Stay Healthy Spokane

Matt Dinsmore, ARNP, joins the show to discuss his healthcare practice “Direct Primary Care” in Spokane. Listen to Matt and Luke discuss this unique healthcare model, which is designed to improve the patient-provider relationship, as well as lower the overall cost of healthcare. If you’ve ever thought that our healthcare model is “broken”, or at least highly flawed, you’ll definitely want to check out this interview!

During this episode, Jeannie shares information on several key topics: 

• Topic #1: The difference between the “direct primary care” model and the “fee-for-service” model. What are the pros and cons of each?

Jeanne Tribbett, Colon Hydrotherapist, joins the show to discuss the health benefits of having a “colonic treatment”. Jeanne explains how colonic treatments work on a local level in your gut, and she explains how important the connection between your gut and your brain is for optimal health.

During this episode, Jeannie shares information on several key topics:

• Topic 1: Who benefits from colonic treatments (what type of medical conditions are treated with colonics)?

Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Dr. Luke at [email protected]

Sandy Nolting, Physical Therapist and Certified Yoga Therapist, joins the podcast to discuss the foundational principles of yoga. In this first podcast about yoga, Sandy will explain the basic principles of yoga to help you get started, which includes: intro to breathing and basic movement patterns and posture. This episode is perfect for you if you’re new to yoga or looking for a deeper understanding of the core principles!

Dr. Luke Gordon interviews his first live guest since the beginning of COVID to discuss all things Yoga. Here are the major topics for this episode: 

• Topic 1: Sandy explains her path to finding yoga. After starting as a Recreational Therapist and later becoming a Physical Therapist, Sandy was introduced to yoga in 2003. Since that time, she’s dedicated thousands of hours to practicing and teaching yoga. 

• Topic 2: What are the primary benefits of yoga (basic overview)? Sandy explains the myriad of health benefits of yoga, which includes things like: increased flexibility, increased strength, stress reduction, regulation of autonomic nervous system, chronic pain and inflammation.

• Topic 3: What are the foundational principles of yoga? Sandy explains the “8 Limbs of Yoga” and how the movements are only a small portion of the actual benefit of yoga. She also explains the foundational principles of breath, posture and movement.

• Topic 4: What are some mistakes to avoid with yoga (for beginners and ongoing students)? Sandy explains how you don’t have to be flexible to start yoga and how yoga is a process and a practice. Comparing yourself to others is a common mistake to avoid, as is having high expectations for your physical abilities. Remember, yoga isn’t just about movement!

• Topic 5: For people brand new to yoga, where should they start? Currently, the best place to start for people who want to work with Sandy is to inquire about our online Zoom classes. If you’d like access to free yoga classes, you can email Luke directly at [email protected]. You can also visit this page to check out our 6 free yoga videos online: https://www.gordonphysicaltherapy.com/yoga-free-videos 

Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Dr. Luke at [email protected] 

Dr. Luke Gordon returns to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast and discusses a wide range of information related to knee pain, its various causes, and how to effectively eliminate knee pain. Here are the major topics for this episode: 

• Topic #1: Why is knee pain so common? The knee contains 3 distinct joints as well as 4 different bones. The bones include the femur (the long bone in your thigh), the tibia (aka your shin), the fibula (skinny bone next to your tibia) and the patella (aka the kneecap). There are several large muscles. The largest and most important muscle group in your knee is the quadriceps, 4 primary ligaments (ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL), and several other structures: 2 menisci, several smaller ligaments, and the IT band

• Topic #2: Several other factors affect pain in the knee: Ankle stability and arch support, hip strength and alignment, and ongoing issues with pain (knee pain is often associated with hip & back pain)

• Topic #3: The most common type of pain we see in the clinic is Patello-femoral joint pain. Poor tracking of the kneecap leads to pain near the front of the knee. Typically associated with weakness in the quad and hip muscles.

• Topic #4: Other common causes of pain. Ligament sprains (MCL is the most common), Muscle strains, Meniscus tears, IT band irritation, Arthritis, Fractures, trauma and surgery.

