We Draw From Our STRENGTH Everyday!

Motivational Quote!

NPF is proud to present 8 Steps to a Healthy Brain

8 Steps to  a Healthy Brain

1. Exercise
30 minutes of exercise three times a week can actually help slow the progression of PD, helping maintain balance, mobility and daily living activities

2. Eat healthy
Proper eating habits are critical for people with Parkinson’s. Healthy eating can help keep your bones strong, which decreases the likelihood of a fracture if you fall, and can also help prevent constipation, a common ailment accompanying PD.

3. Give Your Brain a Workout
A lifestyle that includes stimulating mental activity is clearly correlated with healthy brain aging. The brain is a learning machine, built to acquire new skills and seek new experiences.

4. Stay Social
Maintaining social ties has been consistently correlated with healthy brain aging. If you would like to add to your support network or don’t have one, join NPF on Twitter and Facebook.

5. Manage Stress
Overproducing stress hormones can damage the brain’s memory center. If you find yourself facing chronic stress, try stress-reducing tactics like meditation, relaxation therapy or engaging in positive social interaction.

6. Get Enough Sleep
Your body needs sleep to restore and repair itself and over 75% of people with PD experience sleep-related symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to practice good “sleep hygiene” if you experience problems.

7. Track Medications and Supplements
Make sure your doctor knows about all the medications or herbal supplements you’re taking. Some common medications can negatively impact your brain, so if you notice a sudden change in mental status, talk to your doctor about it.

8. Avoid Illicit Drugs and Excessive Alcohol Consumption
These can interact negatively with prescription drugs, causing sleep problems, cognitive impairment and dementia.

*You can view this entire article at www.npf.org/brainawarenessweek

Welcome!

Welcome to My new Friends in Iraq and Italy! Enjoy reading My posts. Continue to follow Me on this journey!
Lovingly, AlwaysADiva

I Love My Blog!

Hello Readers,

I love My Blog because I have readers and viewers from so many countries! 

I am happy and surprised each time I log on and there is a new viewer from another country.

Argentina, Egypt, Poland, and Sudan are just a few countries where someone is reading my blog.

It motivates me to post as much as possible because someone is reading my story and following me on my journey!

Please leave comments and continue following!

Lovingly, AlwaysaDiva

Tuesday's Thoughts!

Hello! Next week I'll be celebrating another year of birth. I'm very grateful that I'm alive and doing well! This will also be 10 years since I was diagnosed with Young Onset PD. The time flies so fast and I have experienced so much in that time. I have researched and asked questions as to why this happened to "Me." There are no answers and I have accepted the fact that the disease has progressed from when I was first diagnosed as so many of you have. I reflect back on all the medications I've taken, the reactions and side effects. The depression and hospital stays where doctors only prescribed more medications! The years have been exchausting and overwhelming but I have survived! I have been blessed to have a good family support system. I'm no longer on depression medication and with the help of my therapist, I believe I have a healthy outlook as to what my future looks like. I'm still taking medications to see which ones will work better for my present condition and hopefully there will come a time where someone will find a cure or my body will adjust to the treatment that my doctor prescribed. Until that time comes, I will concentrate on creating more "Good" days! Birthday's remind us how blessed we are to celebrate another year of life and even though the Parkinson's is progressing and the body shakes, my mind is intact! That is a gift that no one can give and I'm thankful!! My journey is not complete and there is still much more to learn about PD. I plan to be around another 10 years to update you on how this journey will fan out! Stick with me! Lovingly, AlwaysADiva

Hello Readers & Viewers~

 Please follow me by signing in below through Google Connect. I would love to see your beautiful faces! Leave comments also and I'll address or post answers to your comments or questions.

Lovingly, AlwaysADiva

NPF Hospital Kit ~ Order yours today!

Upcoming Events:

APRIL

Parkinson's Awareness Month

  9 - Parkinson’s Awareness Month Regional Program - Jackson

16 - Support Groups begin in Cheboygan and Commerce

The Good Days and Bad Days of Parkinson’s Disease

Story of Interest:
This article excerpt is taken from the Messenger Winter-Spring 2013 Newsletter.

A common story often heard in my clinic is the marked difference some people experience from day to day in the control of PD symptoms. Although not appearing in neurological textbooks, the “good day/bad day” phe- nomenon is a puzzle that has engaged my curiosity for years. Patients who find that their tremor or slowness of movement varies markedly despite stable medication regimens have no obvious explanation for the seemingly random nature of these fluctuations. Certain problems common to everyone may provide some explanation. For example, missing a night’s sleep, having a gastrointes- tinal illness, or great deal of stress can interfere with how well someone functions, especially a person with PD. Yet, the unpredictable experience of many hours in a “down” state followed by the spontaneous return of good mobility makes me want to understand more about what is behind this type of fluctuations in so many per- sons with PD.

Article written by:


PETER A. LEWITT, MD
Director, Parkinson’s Dis- ease and Movement Dis- orders Clinic, Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield; Professor of Neurology, Wayne State Univer- sity School of Medicine; President, Michigan Par- kinson Foundation and Member, MPF Profes- sional Advisory Board

For the full article visit the Michigan Parkinson's Foundation Website!
Lovingly, Alwaysadiva

Spring!

Welcome!

Welcome to My New Friends in Egypt and United Arab Emirates! Continue to follow me on this journey! Lovingly, AlwaysADiva

National Parkinson's Foundation

Visit the National Parkinson's Foundation Website for upcoming events and the new online store where you can purchase and get free products. The NPF are also offering free Parkinson's ID Bracelets. I have mine already! There is valuable information at this Website - www.parkinson.org. Check it out!