In this episode of Live Parkinson’s – Live an Exceptional Life, learn how to create a personalized Parkinson’s wellness plan that works for you.
Learn how to integrate exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mental health into your daily routine to improve mobility, boost energy, and live your best life with Parkinson’s.
I share practical tips, real-life experience, and evidence-based insights that will help you build a wellness plan designed for your body, your symptoms, and your goals — because no two Parkinson’s journeys are the same.
💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- 🏋️ Exercise as Medicine:
How movement can slow progression and boost dopamine (SPARX Trial, JAMA Neurology).
Discover the best types of workouts for strength, balance, and energy. - 🥗 Nutrition for Brain & Body:
How a Mediterranean-style diet supports cognitive health and symptom management.
Practical tips for timing meals around medication and maintaining steady energy. - 😴 Sleep Strategies:
Understand the connection between rest, inflammation, and symptom control (Neurology, 2019).
Learn simple ways to improve your sleep routine and recovery. - 🧘 Mental Health & Mindset:
How mindfulness, gratitude, and community can improve mood and resilience (Movement Disorders Journal, 2020).
Small daily practices that lead to a more positive and hopeful outlook. - 🧩 Putting It All Together:
Build your own “Wellness Wheel” to identify strengths, set achievable goals, and track progress.
✨ Take Action Today:
Ready to start designing your personalized Parkinson’s wellness plan?
✅ Visit LiveParkinsons.com and subscribe to the free monthly newsletter for new strategies, resources, and inspiration delivered to your inbox each month.
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Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only is not intended to treat or diagnose Parkinson's Disease. Please ensure that you are following the treatment plan developed by your doctor. Please ensure before starting anything new you get approval from your doctor. The information being provided is based on my own personal experiences and does not guarantee that it will benefit everyone.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:10):
Hello, and welcome to Live Parkinson's Live an
Exceptional Life.
I'm your host, ChrisKustenbautter, and I've been
living an exceptional life withParkinson's for the past 15
years.
The mission of this podcast isto help as many people as
possible living with Parkinsonsto lead a great quality of life.
Today, we're going to be talkingabout something that can
completely change how you livewith Parkinson's.
(00:31):
Something that's simple butpowerful.
And that's creating your ownpersonalized Parkinson's
wellness plan.
Now let me ask you something.
What if you could take controlof your Parkinson's journey, not
by fighting against it, but bybuilding a plan that helps you
feel stronger, think clearer,sleep better, and live more
(00:53):
joyfully every single day.
Because here's the truth, or thedirty little secret, if you
will.
Parkinson's affects everyonedifferently, and there's no one
size fits all solution.
But the good news is you havethe power to design a plan that
fits you, your body, yoursymptoms, your energy, and your
(01:15):
goals.
Now, today we're going to bediving into how to create a plan
step by step by focusing on fouressential pillars exercise,
nutrition, sleep, and mentalhealth.
So by the end of this episode,you'll have a clear, practical
roadmap that you can start usingtoday to feel better, live
(01:37):
stronger, and move forward withmore confidence.
Now, before we get into the how,let's talk about the why.
Why should you have apersonalized Parkinson's plan?
Well, as I mentioned earlier,every single person living with
Parkinson's experiences itdifferently.
Symptoms can vary from tremor tostiffness to fatigue, and what
works for one person may notwork for another.
(02:00):
So what's bothersome to me mightnot be to you, and vice versa.
Now, I've seen it my ownjourney.
Early on, I tried to follow thegeneric advice, exercise more,
eat healthy, get sleep, but itwasn't until I personalized a
plan to meet my specific needsand goals that it all started to
click for me.
(02:20):
Now, believe it or not, there'sactually some solid research
backing this up.
The Parkinson's Outcomesproject, run by the Parkinson's
Foundation, found that peoplewho take an individualized
approach, working with theirhealthcare team, to build a plan
around their personal needs,report a higher quality of life
and slower progression overtime.
(02:41):
So that's why I like to sayyou're not just the patient,
you're the CEO of yourParkinson's journey and of your
wellness team.
So you get to make all thedecisions and set the vision for
your journey.
So today we're going to betalking about how to lead that
team and how to take control ofyour journey as well.
And let's start with the bigone.
(03:03):
And my personal favorite, whichyou've heard me tell talk about
a hundred times, and that isdrumroll, please, exercise.
Now you probably heard it athousand times.
Exercise is medicine forParkinson's.
And honestly, it's not just acatchy slogan.
It's true, and the scienceproves it.
The Sparks trial that waspublished in the Journal of the
(03:26):
American Medical AssociationNeurology in 2018 found that
people with Parkinson's who didhigh-intensity exercise or what
they call HIT training, about 30minutes of risk movement three
times per week actually slowedthe progression of their
symptoms.
Exercise boosts dopamine levels.
It's going to help us improveour balance.
(03:48):
It's going to strengthen ourheart.
And it's going to help yourbrain make new neural
connections, also known asneuroplasticity.
Now I know what you're thinkingto yourself.
Chris is telling me that I needto hit the gym.
And you might be saying toyourself, I'm not very athletic,
and I hear what you're saying,but I'm not great at exercise.
(04:10):
Well, let's make this realistic.
You don't need to train like aprofessional athlete.
Start where you are.
Everybody has to startsomewhere.
And as the old saying goes, ajourney of a thousand miles
starts with a single footstep.
So wherever you are, that'swhere you start.
And then you want to slowlyprogress and build on that.
Now, if all you can do is walkaround the block, that counts.
(04:32):
It's where you start.
So let's look at some of thespecific exercise categories
that you really want to includewhen you're thinking about
exercise.
First, so you don't get boredand do the same thing all the
time.
And second, so that you can workon different muscle groups and
different functional movementsthat are going to help you in
your daily life.
