A recent post by the Parkinson’s Foundation explains the risks of using marijuana by people with Parkinson’s. Watch this 4-minute video narrated by Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Scientific Officer, James Beck.
https://parkinson.org/blog/research/what-you-should-know-about-marijuana-and-parkinsons
Parkinson’s Fitness is not advocating the use of marijuana. Instead, as always, we provide information that readers should discuss in depth with their team of specialists, and then make choices that are safe, healthy, and correct for their particular challenges with this multi-faceted condition.
Our September 29th “Living Well with Parkinson’s” symposium was attended by 150 people, over 20 supporting information vendors, and highlighted by four great guest speakers!
(left to right: Dr. Terry Ellis, Director, BU Center for Neurorehabilitation – Linda Nikolakopoulos, Registered Dietician and Licensed Nutritionist – Pamela Quinn, PD Dance & Coach, PD Movement Lab, New York – Dr. Albert Hung, Movement Specialist, MA General Hospital)
The printed word cannot possibly portray what became a visible energy field sparking the space provided at the Danvers Community YMCA! Included in the 4-hour program were 2 short but dynamic movement and exercise “samplers” led by Parkinson Fitness Balance and Movement instructor, Dianna Daly, and Strength, Conditioning, Boxing instructor, Kim Crowley. As they do in all their weekly classes, both women had participants willingly joining in “waking up” their bodies and minds in five minutes or less!
Drs. Hung and Ellis emphasized how to optimize time allotted during office visits and physical therapy appointments, as well as the importance of exercise in helping to maintain control over difficult body and cognitive challenges. Linda Nikolakopoulos provided insights into the role diet and nutrition play in remaining healthy and staying strong. Pamela Quinn, diagnosed with PD over 20 years ago, travelled from her own PD Movement Lab in New York (https://pdmovementlab.com/about) to demonstrate strategies for moving and living in “real-life” scenarios. Pam’s vocal exercises to strengthen communication, augmented by hand and arm movements, were a high point for everyone!
Special thanks to everyone involved in making this event an incredible opportunity for learning and participating, with special shout-outs to Lucas Michaud, our photographer from Endicott College in Beverly, to Linda Hall’s friends Sandra Moores and Mary Orne for their assistance with credit card payments, to Suzanne Malach, YMCA liaison, the vendors who supported us financially and provided valuable community information, to the team of Parkinson’s Fitness volunteers who assisted as greeters, registrars, and table helpers…and to Linda Hall, whose tireless efforts built yet another opportunity for motivating people on the North Shore to live well, in spite of their Parkinson’s diagnosis!
When we lose more water than we take in, dehydration sets in. And too many of us just don’t think much about how serious dehydration can become. Why not drink some water RIGHT NOW while clicking here to read some very important facts about the risks of dehydration on our bodies and abilities to think and respond clearly and safely.
The August/September issue of Brain & Life magazine offers an important article about dentist visits for people with neurologic conditions. For this and a great variety of other articles, click on the following link: https://www.brainandlife.org/the-magazine/article/app/14/4/23/dental-visits-made-easier-for-many-people-with-neurologic-conditions
For instance, when scheduling dental visits, time appointments for when medications are the most effective. Because Parkinson’s is progressive, consider replacing old fillings, crowns and bridges during the early stages following diagnosis. Being proactive in managing life care should include telling the dentist if you are taking monoamine oxidase B inhibitors such as rasagiline (Azilect) and selegiline (Emsam) drugs used to treat symptoms such as fatigue, because they can interact with anesthesia and cause adverse reactions.
Brushing and flossing twice a day and avoiding decay-producing foods helps prevent pain, tooth loss, infections, and in extreme cases, death due to abscesses if ignored too long. Hard to hold onto a toothbrush? Try this: make a small slit in a tennis ball and slide the toothbrush handle into it. The ball provides a larger hand grip that many people need, which may encourage more frequent brushing!
“Strategy without execution
is the slowest route to victory,
and tactics without strategy
is the noise before defeat.”
―Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, a widely influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking.
When your strategy for holding Parkinson’s symptoms at bay is – “I’ll plan for exercise, education, and socialization with others to manage my Parkinson’s” – but then none of it is put into action, Parkinson’s gains another life-robbing victory in the war.
The Parkinson’s Fitness team is here to provide BOTH the strategies and the ways to execute them that fit YOUR abilities! We have a whole variety of classes and programs that address the many challenges Parkinson’s symptoms create. TRY ANY OR ALL OF THEM! Click here for days, times and locations.
