Monday, January 27, 2014

Physical Activity and Parkinson’s Disease

Get Active and Stay Active!
  • People with Parkinson's who exercise fare better over time than those who are not active. 
  • Physical activity should be initiated early in the diagnosis and be a life-long commitment.
  • Engaging in aerobic activity, along with other activities for strength, flexibility and balance, improves Parkinson's symptoms and sense of well being.
jogging

Why Aerobic Activities? 
  • Aerobic activities make the body's large muscles move in a rhythmic manner for a sustained period of time. 
  • Aerobic activities improve physical fitness, including strength and endurance.
  • Aerobic activities have a positive effect on slowness and stiffness, as well as mood, and quality of life. 
Examples include: brisk walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, water aerobics, skating, hiking, treadmill or elliptical, Wii

Why Flexibility Activities? 
  • Flexibility or stretching exercises improves mobility, increase range of motion, and reduce stiffness.
  • Improving range of motion affects posture and walking ability making everyday activities easier.
Examples include: Tai Chi, stretching

Why Strengthening Activities? 
  • Strengthening activities improve muscle strength, walking speed, posture and overall physical fitnes. 
  • Improving strength will help everyday activities, such as getting up from a chair, easier to manage. 
Examples include: yard work or gardening, weights/resistance (free weights, elastic bands, body weight)

Why Balance Activities? 
  • Balance activities improve posture and stability.
  • Better balance reduces the fear of falling and help in perfoming daily tasks.
Examples include: Yoga, hiking, Wii

Get Started!
  • Consult your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have other health issues or are over 60.
  • Work with a physical therapist/physiotherapist to develop a speicifc program that meets your needs. A physiotherapist can ensure you are performing activities safely and that they are right for you. 
  • Choose a variety of activities to reduce boredom.
  • Have fun! Choosing activities you like will help you stay with a program.
Use the following chart to track your progress

Tips: 
  • Take your Parkinson medications on time for maximum mobility.
  • Take 3-5 minutes to warm up at the beginning and cool down as you finish. 
  • Exercise in a way that is safe for you (e.g. when doing balance exercises you may need a stable support nearby). 
  • Concentrate on doing the exercises correctly.
  • Start with shorter periods of exercise and gradually increase. Greater intensity equals greater benefits. 
  • Monitor fatigue both during and after activities. At the end, you should feel tired, but not exhausted. 
  • Drink water to stay hydrated. 
  • Join a group or find an "exercise buddy"
Photo Credit: cuegalos


Monday, January 20, 2014

Inner and Outer Vision

The human body is a sensory process. Each of our sense organs takes in information that we imbue with meaning. For the month of May, get ready for a unique experience as we explore the function of each organ (think grade 9 biology refresher) and a kriya to create awareness and healing for that organ.

Lights, Camera, Action

When light hits the eye, the cornea helps the eye focus as light makes its way through. Behind the cornea are the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. The iris is the colourful part of the eye. The iris has muscles attached to it that change its shape. This allows the iris to control how much light goes through the pupil. 

Inner and Outer Vision

The pupil is the black circle in the center of the iris, which is really an opening in the iris, and it lets light enter the eye. After light enters the pupil, it hits the lens. The lens sits behind the iris and is clear and colourless. The lens' job is to focus light rays on the back of the eyeball - a part called the retina. 

Your retina is in the very back of the eye. It holds millions of cells that are sensitive to light. The retina takes the light the eye receives and changes it into nerve signals so the brain can understand what the eye is seeing. 

Think of the optic nerve as the great messenger in the back of your eye. The rods and cones of the retina change the colours and shapes you see into millions of nerve messages. Then, the optic nerve carries those messages from the eye to the brain. 

Tears also keep your eye from drying out, keep the eye moist and provide expression through laughter and crying. 

Movement

Your eye muscles also need to be stretched. We tend to use our eyes in limited ways, staring at a computer screen, reading, driving and watching TV. For the most part we don't use our eye muscles fully. In this Kundalini Yoga Kriya for the eyes, you use all the muscles of your eyes, bringing circulation and a full range of motion available to your eyes. For optimal health, the eyes need exercise and rest.


Rest for the Weary

But what about eyestrain? The word is a bit of a misnomer, says Eli Peli, a professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Peli says that vision happens in the brain, not the eyes; therefore, sitting at a computer isn't a strain for the eyes in the sense that it causes trouble for their muscles. Instead, the fatigue you feel is your brain asking for mercy. "The brain, in its smart way, projects fatigue onto the eyes, so you'll take a break."

Photo Credit: Conner Downey

Monday, January 13, 2014

Our Winter 2014 Flyer is Out!

Our Winter 2014 flyer is out!

Brrrr.... Winter is here, and we got you covered! This flyer is packed with great aids to help you get through the winter season. Go ahead, and take a look at our winter flyer for amazing items at hot prices.