(04:53):
All right, and so let's talkabout some categories that you
should consider.
And the first is aerobicexercise.
And this is going to help youwith your cardiovascular
fitness.
And you want to try to get yourheart rate up at least three
times per week.
Now, this would include thingslike cycling, brisk walking,
swimming, or even if you want,dancing in your kitchen.
(05:14):
So it's anything that's going toget your heart rate up for an
extended period and then bringit back down.
So that's aerobic exercise andit's going to build that
cardiovascular fitness.
Next up is strength training.
And that doesn't have to begoing to the gym and lifting
heavy weights and dropping themon the floor.
Strength training can be assimple as doing bodyweight
(05:35):
exercises like bodyweightsquats, which could be sitting
in a chair and standing up andsitting back down.
Me personally, I use lightweights and just do more
repetitions.
You can also use resistancebands, things that are going to
help you maintain that musclemass because as we age, we're
going to lose a certainpercentage of muscle mass every
year.
And the stronger our core, ourlegs, and our shoulders and arms
(06:00):
are, the better our balance isgoing to be because those are
what's going to help you withyour stability.
So you want to make sure thatyou include strength training as
well.
And then finally, balance andflexibility.
And these can include thingslike yoga, tai chi, boxing, and
even pedaling for Parkinson'sclass because you're trying to
balance on the bike.
(06:21):
Now, for me personally, I liketo do a mix of all these.
And one of the reasons I do itis because it I get an overall
body workout.
So I do something different eachday.
So I might do aerobic exerciseMonday, Wednesday, Friday, and
strength training Tuesday,Thursday, Saturday.
And then I also throw in balancetraining every day.
(06:43):
And then I try to stretch aswell because it's going to help
me maintain my flexibility andmovement.
I love to teach the pedaling forParkinson's class.
And not only is it because it'sgreat exercise, but it's a great
social activity as well.
We all look out for each otherand we get concerned when
someone's not there, especiallyif they're not there for two or
(07:04):
three classes.
We start to, we contact them andsaying, hey, we'd like to see
you back in class.
But part of the reasons I loveleading the pedaling for
Parkinson's class is you've gotenergetic music.
The workouts are going toprovide a benefit.
And I've seen that in the peoplethat participate.
They've grown so much in thethings that they can do.
And just the friendships thatwe've formed from the class, it
(07:27):
makes it a fun and enjoyable wayto exercise.
So if you haven't tried it, lookin your local area to see if
they have a peddling forParkinson's class.
I think you'll really enjoy it.
So when you're designing yourown exercise plan, think about
what makes you feel good andthen build around that.
Do things you enjoy becausethey're the things that you're
going to stick with.
(07:48):
And you want to start small,track your progress, and this is
important.
You want to celebrate your winsbecause every movement matters.
People that exercise, and if younotice people with Parkinson's
that exercise, people say, wow,you're doing pretty well.
Because exercise is going tohelp you in the long run.
So make sure you do that.
And then one of the things I dofor balance is I also lead a
(08:09):
boxing class because that helpsmaintain your stability over
your core, and it's a greatexercise for balance as well.
So that's something that you maywant to consider if you enjoy
boxing.
Now, remember to always getapproval from your healthcare
professional before you startany exercise program to ensure
that it meets your specifichealth needs and that your
doctor's aware of what you'redoing.
(08:31):
All right.
Next up in our countdown of thepillars is nutrition.
Now, I'm going to be honest withyou.
When I was first diagnosed, myidea of a healthy meal was a
cheeseburger, maybe without thefries.
But over time, I learned a lot.
And after doing a lot ofresearch, I learned that what we
eat can have a big impact on ourenergy levels, how I feel, and
(08:55):
how it affects my symptoms.
And also how it affects thingslike inflammation and even how
well it works with ourmedication.
So for instance, one of thethings I've talked about in a
previous podcast is timing yourmeals with your medication,
especially if you're takingcarbodopa levadopa, that you try
to not eat a high protein mealat the same time because that's
(09:18):
going to affect the absorption.
Now, after doing some research,and I've done a podcast on this
as well, the Mediterranean diethas been studied extensively for
its brain and heart benefits.
And there was a 2021 study inFrontiers and Nutrition that
found that people who followedthe Mediterranean style diet,
which is rich in fruits andvegetables, whole grains, olive
(09:41):
oil, nuts, and lean protein,like poultry and fish, had
slower Parkinson's progressionand better cognitive function.
So if you want to learn moreabout the Mediterranean diet and
its benefits on Parkinson's,check out the podcast that I did
on that.
Now, based on my research,here's what I learned works best
(10:02):
for most people living withParkinson's, myself included.
First up is eat a rainbow offruits and vegetables.
Eat as many different coloredvegetables as you can.
Try to get oranges, yellows,reds, greens, purples, because
those antioxidants in there aregoing to help you protect your
brain cells, which in my caseare very limited.
(10:25):
Next up, you want to includelean protein for muscle
strength, but again, be mindfulbecause protein can interfere
with how well your body absorbslevatopa, which is oftentimes
your primary medication to treatyour Parkinson's symptoms.
Now, here's one that often getsoverlooked, and that's stay
hydrated, because dehydrationcan worsen fatigue and
(10:46):
stiffness.
So try to drink water throughoutthe day, even if you're not
thirsty, because once you startfeeling thirsty, you're already
starting to get dehydrated.
And dehydration is a big problemin people with Parkinson's.
And then finally, don't skipmeals.
Steady energy is the key.
So if you have to eat smaller,more frequent meals throughout
(11:07):
the day if this is going tohelp.
Now, if you want a practicalstep, try planning just one
healthy meal each day to start.
