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The Best (and Free) Way to Reduce Stress

When we are under attack or in danger, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in. It creates 1,500 different chemical and physical reactions to help avoid physical harm. Ever thought you heard something in the dark? Your heart races, your breathing increases, and then you find out it’s just the cat. Your body thought there was danger and the sympathetic nervous system was activated. Isolated moments like this is natural, but trouble starts when this response is constantly provoked by day-to-day events. When we are stressed by our thoughts and worries, the body perceives these thoughts as real threats can cause serious health problems. Such as: Continue reading “The Best (and Free) Way to Reduce Stress”

Are You Making These “Terrible Too” Excuses?

When days get darker and the holiday bustle starts sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves. We are doing so much for others, we just don’t have anything left for ourselves.

Remember this, if we don’t take care of ourselves we won’t be able to take care of others. In fact, if we stop taking care of ourselves, our family will have to take care of us. With Parkinson’s EVERY single day counts. Each day you miss your stretching, hydration and exercise class, you go backwards. You must keep fighting, and pushing forward. Continue reading “Are You Making These “Terrible Too” Excuses?”

“Stay strong, keep going!” — A Motivational Note to Those Fighting Parkinson’s

I tell my struggling fighters “Stay strong, keep going!” all the time. This fight is hard. It is not easy, but it will be worth it if you keep fighting.

Show people, and yourself, what you are made of. You will not give in to the disease. Take action with intent to recover; the coaches and your greatest fans are always close by to cheer you on.

You have gifts, experiences, and strengths, that Parkinson’s can not take away. Share them with others, let people know you are still that same person before your symptoms occurred, stay in this fight!

Keep your expectations high and the bar lifted. Rise to the highest level you can take yourself. No one can do it for you, go beyond the symptoms of PD and be your authentic self.

Your destiny is in your hands and you can change your brain. Research supports this. Continue reading ““Stay strong, keep going!” — A Motivational Note to Those Fighting Parkinson’s”

11 Ways to Treat and Prevent Parkinson’s Muscle and Joint Pain

As we age, a multitude of aches and pains from general back or neck discomfort to severe chronic pain pop up. People with Parkinson’s have normal aging pain plus unique circumstances that differ from normal aging.

General aging causes us to produce less synovial fluid for joint lubrication for musculofascial gliding, which can lead to more aches and pains. However, there are things you can do to keep your joints lubricated to prevent and treat muscle and joint pain.

PD causes imbalances left to right side, gait changes, and movement compensations to get through the day as normally as possible. It makes you stiff, rigid, and slow. Resting and giving your body “a break” from moving or exercising is absolutely the last thing you should do. “Motion is the lotion” for joints, muscles, fascia, and neural structures. Continue reading “11 Ways to Treat and Prevent Parkinson’s Muscle and Joint Pain”

Improve and Prevent Parkinson’s Shoulder Impingement with a Pool Noodle

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Many people with Parkinson’s disease struggle with frozen shoulder and impingement from the forward stooped posture and tight chest. This chest tightness prevents the shoulder from rotating correctly, resulting in terrible pain, dysfunction, and can keep you from participating in your regular exercises. Using a pool noodle cut in half, you can improve and prevent Parkinson’s shoulder impingement with this seated or standing exercise.

Watch the video below to treat Parkinson’s shoulder impingement using a pool noodle:

Continue reading “Improve and Prevent Parkinson’s Shoulder Impingement with a Pool Noodle”