There is growing scientific support for the premise that vigorous exercise of the body and brain can help slow the progression of Parkinson’s. This can also be said for the aging process.

While it is not possible for everyone to reach an advanced level of cardio vascular fitness, once you have clearance from your doctor, any exercise is better than none.

Nevah Surrendah Exercise X Five Program focuses on these five areas:

• SPIRIT
• BODY
• HEART
• VOICE
• BRAIN

I begin with SPIRIT because more than anything else, attitude is key. Depression is your worst enemy.

• Aging is no excuse for growing old.
• Socialization is as important as exercising the body.
• Intergenerational activities bring you in contact with young people and that is a good thing.
• Volunteer in your community, for instance, at the local hospital, schools, or a town event. Consider ballroom dancing lessons. It is not only a social outlet; it also tests physical agility, memory, and offers an opportunity to meet a new circle of friends.
• Eliminate the negative. Remember the song from the 1940s Hit Parade? Well this should be your theme song - “You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative…”
• Face depression head on, and do whatever it takes to overcome bad moments.
• Any form of exercise can break you out of a rut by giving you a break from the ordinary.
• Stay tuned to the medical and scientific community to keep abreast of research and breakthroughs.

Exercise involves choice: what type of activity, the degree of intensity, and the length of time.

• Start moderately and build up intensity.
• Find a friend to exercise with. This will assure that you will continue even on those days when you want to sleep-in.
• An exercise program is work in progress. Do what you feel you need and keep working at it.
• Consider adding weights to your workout and seek out a professional trainer for guidance.
• Walk briskly every day for at least 20 minutes in addition to all other exercise activities.
• Join an exercise class. Do not let yourself feel competitive with younger participants. It helps to have a sympathetic instructor.
• Begin all workouts with a light cardiovascular exercise in order to raise core body temperature.
• Along with strength and aerobic workouts, stretching at the beginning and end of a session helps mitigate muscle soreness.
• Stay hydrated and eat sensibly.

Here is an example of how exercise can be adapted to different levels of ability:

UPPER BODY EXERCISE
Shoulders, Chest, Arms, Stomach, Back

Beginner: Stand about 18 inches from a wall and extend your arms out straight from your shoulder. : Lean toward wall and slowly push back and straighten arms. Keep elbows tight to your side. Do 6 to 8 reps.

Intermediate: Start in a kneeling position. Lean forward with hands facing forward. Lower upper body 6 to 8 inches and return. Do 6 to 8 reps until upper body is lowered to 4” from floor and return to straight arms. Do 6 – 8 reps.

Advanced: Hands on floor, fingers point forward, positioned under shoulder. Keep body straight, balance on toes. Lower body with elbow tight to ribs until 4” from floor and return to straight arms. Do 6 – 8 reps.

A SIMPLE EXERCISE FOR EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF PHYSICAL ABILITY

Extend arms and fingers as much as possible and pretend you are playing the scale on a piano. Bend each finger one at a time starting with the little finger and working up to the thumb. Repeat five times.

During exercise the increase in cerebral blood flow creates more capillaries, more conduits for blood to flow to the brain. This is the goal.

• With a doctor’s approval, join an aerobics program and increase your level of exercise gradually.
• 30 minutes of continuous moderate intensity promotes cardiovascular fitness.
• Try to exercise at least 3 days a week.
• Wear a heart monitor, a transmitter that straps around the chest and sends a signal to a wristwatch monitor.
• The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that you should work out 60 to 90 percent of your heart’s maximum pumping capacity. Sixty percent is the minimum level for improved oxygen consumption. To figure this out, subtract your age from 220 and calculate the desired percentage from that number, for example: 220- 60 yrs. old = 160 x .60 = 96 beats/min.
• Maximize circulation of blood to the brain by sustaining 100 beats/minute for a minimum of 10 minutes.
• Do not exceed a maximum heart rate of 220 less your age.

The voice is the mirror of the personality and soul. Voice is affected by both Parkinson’s and aging. It can sound forced, significantly softer, and hard to hear.

Here are some voice exercises that will help maintain the strength and tenor of your voice.

• Take a deep breath and say “AH” as loudly and as for as long as possible on one breath.
• Repeat this exercise twice daily in the morning and at night.
• Practice taking your voice from a high register to low and reverse.
• Do this exercise where you will not alarm anyone into calling the police.
• Read in the loudest voice possible from the daily newspaper.
• Recite poetry aloud.
• Sing in the shower (pretend you’re an opera star).
• Drink water.

Neurobics is a relatively new word that refers to the exercise of the brain. Keeping the brain engaged is also good for maintaining memory.

Recent experiments show that neural circuits in the adult brain have the capacity to undergo dramatic changes; an ability scientists thought was lost after childhood. Your aging brain continues to have a remarkable ability to grow, adapt and change patterns of connections.

Keeping your heart and body in shape is a side benefit to exercising the brain. The brain is where all the action is!

• Present your brain with non-routine or unexpected experiences using a combination of senses: vision, smell, touch, taste, and hearing.
• Change the path of your daily walk
• Do crossword puzzles
• Join a book club; play bridge
• Play board games, like chess or checkers
• Take a creative writing class
• Learn a new language