Feeling stiff and sluggish? Living with Parkinson's doesn't mean giving up on an active life! This episode of Live Parkinson's - Live an Exceptional Life dives deep into the world of exercise for Parkinson's patients. We explore a range of effective options designed to improve your strength, balance, and overall well-being.
Join us as we discuss:
The surprising benefits of exercise for Parkinson's symptoms
Top exercise routines: Discover the best options for YOU, from the serenity of yoga to the invigorating power of non-contact boxing.
Finding the perfect fit: We'll share tips on choosing an exercise program that keeps you motivated and moving.
Take control of your health and Punch Parkinson's with Exercise! Don't miss this episode packed with practical advice and inspiration for living a stronger, more balanced life with Parkinson's.
References: Exercise and PD, Parkinsonsfoundation.org Aerobic Exercise Positively Alters Parkinson's Brain, Parkinson's Foundation.org 6/28/22. Benefits of Exercise, Stanford's Parkinson's Community Outreach at med.stanford.edu How Tai Chi can Help with Parkinson's Disease, Sonia Mathur, MD, verywellhealth.com
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.
Feeling stiff and sluggish? Living with Parkinson's doesn't mean giving up on an active life! This episode of Live Parkinson's - Live an Exceptional Life dives deep into the world of exercise for Parkinson's patients. We explore a range of effective options designed to improve your strength, balance, and overall well-being.
Join us as we discuss:
The surprising benefits of exercise for Parkinson's symptoms
Top exercise routines: Discover the best options for YOU, from the serenity of yoga to the invigorating power of non-contact boxing.
Finding the perfect fit: We'll share tips on choosing an exercise program that keeps you motivated and moving.
Take control of your health and Punch Parkinson's with Exercise! Don't miss this episode packed with practical advice and inspiration for living a stronger, more balanced life with Parkinson's.
References: Exercise and PD, Parkinsonsfoundation.org Aerobic Exercise Positively Alters Parkinson's Brain, Parkinson's Foundation.org 6/28/22. Benefits of Exercise, Stanford's Parkinson's Community Outreach at med.stanford.edu How Tai Chi can Help with Parkinson's Disease, Sonia Mathur, MD, verywellhealth.com
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.
Hello and welcome to Live Parkinson's live an exceptional life. I'm your host, chris Kastenbotter, and I've been living an exceptional life with Parkinson's for the past 14 years. The mission of this podcast is to help as many people as possible living with Parkinson's lead a great quality of life. Now, today's topic is finding the right exercise routine for you Parkinson's edition. Do you feel like your exercise routine just isn't clicking anymore? Maybe it's time to shake things up, especially if you're living with Parkinson's disease. Finding the right workout can feel overwhelming, but listen up, because today's episode is all about you. We'll explore a variety of exercise programs designed to fit your needs and keep you moving with confidence. From the serenity of yoga to the invigorating power of boxing. There's an option out there waiting to be discovered. So lace up your sneakers, grab your water bottle and get ready to find the exercise routine that makes you feel like you're the most unstoppable self. All right, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every one of the exercise routines I will be discussing today, I have personally tried myself, and I'll share my stories and what I feel are some of the pros and cons or maybe it's better to say the benefits and challenges to someone with Parkinson's Now. Hopefully this will alleviate some of the fear or trepidation you may have trying something new. Hopefully then you won't be thinking all right, chris, you're talking about how great yoga is for you, but you haven't done it yourself. I don't want to do you a disservice, so even a little clumsy old me will give you any and give you my honest assessment of each of these exercise routines. Now, before we dive in, I have an exercise disclaimer I want to go over with you. Before starting any new exercise program or routine, please review the exercise program or routine with your health care professional to ensure it is appropriate for your specific health needs and, if it's into your treatment plan, always start slowly and build up your strength and endurance and use modifications as you deem appropriate. All right, let's dive in. Are you ready to explore the wonderful world of exercise routines that are available and can help you maintain your mobility, strength, flexibility and balance? Then what are we waiting for? Hop onto the exercise ride and sit back and enjoy your journey through the land of exercise possibilities.