Maybe it's oatmeal with berriesand nuts for breakfast or
grilled salmon with roastedveggies for dinner, whatever it
happens to be, just start smallbecause if you try to change
your diet all at one time,you're going to end up doing
(11:28):
what I used to do.
And that was go back and forgetabout what I learned and go back
to doing what I was doingbefore.
So by to make changes, it'sbetter to start with one small
step and then continue to buildon that.
Now, here's the best part.
You don't have to be perfectbecause I'm not perfect for
sure.
Start with one healthy nutritionhabit and then build on it.
(11:51):
All you have to remember is youjust have to be consistent.
All right, so let's move on nowto something we all wish we had
more of, and this is pillarnumber three, and that's sleep.
And maybe it's just me, buttalking with most of my friends
with Parkinson's, they allstruggle with sleep as well.
And getting quality sleep withParkinson's can be tough between
(12:13):
muscle rigidity that we allexperience, medication timing,
some of us have vivid dreams,and then sometimes even anxiety
and depression can make sleepfeel elusive.
Now, as an example, I was on aParkinson's medication for about
12 years, and my sleeping washorrible, to be honest.
(12:34):
No matter what time I went tobed, I'd still wake up late
clockwork between 2:30 and 3o'clock in the morning.
And then what was happening thenis by noon and early afternoon,
I was in a mental fog.
I had trouble focusing andstaying awake.
I couldn't read.
And so it was really affectingmy quality of life.
(12:56):
So I mentioned this to my doctorbecause I was also falling
asleep on the couch at 7:30 atnight.
And I just mentioned that it wasI was tired all the time, I
couldn't focus, and it wasreally affecting how I
participated in activities.
So we decided to wean me off themedication, and it took me a
(13:17):
little while.
And after weaning off themedication, I was put on a new
medication, and now I'm sleepingseven to eight hours per night,
and I feel like my old self.
It's totally unbelievable.
I can't, I feel like a newperson again.
So the reason I tell you thisstory is if you're having
trouble with sleep, let yourdoctor know, and they can try to
help identify what some of thecauses are.
(13:39):
I know I went and saw a sleepspecialist, and maybe that's
what you need to do, or maybe itis a medication that's affecting
your quality of sleep.
But talk to your doctor and theycan help you make the changes
necessary to ensure that you getgood quality sleep because that
is going to be uh pay dividendsin the long run.
I want to go over some thingsthat are called sleep hygiene.
(13:59):
And again, I've done somepodcasts on this as well.
But these are some of the thingsthat are going to help you
hopefully fall asleep and stayasleep.
And one is to keep a consistentbedtime and a consistent wake up
time because your brain, believeit or not, loves routine.
So whether that's during theweek or on the weekends, try to
go to bed at the same time andget up at the same time every
(14:22):
day.
Second, make your room cool,dark, and quiet.
Now, if you're having troublewith your balance, don't make
your room so dark that you'retripping over something and
you're gonna fall and injureyourself.
But try to make your room cool,a nice temperature, that you're
not sweating and getting hot andthat's waking you up.
(14:42):
And then make it dark.
But if you do have to get up anduse the restroom, that there's
enough light that you can seewhat you're doing.
And then make sure it's quiet,because that's gonna help as
well.
Now, this is a the third one isreally key, and that is avoid
screen time 30 to 60 minutesbefore bed.
And what I mean by screen time,that's your phone, TV, laptops,
(15:05):
tablets, because the blue lightis gonna trick your brain into
thinking it's daytime, andthat's gonna affect your
sleep-wake cycle.
So, if possible, try to at Iwould say a minimum of try to an
hour before bed, try to makesure that you're not doing a lot
of screen time.
So instead, read a book or put apuzzle together or you know, pet
(15:26):
the dog, whatever it happens tobe.
Try to do that instead ofspending time um on your laptop
or your tablet.
And then finally, try somerelaxation techniques like
gentle stretching, deepbreathing, and or listening to
calm music.
I know I used to do that.
I'd put my headphones in, playsome music on a real low volume,
(15:46):
and the next thing you know, Iwas asleep.
Now, I like to think of yoursleep as your body's overnight
maintenance crew.
Give it the time and thecondition it needs to do its
job.
Now, believe it or not, yourbody's gonna repair itself and
it's gonna store your memorieswhile you sleep.
That's why sleep is soimportant.
Your body's repairing itself,and that's when your memories
(16:09):
are stored.
So if you're interested in thesleep cycle, let me know, and I
can cover that in an upcomingpodcast.
Last but not least is pillarnumber four, and that's mental
health and mindset.
Now, let's talk about the mostpowerful and sometimes
overlooked pillar, and this ismental health.
Mental health is often uhstigmatized, but it's something
(16:30):
that we all need to addressliving with Parkinson's.
Now, we all know that livingwith Parkinson's isn't just a
physical challenge, it's anemotional one as well.
Because depression, anxiety, andapathy are very common in people
with Parkinson's, but here's thekey piece they're also
treatable.
In fact, studies show that up to40% of people with Parkinson's
(16:52):
suffer from anxiety anddepression.
And I've seen other numbers thatare often much higher than that.
So remember, your mindsetmatters.
Now, not just in the in the uhfluffy sense that, you know, oh,
just keep a positive attitude,everything's gonna be fine.
I mean, the kind of mindsetwhere you learn to accept what
you can't control and focus onwhat you can.
(17:15):
Because remember, a lot ofthings are out of our control,
but let's focus on the things wecan control.
Now, I've done cognitivebehavioral therapy or CBT.
For me, it was a very positiveexperience and it helped me
overcome panic and anxietyissues.
So if you're having issues withanxiety, depression, or apathy,
please feel free to seek outassistance from a certified
(17:37):
therapist because they're goingto help you manage these issues
so that you can live your best.
