Tennis is the ideal sport for people with Parkinson’s disease because it requires fancy footwork, hand-eye coordination, sudden movements and cognitive thinking.
If you haven’t taken up tennis or if your racket has collected some dust over the years, it’s never too late to get into the game. Tennis is a lifetime sport, meaning it can be played at all ages and fitness levels.
Whether you’re playing doubles, singles or even just bouncing a ball off a wall for practice, tennis can have a life-changing impact on an individual’s physical and mental health – and this is especially true for people with Parkinson’s.
Tennis speeds up weight loss. Tennis is a great cardio workout, especially if you’re playing singles because you are constantly running, pivoting and moving your body.
And you don’t burn calories – you obliterate them. According to the American Dietetic Association, recreational players can burn an estimated 600 to 1,320 calories per two-hour singles sessions, while competitive players can burn between 768 and 1,728 calories.
Bonus tip: Just be sure to have plenty of fluids on hand and rehydrate regularly. Listen to your body if it’s telling you to rest. And don’t be afraid to switch to low-impact sports on days you aren’t feeling up for a cardio challenge.
Tennis improves strength, agility and flexibility. You often see people playing tennis well into their golden years because playing the game consistently over the decades kept their bodies flexible, agile and strong.
That strength mainly comes from rotating the torso. This repetitive, rotatory movement of the torso is helpful to people with Parkinson’s who struggle with rigidity. In fact, most racket sports offer that same torso rotation benefit, including badminton, racquetball, squash or table tennis. Just ask our friend Navin Kumar, who is a world champion table tennis player with Parkinson’s.
Bonus tip: You’ll definitely want to make like the tennis pros and stretch your whole body before and after each game.
Tennis exercises your brain. Playing tennis keeps you on your toes, forcing you to stay mentally alert and focused on the game. It improves your reaction times, which could potentially cut down on freezing episodes.
It’s also known to improve critical thinking and tactical thinking by making connections between the brain and multiple moving body parts. Think of tennis as one of few sports that will give your brain as intense of a workout as your body.
Bonus tip: Tennis also helps regulate serotonin, a brain chemical linked to our sleep cycle and emotional state, so next time you’re stressed or struggling with sleep, just hit the courts.
Tennis keeps you social. Tennis can be played as singles or doubles, which automatically makes it a social sport whether you’re playing against someone or teaming up in pairs.
It’s normal for people with Parkinson’s to get the couch potato blues or feel anti-social on days their symptoms act up. But chances are you’ll feel much better once you get out of the house and breathe in some fresh air. Just don’t take yourself too seriously. Tennis and other racket sports are meant to be fun. You don’t have to be highly skilled to have a good time.
Bonus tip: Whenever a tennis player thwacks the ball into the air, it’s often accompanied by a loud grunting noise. The main reason players grunt is to help establish rhythm of how they are hitting the ball, but it also helps them to hit the ball harder. UGH!
Trick Shot: How to improve Parkinson’s with just a tennis ball
We all know how canines feel about tennis balls, which is why we keep them around the house for our fur babies. But there is a compelling reason why you should keep at least one slobber-free tennis ball all to yourself.
Physiotherapists at Nottingham University Hospital use tennis balls in a series of exercises to help people with Parkinson’s reduce hand stiffening and tremors.
Try rolling a tennis ball between the palms of their hands to keep fingers supple. Then roll it along a table to stretch out their fingers and help increase manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
You can do a similar exercise by sitting in a chair and rolling a tennis ball under your bare foot. Not only does it feel amazing, it also requires foot-brain coordination to keep it from rolling away.
Mother Nature’s outdoor playground is the perfect anecdote for a blue mood, so why not head outside for some fresh air?
Have you ever noticed the joyful expressions on people’s faces on that first warm, sunny day after a long, bleak winter? It’s almost as if we inherently know that spending time outdoors among the trees or positioning ourselves in or near bodies of water is an instant mood booster—a rite of passage for both humans and animals alike.
In fact, spending time outdoors to boost your mental health is such common knowledge that psychologists have a special word for it: ecotherapy (aka nature therapy or green therapy). Eco-therapists operate just like traditional therapists, except they also approach therapy sessions through the lens of their clients’ relationships with nature. In some cases, sessions may even occur in an outdoor setting.