• Topic #5: The Single Biggest Mistake People w/ Knee Pain  Make. You may have guessed it: the biggest mistake is that people tend to IGNORE their pain for way too long, which can run the risk of more permanent and severe damage. The other mistake you should try to avoid is MASKING your pain with things like medications. Instead, try to HANDLE your pain as quickly as possible (which is explained in the next section!). 

• Topic #6: What Does Successful Treatment of Knee Pain Look Like? At Gordon PT, we take a 2-step approach to helping our clients eliminate knee pain for good. Step 1 is to determine the ROOT CAUSES(s) of the pain, and Step 2 is to design a PT program catered to these specific issues. During Step 2, we follow the “3 Phases of Recovery”, which are outlined below. 

• Topic #7: The “3 Phases of Healing” Once you know the cause(s) of your knee pain, you can now move forward to treating it! In Phase 1, we focus on reducing pain and inflammation, with an emphasis on hands-on therapy and gentle exercises. In Phase 2, as pain is improving, we start to incorporate more stretches and exercises to help sustain these improvements. And in Phase 3, when pain continues to decrease, we’re looking at returning to full activity, including more demanding activities, such as jogging, hiking, sports, etc. It all depends on what you love to do! 

• Topic #8: Still looking for more help? If you’d like more help getting to the root cause of your knee pain and achieving lasting pain relief, Luke wraps up with 2 good options. 

• Option #1: If you live in the area, you can request a FREE 30-minute “Discovery Visit” with one of our PTs! During your free consultation, one of our PTs will help you do 2 things: Discover what factors are contributing to your knee pain, and determine if we’re the best ones to help you decrease your pain and increase your activity level. 

• Option #2: Request a copy of Luke’s FREE report on Knee Pain by calling the clinic at (509) 892-5442, or visit https://www.gordonphysicaltherapy.com/knee-pain/ to download the report directly to your phone or computer. If you’d like more information on Total Knee Replacement Surgery, visit this link instead: https://www.gordonphysicaltherapy.com/total-knee-replacement/ 

Do you or a loved one suffer from lower back pain and/or “sciatica”? If so, you won’t want to miss this episode! Luke shares an in-depth look at what causes back pain and sciatica, how to test for the various causes, and ultimately how to achieve lasting pain relief (so you can enjoy an active lifestyle!). Whether you have mild pain, moderate pain or severe pain, you’ll find this information will help you discover effective strategies for lasting pain relief. 

During this episode, Luke covers a large scope of information related to lower back pain and sciatica, including the following major topics. 

• Topic #1: What is “Sciatica” The episode kicks off with a discussion of what sciatica actually is (nerve pain running down the back of the leg) vs. what sciatica isn’t (other types of nerve pain, including pain extending into the front of the thigh. Luke explains the anatomy and location of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body, as well as  the anatomy of the spine.  

• Topic #2: The Top 3 Causes of Back Pain & Sciatica In this section, Luke explains how there are 3 primary structures that can cause back pain and sciatica, which include: bulging/herniated discs, degenerative changes and SI Joint dysfunction (SIJ). He also explains how to test each of these 3 structures to determine which of them are causing the pain. 

• Topic #3: The Single Biggest Mistake Back Pain & Sciatica Sufferers Make. You may have guessed it: the biggest mistake is that people tend to IGNORE their pain for way too long, which can run the risk of more permanent and severe damage. The other mistake you should try to avoid is MASKING your pain with things like medications. Instead, try to HANDLE your pain as quickly as possible (which is explained in the next section!). 

• Topic #4: What Does Successful Treatment Look Like? At Gordon PT, we take a 2-step approach to helping our clients eliminate back pain and sciatica for good. Step 1 is to determine the ROOT CAUSES(s) of the pain, and Step 2 is to design a PT program catered to these specific issues. During Step 2, we follow the “3 Phases of Recovery”, which are outlined below. 

• Topic #5: The “3 Phases of Healing” Once you know the cause(s) of your back pain and sciatica, you can now move forward to treating it! In Phase 1, we focus on reducing pain and inflammation, with an emphasis on hands-on therapy and gentle exercises. In Phase 2, as pain is improving, we start to incorporate more stretches and exercises to help sustain these improvements. And in Phase 3, when pain continues to decrease, we’re looking at returning to full activity, including more demanding activities, such as jogging, hiking, sports, etc. It all depends on what you love to do! 

