{Before I start, I want to say that I know there is a lot to do on this list. There are things that may be new to you, and there are things that may be difficult for you. But we have to do different things to get something different. We have to do new things to become new. If you have Alzheimer’s disease, you have probably had a lot of extra stress in your life, as well as not enough engagement to challenge your mind and body as much as they needed. This program seeks to remove unnecessary stress from your life, add physical and mental engagement, as well as lots of fun. I know this is all new, it’s not conventional, and it may be challenging, but what I am offering is hard work, and only with your commitment will it work for you.}

********************************************************************

“I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, what do I do now?”

It’s always scary being diagnosed with a new condition, especially one like Alzheimer’s where you may not be sure of what the future holds. It’s also frustrating, overwhelming, infuriating, among many other emotions. But those emotions are there and the best thing to do is to allow yourself to feel them. Go through all of the feelings you feel, without suppressing or fearing any of them. Let yourself feel your shock, sadness, fear, anger – all of it. Express your feelings verbally and vocally. Write them out, scream them out, sing them out, paint, play an instrument. Then, when you feel like you’ve given all of your feelings adequate attention, (and once you and your doctor discuss and agree on your treatment options), sit yourself down, get comfy, and get a pen and paper.

Number 1. List all of the things you really, deeply, and wholeheartedly enjoy. And I really mean *everything*. Things that uplift you, that make your chest swell with joy, that make you enjoy life and forget everything else. These are usually things that you’ve forgotten about as an adult, with all your responsibilities and distractions, so you really have to think. For example, when I did this exercise, I dug deep all the way back to my childhood years and remembered how I loved to read fantasy genre books, books about magical objects that transported the protagonist  to a different world, stories with mythological creatures – dragons, mermaids, and talking unicorns. I realized I still love all of those things. So I figured out ways to bring those elements back into my life, with books and art.

I also love makeup, so I gave myself full permission to spend even more time putting on makeup, buying it, and trying out different looks, than I already did.

I think you get the idea. Go back to your childhood, think about what you really loved back then, ask yourself if you still feel the same way about it. Look at your hobbies, you got into them because you enjoy them, but are there stressful aspects to them? Can you enjoy the hobby without the stressful parts? Do that. think about all the other things you love, and make time to be with them every day.

Now you have your list of loves. Make sure you partake in some way with your loves every day, even if it’s just looking at pictures of the things that bring you joy.

Number 2. Write down all of the stressful aspects of your life. Write down all of the stressful duties, tasks, responsibilities, and people you have in your life. Can any of them be completely taken out? If not, can any of them be taken over by someone that’s very willing to help you? If not that, then can you reduce the frequency with which you have to do these things? If grocery shopping is a stressor, can a relative do it for you instead? If not, can you do it twice a month instead of four? 

Number 3. Laugh at it all, because laughter is the best medicine, so try to laugh daily. Get recommendations on funny movies, shows, or standup specials, and watch as many as you can, preferably one a day. Write a list of all of the funny jokes you heard or hilarious incidents you experienced, and read that list every day. Once something gets old and unfunny, remove it from the list and add a new one. 

Number 4. Dance every day. Dance is my personal reason for being. When I discovered its many benefits in my early twenties I felt that I came across the legendary Fountain of Youth, because it healed every physical and emotional ailment I had. I started writing a blog about it to share my experience with others. Years after, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, and shortly after that I came across the fact that dance, according to a Columbia University study done in 2008, specifically freestyle dance, reduces the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease by a tremendous 75%, more than diet and nutrition combined. So, your job is to make a list of all of the songs you love, and slowly and daily put some time into discovering new music from other parts of the world, and dance a little bit every day. It could be for ten minutes. If you’re wondering how this will benefit you when it’s deemed as a preventive measure, it will still be beneficial even after your diagnosis, especially because it combines exercise, stress-relief, and fun – all things needed by people living with Alzheimer’s.

Number 5. Eat differently. You’ll want to make a simple change to your eating. Since there is an established connection between Alzheimer’s and high blood sugar, you’ll make your meals in a way that lowers their effect on your blood sugar. You’re going to do only one thing to make your meals a lot healthier and keep your blood sugar stable: replace half of your meal with vegetables. That’s it!

Number 6.  Reduce the time you spend watching TV. If you watch a lot of TV and it’s hard for you to reduce it a lot, do it in chunks. If you watch eight hours of television go down to six. Then keep reducing by two hours until you’re down to one. I think it’s okay to have one hour of television a day, if you like to watch the news and keep updated on the goings on of the world.

Number 7. Exercise! I know you’re going to dance, and dance is a form of exercise. But I’d like you to treat your dance time as a fun activity. On top of that you could do 15-25 minutes of physical activity a day without involving music. You can stretch, walk, or get on the elliptical.

Number 8. Read a little bit every day. Ideally, you will be reading two kinds of material daily: something scientific, like a medical journal, and something fun and lighthearted, like a funny whodunnit.