Speaker 1:
Now, before we look at all the wonderful exercise options, I want to share why exercise is so important to people with Parkinson's. If you've read my book Spectacular Life, you may remember it's one of the four strategies I've been using to live an exceptional life with Parkinson's for the past 14 years. If you haven't no worries. If you're interested, I'll leave a link in the podcast description. But if you've listened to some of my other podcasts you may be thinking I sound like a broken record repeating why exercise is so important for people living with Parkinson's. So if this is your first podcast, let's discuss why you should exercise with Parkinson's, especially if you're newly diagnosed. Now there are just a few tiny benefits. I'll discuss seven or so that pays huge dividends for helping you maintain a great quality of life with Parkinson's.
Speaker 1:
Number one improve mobility and balance. Regular exercise helps maintain and enhance mobility, flexibility and balance. It strengthens muscles, making movements smoother, smoother and reducing the risk of falls. I can vouch for that because I do balance exercises every day. Number two slowed disease progression. Say what? Research from the Parkinson's Outcome Project reveals that people with PD who engage in exercise early on project reveals that people with PD who engage in exercise early on, at least two and a half hours per week, experience a slower decline in quality of life compared to those who start later. So let me say that again because it's very important. People with PD who engage in exercise early, at least two and a half hours per week, experience a slower decline in quality of life compared to those who start later. So it's important that you start your exercise program as soon as possible after being diagnosed.
Speaker 1:
Number three is non-motor symptom relief. That's right. Exercise can ease non-motor symptoms such as depression and constipation, and it impacts your overall well-being as well. Number four is enhanced cognitive function. Physical activity has been shown to improve thinking skills in individuals with PD. It supports cognitive acuity and mental clarity, based on the article Exercise and PD from the Parkinson's Foundation. So it's important that we maintain our cognitive function as well as maintaining our mobility. So that's important. Exercise is going to help us do that.
Speaker 1:
Number five aerobic conditioning. Regular exercise promotes aerobic conditioning, which enhances your overall quality of life because it's going to improve your cardiovascular health, your stamina, and this is all based on an article. Aerobic Exercise Positively Alters Parkinson's Brain and the Parkinson's foundation. Again. Number six strength and flexibility. Exercise is going to help you maintain muscle strength and flexibility, allowing individuals to continue doing your daily activities with greater ease, according to the article benefits of exercise from the Stanford Parkinson's Community Outreach at Stanford Medical School. So exercise is going to give you the strength to help prevent falls. It's also going to give you the flexibility to be able to move around, with making movements easier during the day. And then, last but not least, number seven, positive mood Physical activity is going to release endorphins, which can alleviate stress, anxiety and mood swings associated with PD.
Speaker 1:
Now, as an added bonus, the Parkinson's Foundation recommends tailored exercise programs that include a balanced exercise program that includes aerobic activity and that could include biking, running, tai chi, anything that's going to get your heart rate up swimming. They also recommend strength training. Those are resistance-type exercise, whether it's weights or bands or body weight resistance. They also recommend balance and agility exercises and flexibility exercises.
Speaker 1:
Now, just remember, there's no one-size-fits-all exercise program. You want to choose exercises you enjoy and that you can stick with, because it's all about consistency. If you're not consistent, you're not going to get the benefits. So consistency is the key, the benefits. So consistency is the key. So pick things that you really enjoy doing and you're going to see and be able to reap the benefits that exercise is going to provide. See, you thought I was just going to keep bringing up exercise just to annoy you, didn't you? Well, actually, I keep reinforcing it because I care about each and every one of you and I want you to have the best quality of life you can have, for both you and your family. So that's why I keep talking about exercise being All right. Are you ready to explore some new options for exercise? Well, let's look at what's behind the curtain. Number one Well, look at this. It's yoga. This is one of the exercise routines that has helped me greatly improve my balance, flexibility and core strength.
Speaker 1:
Now I've taken several different yoga classes. I participated in traditional yoga classes, where I participated in traditional yoga classes where you do the traditional yoga moves, such as planks up, dog down, dog warrior and the warrior poses. I also, in fact, I just finished a class this morning. It's called soul fusion, which is a blend of yoga, pilates, cardio and stretching and balance. And then I've also participated and done some work with yin yoga, and yin yoga is where you hold the poses for a longer period of time so you get a deeper stretch into the muscles.