The “Silent Call” procedure is a unique program in the Massachusetts Enhanced 9-1-1 system that allows a caller who is unable to verbally communicate their emergency over the phone to receive the appropriate response.
If you need to call 9-1-1 and you are unable to speak for any reason, such as a physical disability, domestic violence or home invasion, follow these simple steps using a touch-tone wired telephone or a cell phone:
DIAL 9-1-1 – Once the call is answered:
POLICE – press 1 FIRE – press 2 AMBULANCE – press 3
The 9-1-1 dispatcher may ask questions that require a “yes” or “no” answer.
YES – press 4 NO – press 5
Freezing in place while walking, often to the point of losing balance and falling, is a fairly regular occurrence for many people living with Parkinson’s.
Read this really interesting Dutch research about experimental but promising “laser-light shoes”. Many of us are aware of assistive devices that incorporate laser lights (walkers, for instance) to break freezes. Keep “stepping” up in learning about not only what causes freezing, but what’s being created to lessen the challenge it presents.
https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2018/01/04/laser-shoes-help-prevent-parkinsons-patients-from-freezing-in-place-while-walking/?utm_source=PAR+E-mail+List&utm_campaign=71d33b7443-RSS_WEEKLY_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_MONDAY_US&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_62dd4fb5e3-71d33b7443-72137569
Winter was “officially” ushered in with an East Coast snowfall this weekend (Dec. 9th for those of us in New England)…pretty to look at considering the upcoming holidays, but for many not experienced with snow and cold, tough to live through and with!
Television commercials are offering seasonal advice for winter skin care. Parkinson’s knows no particular season for its affects on skin. The Parkinson’s Foundation offers insights into all-year skin care and the reasons why some people experience unaccustomed changes.
Click here for lots of information that helps answer questions and offers helpful tips…and continue to drink LOTS of water!
Parkinson’s can create aches and stiffness in different parts of the body. As if that’s not enough challenge to contend with when trying to button a shirt or jacket, using utensils or tools, or opening containers, arthritis is often an unwanted companion, especially in the hands and wrists.
Read more from UC Berkeley School of Public Health about hand exercises that can offer some relief. Physical therapy with a therapist specially trained in working with hands is another option to consider.
And keep those hands warm during cold weather with gloves, mittens, and hand warmers!
The following nutrition update was posted online at Parkinson’s News Today on October 30th. It originated from information provided at prevention.com
With winter just around the corner, it’s time we all started to look after ourselves a little more. Avoiding germs is one thing, but we can also try and boost our immune systems by getting plenty of sleep and eating the right foods.
Here are nine foods well-known for their immunity-boosting qualities:
1. Yogurt: Providing you can eat dairy without any side effects, the natural probiotics found in yogurt are great for keeping the gastrointestinal tract healthy and in order. Opt for ones without added sugar or sweeteners if possible.
2. Oats and barley: Adding oats to your diet in the winter is easy, you can start your day with a hot bowl of oatmeal and you can switch barley for rice with your evening meal. Both of these grains are gentle on the stomach and are high in antioxidants — important for fighting off those winter bugs.
3. Beef: Beef is full of zinc, which many of us are low in over the winter months. Zinc helps to form healthy white blood cells which are important in the fight against winter illnesses. To get the most out of beef aim for organic, grass-fed beef.
4. Garlic: For optimum garlic power, you should eat two cloves of raw garlic a day. However, if this sounds unpalatable then you can either take garlic capsules or use lots of garlic in your cooking. The allicin in garlic is great for helping to fight off colds and the flu.
5. Sweet potatoes: Full of beta-carotene which is great for your skin, sweet potatoes make a healthier alternative to regular potatoes and are much lower on the GI scale.
6. Oily fish and shellfish: Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring are great sources of omega-3 which can help protect lungs from infections. The selenium found in shellfish such as prawns, oysters and mussels increases the amount of cytokines in the white blood cells which helps to fight off winter ailments.
7. Mushrooms: Mushrooms are also good for keeping our white blood cells healthy, and they are a great source of vitamin D — which is in short supply in the winter months. Add some to your favorite dishes for the immune boost.
8. Chicken soup: The go-to meal when you’re feeling under the weather, research shows that we should be eating chicken soup as a preventative dish as well as a restorative one. The salty brine helps to thin mucus, and the onions and vegetables added to the soup also provide bug-fighting nutrients.
9. Tea: Black and green tea both contain lots of cold-busting antioxidants, even the decaffeinated varieties. Add lemon and honey instead of milk and sugar for a blast of vitamin C and antibacterial goodness.
