What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s is a progressive, degenerative disease that unfortunately has no cure.  People with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have a deficiency in one of the nervous system’s chemical messengers called dopamine.  In general, chemical messengers (called neurotransmitters) regulate different functions in the body, including heart rate, lung function, sleep, concentration, muscle movement, and much more.  Specifically, dopamine acts in the areas of the brain that are responsible for things like memory, learning, mood, and movement.

People with PD have both motor and non-motor symptoms.  Common, early, motor symptoms are:

• A resting tremor
• Small handwriting (micrographia)
• Stiffness  (including a masked face)
• Slow movement (bradykinesia)
• A soft or low voice 

Non-motor symptoms are harder to correlate.  Common, early, non-motor symptoms of PD are:

• Fatigue
• Pain
• Sleep disturbances
• Depression
• Cognition difficulties

There is a saying that “if you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s, you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s.”  That means all, some, or none of the above may be symptoms. Also, these are early signs of PD but they can all be caused by other things. Someone with pain, or stiffness may have an injury.  A change in the voice could be caused by a chest cold.  Some medications can cause a lot of these symptoms as well.

The important thing to do is talk to your doctor if you have any of these symptoms that can’t be explained by something else.  Not everything that looks like Parkinson’s disease is Parkinson’s disease.

How is Parkinson’s Disease Treated?
The right team of providers is key.  A neurologist, speech therapists, physical and occupational therapists, and even fitness professionals are all crucial parts of the team.  Medication also plays a part in treating PD.  Levodopa is the most effective medication and works to increase the amount of dopamine in the brain and reduce symptoms such as stiffness and tremors.  There are even some surgical options available.

Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease
While there are multiple treatments for Parkinson’s, they only help manage symptoms.  They do not cure the disease.  While research is ongoing to find better treatment and ultimately a cure, scientists have discovered that the biggest factors in slowing down the progression of PD is healthy eating and regular exercise. 

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet that includes whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats may slow the progression of Parkinson’s.  Research also supports following the Mediterranean diet for the prevention of heart disease and cancer, increasing lifespan, and healthy aging. 

Along with healthy eating, exercise has also been shown to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.  Dose, intensity, complexity, repetition, and specificity all matter when designing a workout program for someone with PD.  The Surgeon General’s overall recommendations for exercise are 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.  The recommendations for someone with Parkinson’s disease is 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week that includes cardio, strength, balance/agility, multitasking, and stretching.  Incorporating all of these components makes the workout extremely functional.  

Cardio
Aerobic workouts that incorporate circuit training or high intensity interval training (HIIT) are effective in slowing the progression of PD. Always make sure that the intensity level is determined by what is safely possible.  If you have injuries or other conditions (like heart disease or other neurological disorders), always define what’s safe within the confines of what else is going on in your body.

Strength
Functional strength training includes strengthening the upper back muscles to help with upright posture.  Things like split squats will help with maintaining the strength needed to get off the floor.  Core strengthening will help counteract falls by improving balance.  Calculating simple math problems while doing chair squats is a great way to incorporate multi-tasking into the workout. 

Balance/Agility
Basic balance exercises are great.  Arm swing while walking can diminish in people with Parkinson’s disease and has a negative impact on balance.  Holding a one-pound hand weight, or even a rolled-up magazine, in each hand while out on a walk can work as a reminder to swing your arms. 

Stretching
Focus stretching areas that are typically tight to help counteract the “Parkinson’s Posture.”  Stooped or rounded shoulders, decreased low back curve, and forward lean of the head or whole body are very common in people with Parkinson’s.  Be sure to include the calves, hip flexors, and chest muscles in your stretching routine.

Rock Steady Boxing
Rock Steady Boxing is an intensive and rigorous boxing-based workout designed for people with Parkinson’s disease and is offered at Active Wellness Center in Napa.  Rock Steady Boxing is a non-contact, boxing based workout.  It incorporates all of the functional aspects of a workout that are important for people with Parkinson’s in a fun, social environment.  Drills with heavy bags, focus mitts, speed bags, shadow boxing, and more are utilized throughout the workout.

Why boxing?  Without even realizing it, boxers in the program are getting everything they need in one place.  Boxing improves hand eye coordination, balance, core strength, speed of movement, mental focus, and much more.  Memory is required to remember the boxing combinations.  Repeating patterns helps rewire the brain.

Along with movement challenges, there is an emotional impact that comes with PD.  People with PD can feel isolated because they have difficulty communicating or are embarrassed by a tremor and don’t want to leave the house. Rock Steady Boxing includes partner drills, get to know you activities, and competitions to provide the social atmosphere needed to improve mood, mental focus, and decrease stress. And let’s face it – it’s just fun to hit things!

Conclusion
Fighting back against Parkinson’s disease includes having a strong healthcare team, eating right and exercising.   It doesn’t matter what you do, just get out there and do it!

Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.  If you have other medical conditions, like heart disease, be sure to ask if high intensity exercise is appropriate.

Check out the Parkinson’s Foundation website for information and resources.

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Team Active content is not medical advice; it’s inspiration to LIVE ACTIVELY. Operating five Active Wellness Centers in California and Oregon, we strategically partner with hospital systems like Providence in Petaluma and Napa, California as well as Lake Oswego and Hillsboro, Oregon. Active Wellness Center at NorthBay Health is powered by NorthBay Health in Vacaville, California. 