Speaker 1:
So what is yoga for those of you that have never tried it? So what is yoga for those of you that have never tried it. Well, yoga is a holistic practice that combines both physical postures, breathing techniques, meditation and mindfulness. Now, it originated in ancient India and it has evolved over thousands of years. So there's a lot of different types of yoga out there and yoga aims to promote both physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Speaker 1:
And again, there are many types of yoga and, for instance, there's Hatha yoga. There's one of the ones that another yoga that I participated in was hot yoga and especially with Parkinson's, I personally wouldn't recommend it because when I did do the class I started to get a little lightheaded, because I don't do well working out in really hot conditions. And when I took the hot yoga class it was in a smaller room. It was probably 90, 95 degrees in there, and then when you're working out with the other people I really started to get overheated. But some people love it. It just wasn't something that was for me. I want to throw that out there for those of you who are thinking of trying it. I don't want to discourage anyone, but from my personal standpoint it just wasn't for me.
Speaker 1:
I mentioned there's other types of yoga. There's Hatha yoga and this is the foundation for most of the other types of yoga and Hatha yoga classes typically focus on the basic postures, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. Now, some of the common poses with Hatha yoga include some I've already just mentioned the up dog down, dog, plank, warrior one, two and three. Now, I participated in a number of Hatha yoga classes and I'll be perfectly honest, they're challenging at first. First few times you do them you may be a little sore or you may find it difficult to hold some of the moves for the entire time that the rest of the people are, which is it's okay. You have to start somewhere. But I always like to make people aware that you may struggle a little bit the first one to three yoga sessions that you take, but don't let that discourage you, because it does provide a lot of great benefits. And it's definitely challenging at the beginning to hold some of the poses because your muscles are going to get fatigued. You're going to say, oh, I'm feeling the burn in my legs, but you feel free to take breaks, do what you can and then slowly build into it and then also ask the instructor for modifications. They'll be more than happy to help you out. Again, persistence is going to pay off and with all good things in life, when you set some goals and when you're consistent, you get better and better and better over time. Again, don't let the challenges when you first start something new cause you to quit and hold you back.
Speaker 1:
Now I'm glad I incorporated yoga into my weekly routine. I've seen tremendous improvements in my flexibility. I can now reach down and touch my toes in a standing position without bending my knees, and it's significantly improved my balance and core strength as well. Now, another benefit that I like with yoga, especially if you take a yoga class, is the camaraderie both before and after class with people in the class. It really helps with developing and maintaining social interactions, which are very important so people with Parkinson's don't become isolated and start to drop out of life and things that are important. That's another benefit that I see. So, just in terms of physical exercise, it's a great workout. It's going to challenge you, but it's going to build your strength, it's going to build your flexibility and it's going to build your endurance, and I would highly recommend it.
Speaker 1:
Now, yoga can offer a range of benefits for people with Parkinson's, the first one being improved balance and stability. I do several types of yoga balance exercises every day and that's really helped me have pretty good balance. I don't really have a fear of falling because when I do these exercises every day it really helps me not only strengthen my core, but if I get knocked off center a little bit, I'm able to catch myself relatively quickly. A second benefit would be increased flexibility and range of motion. Yoga has helped me dramatically to improve my flexibility and my range of motion. Before yoga, I could reach down to about maybe mid-shin when I was stretching. After yoga, like I said, I can now bend down, touch my toes and when I spread my legs apart while standing, I can reach down and put my palms on the floor.
Speaker 1:
In other podcasts I've discussed issues that I've had with my shoulder from an old football injury when I separated my shoulder a number of times, and over the years I've had with my shoulder from an old football injury when I separated my shoulder a number of times, and over the years I've lost significant range of motion in that shoulder. Yoga has really helped me get a lot of what I lost back in terms of range of motion. So it's a great way to help with if you've got stiffness and that's really cutting down on your range of motion. Yoga helped me and I think it can help you as well. It also can help you increase your muscle strength and power.