There's nothing wrong withseeing a therapist or telling
your doctor because they canhelp you address these issues.
So rather than being depressedor anxious all the time and
maybe limiting your social life,let them know and they can help
you.
(17:57):
There's a lot of differentthings out there that they can
do.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe medication.
Like I mentioned, I didcognitive behavioral therapy,
and essentially that's a way ofchanging your thinking and
replacing negative thoughts withpositive thoughts.
So if you're more interested inthat, check out my podcast on
cognitive behavioral therapy.
Now, there's some fascinatingresearch that shows that
(18:18):
mindfulness and gratitudepractices can actually boost
dopamine and improve your mood.
In a 2020 study in the MovementDisorder Journal, found that
regular mindfulness trainingreduced stress and improved
emotional regulation in peoplewith Parkinson's.
So let's talk a little bit aboutsome things that can help you
with mindfulness and gratitude.
(18:39):
And the first one is verysimple.
Start your day with a simplegratitude journal.
List three things that you'rethankful for.
Now it sounds simple, but you'dbe really surprised at the
powerful impact it can makebecause when you start out
looking at things that you'regrateful for, uh you start your
day on a positive note, and thatsets the tone for the day.
(18:59):
Second, try a short five-minuteguided meditation or deep
breathing session.
There's a lot of apps out there,or you can go online or go onto
YouTube and find differentguided meditations or deep
breathing sessions.
I do these myself and theyreally do help because you're
focusing on your breathing andyou're just letting those
thoughts pass by.
(19:20):
You're recognizing them butletting them go.
And then thirds, stay sociallyconnected.
Join a local support group, joina boxing class, peddling for
Parkinson's class, or volunteerin your community.
When you volunteer and youparticipate, you learn that
others might be going throughthe same problems as you, but it
(19:40):
also helps you forget yourproblems as well.
Now, I once read a story about aman that was on the verge of
having a nervous breakdown, andhe went to see the psychiatrist,
and the psychiatrist told him,Go help your neighbor.
And he looked at thepsychiatrist weird and said,
How's that going to help me?
He said, Because when you helpyour neighbor, you're not
focusing on your own problems.
(20:01):
You're helping someone else.
And that seemed to work.
Now, I'm not saying that's inall cases, but if you need help,
please seek professional helpand they can help you overcome
some anxiety and depressionissues.
Now, for me, connecting withothers who get it has been
incredibly healing.
I like to say community is thebest medicine that doesn't come
(20:23):
in a pill.
Now, I have friends that weshare our issues with and we
share how we address them.
Because a lot of times peopleliving with Parkinson's think
that we're, oh, we're the onlyones that's experiencing this.
When in fact, a lot of timeswhen we get together as friends
and say, hey, I'm having aproblem, I'm having trouble with
sleep, or I'm having troublewith rigidity, and we talk about
what we've done, then all of asudden you people relate to that
(20:46):
and you learn to help eachother.
And then you also learn thatyou're not alone and that we all
struggle with some of the samethings.
All right, so let's bring thisall home and put it all together
in terms of our Parkinson'swellness plan.
Now, we've talked about four keypillars exercise, nutrition,
sleep, and mental health.
(21:07):
Now, these aren't just boxes tocheck, they're going to be the
foundation of your dailywellness plan.
Now, here's how we can startputting it all together today.
So grab yourself a notebook anddraw a simple wellness wheel.
So it can be a wheel with fourspokes, or if you want to think
of it as a pie, four pieces ofpie.
Or if you like a box, draw asquare and put enough where you
(21:31):
have four boxes.
And then what you're gonna do isdivide the four sections into
one into exercise, one intonutrition, one into sleep, and
one into mental health.
And then you're gonna rateyourself from one to ten in each
area, and then write down somethings that you're doing really
well.
If you're exercising, maybe yousay I'm walking three times a
(21:53):
week and I'm doing balanceexercises.
And then same thing withnutrition.
You know, I eat a lot of fruitsand vegetables, whatever it
happens to be.
So rate yourself from one to tenand then uh list some things
where you're doing what you'redoing really well.
And then also down below that,list some things that you could
use some work on.
(22:13):
So maybe with exercise, maybeyou're not doing any strength
training, and you want toinclude strength training.
So that way you can start makingsome goals on how you're gonna
incorporate strength traininginto your program.
Or nutrition, maybe you're notgetting enough protein.
So make sure that you can set agoal on how you're gonna get
more protein into your dietwithout affecting your
(22:33):
medication.
And or maybe it's you need tohydrate more.
Same thing with mindfulness.
Maybe you're not doing any dailymeditation or mindfulness
techniques.
So write down what you need towork on.
And then next, choose one smallspecific goal for that week
ahead.
So maybe it's I'm gonna walk 15minutes three times this week,
(22:56):
or I'm gonna meditate fiveminutes before bed, or I'm gonna
drink two extra glasses of watera day.
Whatever it happens to be,remember, start where you are,
start with a small, actionablegoal, and then build on it.
Remember, small steps are gonnalead to big change.
That's how you're gonna buildmomentum.
And then what you want to do isbegin each week with one
(23:17):
specific actionable goal foreach of these four pillars.
Try to accomplish your goal eachweek.
Now, if you didn't complete it,that's fine.
Don't beat yourself up over it.
Just carry it over to the nextweek.
It's better to have small,actionable goals that can help
you make changes and progressover time than it is to try to
make these big broad goals andhave say, I'm gonna change my
(23:42):
exercise and I'm gonna do allthis stuff, and then you don't
end up doing anything.
So remember small, actionablesteps each week, and then reward
yourself.
Be proud of yourself and keeptrack of the wins that you have.
So here's your takeaway fromtoday: you have more control
than you think.
