Z. Altug, DPT

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Z. Altug, DPT

Welcome! I’m Z. Altug, PT, DPT, MS, DipACLM, OCS, a Physical Therapist, Health Coach, author of The Lifestyle Medicine Toolbox (2024).

This is a supportive space for wellness-minded individuals.

26/12/2025

Create simple lifestyle training goals to move you forward.

How about training for happiness?

If you like this, please share with your network and follow my posts.

23/12/2025

Here’s a fun micro break for work – Calming Coast Relaxation.

If you like this, please share with your network and follow my posts.

22/12/2025

Basic building blocks are the key to success.

Eat well.
Move daily.
Sleep deep.

If you like this, please share with your network and follow my posts.

19/12/2025

Have a Very Berry New Year 🍓🫐

Most people underestimate how powerful simple foods can be.

Berries are one of the most research-backed, high-performance foods you can eat.

Berries support:
• Brain health
• Metabolic health
• Inflammation control
• Immune function

Fresh or frozen. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Small habit. Big upside.

What About Some Research:
• Basu A, Hooyman A, Groven S, et al. Strawberries improve insulin resistance and related cardiometabolic markers in adults with prediabetes: a randomized controlled crossover trial. J Nutr. 2025;155(6):1828-1838.
• da Silva ABN, de Oliveira GM, Gallo Ruelas M, Gabela MSM, de Farias Santos ACF, Zamora FV. Blueberries for brainpower: A systematic review and meta-analysis with Bayesian post hoc analysis of RCTS exploring cognitive function in the elderly with prior cognitive decline. Biogerontology. 2025;26(5):171.
• Martins MS, Gonçalves AC, Alves G, Silva LR. Blackberries and mulberries: berries with significant health-promoting properties. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(15):12024.

If you need additional wellness information, please see The Lifestyle Medicine Toolbox book.

If you enjoyed this content, please repost it to your network and follow me for more.

Wishing you good health and happiness. 😊

18/12/2025

Yoga as an evidence-informed approach for musculoskeletal pain
Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting an estimated 1.7 billion people and limiting daily function, work, and quality of life.

Growing evidence suggests that yoga may help reduce pain and improve function in several common musculoskeletal conditions, including:

• Tension headaches
• Chronic neck and shoulder pain
• Low back pain
• Hip and knee osteoarthritis
• General arthritis

A 2025 review published in Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health examined prospective clinical studies and identified yoga as a promising, integrative movement-based strategy for managing musculoskeletal pain and mobility limitations.

For clinicians, health coaches, and individuals seeking nonpharmacologic, lifestyle-based approaches, yoga may serve as an adaptable tool when appropriately tailored and supervised.

Reference
Gandolfi MG, Zamparini F, Spinelli A, Saper RB, Prati C. Yoga for musculoskeletal disorders: A review of prospective clinical studies. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. 2025;14.

See the comments section for a link to the full article.

Save this post if you work with clients or patients managing chronic musculoskeletal pain.

17/12/2025

Leadership matters.

I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of The Science of Leadership by Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore at the Annual Conference last month.

It’s a book that makes you stop, reflect, and rethink how you lead.

One of my favorite excerpts from the book (Hull and Moore, 2025, page 182):
“Agile leadership is most effective when it is carried out with regular feedback loops. Agile leaders strive to build comfort with polarities, recognizing that disruptions in business, teamwork, and life occur when oppositional perspectives emerge.”

Also, Margaret Moore’s session at ACLM, “Coaching Is Healthcare: Next Steps for Medical Practices,” was equally powerful.

See the comments section for a link to the book.

16/12/2025

Looking for a fun (and free) holiday activity?

🎄 Take a hike and count some birds! 🐦

The Christmas Bird Count runs from December 14 to January 5 and is one of the longest-running community science projects in the world.

✔️ Get outside
✔️ Move your body
✔️ Support conservation
✔️ Perfect for families, walkers, and nature lovers

👉 Join the count and learn how to participate:
https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count

National Audubon Society

12/12/2025

With World Wellness Weekend – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

09/12/2025

Soothing Sounds for a Mental Reset

Do you need a simple way to reset your mind during a stressful workday?

🎵 Try humming or whistling.

It might sound unconventional, but it may work for you.

Next time you feel tense or overwhelmed:
👉 Step away from your screen
👉 Find a quiet and private space (unless you’re working from home)
👉 Lightly whistle or hum your favorite tune for 60 seconds

Notice how hard it is to think negatively while doing it.

That’s because humming and whistling can calm your nervous system and shift your mood almost instantly.

No app. No meditation cushion. Just sound, breath, and focus.

Give it a try and see how your body and mind respond.

Sometimes, small moments of joy are the best stress management strategy.

Additional Reading:
💡Halal Mehdi Alfatavi H, Sadeghi T, Baqer Hassan Mohammed Al-Dakheel M, Asadi Noghabi F, Sahebkar Moeini M. Effects of whistling compared with buzzy device during blood sampling on pain and fear in children's emergency department. Compr Child Adolesc Nurs. 2022;45(4):414-424.

💡Trivedi GY, Saboo B. Bhramari Pranayama - A simple lifestyle intervention to reduce heart rate, enhance the lung function and immunity. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2021;12(3):562-564.

💡Trivedi G, Sharma K, Saboo B, et al. Humming (Simple Bhramari Pranayama) as a stress buster: a holter-based study to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) Parameters during Bhramari, physical activity, emotional stress, and sleep. Cureus. 2023;15(4):e37527.

💡Trivedi GY, Kathirvel S, Sharma K, Saboo B. Effect of various lengths of respiration on heart rate variability during simple Bhramari (humming). Int J Yoga. 2023;16(2):123-131.

02/12/2025

I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification as a Blue Zones Certified Health Professional from American College of Lifestyle Medicine!

As a lifestyle medicine specialized Physical Therapist and Health Coach, I’m grateful to learn about the world’s longest-living communities.

Thank you Blue Zones and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine for this wonderful opportunity to connect with other professionals across the globe.

30/11/2025

With Women’s Parkinson’s Project – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

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