Speaker 1:
Now, certain yoga poses engage various muscle groups, promoting strength and stability. Now, I've personally found doing down dog has helped me strengthen my back muscles, and the planks that we do in class have strengthened my ab and my core muscles. And then doing the warrior poses have really increased my overall leg strength, because you're working on the big muscle groups in your legs. All three of these moves and the muscle groups required to do them have helped me not only maintain but increase my muscle strength, which again are important in balance and stability. And they're important when you get older as well, because as we age, we tend to lose muscle mass. Another benefit is it helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Part of yoga is working on your breathing techniques and mindfulness practice, and that's going to help you manage stress, which none of us have right. And it also helps promote relaxation, and this is one of the parts of yoga that I really enjoy is the relaxation part, because it gets you to slow down and think about what's important. And then, finally, deeper sleep Relaxation techniques in yoga can help improve sleep quality and promote restfulness. This was demonstrated in a study that pulled a number of studies, and it showed improvements in both the quality and quantity of sleep.
Speaker 1:
So, if you're interested in yoga, there are several yoga tutorials that are available online, specifically designed for people with Parkinson's. These are YouTube videos that demonstrate safe and effective yoga practices and they're tailored to meet some of your unique needs. I would suggest, if you're going to watch YouTube videos, you do that as a supplement, but I would highly recommend the group exercise programs, and I'll talk about why in just a minute. Two of the yoga videos that I would recommend are Complete Yoga Therapy for Parkinson's Disease, and this video tutorial covers various yoga postures, including lying, prone, sitting and standing poses, and it emphasizes functional mobility, stability and relaxation, all of which are important in Parkinson's. And then the second one is Yoga for Parkinson's, and it's a chair-based video that focuses on strength, stability and core's. And it's a chair-based video that focuses on strength, stability and core engagement, and it's suitable for beginners.
Speaker 1:
And, again, one of the reasons that I wanted to emphasize, there are going to be times when maybe you're in a time crunch or you don't with the weather, you don't want to or can't get to a fitness center to take a group yoga class. These are great videos to help dissipate yoga, but I would highly recommend that you just use them more as supplements, and the main reason to attend live sessions is the instructors can offer you a number of different modifications to help with both your ability and your current state of PD, and they can do this if you give them a little information about yourself. They're more than happy to make the necessary modifications and adjustments to help you participate in the class. And to provide a summary of the pros and cons based on my personal experience, having lived with PD for 14 years and participated in yoga. Some of the pros are yoga significantly improved both my balance and it has dramatically improved my flexibility as well. It's increased my range of motion, particularly in my shoulders and back, and it has also helped improve my muscle strength. So those are all important in Parkinson's. Now what are some of the cons Now I mentioned? It can be somewhat intimidating to learn some of the moves, but consistency pays off. People are willing to help you, or people are so zoned in and focused on their own yoga practice that they're really not thinking about what anybody else is doing few days because you're using muscles that you haven't used before, so I think that's important to point out. But again, don't let that stop you and please make sure that you stay consistent with your exercise program. My personal recommendation is to incorporate yoga into your exercise routine, especially if you want to improve your balance, your stability and your flexibility and also range of motion. But remember to get approval from your healthcare professional before you start. Get a buddy or care partner to either take you to class or participate in class with you, because that's really going to help keep you motivated and excited to do yoga.
Speaker 1:
Let's move on to the second type of exercise routine, which is Tai Chi, and this is another exercise option that I participated in and have personal experience with. For those that don't know what Tai Chi is, it's originated in China and it was incorporated as a form of martial arts, but it's now seen more as a balance-based exercise that consists of gentle, rhythmic, flowing movements. Tai Chi gets the name on meditation and motion, and it's encouraging and it focuses on balance, flexibility and relaxation. So how can Tai Chi benefit people living with Parkinson's? It improves your balance and your stability. I found this to be one of the most important benefits for why I personally include Tai Chi into my exercise routine.
