
Cilantro, Mint, Sweet Thai Basil, Thyme
GARDYN MEMBERSHIP
Get 10 free plant yCube credits + free shipping every month
Save 60% on additional plant yCubes including microgreens
AI plant coach Kelby monitors and optimizes your plants’ growth 24/7
Vacation Mode pauses your plants’ growth for a fresh harvest upon return.
Member Exclusive Plants, varieties you can’t find anywhere else.
with a pre-paid membership
*Membership optional. Savings compared to Monthly
membership plan at $39/mo purchased in-app after setup.
Greens
Herbs
Fruits
FLowers
Greens
Greens
Herbs
Herbs
Fruits & Veggies
Fruits & Veggies
FLOWERS
All options also include 20 Gardyner favorites:
All options also include 20 Gardyner favorites: Greens – Arugula, Butterhead, Kale, Swiss Chard + 7 more // Fruits – Cherry Tomatoes, Jalapenos & Sweet Peppers // Herbs – Thyme, Cilantro, Mint and Thai Basil
Greens
Greens
Herbs
Herbs
Fruits
Fruits
Flowers
Flowers
Greens
Greens
Herbs
Herbs
Fruits
Fruits
Greens
Greens
Herbs
Herbs
Fruits
Fruits
FLowers
Flowers
Greens
Greens
Herbs
Herbs
Fruits
Fruits
Flowers
Flowers
Greens
Greens
Herbs
Herbs
Fruits
Fruits