• Topic #6: Still looking for more help? If you’d like more help getting to the root cause of your pain and achieving lasting pain relief, Luke wraps up with 2 good options.  

• Option #1: If you live in the area, you can request a FREE 30-minute “Discovery Visit” with one of our PTs! During your free consultation, one of our PTs will help you do 2 things: Discover what factors are contributing to your back pain and sciatica, and determine if we’re the best ones to help you decrease your pain and increase your activity level.

Luke is back with another solo episode, sharing a huge amount of information about how you can improve your balance and reduce the likelihood of having a fall. The topic of balance/dizziness/fall prevention is one of the most important topics for many adults, as it can have such a dramatic impact on their lives. Make sure to share this with someone who’s had a fall or would like to do everything they can to avoid one!

During this episode, Luke covers a large scope of information related to balance, dizziness (vertigo) and fall prevention. Here are the major topics:

• Topic #1: The “Downward Spiral of Having a Fall…” This is the introduction to the workshop, which involves a discussion of how even having one isolated fall can significantly impact someone’s life. Here’s what tends to happen to someone who’s had a fall: they’re AFRAID of having another fall...this fear causes them to avoid activities that challenge their balance...as they become less active, their balance and strength get worse...as this happens, they become more likely to have another fall...meanwhile, they’re avoiding activities they used to enjoy, and they start to experience things like depression and anxiety...their “quality of life” is getting steadily worse over time, all because of one fall… If this sounds like you, this information should be very helpful! 

• Topic #2: 3 Basic Steps to Maintaining Proper Balance. In this section, Luke gives you the overview of how balance works. Simply stated, here are the 3 steps: you must SENSE your balance, your brain must PROCESS this information, and your body must be able to RESPOND. Luke discusses how certain things can go wrong with these 3 steps. This knowledge helps you understand how to improve your balance. 

• Topic #3: The “3 Balance Systems”. Learn all about how your body/brain sense your balance. The 3 systems include your vision, your sensation and your inner ear. Luke also explains a simple way to test the function of these 3 systems. 

• Topic #4: Other Factors that Affect Your Balance. Balance is a multifaceted process, and there are several other factors that you need to understand and identify before trying to improve your balance.

• Topic #5: What is Vertigo? Have you ever experienced the sensation of movement, swaying or spinning? Luke will explain how to understand and address vertigo, including “BPPV”.

• Topic #6: How do we Successfully Treat Balance/Dizziness Issues? Now that you understand more about how proper balance works, as well as how many factors you need to consider, it’s time to talk about how to successfully improve your balance!

• Topic #7: What’s Next? To wrap things up, Luke shares 2 options with you if you want to take the next step towards improving your balance... 

• Option #1: Request a FREE 30-minute “Balance & Fall Risk” Assessment with one of our PTs! During your assessment, one of our PTs will help you do 2 things: Discovery what factors are limiting your balance, and determine if we can help you improve your balance with PT treatment.

• Option #2: Request a copy of Luke’s FREE report titled “9 Simple Ways to Improve Your Balance and Prevent Another Fall” or visit www.GordonPhysicalTherapy.com/balance to download the report directly to your phone or computer. 

Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Luke at [email protected] 

Dr. Lindsay Donahue (Naturopath) from “Valley Naturopathic & Acupuncture” returns to the podcast for the second time to discuss the importance of sleep, why so many people struggle to get a full night of it, and how we can improve our quality and quantity of sleep (which leads to improved health across the board!). If you struggle with sleep, this episode should be an excellent resource for you!

This episode features several main topics, which are listed below:

• Topic 1: Why is sleep so important? What are the health benefits of sleep, what happens to your brain and body while you sleep, and what happens when you don’t sleep enough? 

• Topic 2: What does ideal sleep look like (and what dictates the sleep rhythm)? Your sleep rhythm is controlled by 2 primary factors: your “sleep load” due to adenosine building in your system throughout the day, and your circadian rhythm (which is associated with cortisol levels). Not everyone’s sleep rhythm is the same...a great example we discuss is the evidence of “night owls” and “morning larks”. Dr. Donahue also explains the different stages of sleep, such as deep sleep and REM sleep, and length of sleep each night, as well as the role of melatonin for initiating sleep. 