Number 9. Engage in a physical/mental activity. A “physical/mental activity” is one single activity that uses both your body and mind at the same time. It should be something that isn’t necessarily fun, but it keeps you concentrating. That would be knitting for me, or a crossword puzzle, or any puzzle of any kind, or highly intricate coloring book with lots of lines to stay inside of.

Number 10. Socialize. And I don’t mean social media, which is fine if you’re stuck at home for whatever reason, or at work with some downtime, but I mean actually be social, with other people, in person. Stay connected with your friends. Get in contact with old friends you drifted apart from. Maintain relationships with the family members of your choosing. Have telephone conversations regularly. Check in via text messages or Facebook if you’re not going out for the day. But as regularly as you can, meet up with your friends for coffee, lunch, or a fun night out. If you don’t have friends or family, think about the easiest way you could make some. Would it be joining a knitting club, perhaps, or any other group based on your hobbies? That could kill two birds with one stone. What about your place of worship? They often need volunteers, and that’s a great way to meet new people.

Number 11. Clean around the house. Don’t do anything too major like getting up on the roof, or emptying out all of the cabinets. Just tend to the regular cleaning duties that everyone has, but do one thing every day. Either do it by room, like the bathroom, kitchen, or living room, or you can focus on one task but throughout your home, like vacuuming all of the carpet, or dusting all of the furniture surfaces.

Number 12. Routine. Now, take all of these recommendations, add to them everything else you need to do every day, and make it your daily routine. Having a routine has been proven to help war veterans suffering from severe PTSD fully recover, so imagine what it could do for you as well. Set your alarm and get out of bed at the same time every day, take a shower, brush your teeth, take care of your appearance, have all of your meals around the same time every day. Figure out how much time you’d like to give to each one of the items on this list and do them every day.

I know it’s a lot, but not only will your condition not progress as aggressively or quickly, but you’ll be tons happier after doing this routine for a few weeks. I suggest enlisting the help of a loved one or friend when putting this new routine together, especially with working out your meal and medication times.

If you need any help creating your own routine, I can help you.

Please keep in mind that this regimen is also recommended for people who haven’t had an AD diagnosis, and would like to prevent it.

And remember, if you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an email: info@soulblossomdance.com

DISCLAIMER: The content within this website, www.soulblossomdance.com, and its associated social media pages: http://www.facebook.com/soulblossomdance, http://www.instagram.com/soulblossomdance, http://www.twitter.com/soulblossomdanc  is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

 

{Before I start, I want to say that I know there is a lot to do on this list. There are things that may be new to you, and there are things that may be difficult for you. But we have to do different things to get something different. We have to do new things to become new. If you have Alzheimer’s disease, you have probably had a lot of extra stress in your life, as well as not enough engagement to challenge your mind and body as much as they needed. This program seeks to remove unnecessary stress from your life, add physical and mental engagement, as well as lots of fun. I know this is all new, it’s not conventional, and it may be challenging, but what I am offering is hard work, and only with your commitment will it work for you.}

********************************************************************

“I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, what do I do now?”

It’s always scary being diagnosed with a new condition, especially one like Alzheimer’s where you may not be sure of what the future holds. It’s also frustrating, overwhelming, infuriating, among many other emotions. But those emotions are there and the best thing to do is to allow yourself to feel them. Go through all of the feelings you feel, without suppressing or fearing any of them. Let yourself feel your shock, sadness, fear, anger – all of it. Express your feelings verbally and vocally. Write them out, scream them out, sing them out, paint, play an instrument. Then, when you feel like you’ve given all of your feelings adequate attention, (and once you and your doctor discuss and agree on your treatment options), sit yourself down, get comfy, and get a pen and paper.

Number 1. List all of the things you really, deeply, and wholeheartedly enjoy. And I really mean *everything*. Things that uplift you, that make your chest swell with joy, that make you enjoy life and forget everything else. These are usually things that you’ve forgotten about as an adult, with all your responsibilities and distractions, so you really have to think. For example, when I did this exercise, I dug deep all the way back to my childhood years and remembered how I loved to read fantasy genre books, books about magical objects that transported the protagonist  to a different world, stories with mythological creatures – dragons, mermaids, and talking unicorns. I realized I still love all of those things. So I figured out ways to bring those elements back into my life, with books and art.

I also love makeup, so I gave myself full permission to spend even more time putting on makeup, buying it, and trying out different looks, than I already did.

I think you get the idea. Go back to your childhood, think about what you really loved back then, ask yourself if you still feel the same way about it. Look at your hobbies, you got into them because you enjoy them, but are there stressful aspects to them? Can you enjoy the hobby without the stressful parts? Do that. think about all the other things you love, and make time to be with them every day.

Now you have your list of loves. Make sure you partake in some way with your loves every day, even if it’s just looking at pictures of the things that bring you joy.

