Autumn arrives to Oregon!

Autumn arrives with everything pumpkin spice, and leaves turning red, orange, and yellow. After a weekend at the coast with my husband, I feel refreshed; first get away in a long while. We walked surfside on the sand, with fresh air and listening to the roar of the ocean. Kingfishers, herons, and ducks captured our attention at a local estuary. How fortunate to live in Oregon with so much to explore outdoors.

Earlier in October the annual conference for the American Society of Hand Therapy provided new insights into managing nerve injuries. If you are feeling weakness, numbness or tingling in your hand or arm, hand therapy treatment is available in the Corvallis office or via video. Addressing a problem soon when the symptoms start is the best way to get relief and resume normal activities. Call Active Wellness at 541-286-5445.

Counterstrain is one technique to relieve pain, swelling, numbness or tingling in a hand or arm. Whether a condition is due to tendonitis, post-cancer edema, or trauma, Counterstrain can help. Treatment is available with health insurance for a medical condition; also cash-pay or flexible spending account is possible for wellness care.

Call the office to find out if Active Wellness could help you feel better and get active again!

Summer is here!

Now is the time for fun in the sun at the beach, river, mountains, or backyard. Active Wellness is here for you, whether you like gardening, kayaking, fishing, or hiking. Stay active!

Below are a few tips for staying healthy in hot weather.

1. Stay hydrated. Drink a glass of water before venturing out into heat. Bring your own water bottle along.

2. Wear loose, breathable, and light colored clothing.

3. Do more strenuous activities in the morning or evening when the temperature is cooler.

4. Check on family, neighbors, and friends to make sure they have water, fans or air conditioning.

5. Remember pets as they will need shade, water, and maybe a sprinkler.

6. Eat light with salads and sandwiches, veggies with dip. Avoid turning on the oven or stove by using the outdoor barbecue to keep the house cooler.

7. Benton County maintains cooling centers when the weather gets too hot; check the website at Cooling Centers | Benton County Oregon.

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2017) Hot weather tips. Retrieved from Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness | Natural Disasters and Severe Weather | CDC

April showers bring May flowers!

Finally, time to get outside again!

Gardeners are sharpening blades and returning outside to clear weeds and sow some seeds. Spring time in the Willamette valley is a wonderful site after the cloudy drizzle of winter. Whether new to gardening or tending to an elaborately landscaped yard, the right tools can help to provide relief. One of my favorite yard tools is a ratcheting pruner - it makes slicing through thicker branches easier on the hand. The ratcheting mechanism reduces the grip force needed with pruning or for cutting branches to fit into the yard debris bin. Look at the hinge on the tool for the extra hinge that makes all the difference. Check with a local garden supply store or online stores for ratcheting pruners. The right tools help to keep your hands in shape for more weeding, planting, and lawn mowing. Let's get the yard in shape for barbeque time this summer!

Feeling sore after all that yardwork?

Contact Active Wellness LLC at 541-286-5445

We are here to help you stay active!

Peggy