Speaker 1:
As we all know, pd causes our shoulders to slump and causes instability because our posture is often affected. This can lead to an increase in the potential to fall. Tai Chi's helped me with my balance and stability because the moves are not only slow and gentle, but they teach you to focus on your posture and to have that strong base before you make movements. A second benefit of Tai Chi is enhanced flexibility, because the movements in Tai Chi are both really slow and deliberate. They help with joint mobility and flexibility. Now we all know that Parkinson's causes stiffness and rigidity, which increases over time. Kai Chi's really helped me keep my stiffness and rigidity at bay and, similar to yoga, by moving my arms and legs in deliberate ways, has helped me so much in my flexibility and stiffness. Now I'm going to be honest. I still get stiff, especially when sitting for long periods of time, especially car rides, but including Tai Chi into my exercise program has helped me to recover from stiffness much faster than I would have if I hadn't participated in Tai Chi.
Speaker 1:
Another thing that Tai Chi can do is it can help you reduce your PD symptoms. Research shows that people who participated in a Tai Chi experience had better flexibility, smoother movements and longer strides while walking than their counterparts. They also fall less the people that were studied frequently compared to other exercise groups. According to the article how Tai Chi Can Help With Parkinson's Disease, I can personally attest that Tai Chi has helped me with my walking by helping me be more cognizant of my stride and helping me focus on maintaining a good upright posture and position when I'm walking so that I'm not slumping staring at the ground. Tai Chi can help you with that.
Speaker 1:
And then number four is improved quality of life. Tai Chi has a positive effect on both our motor and non-motor symptoms, including memory, concentration and sleep. And Tai Chi moves require you to focus on the intent of each move, because most of the moves are part of a series of moves combined together, and they help improve our memory, because you have to remember these sequences and you're drawing our concentration so that we're doing them effectively. Now, the meditative practice also helps with the anxiety and stress that none of us have right. For those of you that are interested in trying Tai Chi at home, if you don't want to start out in that group exercise class, here are a few YouTube videos that are tailored to people with PD and I still recommend doing these with a group. But this is a secondary benefit. The first video that would be good for someone to try at home is treating Parkinson's disease with Tai Chi. In this particular video, a Tai Chi instructor shares moves and research and evidence supporting Tai Chi's benefits for Parkinson's patients. Number two is Fitness Friday and that's Tai Chi for PD and that's by Dr Michael Bradish and he demonstrates basic Tai Chi techniques and modifications for those with PD. So, in summary, these are the pros and cons of my experience with Tai Chi. The pros is greatly improve my balance, flexibility and especially my walking stride. The relaxation techniques are also great for reducing stress.
Speaker 1:
In terms of cons, one of the things that I find is it can be very slow and tedious when you're first starting out. Now, my personality is I like to keep things moving and change pretty quickly, and that isn't always the case with Tai Chi, because you're doing slow, deliberate movements and sometimes, if you're like me, that may be boring to you. So you're always looking for ways to improve how fast something goes or doesn't go. But Tai Chi is what it is and it's going to help you. If you stick with it, it can pay great dividends. Now I would recommend introducing Tai Chi into your regimen and maybe you include it once a week to start. Now let's move from slow and gentle to a more intense workout. Let's channel our inner Muhammad Ali and talk about boxing Again. This is another exercise that I've experienced with. I participated in a program called Rock Steady Boxing, and I also do shadow boxing down in my basement as a non-contact boxing exercise, usually two to three times a week.
Speaker 1:
So why should you consider incorporating boxing into your exercise regimen? Let me share all the benefits of why you should participate in boxing. Number one is it increases your strength. Now, when you're boxing, you're using a lot of different muscle groups in your arms, your legs, your back, your shoulders, and that's going to improve your overall strength and help prevent muscle weakness and muscle loss. So it's a great way to get a total body workout and using all the different muscle groups in one exercise regimen. A second thing it can do is it can improve your eye-hand coordination. A second thing it can do is it can improve your eye-hand coordination, and this is one of my personal favorites, because you're using a lot of precise movements when you're jabbing, crossing, hooking and blocking. You're developing and improving good eye-hand coordination which you can use in your daily activities. It's really helped me with my hand-eye coordination, being able to help control some of my fun motor skills as well. A third benefit is enhanced posture. Now, boxing encourages you to have proper body alignment and make sure you're upright posture. You have your gloves up protecting yourself and you're also engaging your core. Now, moving with better focus on your posture and core is going to help give you better stability and reduce the risk of falls. So that's an exceptional benefit that boxing can provide.