Parkinsons may change the paththat you're on, but it doesn't
(24:04):
define the destination.
You can still live aspectacular, exceptional life,
one day, one habit, and onechoice at a time.
Now, if you'd like a little bitof help getting started, head
over to liveparkinsons.com andsign up for the free monthly
newsletter.
It's full of practical tips,resources, and inspiration to
help you live your best life.
(24:26):
And I'm currently working on aPDF for a personalized wellness
planner, and I'll get that upthere as soon as I can.
And then if you'd like tosupport the podcast and the
mission, you can either visitKofi.com slash liveparkinsons or
just click on the support theshow link on my Buzz Sprout
(24:46):
page.
So I want to thank you fortuning in today.
And remember, keep moving, keepsmiling, and keep living
exceptionally well withParkinson's.
Remember, you control yourjourney and how you want to live
your lives.
Thanks again for listening, andI hope to see you all soon.
Hello, and welcome to Live Parkinson's Live an
Exceptional Life.
I'm your host, ChrisKustenbautter, and I've been
living an exceptional life withParkinson's for the past 15
years.
The mission of this podcast isto help as many people as
possible living with Parkinsonsto lead a great quality of life.
Today, we're going to be talkingabout something that can
completely change how you livewith Parkinson's.
(00:31):
Something that's simple butpowerful.
And that's creating your ownpersonalized Parkinson's
wellness plan.
Now let me ask you something.
What if you could take controlof your Parkinson's journey, not
by fighting against it, but bybuilding a plan that helps you
feel stronger, think clearer,sleep better, and live more
(00:53):
joyfully every single day.
Because here's the truth, or thedirty little secret, if you
will.
Parkinson's affects everyonedifferently, and there's no one
size fits all solution.
But the good news is you havethe power to design a plan that
fits you, your body, yoursymptoms, your energy, and your
(01:15):
goals.
Now, today we're going to bediving into how to create a plan
step by step by focusing on fouressential pillars exercise,
nutrition, sleep, and mentalhealth.
So by the end of this episode,you'll have a clear, practical
roadmap that you can start usingtoday to feel better, live
(01:37):
stronger, and move forward withmore confidence.
Now, before we get into the how,let's talk about the why.
Why should you have apersonalized Parkinson's plan?
Well, as I mentioned earlier,every single person living with
Parkinson's experiences itdifferently.
Symptoms can vary from tremor tostiffness to fatigue, and what
works for one person may notwork for another.
(02:00):
So what's bothersome to me mightnot be to you, and vice versa.
Now, I've seen it my ownjourney.
Early on, I tried to follow thegeneric advice, exercise more,
eat healthy, get sleep, but itwasn't until I personalized a
plan to meet my specific needsand goals that it all started to
click for me.
(02:20):
Now, believe it or not, there'sactually some solid research
backing this up.
The Parkinson's Outcomesproject, run by the Parkinson's
Foundation, found that peoplewho take an individualized
approach, working with theirhealthcare team, to build a plan
around their personal needs,report a higher quality of life
and slower progression overtime.
(02:41):
So that's why I like to sayyou're not just the patient,
you're the CEO of yourParkinson's journey and of your
wellness team.
So you get to make all thedecisions and set the vision for
your journey.
So today we're going to betalking about how to lead that
team and how to take control ofyour journey as well.
And let's start with the bigone.
(03:03):
And my personal favorite, whichyou've heard me tell talk about
a hundred times, and that isdrumroll, please, exercise.
Now you probably heard it athousand times.
Exercise is medicine forParkinson's.
And honestly, it's not just acatchy slogan.
It's true, and the scienceproves it.
The Sparks trial that waspublished in the Journal of the
(03:26):
American Medical AssociationNeurology in 2018 found that
people with Parkinson's who didhigh-intensity exercise or what
they call HIT training, about 30minutes of risk movement three
times per week actually slowedthe progression of their
symptoms.
Exercise boosts dopamine levels.
It's going to help us improveour balance.
(03:48):
It's going to strengthen ourheart.
And it's going to help yourbrain make new neural
connections, also known asneuroplasticity.
Now I know what you're thinkingto yourself.
Chris is telling me that I needto hit the gym.
And you might be saying toyourself, I'm not very athletic,
and I hear what you're saying,but I'm not great at exercise.
(04:10):
Well, let's make this realistic.
You don't need to train like aprofessional athlete.
Start where you are.
Everybody has to startsomewhere.
And as the old saying goes, ajourney of a thousand miles
starts with a single footstep.
So wherever you are, that'swhere you start.
And then you want to slowlyprogress and build on that.
Now, if all you can do is walkaround the block, that counts.
(04:32):
It's where you start.
So let's look at some of thespecific exercise categories
that you really want to includewhen you're thinking about
exercise.
First, so you don't get boredand do the same thing all the
time.
And second, so that you can workon different muscle groups and
different functional movementsthat are going to help you in
your daily life.
(04:53):
All right, and so let's talkabout some categories that you
should consider.
And the first is aerobicexercise.
And this is going to help youwith your cardiovascular
fitness.
And you want to try to get yourheart rate up at least three
times per week.
Now, this would include thingslike cycling, brisk walking,
swimming, or even if you want,dancing in your kitchen.
(05:14):
So it's anything that's going toget your heart rate up for an
extended period and then bringit back down.
So that's aerobic exercise andit's going to build that
cardiovascular fitness.
Next up is strength training.
And that doesn't have to begoing to the gym and lifting
heavy weights and dropping themon the floor.
Strength training can be assimple as doing bodyweight
(05:35):
exercises like bodyweightsquats, which could be sitting
in a chair and standing up andsitting back down.
Me personally, I use lightweights and just do more
repetitions.