View the flyer online or request a copy by mail here

cover-page-winter-2014.jpg

Some of the great features of this new flyer include, Nordic Walking Poles, Arthritis Socks, Heart Rate Watch, Portable TENS Relief Pad, Flu Prevention MedicationsPhysical Therapy and Daily Living items, and many other products designed for a variety of people.

The Anti-Alzheimer’s Diet

Eating more olive oil, nuts, fish, poultry, and certain fruits and vegetables and limiting red meats and high-fat dairy products may help ward off Alzheimer's disease.
The Anti-Alzheimer’s Diet 
Evidence that links specific nutrients to the prevention of dementia has turned up regularly from labs around the globe. But in the real world, people don't eat nutrients, they eat food. And they eat combinations of different foods, so researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York analyzed the diets of more than 2,000 men and women age 65 and older in New York City to find out how eating patterns relate to dementia. 

The participants, who were free of dementia when the study began, were evaluated for signs of Alzheimer's disease every 18 months of about four years. At the same time, the researchers analyzed their diets to pinpoint foods that contained nutrients previously linked to Alzheimer's disease - such as those high in saturated fats including red meat, butter, and cream - as well as those linked to a lower risk of the disease - foods rich in "good" fats and brain-healthy vitamins such as almonds, olive oil, and oily fish. By the end of the study,253 participants had developed Alzheimer's disease. 

One eating pattern stood out as especially protective. Those least likely to be stricken with Alzheimer's consumed a combination of foods rich in brain-healthy nutrients including olive oil and vinegar, nuts, fish, poultry, vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, green leafy vegetables, and fruits, including tomatoes. They also ate less red meat, butter, and high-fat dairy products. 

"The men and women who adhered most closely to this eating pattern had a 38 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease," says neurologist Nikolaos Scarmeas, M.D., one of the study's authors. "The combination of foods was most important. That's where you get the benefit."

Scarmeas cautions that it's too soon to offer firm advice about diet and Alzheimer's disease. However, research shows that nutritious foods can improve cardiovascular health and lower cancer rates. "And there are hints they may be helpful for brain disease, so it makes sense to eat them," he says. 

"This study supports what past studies have shown," says Martha Morris of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. "The diet the authors identify as good is consistent with current recommendations."

By: AARP

Photo Credit: Wonderlane

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Is it Safe to Leave Someone with Alzheimer's Alone?

What to consider when you loved one with Alzheimer's disease is home alone. 

alzheimers


Wandering
Will they stay at home or wander off? Is there a nearby store or coffee shop they like to visit? If you are concerned with wandering, consider double locks with a key, ID bracelets, and wandering registries. 

Do they know how to reach you and emergency assistance? 
Keeping emergency numbers such as family contact information and 911 beside each phone is an obvious and bolded format is important if anything should happen. 

Rummaging or hiding of household items
It is best to lock up all toxic and hazardous products and medications in a secure place. You may also wish to simplify the home by removing clutter and valuable items that may be hidden, lost or misplaced by a person with AD. Provide them with their own "safe box" or treasure chest to store objects.

Do they show signs of agitation, depression or withdrawal if left alone?
Being left alone may increase the stress experienced by a person with AD. Once agitated they may cause damage to themselves or the home, may leave. It may be challenging to calm them down once you return. 

Can they recognize dangerous situations? 
Can they identify signals such as smoke or fire alarms that would alert them of potential dangers? if they cannot recognize dangerous situations they may cause harm to themselves or others and are most likely unsafe to be left alone. 

Do they have frequent life-threatening health emergencies? 
Consider whether they have a history of heart attacks, strokes or seizures. Leaving them home alone, especially if it may cause them stress, may increase their risk of a health emergency. Carrying an emergency response button may help if they recognize it's use in a crisis situation.

Hallucinations, Illusions and Delusions
Due to complex changes in the brain, people with AD may see or hear things that have no basis in reality. Medical therapy and home adaptations may help to reduce their occurrence (soft lighting, clean area, familiar items). However there are serious risks to leaving them alone. 

Do they attempt to use the stove or other appliances unattended? 
You will need to evaluate the safety of leaving them home alone if they regularly attempt to use the stove, appliance, repair, woodworking tools or other former hobbies and activities. 

Do they have keys and access to a vehicle? 
Unfortunately, a person with AD loses independence, which is very frustrating. If they cannot follow the safety hazards enough to drive alone it may be best to hide the keys and remove the vehicle from sight. 

Follow-up plan
Write down Doctors and Social Workers contact information, as well as follow up appointment dates and times. Make sure you have all needed instructions for follow-up care such as rehab exercises and diet, when preparing to leave the hospital.

Home care helps
Caregivers with dementia experience are loving professionals who can assist with daily activities and provide respite for family caregivers. A variety of schedules are available and each client receives personalized attention.

By: Cindy Stead, Private Home Care Expert at AgeComfort.org Health Care Resource Centre