The Japanese practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku (which is basically being in the presence of trees), became part of Japan’s national public health program in 1982, even though picnicking under the cherry blossom trees en masse had already been a national pastime for centuries. So, if being outdoors feels like a treat, then perhaps we should all be treating ourselves more often!
The science behind the mental health benefits of nature
There is plenty of scientific research to back up the belief that being in nature is medicine for the mind. Studies have shown over the years that our concentration, cognition, creativity and productivity can all be boosted by going outside more often.
This is especially beneficial for people living with Parkinson’s disease who struggle with memory and cognition impairment, as well as stress, anxiety and depression. Let’s walk through some examples, shall we?
Being outside cuts down on mental fatigue.
Spending most of the workday in front of a computer, glued to our smart phones, or in front of the TV for those marathon Netflix binges—all of these things keep our brains in overdrive. The only moments when our brains are allowed to relax and normalize after screen time is when we’re asleep or outside, hence why we should go outside more often.
Being outside reduces stress, depression and anxiety.
Studies have shown that spending just 20 to 30 minutes outdoors each day can significantly reduce cortisol levels and therefore lower our chances of experiencing stress, depression, anxiety or preexisting mood disorders. Research has also found that exposure to natural light can be conducive to higher self-esteem and better moods.
Being outside makes us smarter.
Just a one-hour walk outside was enough to boost study participants’ short-term memory and attention spans by 2 percent. Spending time in nature has also been shown to increase mental performance in creative problem-solving tasks by up to 50 percent when combined with disconnecting from multimedia and technology, leading to better academic performances.
5 tips for making the most of your time outdoors
1. Try to work nature visits into your schedule whenever you can. You don’t necessarily have to put off outdoor time until all of your indoor responsibilities are taken care of. Sometimes it helps to take a break from your indoor chores to walk the dog, go on a quick bike ride or even just take a walk around the block. Chances are you’ll feel refreshed and motivated enough to finish up your inside tasks when you return home.
2. Do some research to find out where the nearest parks, reserves or forests are in your area. Living in a city doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Several studies have shown that even taking a simple stroll through a city park can improve your physical and mental health. Remember that even the densest urban areas have designated nature spots, such as Central Park in NYC or Grant Park in Chicago.
3. Join a club or group to help motivate you to go outdoors more often. Living with Parkinson’s can sometimes make people feel antisocial. But once they leave the house and interact with people outside, their mood instantly improves. Social media offers the advantage of easily locating other nature lovers in your community. Join a hiking group. Take a tai chi class in the park. Organize a picnic or barbecue with your friends and family. The options are endless.
4. Don’t forget water and snacks. Dry mouth or excessive thirst can be symptoms of Parkinson’s, and it can really put a damper on the day’s events. If it’s warm enough outside to make you sweat, you’ll want to replenish your body’s fluids immediately to prevent dehydration or heat stroke. Pack a healthy snack or two in case you feel hungry, preferably water-rich foods like watermelon, berries, cucumbers or celery sticks.
5. Have your phone on you but try not to use it unless there is an emergency. Remember that the whole point of going outside is to escape technology and unplug from the hecticness of your day-to-day life. While you should always have your phone charged and with you, there’s nothing wrong with leaving it in your pocket for the duration of your time outdoors. Take a few pics and videos if you must, but those email and social media notifications can wait.
Weight management can be tough for everyone! In this month’s Cures from the Kitchen we bring you our top foods to support a healthy weight.
People with Parkinson’s may experience weight gain and weight loss. People experiencing weight loss may not be eating or absorbing enough calories. If you don’t have an appetite or seem to be losing weight unintentionally, talk to your doctor about possible problems absorbing food, which can happen with Parkinson’s.
People experiencing weight gain may be eating more calories than they burn through activities. Knowing your basal metabolic rate (BMR) – or how many calories you burn to keep your body functioning at rest – can help you gauge how many calories you need to eat on a daily basis. Two-thirds of the energy your body burns is used to maintain body functions at rest such as heart rate, body temperature, lungs and kidneys. There are many factors that also influence basal metabolism such as age, height, stress, hormones, smoking, caffeine, sleep and food! To get an idea of your BMR and the number of calories you need to eat in a day, visit the Active website’s online calculator.