Speaker 1:
Moving on to benefit number four and you may find this a little strange, but it's better cognitive processing. Now you're probably saying wait a minute. I thought boxers were supposed to be dumb. I mean, all those blows to the head take a toll, right? No, no worries, we're talking about non-contact boxing. Now, however, the mental focus that you need to use when you're boxing. It's going to challenge your cognitive function. It helps you sharpen your attention, memory and decision-making abilities. One of the exercises a lot of times they'll do is they'll take one of those pool noodles or something. That doesn't hurt, but when you're practicing boxing and if you don't keep your glove up, they smack you with it, because that's teaching you decision-making and also attention and memory. Now, although my wife would probably say that I do need to do a lot more boxing to improve my attention and memory and decision-making skills, it's still a great way to get those skills and help me remember the things that I'm supposed to do, as she would tell me.
Speaker 1:
And then, finally, stronger core and gait and improved balance and agility. Now I can personally attest that boxing movements engage the core muscles, which helps me improve my stability, and I like to keep my core muscles protected by several inches of fat, as I say, so they don't get damaged. Just kidding, I think, kidding, I think. Now the footwork and lateral movements also are going to enhance your balance and agility, reducing the risk of stumbling or tripping. I don't know about you, but a lot of times when I'm walking in the store I'll catch my toes and I'll either stumble or trip a little bit. And the lateral movements also help me, because I have two boxer dogs and sometimes they'll sneak up beside me and I have to step laterally and by doing that to get around them. Boxing has really helped me reduce the risk of falling over my dogs. And finally, boxing class is a great way to make friends and get a great workout and that's going to improve your balance, strength and cognition and it's also going to make you feel good for the rest of the day because it's going to release those endorphins.
Speaker 1:
Now the potential drawbacks for people new to boxing is they may feel intimidated with the moves. So, for instance, uppercuts and jabs and hooks it takes a little bit to do that. Cuts and jabs and hooks it takes a little bit to do that, and sometimes you go through a little series of uppercuts, hooks, jabs, crossovers. So just hang in there. If I can do it, you can do it. Just make sure that you want to get your doctor's approval first. Boxing I would highly recommend. It's a great way overall strength, balance and flexibility. All right, we've had a great total body workout with boxing and now it's time to jump into our swimming suits and head to the pool for aquatic therapy or an aquatics fitness class. Now I've taken a number of these classes, from what they call tone and fit to water and motion, which is more like a water aerobics class, and I've also done a deep water class.
Speaker 1:
So why should you consider to include a water exercise or therapy class into your exercise program. Well, first and foremost is the reduced stress it has on your joints. Now, if you've ever jumped in the water, you notice not only do you feel lighter, but your joints seem to move easier. The water is helping you become more buoyant. Second, the water helps support your balance because with the buoyancy, it's helping to reduce the risk of fall. So water therapy is a good way, if you're starting to have some balance issues, to help, because if you fall in the water you're not going to hurt yourself.
Speaker 1:
Now water therapy can be a great way to provide a safe environment for movement. And the water helps provide both relaxation and pain relief, because when you're in warm water it's not only relaxing but it can help you provide some pain relief because it relaxes the muscles. If you're taking a water class and the water is warmer, it's going to help relax those muscles. And when you relax the muscles, that helps to relieve the tension. And if you can relieve the tension, then a lot of times you can relieve the pain. And then, finally, water classes are a great way to get social interaction. They're both fun and I find them very therapeutic. So what are you waiting for? Get that suit on and hit the pool and join an aquatics class, because there's a lot of different ones out there that they can tailor to meet your needs, whether it's you just need to stretch and tone, or whether you're looking for more of a water aerobics class. And then they also have, like I mentioned, the deep water classes that kind of have a combination of stretching as well as cardio.
Speaker 1:
Now let's get out, dry off and slip into our dance shoes and head on for our last exercise option, which is dancing. All right, I'm going to be brutally honest with you here. I have two left feet and the dancing ability of an elephant stuck in the mud, but I'm going to also tell you that I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself. I've done it my entire life, for the past 60 years. I think I do a good job at it. I've tried a few dance classes and I will not be recruited by the Rockettes for the next show, so you don't have to worry about that. So let's discuss some of the options for dance.