• Topic 3: Why is sleep so hard for people to get enough of, especially adults? We discuss why/when most people start having issues with sleep, and how does this progress. There are multiple factors we discuss in detail, including these top 5 reasons people struggle with sleep: constant electric light, regularized temperatures, caffeine, alcohol and the modern work schedule.

• Topic 4: How do caffeine, alcohol and sleep drugs affect sleep? Dr. Donahue explains how caffeine negatively affects your “sleep load” by blocking adenosine from binding to its receptors. We also discuss the negative effects of alcohol, which includes its ability to rob you of REM sleep. And we save the worst for last: a discussion of the very real dangers of using sleeping medications (which don’t actually improve your sleep but come with some scary and predictable side effects, including death). Oh boy!

• Topic 5: Sleep and chronic diseases. Specific diseases that are directly affected by sleep and the lack of it (neurological issues like Parkinson’s, dementia, autoimmune disorders, etc.). We discuss the “glymphatic” system, which helps cleanse your brain while you sleep, and how lack of sleep is associated with several chronic diseases. 

• Topic 6: How can people improve their sleep? Dr. Donahue and I discuss a number of strategies and tactics to improve your sleep, including: screening yourself for sleep apnea, reducing your exposure to light and screens (especially at night), decreasing your body temp at night (lowering your thermostat and taking a warm bath/shower), decreasing caffeine intake (especially in the afternoon), decreasing alcohol intake, considering using melatonin to help initiate sleep, regular exercise, supplements, acupuncture, yoga and/or breathing, meditation and keeping a consistent sleep schedule. It’s quite a list!

• If you’d like to contact Dr. Donahue for more information about natural healthcare or how to improve your sleep, her information is below. 

• Phone: (509) 263-2130

Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Luke at [email protected] 

Luke is back with another solo episode, this time discussing ideas for making positive changes in 2020. During the episode, he’ll share 10 ideas to help you reach your goals in 2020, starting with advice on how to change the way you think, followed by specific tactics to implement. He also shares several resources and books for continued learning and growth. 

Now that 2020 is in full swing, it’s a great time to look ahead and start thinking about what you’d like to achieve this year. If you’re hoping for a year of abundance and growth, I have 10 ideas to share with you that should help you along your journey! Here’s a brief overview of the 10 topics for this episode:

• Idea #1: Control = Responsibility. This is one of my favorite “mindsets” when it comes to personal growth and goal attainment. Simply put, if you accept responsibility for your life, you will also gain control over it. This contrasts to the way many people think, especially those who are fond of blaming other people and other circumstances for their lot in life. Stop blaming others and start taking control! Now you’ve got a chance for growth!

• “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale

Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Luke at [email protected] 

Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner Emily Farish joins the show to discuss the origins of acupuncture, how acupuncture works, and who typically benefits from treatment. She also shares her knowledge of Chinese herbal medicine and explains how it compliments using acupuncture. Prepare for a wealth of information!

This episode focuses on 5 main topics, which are listed below.

• Topic 1: The history of acupuncture. Emily explains how acupuncture is simply one tool used in Chinese medicine, which has been evolving for the last 3,000-5,000 years. She also goes into detail about how pulse reading is a valuable diagnostic tool that helps her determine where to direct the acupuncture treatment (as well as which herbs/supplements to recommend).

If you’d like to learn more about how working with Emily might benefit your health, she’s happy to speak with you on the phone. Simply call the number below to arrange a phone consultation. She also offers a 20-minute in-person consultation so that you can meet her and discuss your situation before committing to any type of treatment. Her information is below.

• Phone: (509) 217-9262. 

Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Luke at [email protected] 

John Brumbaugh, owner of “Spokane Nutrishop & Cryotherapy” joins the show to discuss the potential health benefits of Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC). Listen to John and Dr. Luke discuss the history of WBC, how it works, and the people who experience improved health with its use. 

Show Notes

• The history of Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC): the use of cold therapy dates back as far as 2500 B.C., when the Egyptians used cold water to treat various injuries and inflammatory conditions. Modern-day WBC, which uses nitrogen gas instead of water, started in the 1970’s in Japan by Dr. Toshima Yamauchi, whose primary focus was helping people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).