Foods can also influence your metabolism. Here are some of my top considerations from the kitchen to support metabolism for weight loss goals:
Water
Consuming water can increase metabolism by 30%! Try to drink half your bodyweight in ounces throughout the day. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds should drink 75 ounces or 2.2 liters of water a day.
Healthy Fats
Your body needs healthy fats for a healthy metabolism. Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, fish, nuts and seeds are healthy fats that can help increase metabolism while supporting healthy cellular functions.
Leptin Foods
Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that influences metabolism and helps you feel full. There are many factors that influence leptin levels and the body’s sensitivity to the hormone. In general, avoiding processed foods and eating a diet high in fruits, veggies and lean proteins can help your body produce and use leptin. Be mindful of your protein intake if you’re taking levodopa for PD. Protein can interfere with the absorption of levodopa.
CoQ10 Foods
CoQ10 helps your cells produce energy and, therefore, supports a healthy metabolism. Good, plant-based sources of CoQ10 include spinach, broccoli and cauliflower. Organ meats, such as kidney and liver, are also high in CoQ10.
While incorporating healthy foods be sure to limit if not eliminate foods that slow down metabolism:
Sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup)
Hydrogenated oils
Dairy products
Artificial sweeteners
Alcoholic beverages
“You are what you eat”, applies to both your body and mind. Try incorporating the advice in this column to support optimal health, satiety and metabolism as people with Parkinson’s living inspired lives.
Dr. Bethany Tennant is a Naturopathic Physician & Certified Nutrition Specialist and has been involved with BGF since 2012. Dr. Tennant is passionate about neurodegenerative conditions, natural sports medicine and medical nutrition. She sees patients at 2bwell Clinic in Lake Oswego, OR.
@dr.bethanytennant
www.drbethanytennant.co m
Watch our Shake It Till We Make It video to learn more about the impact of our programs.
BGF provides proven tools to improve the well-being of people with Parkinson’s. At our eighth annual Shake It Till We Make It gala, we were proud to celebrate our accomplishments. Our Exercise for Parkinson’s Training for Professionals has reached people in 23 countries around the globe. We also provide resources to help people live better with Parkinson’s through exercise and diet.
Our gala raised more than $260,000 to support our programs. You can help us reach our goal of $300,000 by making an online donation today. Thank you for joining us!
Watch our latest video to learn more. Together we can improve the lives of people impacted by Parkinson’s.
Jodi and Chris Cianci are so passionate about the benefits of exercise for PD, they started their nonprofit Shake It Off to help raise funding for Parkinson’s exercise research.
Because the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease vary and overlap with other conditions, the rate of misdiagnosis can be relatively high, especially for people younger than 60 who demonstrate signs of early onset PD.
That was the case for Jodi Cianci, a former attorney-turned-philanthropist living in Westchester, Pennsylvania.
Jodi had been seeing a neurologist for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOC) since 2007. TOC is a group of disorders that occur when blood vessels or nerves in the space between the collarbone and the first rib (thoracic outlet) are compressed, causing pain in the shoulders and neck and numbness in the fingers.
“I had pain in my shoulder and hand, and my handwriting got small and illegible. I couldn’t type anymore,” she described. “At the end of 2010, my neurologist left, so I saw one of his associates. He said, ‘I think you have Parkinson’s,’ so I went in as a TOC patient and left as a PD patient.”
Dissatisfied with the current medications available for Parkinson’s, Jodi and her husband Chris, a chiropractic sports medicine practitioner, began researching alternative methods to manage PD.
“In 2011, my daughter went to college. She sent me a motivational email saying things like, ‘I love you! You can do this!’ Inside was an ad for Parkinson’s exercise and cycling,” Jodi said. “My husband and I decided to look into it, and that’s when learned about new research being conducted in Ohio on the benefits of high-intensity biking and PD.”
A miraculous comeback
The couple visited Dr. Jay Alberts at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, who had conducted research on Parkinson’s and cycling. His studies revealed a 35 percent average reduction in Parkinson’s symptoms by the simple act of pedaling a bicycle at 80-90 rates per minute for 45 minutes, three times a week.
“My husband, being an avid cyclist, knew what he was talking about,” Jodi said. “So, he and I started our own program of high-intensity cycling at home three to four times a week for 45 minutes.”
“I began noticing that she was moving a little bit better, swinging her arms a little bit better, and a lot of her other Parkinson’s symptoms seemed to be more manageable,” Chris Cianci said. “I could even read her handwriting again.”
