Like all seasons, Autumn engages the senses with variety and entertainment. It is a time of golden colors, crisp air, and the sound of southward flying geese. Halloween lets kids disguise themselves as their favorite characters and collect a few treats as a reward. The harvest brings pumpkins to carve, apples to pick, and corn mazes to navigate.
Also, this year, Fall in Philadelphia has been good for sports fans. From a health perspective, aside from sitting on the couch for extended periods of time, it's good to have something to root for. Aside from the worry over winning or loosing, the goals, strategies, and statistics redirect our attention away from the stress of daily life. Further, for many, game day brings memories of enjoyment of sharing the sport with family or friends; there is hope in the potential win; and there is unity to be found among fellow team fans.
Furthermore, there is the potential to be inspired to actually engage in some part of the sport yourself. Your performance needs not get you into the major leagues; it simply need to get the blood and oxygen pumping. The idea of sports-inspired exercise brings me to today's newsletter theme: Parkinson's. Did you know that the focused movements involved in sports can lessen the progression of Parkinson's? That is what therapists of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation are finding (see news below).
The activities of Autumn provide opportunities to build all 4 Pillars of Health (Think Right; Eat Right: Sleep Right; Move Right) And those Pillars offer your best hope of preventing Parkinson's. In short, enjoy the season to stay well.
Dr. Pfeiffer
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