Number 2. Write down all of the stressful aspects of your life. Write down all of the stressful duties, tasks, responsibilities, and people you have in your life. Can any of them be completely taken out? If not, can any of them be taken over by someone that’s very willing to help you? If not that, then can you reduce the frequency with which you have to do these things? If grocery shopping is a stressor, can a relative do it for you instead? If not, can you do it twice a month instead of four? 

Number 3. Laugh at it all, because laughter is the best medicine, so try to laugh daily. Get recommendations on funny movies, shows, or standup specials, and watch as many as you can, preferably one a day. Write a list of all of the funny jokes you heard or hilarious incidents you experienced, and read that list every day. Once something gets old and unfunny, remove it from the list and add a new one. 

Number 4. Dance every day. Dance is my personal reason for being. When I discovered its many benefits in my early twenties I felt that I came across the legendary Fountain of Youth, because it healed every physical and emotional ailment I had. I started writing a blog about it to share my experience with others. Years after, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, and shortly after that I came across the fact that dance, according to a Columbia University study done in 2008, specifically freestyle dance, reduces the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease by a tremendous 75%, more than diet and nutrition combined. So, your job is to make a list of all of the songs you love, and slowly and daily put some time into discovering new music from other parts of the world, and dance a little bit every day. It could be for ten minutes. If you’re wondering how this will benefit you when it’s deemed as a preventive measure, it will still be beneficial even after your diagnosis, especially because it combines exercise, stress-relief, and fun – all things needed by people living with Alzheimer’s.

Number 5. Eat differently. You’ll want to make a simple change to your eating. Since there is an established connection between Alzheimer’s and high blood sugar, you’ll make your meals in a way that lowers their effect on your blood sugar. You’re going to do only one thing to make your meals a lot healthier and keep your blood sugar stable: replace half of your meal with vegetables. That’s it!

Number 6.  Reduce the time you spend watching TV. If you watch a lot of TV and it’s hard for you to reduce it a lot, do it in chunks. If you watch eight hours of television go down to six. Then keep reducing by two hours until you’re down to one. I think it’s okay to have one hour of television a day, if you like to watch the news and keep updated on the goings on of the world.

Number 7. Exercise! I know you’re going to dance, and dance is a form of exercise. But I’d like you to treat your dance time as a fun activity. On top of that you could do 15-25 minutes of physical activity a day without involving music. You can stretch, walk, or get on the elliptical.

Number 8. Read a little bit every day. Ideally, you will be reading two kinds of material daily: something scientific, like a medical journal, and something fun and lighthearted, like a funny whodunnit.

Number 9. Engage in a physical/mental activity. A “physical/mental activity” is one single activity that uses both your body and mind at the same time. It should be something that isn’t necessarily fun, but it keeps you concentrating. That would be knitting for me, or a crossword puzzle, or any puzzle of any kind, or highly intricate coloring book with lots of lines to stay inside of.

Number 10. Socialize. And I don’t mean social media, which is fine if you’re stuck at home for whatever reason, or at work with some downtime, but I mean actually be social, with other people, in person. Stay connected with your friends. Get in contact with old friends you drifted apart from. Maintain relationships with the family members of your choosing. Have telephone conversations regularly. Check in via text messages or Facebook if you’re not going out for the day. But as regularly as you can, meet up with your friends for coffee, lunch, or a fun night out. If you don’t have friends or family, think about the easiest way you could make some. Would it be joining a knitting club, perhaps, or any other group based on your hobbies? That could kill two birds with one stone. What about your place of worship? They often need volunteers, and that’s a great way to meet new people.

Number 11. Clean around the house. Don’t do anything too major like getting up on the roof, or emptying out all of the cabinets. Just tend to the regular cleaning duties that everyone has, but do one thing every day. Either do it by room, like the bathroom, kitchen, or living room, or you can focus on one task but throughout your home, like vacuuming all of the carpet, or dusting all of the furniture surfaces.

Number 12. Routine. Now, take all of these recommendations, add to them everything else you need to do every day, and make it your daily routine. Having a routine has been proven to help war veterans suffering from severe PTSD fully recover, so imagine what it could do for you as well. Set your alarm and get out of bed at the same time every day, take a shower, brush your teeth, take care of your appearance, have all of your meals around the same time every day. Figure out how much time you’d like to give to each one of the items on this list and do them every day.

I know it’s a lot, but not only will your condition not progress as aggressively or quickly, but you’ll be tons happier after doing this routine for a few weeks. I suggest enlisting the help of a loved one or friend when putting this new routine together, especially with working out your meal and medication times.

If you need any help creating your own routine, I can help you.

Please keep in mind that this regimen is also recommended for people who haven’t had an AD diagnosis, and would like to prevent it.

And remember, if you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an email: info@soulblossomdance.com

 

• 

DISCLAIMER: The content within this website, www.soulblossomdance.com, and its associated social media pages: http://www.facebook.com/soulblossomdance, http://www.instagram.com/soulblossomdance, http://www.twitter.com/soulblossomdanc  is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.