“Having a law background, I needed proof,” Jodi Cianci continued. “I did some comparisons, and he was right. My handwriting was almost the same as it was prior to my diagnosis. I also noticed my typing was coming back. I could type with two hands instead of one hand.”
Putting the ‘We’ in wellness
Sold on the benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s, the Ciancis started the nonprofit Shake It Off, Inc. in 2012 to fund research for exercise and Parkinson’s. Its signature event is the Philly Rabbit Run, a 5K run held at the Philadelphia Zoo every April to kick off Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
This year, despite less-than-ideal weather, the event had more than 1,200 people in attendance and raised more than $26,000 for research. To date, Shake It Off has funded research for the University of Delaware, the Cleveland Clinic, the Davis Phinney Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
When asked why she thinks it’s important for Shake It Off to get involved with other Parkinson’s organizations, Jodi Cianci said, “Because it takes a village. There’s a quote I like that says, ‘If you replace I with We, even illness because wellness.’
“That’s what inspired us to get involved with the Brian Grant Foundation,” she continued. “We were already working side by side in our missions to motivate and encourage exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease.”
Training for Professionals
The Ciancis traveled south to Miami in early March to attend the Brian Grant Foundation’s “Exercise for Parkinson’s Training for Professionals” program and were “very impressed,” Jodi said. “I think it’s so important to train professionals to work safely with this special population.”
“Some of the things I liked about the program were the visual cues, such as putting cones or tape on the floor,” Chris Cianci said. “I didn’t have any tape to put on the floor at home, so I put sticky notes in the kitchen and asked Jodi to use those as her visual cues. Immediately, her stride and arm swings were much better just by using the visual cues.”
Being married to a chiropractic sports medicine practitioner has its perks. “Chris knows anatomy pretty well and helps me with my stretches,” Jodi said. “He also helps me identify the kind of exercises I shouldn’t be doing since Parkinson’s naturally makes you hunch forward.
“A common side effect of Parkinson’s is depression,” she added. “If it wasn’t for my husband, I probably would have curled up in a ball and succumbed to this neurological bully.”
– Kathryn Jones
Not only is Ken Scholl a physical therapist working with people with Parkinson’s, he was recently diagnosed with the disease himself. That’s why he couldn’t pass up the chance to attend BGF’s “Exercise for Parkinson’s Training for Professionals” in Miami this year.
When Ken Scholl was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year, it was quite a surprise for the 65-year-old physical therapist who was always revered for his athleticism.
“The most common comment I got was how healthy I was throughout my whole life, and ‘you never seem to age.’ So being diagnosed with Parkinson’s was a very humbling experience,” Scholl admitted. “I had never thought about my mortality until then. I thought I’d be able to run a marathon when I was 100. I realize now that it will be a complicated endeavor.”
As a physical therapist, Scholl had worked with a handful of Parkinson’s patients over the years. But because he lives in Palm Beach, Florida, most of his clients were elderly and in the advanced stages of PD. “I was working with patients who were very stiff and had postural, gait and balance issues, but I didn’t think much about it at the time,” he said.
But once Scholl was diagnosed with the disease himself, he began to feel a strong allegiance to his Parkinson’s patients. “I had a lot of additional empathy that I hadn’t had before. I felt a strong urge to bond with them, get their perspectives and understand for the first time how they felt about it,” he explained.
“Before I had only dealt with their physical symptoms but didn’t think about how they were managing it emotionally and psychologically. When you don’t have Parkinson’s, you can go through the list of symptoms and check them off. When you have it yourself, you understand how variable it is, how complex and how psychologically frustrating it can be.
“Now I find myself on a bad day having difficulty tying my shoe,” Scholl continued. “If I don’t concentrate on walking, I will trip over my feet and fall down. We take for granted all the incredible things going on in our bodies to coordinate activities and make them happen.”
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Using exercise as medicine to slow down the progression of PD came intuitively for Scholl. “I’ve always been physically active, and that’s something I still try to carry on with at this point in my life. It takes a great deal of effort, but it pays off substantially,” he said.
“I try to pass that onto my patients with Parkinson’s. Instead of looking at it as an inevitable progression, it helps to remember that we can take control over the speed of that progression with how we sleep, eat and exercise.”
