Fighting depression

Are you waking up of late with the same dark thoughts in mind, feeling listless, and believing that you will never step out of it? Take hold of yourself and the situation. The longer you leave depression untreated the worse it becomes. With depression you have to be active and work fast. It is not something to sweep under the rug. It needs to be understood and treated and you need to be made aware of the symptoms, causes, and other factors.

Lifting your mood

Lifting your spirit is literally mind over matter. You have to decide to do something that might be uncomfortable to do at first to change your mood, and then do it. You can’t put it off. You have to think outside the box and force yourself to be present.  The first few times will be literally to force yourself into an activity you don’t want to do to change your way of thinking and not give up. Staying active will keep you from having negative thoughts as you will be distracted. Keeping yourself occupied with things around the house like pulling weeds or watering the garden will help change your thoughts. 

Self-help strategies

·         With depression act sooner rather than later; recovery will be faster.

·         Keep in mind that treating depression is not a once-off or a quick-fix; improvement can take time. Progress is slow and you might feel better before your cloud lifts and you are able to see things the way they are.

·         Whether it is watching a movie or making dinner for a friend, keep busy. Have the music on softly to create the atmosphere you want.

·         Invite your friends over for coffee and cake or go out with them. You do not want to be alone around big birthdays or events.

·         Spend time with your family during the holidays; they are the most precious at times like these.

·         If your depression was caused from pressure and stress at work, divide your workload and do it in smaller chunks.

·         Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Be realistic with what you have to achieve and then do it.

·         Do not engage in negative thinking; change your template immediately and go on to something else.

·         Do not make big decisions like changing your job or ending a relationship while in the grip of depression.

·         Identify at least one solid reason to make it through the day.

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A healthy bowel for healthy living

It must seem like this site is hell bent on matters of a fecal nature but it cannot be helped, especially for Parkinson’s sufferers and those afflicted with a lazy bowel. There is no question that the sooner you address these matters and understand how things works, the better it will be for the one desiring the treatment.  People are different, have different strengths and weaknesses, and chronic constipation can be a real problem if you let it slide. Once you become impacted it becomes really embarrassing as the doctor or carer will have to work on you manually to loosen the stool. 

Research on the internet

There are several products on the market. Check out all treatment sites having to do with a lazy bowel and chronic constipation. The Parkinson’s sites should also reveal helpful treatment as Parkinson’s medicines are known for their Calcium content making for a difficult stool in some cases. I cannot suggest a name but here are three or four of the top treatments, some of which should help you get relief on the same day if you follow instructions carefully.  This writer has Parkinson’s and has found relief with Movicol, a laxative, and Fynbogel, an all-natural product which assists in forming a stool. Fynbogel is NOT a laxative, but helps in stool consistency and formation which gives you a pain-free and push-free stool. For instance, I took a glass of Fynbogel this morning at 7.30 a.m. At 8.00 I was all done with my toilette and ready to start the day.

Regular maintenance of the bowel

We all know how easy this is to neglect. When you are in the throes of stomach cramps and the like you swear that you will eat more veggies, fruit and fiber to assist your digestion, but all too soon you forget and the bowel is neglected. Get yourself a small white board for the kitchen and write down the ingredients you have to buy every day; dark veggies such as broccoli, green beans, spinach and lettuce are particularly good. Have a one-hour walk to the shop or around the park. If it is snowing in your neck of the woods, go on the treadmill. Keep active. Have a favorite fruit or veggie every day. Drink lots of water and keep moist.

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Recovering from a bad round of Parkinson's side effects

It may seem like you may never come out of the fog after a Parkinson’s streak of side effects which can leave you bewildered and confused.  Do not give up. I thought I would never see my laptop again. I write this article not to scare you but to let you know that there is hope EVEN though it might seem grim at the time and feel impossible. There was confusion about medication and for about four days I used a pill I should not have which caused all the trouble. At the same time I was trying to get the hang of Movicol for a bowel movement and after a week it still did not come. I felt ill, confused, out of sorts, gassy, listless, no appetite, lost 10 pounds, and did not know whether I was Arthur or Martha when I woke up. Today is my first day of writing articles after an absence of almost three months.

