Eating a well balanced diet based on good nutritional value is essential for us all, no matter what our age or physical condition may be. For those of us with dystonia, we need to be aware of foods that are low in fat, sugar and salt, to keep us in the best possible physical condition. In this way we can overcome fatigue, depression and physical stress, resulting from constantly spasming muscles and twisted bodies.
Healthy people, those affected by life threatening diseases and all who are somewhere between, need to be aware of the range of choices we have that directly relate to our day to day well-being. That old saying, 'we are what we eat' has a haunting ring to it when we acknowledge the high rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal failure, cancer, and mental illness affecting so many people within our global community.
Wherever we live exercise, appropriate to our age group, level of physical fitness and the climatic conditions in our area, is as important as our diet.
I hope this gives you food for thought and also inspiration for improving your diet. For those people with a medical condition requiring a specific diet, please speak to your family doctor or a nutritionist before changing any of the food groups you are now using.
Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Dystonia: eating well and being active can improve our health and keep depression away!
When coping with a funny voice and feeling like an avocado seed is stuck down our throat, coping with the gripping spasms of muscles in neck, shoulders, back, arms, torso, legs or eyelids, being twisted or bent over into positions affecting breathing, vision and speech, we feel as though it is enough to lead any sane soul along the road to poor general health, depression and social isolation.
Whether you are living with spasmodic dysphonia, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, writer’s cramp, early onset dystonia, myoclonus dystonia, or any of the other forms of dystonia, a well balanced and appropriate diet together with an exercise regime will be of benefit in many ways. When our bodies are spasming and twisting every which way, thinking about diet and exercise can sometimes be too much trouble to be bothered with. Then, hey presto, along comes the Queensland Government with a bold initiative to whip all us Queenslanders into shape!
Although the Queensland State Government’s initiative with the ‘Make the most of it’ campaign does not specifically take into consideration the effects of dystonia nor depression, it does focus on dietary and exercise factors as prevention strategies for medical conditions currently draining our States and Commonwealth Government's health systems. These chronic medical conditions are identified by the Queensland State Government as type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and certain cancers. There is growing evidence these illnesses result from poor nutrition, the lack of physical activity and increasing levels of obesity.
We don’t want any of those little nasties now, do we? By improving our dietary and exercise habits we can avoid the debilitating effects of the above mentioned chronic illnesses. We will have all the more energy and thinking power to lobby for research funding for dystonia! Yea!
How wonderful it would be to see our Governments adequately support research into the cause of dystonia. Once the cause of this chronic, presently incurable neurological disease is found, the focus of treatment strategies will swing from relieving the symptoms to curing those affected.
Please, do consider taking time to follow up the link to ‘Make the most of it’ above. Enjoy the easy to follow suggestions for becoming fit and healthy. By thinking about our mental health at the same time as changing our eating and exercise habits, we can make a positive step towards coping with all those aches and pains we have become accustomed to living with.
As the ‘Make the most of it’ message says, be smart, eat well and be active!
Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.
Whether you are living with spasmodic dysphonia, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, writer’s cramp, early onset dystonia, myoclonus dystonia, or any of the other forms of dystonia, a well balanced and appropriate diet together with an exercise regime will be of benefit in many ways. When our bodies are spasming and twisting every which way, thinking about diet and exercise can sometimes be too much trouble to be bothered with. Then, hey presto, along comes the Queensland Government with a bold initiative to whip all us Queenslanders into shape!
Although the Queensland State Government’s initiative with the ‘Make the most of it’ campaign does not specifically take into consideration the effects of dystonia nor depression, it does focus on dietary and exercise factors as prevention strategies for medical conditions currently draining our States and Commonwealth Government's health systems. These chronic medical conditions are identified by the Queensland State Government as type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and certain cancers. There is growing evidence these illnesses result from poor nutrition, the lack of physical activity and increasing levels of obesity.
We don’t want any of those little nasties now, do we? By improving our dietary and exercise habits we can avoid the debilitating effects of the above mentioned chronic illnesses. We will have all the more energy and thinking power to lobby for research funding for dystonia! Yea!
How wonderful it would be to see our Governments adequately support research into the cause of dystonia. Once the cause of this chronic, presently incurable neurological disease is found, the focus of treatment strategies will swing from relieving the symptoms to curing those affected.
Please, do consider taking time to follow up the link to ‘Make the most of it’ above. Enjoy the easy to follow suggestions for becoming fit and healthy. By thinking about our mental health at the same time as changing our eating and exercise habits, we can make a positive step towards coping with all those aches and pains we have become accustomed to living with.