That’s ultimately what led him to sign up for the Brian Grant Foundation’s “Exercise for Parkinson’s Training for Professionals,” which took place in Miami on March 9. Here was a chance for local physical therapists to enhance their skills when working with PD patients, and obviously, Scholl couldn’t pass that up.
Interestingly, Scholl stumbled across BGF by happenstance. He was looking up basketball-related videos with his 9-year-old son when he noticed a YouTube video of the former Miami Heat player talking about life with Parkinson’s. “I had no idea he had Parkinson’s. I was very inspired by Brian’s candor in the video and started looking up information about BGF,” he said.
“That’s when I found out they were coming to Miami for this exercise training. I didn’t know if Brian himself would be there, but I was interested in learning everything I could about exercise and Parkinson’s. It turned out he was there. I felt honored to meet him and found him to be a very warm and special guy.”
Takeaways from the Miami training
Scholl already knew the importance of aerobic activity to improve Parkinson’s motor symptoms ahead of the “Exercise for Parkinson’s Training for Professionals” workshop. But attending the event helped him better understand the importance of using yoga, pilates and multitasking activities to boost motor skills and coordination.
“Another valuable thing was the power of connection and bonding with other people who are involved with Parkinson’s patients,” Scholl added. “I was very moved by their enthusiasm and their willingness to help. Parkinson’s is not an easy group to work with. It takes a lot of dedication and compassion. I left the seminar thinking more in a community-based way.
“I think Parkinson’s is a very special diagnosis,” he continued. “Most therapists look at PD as a series of symptoms. However, PD can vary from one person to another. I tend to approach each patient individually now. I ask them, ‘What do you see as your biggest challenges or obstacles?’
Every PD patient needs to find their own path, and a physical therapist can help them discover that individual path they need to take.”
Scholl’s advice for other Parkinson’s patients is to find activities they enjoy doing. Otherwise, it will feel like a chore and they’ll be more likely to avoid it. “Not everybody is going to be suited for group exercise classes,” he noted.
“I’m personally drawn to activities that make me feel good. I’ve always been a big water person. I love to swim. I try to get patients into the water because it’s a safe environment for them to practice things like big motions, taking large steps and balancing on one foot.
“I also try to maintain a sense of fun and joyfulness,” Scholl said. “It’s easy to dwell on the dark side of what’s to come in the future. I think if you have a joyful attitude, find activities that are fun to do, and try to be grateful for all the things you still can do, then you’ve won half the battle.”
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative conditions. It’s often diagnosed by it’s cardinal motor signs of rest tremor, rigidity, akinesia, and a shuffling gait. However, there are many non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s that also affect quality of life. Constipation is the MOST common non-motor symptom, with up to 66% of people with PD experiencing this problem. This symptom can be especially challenging as it impacts psychological and social distress and consequently quality of life.
While constipation is the most common gastrointestinal symptom of Parkinson’s and it can also precede motor symptoms by as much as 20 years! While PD itself may contribute to constipation by potentially slowing the transition of food through the colon or through some of the medicines used to treat the disease, pain and antidepressants can also often worsen the problem.
There is a major connection between the gut and brain. Research continues to explore the gut microbiome and its effects on the symptoms of Parkinson’s.To best support the gut focus on keeping a healthy gut microbiome, supporting absorption and elimination. Here are my top 5 considerations from the kitchen to help with constipation:
Water
Staying hydrated can help support your bodies’ ability to digest food and keep things moving. The recommendation for daily water intake is 1⁄2 your body weight in ounces. If you struggle with getting enough water try adding some flavor with a slice of lemon, lime, orange, cucumber slices or even mint leaves.
Fiber
High fiber foods support gut health. Be sure to add fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans to your diet. Superfoods for constipation that have high fiber and can be a gentle laxative include prunes, plum juice and figs.
Probiotics
Good “gut bugs” found in fermented foods support digestion, absorption and elimination. Consider foods such as kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso, or other fermented veggies to support a healthy gut.
Magnesium
Dark, green leafy veggies such as kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens, and rainbow chard contain powerful nutrients and are loaded with magnesium. This mineral supports both skeletal and smooth muscle function, which helps move things along.