You can also use resistancebands, things that are going to
help you maintain that musclemass because as we age, we're
going to lose a certainpercentage of muscle mass every
year.
And the stronger our core, ourlegs, and our shoulders and arms
(06:00):
are, the better our balance isgoing to be because those are
what's going to help you withyour stability.
So you want to make sure thatyou include strength training as
well.
And then finally, balance andflexibility.
And these can include thingslike yoga, tai chi, boxing, and
even pedaling for Parkinson'sclass because you're trying to
balance on the bike.
(06:21):
Now, for me personally, I liketo do a mix of all these.
And one of the reasons I do itis because it I get an overall
body workout.
So I do something different eachday.
So I might do aerobic exerciseMonday, Wednesday, Friday, and
strength training Tuesday,Thursday, Saturday.
And then I also throw in balancetraining every day.
(06:43):
And then I try to stretch aswell because it's going to help
me maintain my flexibility andmovement.
I love to teach the pedaling forParkinson's class.
And not only is it because it'sgreat exercise, but it's a great
social activity as well.
We all look out for each otherand we get concerned when
someone's not there, especiallyif they're not there for two or
(07:04):
three classes.
We start to, we contact them andsaying, hey, we'd like to see
you back in class.
But part of the reasons I loveleading the pedaling for
Parkinson's class is you've gotenergetic music.
The workouts are going toprovide a benefit.
And I've seen that in the peoplethat participate.
They've grown so much in thethings that they can do.
And just the friendships thatwe've formed from the class, it
(07:27):
makes it a fun and enjoyable wayto exercise.
So if you haven't tried it, lookin your local area to see if
they have a peddling forParkinson's class.
I think you'll really enjoy it.
So when you're designing yourown exercise plan, think about
what makes you feel good andthen build around that.
Do things you enjoy becausethey're the things that you're
going to stick with.
(07:48):
And you want to start small,track your progress, and this is
important.
You want to celebrate your winsbecause every movement matters.
People that exercise, and if younotice people with Parkinson's
that exercise, people say, wow,you're doing pretty well.
Because exercise is going tohelp you in the long run.
So make sure you do that.
And then one of the things I dofor balance is I also lead a
(08:09):
boxing class because that helpsmaintain your stability over
your core, and it's a greatexercise for balance as well.
So that's something that you maywant to consider if you enjoy
boxing.
Now, remember to always getapproval from your healthcare
professional before you startany exercise program to ensure
that it meets your specifichealth needs and that your
doctor's aware of what you'redoing.
(08:31):
All right.
Next up in our countdown of thepillars is nutrition.
Now, I'm going to be honest withyou.
When I was first diagnosed, myidea of a healthy meal was a
cheeseburger, maybe without thefries.
But over time, I learned a lot.
And after doing a lot ofresearch, I learned that what we
eat can have a big impact on ourenergy levels, how I feel, and
(08:55):
how it affects my symptoms.
And also how it affects thingslike inflammation and even how
well it works with ourmedication.
So for instance, one of thethings I've talked about in a
previous podcast is timing yourmeals with your medication,
especially if you're takingcarbodopa levadopa, that you try
to not eat a high protein mealat the same time because that's
(09:18):
going to affect the absorption.
Now, after doing some research,and I've done a podcast on this
as well, the Mediterranean diethas been studied extensively for
its brain and heart benefits.
And there was a 2021 study inFrontiers and Nutrition that
found that people who followedthe Mediterranean style diet,
which is rich in fruits andvegetables, whole grains, olive
(09:41):
oil, nuts, and lean protein,like poultry and fish, had
slower Parkinson's progressionand better cognitive function.
So if you want to learn moreabout the Mediterranean diet and
its benefits on Parkinson's,check out the podcast that I did
on that.
Now, based on my research,here's what I learned works best
(10:02):
for most people living withParkinson's, myself included.
First up is eat a rainbow offruits and vegetables.
Eat as many different coloredvegetables as you can.
Try to get oranges, yellows,reds, greens, purples, because
those antioxidants in there aregoing to help you protect your
brain cells, which in my caseare very limited.
(10:25):
Next up, you want to includelean protein for muscle
strength, but again, be mindfulbecause protein can interfere
with how well your body absorbslevatopa, which is oftentimes
your primary medication to treatyour Parkinson's symptoms.
Now, here's one that often getsoverlooked, and that's stay
hydrated, because dehydrationcan worsen fatigue and
(10:46):
stiffness.
So try to drink water throughoutthe day, even if you're not
thirsty, because once you startfeeling thirsty, you're already
starting to get dehydrated.
And dehydration is a big problemin people with Parkinson's.
And then finally, don't skipmeals.
Steady energy is the key.
So if you have to eat smaller,more frequent meals throughout
(11:07):
the day if this is going tohelp.
Now, if you want a practicalstep, try planning just one
healthy meal each day to start.
Maybe it's oatmeal with berriesand nuts for breakfast or
grilled salmon with roastedveggies for dinner, whatever it
happens to be, just start smallbecause if you try to change
your diet all at one time,you're going to end up doing
(11:28):
what I used to do.
And that was go back and forgetabout what I learned and go back
to doing what I was doingbefore.
So by to make changes, it'sbetter to start with one small
step and then continue to buildon that.
Now, here's the best part.
You don't have to be perfectbecause I'm not perfect for
sure.
Start with one healthy nutritionhabit and then build on it.
(11:51):
All you have to remember is youjust have to be consistent.
All right, so let's move on nowto something we all wish we had
more of, and this is pillarnumber three, and that's sleep.
And maybe it's just me, buttalking with most of my friends
with Parkinson's, they allstruggle with sleep as well.
And getting quality sleep withParkinson's can be tough between
(12:13):
muscle rigidity that we allexperience, medication timing,
some of us have vivid dreams,and then sometimes even anxiety
and depression can make sleepfeel elusive.