As the ‘Make the most of it’ message says, be smart, eat well and be active!
Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Shh! Don’t say anything to anyone, please!
Mental illness has for many generations been something most families have been reluctant to address from within their midst. Fortunately, attitudes are changing rapidly as we all become more aware of what mental illness is. In our present time, more than at any previous time in recorded history, there are fewer stigmas perpetrated against people who experience a mental illness. What is it that starts off that spark of thought within our mind about us or about a loved one? Perhaps you are aware that something is not quite right about your own behavior, thoughts and or feelings? Could it be that something is not quite right about the way someone close to you is behaving?
In Australia, there is an enormous amount of support available for people who would like to know more about mental illness. Community Mental Health Centres, Community Health Centres, General Practitioners, Hospital Social Work Departments, and also many NGO’s (Non-Government Organisations) are able to give you information, where ever you live. In Australia, SANE Australia provides good on-line information, fact sheets covering a wide range of mental illness, books to purchase and other appropriate information. Their web site is http://www.sane.org/ and for those who may be interested and live in Australia, their telephone number is 1800 18 SANE (if you do not have a keypad phone, SANE is 7263). Alternatively, you are able to access SANE Australia's Helpline via their site as stated above. SANE Australia offers information and advice between 9.00AM and 5.00PM weekdays, EST (Eastern Standard Time).
SANE Australia’s Fact Sheet 22 discusses “Something is not quite right about the way someone close to you is behaving.” This fact sheet assists you to ascertain whether or not your concern is serious or perhaps related to other factors. There are two checklists on this fact sheet to help you clarify what is normal behavior for the person you are concerned about and what behaviors you consider abnormal for that person. There is some information about alcohol and other drugs, and how these factors may have an influence on mental illness. Some really good information is included suggesting how to approach the doctor of your choice.
Where ever you live, I hope you have time to check out either this site (http://www.sane.org/) or a site belonging to a treatment or information centre nearer to you. Sometimes, it is good to just know about issues associated with mental health.
In my family, my youngest son is surviving schizophrenia. He requests that I let you know, his pathway to good mental health has been painful for him. This pathway has also been of great concern to my late husband and me as well as to the rest of our family. My son aged 36 years is now in good health. He takes a minimal amount of medication, is now my carer and also my primary support person. I am so very proud of him and of what he has achieved in his recovery from such a debilitating illness.
Good mental health to you all and please, feel free to leave a comment if you wish.
Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.
In Australia, there is an enormous amount of support available for people who would like to know more about mental illness. Community Mental Health Centres, Community Health Centres, General Practitioners, Hospital Social Work Departments, and also many NGO’s (Non-Government Organisations) are able to give you information, where ever you live. In Australia, SANE Australia provides good on-line information, fact sheets covering a wide range of mental illness, books to purchase and other appropriate information. Their web site is http://www.sane.org/ and for those who may be interested and live in Australia, their telephone number is 1800 18 SANE (if you do not have a keypad phone, SANE is 7263). Alternatively, you are able to access SANE Australia's Helpline via their site as stated above. SANE Australia offers information and advice between 9.00AM and 5.00PM weekdays, EST (Eastern Standard Time).
SANE Australia’s Fact Sheet 22 discusses “Something is not quite right about the way someone close to you is behaving.” This fact sheet assists you to ascertain whether or not your concern is serious or perhaps related to other factors. There are two checklists on this fact sheet to help you clarify what is normal behavior for the person you are concerned about and what behaviors you consider abnormal for that person. There is some information about alcohol and other drugs, and how these factors may have an influence on mental illness. Some really good information is included suggesting how to approach the doctor of your choice.
Where ever you live, I hope you have time to check out either this site (http://www.sane.org/) or a site belonging to a treatment or information centre nearer to you. Sometimes, it is good to just know about issues associated with mental health.
In my family, my youngest son is surviving schizophrenia. He requests that I let you know, his pathway to good mental health has been painful for him. This pathway has also been of great concern to my late husband and me as well as to the rest of our family. My son aged 36 years is now in good health. He takes a minimal amount of medication, is now my carer and also my primary support person. I am so very proud of him and of what he has achieved in his recovery from such a debilitating illness.
Good mental health to you all and please, feel free to leave a comment if you wish.
Sue Bayliss. Cairns, Australia.
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