First things first … I found this for Adoring Husband … I hope he takes note.
10 Things You Can Do TODAY to Build Neuroplasticity with Parkinson's
(No gym required. No excuses accepted. Just you and your brilliant, adaptable brain.)
1. Take a 10-15 minute walk after dinner. Your digestion will thank you. Your sleep will thank you. Your brain will throw a party.
2. Put together a puzzle. 500, 750 or 1,000 pieces. Every piece you place is a conversation between your fingers and your brain. Keep talking.
3. Smile big at 10 people today. Yes, really. Facial masking is real and so is the antidote. Big smiles, on purpose, all day long. You might just make someone's entire day in the process.
4. Read out loud for 10 minutes. Your voice is a muscle. Parkinson's wants to make it smaller and quieter. Refuse. Read loudly, clearly, and with all the drama you can muster.
5. Dance to 3 songs. Full commitment. Rhythm bypasses damaged pathways in the Parkinson's brain in ways that nothing else can. Pick three songs that make you feel alive and move like nobody's watching. Because neuroplasticity.
6. Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth. Hold the counter if you need to. The wobble is the point. Two minutes of balance training built into something you already do every single day.
7. Write by hand for 10 minutes. A letter, a journal entry, a grocery list, a love note to yourself. Fine motor control, concentration, and bilateral coordination all firing at once. Your brain loves this.
8. Sing loud in the shower. Every single day. The acoustics are on your side. Nobody can hear you. Full voice, full volume, full joy. Your brain responds to the effort. Your mood responds to the joy. Both matter enormously in Parkinson's.
9. Go barefoot or sockless on grass, sand, or a textured mat for 5 minutes. Thousands of nerve endings in your feet are waiting to send signals straight to your brain. Wake them up. (And yes, open toe pressure socks count too.)
10. Juggle a tennis ball. One ball, two hands, five minutes. Hand eye coordination, concentration, bilateral movement, and just enough frustration to keep your brain fully engaged. Drop it. Pick it up. Try again. That's neuroplasticity in action.
Your brain is not done adapting. It is waiting for you to give it a reason.
Start with one. Just one. Today. Share your ideas.
Just 10 More Steps. Every single day. 🤍
#Parkinsons #Neuroplasticity #MovementIsMedicine #PWRMoves #Just10MoreSteps
Today was a date day for AH and I. Not in a romantic way, but in a social, friendship connection way.
Friends who we met when we first arrived in our little town 18 yrs ago, are moving to the Sunshine Coast in two weeks, so we enjoyed a farewell luncheon with them today, at The Dock tapas bar and restaurant at the marina.
On the way there, I did a little shopping for The Gypsy, who is home bound for the next five weeks and we took it to her after our lunch.
We arrived at The Dock fifteen minutes early, so we ordered drinks. I had a ‘Sand in ya Pants’ mocktail which was orange juice, lime juice, mint and ginger beer. Delicious. AH ordered his favourite zero beer.
The Sex Worker and her Pimp (joke nicknames given many years ago) arrived right on midday and also ordered drinks. One wine and one coke.
The restaurant is dog friendly and there were a heap of dogs there including 3 miniature poodles all in prams.
A pleasant surprise was seeing an old photography friend there and we’ve promised to catch up properly in September when she is next in town dog sitting.
We ordered our lunch of crab stuffed mushrooms, rump, and pumpkin, beetroot, feta and rocket salad for our friends. I ordered the same mushrooms with rough cut potatoes and tomato relish. AH ordered the same rump with the same rough cut potatoes.
The food was delicious, the service efficient and friendly, the atmosphere energised and comfortable, the scenery delightful, the price reasonable and the company was perfect. Of course, we ordered dessert. Bailey’s panna cotta with raspberry coulis and whipped cream.
Our friends had Crème Brûlée and Waffles and ice cream (sorry no pic of the waffles)
After two hours, we bid our fond farewells and took The Gypsy’s shopping to her and did a welfare check - she is doing remarkably well, all things considered, and is healing well from her surgery AND her fall two days ago.
I swapped her ice pack for a fresh one, filled her water bottle, washed a couple of dishes and put her shopping away and after about 20 minutes left her in peace. She is expecting a few visitors over the next couple of days, so she will be well taken care of.
AH and I were home by 3.30pm and after a quick catch up with BGWLBH and Harley, I made Sunday spaghetti for her and AH for dinner. Yes! AH had some bread when we arrived home, then spaghetti bolognese and then two MORE slices of bread. I swear his stomach is a bottomless pit!
We watched the football for the remainder of the evening and I’m now in bed watching the French Open tennis.
Feeling quite weary actually.
Nite all.