Getting it right in the toilet

It is not difficult if you follow the instructions precisely. This is what I did after reading lots of material and fully investigating Movicol. I would recommend that you read Movicol literature at least three times before you use it. There are users who have abused it and now do not have a movement unless they use it. Lay out what you need: a plastic sheet to lie on, a box of tissues within reach, and a Fleet enema. Lay on your side on the bed, take off the cover of the nozzle, and insert the nozzle as far up as it will go. Squirt out all the contents of the solution and remain on your side for three minutes and then stand up. You might take a minute or two, but when the churning in your tummy becomes explosive, sit on the toilet and have a bowel movement. Do not get up immediately. You might feel really good at this point, but wait for another few minutes in case there is more. 

Clearing the channel

The next step is very important. You want a clear channel at all times; that is your objective. So after the enema I have something to drink; either just a glass of water, or a glass of orange based husks which give a soft and firm stool. I also stick to the right foods and fruits; sweet melon, pears, blueberries, chicken, Basmati brown rice, dark green veggies such as broccoli and green beans. I have one tea only a day and drink three to four bottles of water. I have also started to nap in the afternoon as I don’t get enough sleep at night. Take things slowly. Live one day at a time. Pull yourself together when it seems almost impossible for you to do so and go and visit a friend or help someone else who is not feeling good and not doing so well. Don’t let depression take root in your mind. Don’t go quiet and indulge in cabin fever.  Do something with your friends or go for a walk. With Parkinson’s you need to stay active.

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Retraining the bowel

There have been a lot of articles written lately about constipation and Parkinson’s and here is yet one more.  As Parkinson’s sufferers we are always on the lookout for breaking news and treatment on how to deal and live with the disease. Constipation is a huge problem for Parkinson’s patients and taking calcium pills as part of your daily medication can make matters worse.  Calcium protects the bones in your body, yes, and we all need calcium, but the price you pay for strong bones can be a hard and taxing one.  This writer found out the painful way after she became impacted and the doctor had to manually use his hand. Drinking lots of water is imperative for a spongy stool. Have lots of fiber.

Here is what happened. The doctor inserted a fleet enema. Minutes later the bowel started to heave and growl, and cramped to the point where you just had to let everything go. You spent some minutes on the toilet and then feeling mighty relieved, washed your hands and returned to your job. You might return to the toilet two or three times before you are done. That is the first part.

 

How to retrain your bowel

Set aside the few items you are going to need and commit yourself to the task or it will all be for nothing. Start the day with a hot porridge breakfast and a cup of caffeinated coffee. Don’t eat too much. Swallow a full tablespoon of laxative. After the enema does its job have a snack of dates or nuts and drink lots of water. The idea is to clear the channel and have a bowel movement every day. Please note that once you do this you will have to do it every day – so be careful with treatment.

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The scourge of constipation

Yes, you read right, the scourge. You can never let your constipation get out of hand. Water, exercise and more water is what you need to move your bowels along, and that is not all. You cannot let those muscles in your bowel get stagnant by having too many fall-backs on supplements and enemas; you want to exert your own efforts to move matters along. Hydrotherapy is great and relaxing and helps with getting rid of toxins, but too much hydrotherapy is not good either. It makes you lazy and the bowel sluggish and all too soon you are struggling with constipation again. What the bowel needs is exercise – and lots of water.   

Treatment for sluggishness

Some people have side-effects from too many colonic cleanses which can perforate the bowel and also facilitate in making you lazy to push. Other people can have multiple cleanses a week without problem or stubborn side effects.  Seriously, the best thing to do with a sluggish bowel is to get it working in peak order again. How? Let’s say you are on the toilet and giving a push. Don’t give one push only and expect miracles to happen. Relax into your seat and take a slow and deep breath. Don’t think negative thoughts. Think that you are going to do it. Push moderately and relax again. Do it a total of three times and then make an all-out effort. If nothing happens, drink another glass of water, walk up and down for five minutes, and try again. 

Enemas and devices

Fleet enemas should not even be on the market. If you know what solutions go into your body you will stay well away from toilet devices. One cannot use an enema twice in close succession. And what if it does not work the first time? Going the natural way for some people might be a little harder but it is best for your bowel in the long run. If you have a sluggish bowel, put some time aside every day for the toilet and take your time.

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