Herbal Teas
Senna leaf has been used traditionally to support elimination by gently stimulating the intestine. Other botanicals, such as ginger, coriander, and fennel, are often added to help with any cramping caused by stimulating the intestine. Try sipping some herbal tea before bed to support transit time and elimination. Yarrow tea can also be used to stimulate digestion and decrease constipation. The leaves and flowers of the yarrow plant are used for medicinal tea.
“You are what you eat” applies to both your body and mind. For those managing Parkinson’s disease, constipation is a very common symptom. Try incorporating these foods to support regularity, as people with Parkinson’s living inspired lives.
Dr. Bethany Tennant is a Naturopathic Physician & Certified Nutrition Specialist and has been involved with BGF since 2012. Dr. Tennant is passionate about neurodegenerative conditions, natural sports medicine and medical nutrition. She sees patients at 2bwell Clinic in Lake Oswego, OR.
@dr.bethanytennant
www.drbethanytennant.com
Getting dressed can be difficult when you’re dealing with Parkinson’s symptoms. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the latest fashion trends.
We sat down with wardrobe brander and image consultant Brandon Gaston to get his fashion advice for the sunny seasons.
BGF: Tell me a little about yourself. How did you get into fashion?
I’ve always been into fashion and clothes – and not just how they look but how they feel too. I call it the psychology of fashion. When I first started out in business, I recognized that when you dress up, you get noticed. But not everyone dresses the part for what they’re trying to do. So I started image consulting, helping people translate trends for a professional environment. That’s why I’m so excited to be working with you to help people with Parkinson’s translate trends into wearable clothing that feels good and reflects their fashion sense.
BGF: Tremors are common in Parkinson’s, making it difficult for people to do fine motor tasks like buttoning shirts. Any tips?
T-shirts are always in style. For people that want a more elevated look, choose a V-neck cut over a crewneck.
If you want a shirt that’s a little more dressed up than a t-shirt, popover tops that only have a few buttons are one option. Polo shirts are a great example of this trend.
Shirt jackets are another option for dressing up a t-shirt. This is a shirt that’s meant to be worn open like a jacket over a t-shirt. Kimonos are another trendy option right now that are also worn open over a shirt to dress up a look.
Sweaters in lightweight linen/cotton blends are also a great option for spring.
BGF: Any tips for pants that are easy to pull on and don’t require buttons?
Drawstring trousers are really trendy right now and are so comfortable. We’re even seeing drawstring pants with suits and other formal wear. You can take this look from day to night because the suits are in lighter fabrics for the daytime but still look elevated for the evening.
Joggers and track pants are also really popular and you can just pull them on. With this style, you can still be comfortable while being on trend. Track suits are really trendy right now and you can wear the jackets open over a t-shirt, too.
BGF: Bending over to put on shoes and tying laces can also be difficult for people with Parkinson’s. Any tips for trendy shoes this spring?
Loafers that slip on can be worn just about anywhere and especially here in the northwest where the environment is pretty casual.
Slip-on sneakers are also really trendy right now. Vans are super popular but any luxury brand is also carrying a slip-on sneaker.
Also Velcro straps are really fashion forward this spring. Kids are even wearing them! But they are very trendy right now and don’t require tying laces.
Another great spring and summer option for shoes is espadrilles. They’re slip-ons but they are a super chic option for both men and women. I consider espadrilles a summer staple that a lot of people don’t consider.
BGF: Any trends we should know about this spring?
What we’re seeing in the transition to spring and summer seasons is more about colors, fabrics and silhouettes in fashion.
Bright colors – especially fluorescents – are popular right now. Red is also really popular, especially with white.
We’re also seeing a lot of monochromatic looks, wearing head to toe in the same color tone. So dark red pants with a lighter red blouse, for example. We’re also seeing floral prints head to toe.
And as we shift into a new season, we also shift to lighter fabrics, like silk and silk blends.
BGF: Our gala is coming up! What’s your advice for dressing up for special occasions?
Add color! I appreciate the transition to color for the spring and summer season because it allows us to dress up even more without looking overly formal. So whereas a black tuxedo is the ultimate formal wear for a man, a lilac tuxedo is less formal but still elevated and elegant. I’m also a big proponent of white pants for dressing up in the spring and summer.
It’s always the details that make the difference. Make sure your clothes fit and are tailored to you. And accessorize! For men, pocket squares and ties will make you stand out.