Speaker 1:
Dance for Parkinson's disease or dance for PD is a specialized program taught by professional dancers, and it combines the elements of classic and social dancing with imagery, poetry and live music. Now it's designed to improve your gait and balance and social stimulation and cognitive stimulation. Now, next up is one that I've taken, zumba, or Zumba Gold, and what it does is it combines cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility all into a dance routine, and it's a great way to have fun while improving your physical fitness levels, while grooving to Latin and world music. And I mentioned that, yes, I have taken a Zumba class and I'm sure I made a complete fool of myself, but again, that's par for the course and I guess that's just what I do, but it doesn't bother me. I still had a great time doing it and it definitely gives me both a good cardio, strength and balance workout, and I enjoyed the exercises because I really like listening to music while I'm doing something. And if I can add music and also it's going to help me with my movements, then I'm all for it.
Speaker 1:
Now, a similar but different type of dance is the tango. Now, I can't say that I've personally done the tango, but what the tango is is it's a passionate dance and it's known for its sensuality, close embrace and dramatic movements. Now research suggests that the tango might help improve functional mobility defects in people with Parkinson's. All three of these dances are going to provide both flexibility, balance and work on your cognitive function. So if you haven't tried dance, don't be afraid to get your ballet slippers, dance shoes and hit the dance floor, either by yourself or with a partner, and take in all the benefits that are associated with dancing. So step out of that comfort zone and you'll be glad you did. Just think you can't possibly be as embarrassed as I'm probably making other people when I take the class.
Speaker 1:
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Speaker 1:
All right, that's a wrap on exploring the exciting world of exercise options for Parkinson's. We've journeyed from the mindful movements of yoga to the invigorating, powerful power of dance therapy. Hopefully I've ignited a spark to get you to try something new. Now, remember, the key is to find an activity you enjoy, whether it's the flowing grace of Tai Chi or the energetic punches of non-contact boxing. Now here's a quick recap of what we talked about.
Speaker 1:
Number one you want to consult your doctor. So, before diving into any of these different exercise regimens, get that green light from your doctor to ensure that you've chosen the right program that fits your specific needs. Remember, variety is key. Don't be afraid to experiment. Try different types of exercises, whether it's you're new and you just want to get in there and feel the beat in a dance class, or you want to feel the refreshing support of aqua therapy. There's an exercise out there waiting for you. So listen to your body. It's your journey, so stay positive content and if something feels off, adjust the program or explore another option. Remember, parkinson's doesn't have to limit your day. So try incorporating these exercises into your life and you can stay strong, you can improve your symptoms and you can keep living life to the fullest.
Speaker 1:
Now, if you have a success story to share, please don't be bashful. I would love to hear from you. Please contact me at fanlistcom. Live Parkinson's life and leave me a message or something that you'd like to hear. And if you don't want to leave me a message, there's a chat room there. Leave a message in there and ask others. I would love to hear from you because I'm constantly trying to provide help to improve your quality of life and you can help me do that by sharing the things that you'd like to hear or your success stories. Now I would love to have a two-way conversation with all of you. Now, if you're interested in getting that and that's going to help me, fanlist is going to help me do that but one of these sessions I wouldn't mind doing a live session where we can sit down and I'm talking and we can have some live communication through chats and emails.
Speaker 1:
Now, if you're interested in getting a free copy of a Parkinson's symptom tracker I just put together, it's going to help prepare you for your next doctor visit and just head on over to liveparkinsonscom and sign up Now. I'd really also appreciate if you could visit my YouTube channel, live Parkinson's Live an Exceptional Life, and subscribe and like, if you like, the videos. I'm trying to build a Parkinson's warrior network where we can all share our success stories, ask questions and get the help from others who are struggling with Parkinson's as well. Now, as I close out, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for listening to these podcasts. I hope to reach as many people as possible and help them improve their quality of life. I can't thank you enough for supporting the podcast and I hope I get to meet some of you along the way at some point. Thanks again for listening and I hope to see you on a future podcast. Have a spectacular day.