Now, as an example, I was on aParkinson's medication for about
12 years, and my sleeping washorrible, to be honest.
(12:34):
No matter what time I went tobed, I'd still wake up late
clockwork between 2:30 and 3o'clock in the morning.
And then what was happening thenis by noon and early afternoon,
I was in a mental fog.
I had trouble focusing andstaying awake.
I couldn't read.
And so it was really affectingmy quality of life.
(12:56):
So I mentioned this to my doctorbecause I was also falling
asleep on the couch at 7:30 atnight.
And I just mentioned that it wasI was tired all the time, I
couldn't focus, and it wasreally affecting how I
participated in activities.
So we decided to wean me off themedication, and it took me a
(13:17):
little while.
And after weaning off themedication, I was put on a new
medication, and now I'm sleepingseven to eight hours per night,
and I feel like my old self.
It's totally unbelievable.
I can't, I feel like a newperson again.
So the reason I tell you thisstory is if you're having
trouble with sleep, let yourdoctor know, and they can try to
help identify what some of thecauses are.
(13:39):
I know I went and saw a sleepspecialist, and maybe that's
what you need to do, or maybe itis a medication that's affecting
your quality of sleep.
But talk to your doctor and theycan help you make the changes
necessary to ensure that you getgood quality sleep because that
is going to be uh pay dividendsin the long run.
I want to go over some thingsthat are called sleep hygiene.
(13:59):
And again, I've done somepodcasts on this as well.
But these are some of the thingsthat are going to help you
hopefully fall asleep and stayasleep.
And one is to keep a consistentbedtime and a consistent wake up
time because your brain, believeit or not, loves routine.
So whether that's during theweek or on the weekends, try to
go to bed at the same time andget up at the same time every
(14:22):
day.
Second, make your room cool,dark, and quiet.
Now, if you're having troublewith your balance, don't make
your room so dark that you'retripping over something and
you're gonna fall and injureyourself.
But try to make your room cool,a nice temperature, that you're
not sweating and getting hot andthat's waking you up.
(14:42):
And then make it dark.
But if you do have to get up anduse the restroom, that there's
enough light that you can seewhat you're doing.
And then make sure it's quiet,because that's gonna help as
well.
Now, this is a the third one isreally key, and that is avoid
screen time 30 to 60 minutesbefore bed.
And what I mean by screen time,that's your phone, TV, laptops,
(15:05):
tablets, because the blue lightis gonna trick your brain into
thinking it's daytime, andthat's gonna affect your
sleep-wake cycle.
So, if possible, try to at Iwould say a minimum of try to an
hour before bed, try to makesure that you're not doing a lot
of screen time.
So instead, read a book or put apuzzle together or you know, pet
(15:26):
the dog, whatever it happens tobe.
Try to do that instead ofspending time um on your laptop
or your tablet.
And then finally, try somerelaxation techniques like
gentle stretching, deepbreathing, and or listening to
calm music.
I know I used to do that.
I'd put my headphones in, playsome music on a real low volume,
(15:46):
and the next thing you know, Iwas asleep.
Now, I like to think of yoursleep as your body's overnight
maintenance crew.
Give it the time and thecondition it needs to do its
job.
Now, believe it or not, yourbody's gonna repair itself and
it's gonna store your memorieswhile you sleep.
That's why sleep is soimportant.
Your body's repairing itself,and that's when your memories
(16:09):
are stored.
So if you're interested in thesleep cycle, let me know, and I
can cover that in an upcomingpodcast.
Last but not least is pillarnumber four, and that's mental
health and mindset.
Now, let's talk about the mostpowerful and sometimes
overlooked pillar, and this ismental health.
Mental health is often uhstigmatized, but it's something
(16:30):
that we all need to addressliving with Parkinson's.
Now, we all know that livingwith Parkinson's isn't just a
physical challenge, it's anemotional one as well.
Because depression, anxiety, andapathy are very common in people
with Parkinson's, but here's thekey piece they're also
treatable.
In fact, studies show that up to40% of people with Parkinson's
(16:52):
suffer from anxiety anddepression.
And I've seen other numbers thatare often much higher than that.
So remember, your mindsetmatters.
Now, not just in the in the uhfluffy sense that, you know, oh,
just keep a positive attitude,everything's gonna be fine.
I mean, the kind of mindsetwhere you learn to accept what
you can't control and focus onwhat you can.
(17:15):
Because remember, a lot ofthings are out of our control,
but let's focus on the things wecan control.
Now, I've done cognitivebehavioral therapy or CBT.
For me, it was a very positiveexperience and it helped me
overcome panic and anxietyissues.
So if you're having issues withanxiety, depression, or apathy,
please feel free to seek outassistance from a certified
(17:37):
therapist because they're goingto help you manage these issues
so that you can live your best.
There's nothing wrong withseeing a therapist or telling
your doctor because they canhelp you address these issues.
So rather than being depressedor anxious all the time and
maybe limiting your social life,let them know and they can help
you.
(17:57):
There's a lot of differentthings out there that they can
do.
It doesn't necessarily have tobe medication.
Like I mentioned, I didcognitive behavioral therapy,
and essentially that's a way ofchanging your thinking and
replacing negative thoughts withpositive thoughts.
So if you're more interested inthat, check out my podcast on
cognitive behavioral therapy.
Now, there's some fascinatingresearch that shows that
(18:18):
mindfulness and gratitudepractices can actually boost
dopamine and improve your mood.
In a 2020 study in the MovementDisorder Journal, found that
regular mindfulness trainingreduced stress and improved
emotional regulation in peoplewith Parkinson's.
So let's talk a little bit aboutsome things that can help you
with mindfulness and gratitude.