Active’s strategic healthcare partnerships demonstrate our commitment to supporting healthy lifestyles in the communities we serve.  Our community health clubs and gyms provide motivating fitness, weight loss, strength-training, medical fitness, aquatics and swim lessons, youth fitness and childcare programs, and group fitness including yoga, Zumba®, barre, Pilates, dance and cycling. *

Check the Active Wellness Center blog often for more healthy lifestyle tips and resources to support your active lifestyle! Click here for a free guest pass to your local Active Wellness Center. 

*Active Wellness Center’s program and facility offerings may vary by location.

If your New Year’s resolution was to start exercising and your motivation is starting to wane, finding your “why” can help.  Why did you set a goal of starting an exercise program? If your answer is “because I’m supposed to”, it may be hard to stay on track.  Try changing your thought process to an overall health approach. Whether it’s playing with the grandkids or running a marathon, it’s all about feeling good and enjoying the things you want to do.  It’s about adding life to your years instead of years to your life.  Here are some heart healthy tips to help.

Decrease Your Risk
Breaking things down to the bare minimum can help keep you from getting overwhelmed.  There is a long list of things you’re supposed to do to keep your heart healthy – stop smoking, manage your blood pressure and blood sugar, lose weight, etc.  “Knowing your numbers” is very important but breaking it down and taking one step at a time will be easier. Two of the risk factors for heart disease are out of your control – family history and age.  Go ahead and scratch them off the list for now and start with your first step and the biggest ticket item – smoking.

Smoking
If you do nothing else for your heart health, quitting smoking is the most important thing.  Easier said than done, right?  Look for a smoking cessation program or talk to your doctor about using medication to quit.  The American Heart Association Website has information on 5 Steps to Quit Smoking and Vaping as well.

If you don’t smoke, the biggest thing you can do is start moving.

Getting Active
Again, easier said than done.  There are all kinds of ways to create the habit of physical activity.  Finding a workout or walking buddy is a great way to stay motivated.  Scheduling your activity time in your calendar and having that time be the same each day to create consistency is helpful.  The big component here is to keep the appointment.  If someone wants to schedule a meeting or get together, all you have to say is “I have a commitment at that time.”  Taking a class can help because you have to be there at a specific time.  Think about your “why” when you’re trying to convince yourself to put your shoes on and get out the door. Remembering why you have set this goal for yourself may help get those laces tied.

The added benefit of getting active is that many of the other risk factors for heart disease will start to fall into place.  The trickle-down effect, if you will.  Physical activity helps manage your blood pressure, your cholesterol, and blood sugar (to decrease your risk for diabetes).  It also helps to lose weight which, in turn, helps to manage your blood pressure, your cholesterol, and blood sugar.

Here’s the good news.  It doesn’t have to hurt to work.  The Surgeon General’s recommendation for activity is 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on most days of the week.  Examples of moderate intensity activity are things like brisk walking, dancing, pushing a lawn mower, or doubles tennis.  Set your sights low.  Instead of 30 minutes each day, start with 15 minutes three times per week and build from there.  Even 10 minutes is great.  You can also accumulate activity to meet the recommendation.  Three bouts of 10 minutes each day counts as a total of 30 minutes!  

Here is the basic list of risk factors for heart disease:

There are more specific details for each criterion.  Check out the American Heart Association website for more information.

Learn the Signs
Unfortunately, someone dies of heart disease every 33 seconds in this country.  While 1 in 30 women die of breast cancer, 1 in 3 women die of heart disease.  If you know the signs of a heart attack, cardiac arrest, and stroke, you could save a life!

The number one rule for any of these events is to call 911.  No one has ever said “you shouldn’t have called 911” or “you shouldn’t have come to the hospital.”  The sooner treatment arrives the better.  Time is tissue.  The longer the delay, the more tissue damage can occur.

Heart Attack
Classic Symptoms

• Tightness/pressure in the chest, shoulder, jaw, arms, or back
• Trouble breathing/shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Lightheadedness

Women may experience all, none, or some combination of the classic symptoms.  They may also experience:

• Neck, shoulders, upper back, or abdominal discomfort
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Unusual or unexplained fatigue

Another symptom of a heart attack is denial!  The best thing to do is call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest emergency room.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest is a little more straightforward.

• Unresponsiveness
• Not Breathing
• No Pulse

Call 911 and start CPR

Stroke
Remember F.A.S.T.

• Facial droop or weakness on one side of the face
• Arm weakness on one side of the body
• Speech difficulty
• Time to call 911

Other Signs of Stroke

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the leg
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding 
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes 
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination 
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

The Result
Know your “why” and you’ll do your part to take care of your heart!

—

Team Active content is not medical advice; it’s inspiration to LIVE ACTIVELY. Operating five Active Wellness Centers in California and Oregon, we strategically partner with hospital systems like Providence in Petaluma and Napa, California as well as Lake Oswego and Hillsboro, Oregon. Active Wellness Center at NorthBay Health is powered by NorthBay Health in Vacaville, California. 

Active’s strategic healthcare partnerships demonstrate our commitment to supporting healthy lifestyles in the communities we serve.  Our community health clubs and gyms provide motivating fitness, weight loss, strength-training, medical fitness, aquatics and swim lessons, youth fitness and childcare programs, and group fitness including yoga, Zumba®, barre, Pilates, dance and cycling. *

Check the Active Wellness Center blog often for more healthy lifestyle tips and resources to support your active lifestyle! Click here for a free guest pass to your local Active Wellness Center. 

*Active Wellness Center’s program and facility offerings may vary by location.