Brandon Gaston is a wardrobe brander and image consultant. To learn more about his services and his company, The Lifestylest, visit www.thelifestylist.com.
Ain’t no mountain high enough to keep Vincent “Enzo” Simone from advocating on behalf of people with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Unexpected things can happen that will rock the core of your very existence and put you on a whole new path in life.
For Vincent “Enzo” Simone, it was when his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and his father-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s within three months of each other in 2003.
Though his late grandmother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s years earlier, “I assumed this was a natural progression of aging. I didn’t understand at the time that it was a serious neurological disorder that robbed people of their memories and their physical abilities,” Simone said.
He felt heavy regret for “not being aware enough” to champion for his grandmother and told himself he would not make the same mistake again with his mother or his father-in-law.
“There wasn’t anything my mother and grandmother wouldn’t have done for me,” Simone said. “I wanted to take that care and direct it back toward them in a meaningful way.”
So, the New York native put his old life behind him. The old Enzo was a musician and local politician pursuing his architectural license. The new Enzo was an Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s advocate hellbent on finding their cures.
Sure, he wouldn’t technically be one of the scientists to make these miraculous discoveries. But Simone knew his passion and tenacity—not to mention his background in politics and fundraising—would serve him well as an activist.
The not-so-regular Regulars
Shortly after his mother and father-in-law’s diagnoses with Alzheimer’s and PD, Simone—who had recently taken up mountain climbing as a hobby— decided to form an international coalition of charitable mountain climbers called “The Regulars.”
“Here was the perfect opportunity to marry something that I loved to do with something I needed to do,” he explained. “If I was going to climb mountains, I wasn’t going to waste a footstep. If I could reach the top of a mountain, then perhaps there was a researcher somewhere determined to reach the top of a mountain of their own: finding a cure.”
In 2005, he created the “10 Mountains 10 Years” project, which he describes as “the longest, the highest and most arduous outdoor epic awareness and fundraising campaign of its kind.” The project became the subject of an award-winning motion picture documentary by Jennifer Yee featuring Anne Hathaway (narration), Bruce Springsteen (soundtrack), and Leeza Gibbons (Introduction).
Brian Grant attended one of the screenings for “10 Mountains 10 Years” and left the theater deeply moved and inspired to do more. In 2012, the Brian Grant Foundation started “Grant’s Army” and invited Simone to lead a team of people with Parkinson’s and their supporters up Mount St. Helen’s Volcano—including Brian himself.
“I didn’t understand all the other forms of Parkinson’s advocacy until I met Brian,” Simone noted. “He knew that the key to keeping people with Parkinson’s healthy and strong for longer was through diet and exercise. I thought, ‘Brian is really onto something with this.’
“We can’t just wait for the doctors to find the cure for us. We have to do what we can do to help ourselves today. That’s the magic of the Brian Grant Foundation. He inspires people to take care of themselves in the present moment in hopes of that better day to come.”
“Pilgrimage to Enlightenment”
Fast forward to today, and Simone is working on his most ambitious project to date. It’s a new documentary called “Pilgrimage to Enlightenment,” and this time, he’s in the director’s seat.
In June, Simone will lead an international team of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease advocates to walk the Magna Via Francigena, a recently discovered pilgrimage route to the Temple of Asclepius—the birthplace of healthcare and medicine.
Devotees built the temple in early 4th-century BC to honor Asclepius, patron god of medicine in ancient Greek mythology. Asclepius was so skillful in the art of surgery that he could return the living from the dead. He was killed at the request of Hades who feared Asclepius was stealing souls away from him.
“I want the film to show people there was a time when this temple was considered the world’s first hospital. People came here with the notion that they would be cured of their diseases,” Simone said. “After two millennia, in a world of super science and technology, why are we still struggling? How much more time will it take to find the cures people seek?”
The documentary will portray their 10-day trek across the Island of Sicily as a voyage of introspection not only for Simone himself, but for each of the advocates joining him whose lives have been impacted by Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s in some way.
“Being an advocate is an evolutionary process,” he said. “Over the course of time, certain people will cross your path who will re-chart the entire direction of where you thought you were going. Just by listening to what other advocates have to say and seeing what they do and understanding what they stand, it expanded my horizons and enlightened me to do an even greater good.”
“Pilgrimage to Enlightenment” is expected to hit film festivals in spring 2020. Visit the movie’s website for more information.