(18:39):
And the first one is verysimple.
Start your day with a simplegratitude journal.
List three things that you'rethankful for.
Now it sounds simple, but you'dbe really surprised at the
powerful impact it can makebecause when you start out
looking at things that you'regrateful for, uh you start your
day on a positive note, and thatsets the tone for the day.
(18:59):
Second, try a short five-minuteguided meditation or deep
breathing session.
There's a lot of apps out there,or you can go online or go onto
YouTube and find differentguided meditations or deep
breathing sessions.
I do these myself and theyreally do help because you're
focusing on your breathing andyou're just letting those
thoughts pass by.
(19:20):
You're recognizing them butletting them go.
And then thirds, stay sociallyconnected.
Join a local support group, joina boxing class, peddling for
Parkinson's class, or volunteerin your community.
When you volunteer and youparticipate, you learn that
others might be going throughthe same problems as you, but it
(19:40):
also helps you forget yourproblems as well.
Now, I once read a story about aman that was on the verge of
having a nervous breakdown, andhe went to see the psychiatrist,
and the psychiatrist told him,Go help your neighbor.
And he looked at thepsychiatrist weird and said,
How's that going to help me?
He said, Because when you helpyour neighbor, you're not
focusing on your own problems.
(20:01):
You're helping someone else.
And that seemed to work.
Now, I'm not saying that's inall cases, but if you need help,
please seek professional helpand they can help you overcome
some anxiety and depressionissues.
Now, for me, connecting withothers who get it has been
incredibly healing.
I like to say community is thebest medicine that doesn't come
(20:23):
in a pill.
Now, I have friends that weshare our issues with and we
share how we address them.
Because a lot of times peopleliving with Parkinson's think
that we're, oh, we're the onlyones that's experiencing this.
When in fact, a lot of timeswhen we get together as friends
and say, hey, I'm having aproblem, I'm having trouble with
sleep, or I'm having troublewith rigidity, and we talk about
what we've done, then all of asudden you people relate to that
(20:46):
and you learn to help eachother.
And then you also learn thatyou're not alone and that we all
struggle with some of the samethings.
All right, so let's bring thisall home and put it all together
in terms of our Parkinson'swellness plan.
Now, we've talked about four keypillars exercise, nutrition,
sleep, and mental health.
(21:07):
Now, these aren't just boxes tocheck, they're going to be the
foundation of your dailywellness plan.
Now, here's how we can startputting it all together today.
So grab yourself a notebook anddraw a simple wellness wheel.
So it can be a wheel with fourspokes, or if you want to think
of it as a pie, four pieces ofpie.
Or if you like a box, draw asquare and put enough where you
(21:31):
have four boxes.
And then what you're gonna do isdivide the four sections into
one into exercise, one intonutrition, one into sleep, and
one into mental health.
And then you're gonna rateyourself from one to ten in each
area, and then write down somethings that you're doing really
well.
If you're exercising, maybe yousay I'm walking three times a
(21:53):
week and I'm doing balanceexercises.
And then same thing withnutrition.
You know, I eat a lot of fruitsand vegetables, whatever it
happens to be.
So rate yourself from one to tenand then uh list some things
where you're doing what you'redoing really well.
And then also down below that,list some things that you could
use some work on.
(22:13):
So maybe with exercise, maybeyou're not doing any strength
training, and you want toinclude strength training.
So that way you can start makingsome goals on how you're gonna
incorporate strength traininginto your program.
Or nutrition, maybe you're notgetting enough protein.
So make sure that you can set agoal on how you're gonna get
more protein into your dietwithout affecting your
(22:33):
medication.
And or maybe it's you need tohydrate more.
Same thing with mindfulness.
Maybe you're not doing any dailymeditation or mindfulness
techniques.
So write down what you need towork on.
And then next, choose one smallspecific goal for that week
ahead.
So maybe it's I'm gonna walk 15minutes three times this week,
(22:56):
or I'm gonna meditate fiveminutes before bed, or I'm gonna
drink two extra glasses of watera day.
Whatever it happens to be,remember, start where you are,
start with a small, actionablegoal, and then build on it.
Remember, small steps are gonnalead to big change.
That's how you're gonna buildmomentum.
And then what you want to do isbegin each week with one
(23:17):
specific actionable goal foreach of these four pillars.
Try to accomplish your goal eachweek.
Now, if you didn't complete it,that's fine.
Don't beat yourself up over it.
Just carry it over to the nextweek.
It's better to have small,actionable goals that can help
you make changes and progressover time than it is to try to
make these big broad goals andhave say, I'm gonna change my
(23:42):
exercise and I'm gonna do allthis stuff, and then you don't
end up doing anything.
So remember small, actionablesteps each week, and then reward
yourself.
Be proud of yourself and keeptrack of the wins that you have.
So here's your takeaway fromtoday: you have more control
than you think.
Parkinsons may change the paththat you're on, but it doesn't
(24:04):
define the destination.
You can still live aspectacular, exceptional life,
one day, one habit, and onechoice at a time.
Now, if you'd like a little bitof help getting started, head
over to liveparkinsons.com andsign up for the free monthly
newsletter.
It's full of practical tips,resources, and inspiration to
help you live your best life.
(24:26):
And I'm currently working on aPDF for a personalized wellness
planner, and I'll get that upthere as soon as I can.
And then if you'd like tosupport the podcast and the
mission, you can either visitKofi.com slash liveparkinsons or
just click on the support theshow link on my Buzz Sprout
(24:46):
page.
So I want to thank you fortuning in today.
And remember, keep moving, keepsmiling, and keep living
exceptionally well withParkinson's.
Remember, you control yourjourney and how you want to live
your lives.
Thanks again for listening, andI hope to see you all soon.
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