This spicy lettuce wraps recipe, from Tan Tan Café in Oregon, uses their special sauces that are available at their restaurant and some grocery stores. You can substitute sauces depending on availability in your area. This simple recipe is plant-based and delicious!

Watch Lisa from Tan Tan Cafe prepare lettuce wraps

If you’re used to eating a certain way, it can be hard to make healthy changes to help manage your Parkinson’s symptoms.

But even small changes added up over time can make a big difference in how you feel. We talked with John Duda, MD, to get his tips for getting more of the right foods.

1. Make room for the good stuff. Avoid processed foods.

Having a hard time pronouncing the long list of ingredients in your food? Processed foods contain chemical preservatives and other ingredients to extend their shelf life and make them more appealing to consumers. Unfortunately, this increases the amount of salt, sugar, and bad fats in your diet, as well as taking away many of the great phytonutrients found in whole plant foods. “Try to eliminate processed foods,” says Dr. Duda. “This helps to get rid of empty calories that are a problem.”

When you’re at the grocery store, look at the nutrition label to see how much salt, sugar, and fat are in the product before adding it to your basket. In general, you want to be spending more time in the produce and frozen foods section than the middle aisles of the supermarket with all the processed food.

2. Get the biggest bang for your buck.

Loading up on any and all fruits and vegetables is essential for a healthy diet. For people with PD, certain plant-based foods can give you a lot of bang for your buck – especially if you’re dealing with digestive issues like constipation. “Flax seed is a great choice to add to a diet that helps with constipation,” explains Dr. Duda. “Beans and leafy greens are also foods that people don’t get enough of that are filled with nutrients and support a healthy digestive system.”

3. Add some spice.

“Spices are real powerhouses of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories,” says Dr. Duda. “Experiment with pretty much any spices you like – almost all have high levels of phytonutrients.” Some spices, like turmeric, may be particularly beneficial for the brain. But incorporating any spices into your cooking is probably good for you. Dried and frozen spices are often just as good as fresh. And be sure to search online for tips on preparation. Some spices, like onions, shallots and garlic, should be cut and set aside for a few minutes to allow healthy compounds to form.

4. Don’t forget – you are what you drink, too.

Just like any other food you eat, beverages can support a healthy diet – or the opposite. Some beverages, like soda, are filled with sugar and empty calories. Even people who shun unhealthy beverages and instead opt for water can make their beverage choice healthier. “People need to drink more water, but tea is an even better choice because it has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds,” say Dr. Duda. “Most teas you don’t need to boil, you can just drop a tea bag and set aside for an a few hours or overnight to steep. And you can have whatever kind you like – red, green, black, white, mint or all kinds of herbal teas. They all contain healthy nutrients.”

5. Try new things.

Curious about going meatless? Try it for a day, or dedicate a day a week to being meat-free. (Meatless Monday!) Or take your favorite recipe and try some new spices to add nutrients and flavor. Ethnic foods are often plant-based, so grab a friend and try a new cuisine. Enjoy experimenting with food and you might be surprised that healthy can be delicious!

John Duda, MD, is the director of the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC) of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and associate professor of neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

A desire to start a support group for the Parkinson’s community at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital has become an innovative medical fitness program that provides social support and more at Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center.

We talked with Lake Forest Hospital Parkinson’s Program Coordinator Linda Egan about the program and the wealth of resources it provides to people with Parkinson’s and their care partners.

Tell us how the Parkinson’s medical fitness program at Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center started.</strong

The fitness program first started because of community interest in a support group for people with Parkinson’s. With funds from Northwestern Medicine Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, a support group of around 20 people was started at NM Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center in 2015. We also started a couple of exercise classes, first a pedaling class and then a dance class, with about 4-6 participants. As those programs started going, we had more community interest in our classes, which led to funds from donors that allowed us to grow.

Today we’re a completely donor funded program, thanks to generous individuals in our community, with 65-70 people in our support groups and 240 people on the rosters for our Parkinson’s exercise classes. We are also a collaborative effort between Northwestern Medicine Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center in Chicago, NM Lake Forest Hospital and NM Central DuPage Hospital.

Tell us about Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center.

Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center is a community-based fitness center that also offers medical fitness programs and outpatient rehabilitation services. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology are offered at the center along with gym facilities and exercise classes. Our medical fitness programs are a team effort between our rehab specialists and our exercise instructors, who we provide with quarterly in-service trainings and other types of support so that they get to know the nuances of Parkinson’s and our participants. For example, last year we hosted the Brian Grant Foundation exercise for Parkinson’s training for our staff members.

Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center is open to the public and we have people in our Parkinson’s medical fitness program who receive care at other hospital systems in the area. We include anyone in the community in our programs and our Parkinson’s exercise classes are provided for free. We receive referrals from physicians at Northwestern Medicine as well as from physicians outside of Northwestern Medicine. We also get a lot of referrals from word of mouth since we’re the only hospital-based Parkinson’s fitness program in the area.

What types of Parkinson’s exercise classes are offered at Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center?

We offer nine fitness classes at varying levels of difficulty, so 20 different opportunities to sign up for classes Monday through Friday. Our classes are tailored to the level of the people in the classes and care partners can also join. We offer Rock Steady Boxing, Functional Fitness, Pedal for Parkinson’s, Strength & Balance, Stride & Strength, TRX for Parkinson’s, Yoga for Parkinson’s, and Aquatics classes. In addition to our regular exercise classes, we also offer comedy Improv and horseback riding.

Tell us about horseback riding!

Our horseback riding program is once a week and participants ride for a half hour and then groom their horse for a half hour. Participants have reported improvements in coordination, balance, gait, flexibility, and posture. When you’re on a horse, you’re continually challenged to make small adjustments to stay on the horse and maintain posture, which has amazing benefits. We’ve seen participants who are forward flexed when they start riding and over a couple of weeks, their posture is improved.

Horseback riding also promotes cognition. And then there’s just the sheer joy of riding. The smiles on people’s faces are unbelievable! Grooming has also helped decrease anxiety, as people feel a connection with the horse without judgment. Participants say they feel grooming their horses is also a way they can give back to the program. Plus, many of our participants rode when they were younger so this program gives them a chance to keep doing the things that they love to do.

How has the Parkinson’s fitness program changed since the beginning of COVID?

In March, we stopped all classes and sent emails to participants with links to online resources, like the Brian Grant Foundation’s exercise videos. We tried to stay in touch with everyone by sending out weekly and biweekly emails and connecting people to one another. People were helping each other out, with things like grocery shopping, and I was also emailing people individually to check in.

Once Illinois moved into phase 3, we started some outdoor exercise classes and personal training. We now have six classes indoors, with only 10 participants in each class and social distance maintained. We’re constantly evaluating what else we can do while following the Illinois safety guidelines because staying at home has been very hard for our Parkinson’s group. They are very social and have deep rooted relationships with each other. They’ve also found that their exercise instructors keep them safe and make sure they are doing activities correctly. Exercise videos are helpful, but the intensity is not the same without exercise instructors and friendly competition in class.

Anything else you would like to share?

I love my job! I feel like I’m blessed to be in this position with Northwestern Medicine where we work hard to have a patient-centered approach to the management of Parkinson’s. My dad had Parkinson’s and I understand this disease as a clinician, family member and community member. I understand the importance of promoting relationships so that people with Parkinson’s know they have a team behind them that can help them manage whatever is in front of them. The people in our Parkinson’s community know that they are not alone.

To learn more about the Parkinson’s program at Lake Forest Hospital and Lake Forest Health and Fitness Center, please contact Linda Egan at Linda.Egan@nm.org.

Can you think of an easy way to boost your overall health and happiness, while slowing down the progression of Parkinson’s disease? Don’t worry. We’ll walk you through it.

Life with Parkinson’s isn’t easy, but you can navigate the difficult terrain of this disease by making a commitment to daily exercise. The Parkinson’s Foundation, in collaboration with the American College of Sports Medicine, published updated exercise recommendations a few years ago. These include:

Aerobic activity
At least 150 minutes/week (e.g., walking, cycling, swimming)

Strength training
2–3 days/week

Balance, agility, multitasking exercises
2–3 days/week

Stretching
2–3 days/week, ideally daily

But if fitness isn’t your forte and that sounds like too much, don’t sweat it. You don’t have to run marathons to reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Lace up those sneakers and give walking a try.

For people with Parkinson’s, walking every day can drastically improve your ability to live an independent and fulfilling life. Research has found that just 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking daily may slow the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms, while improving gait, balance, tremor and flexibility.

Just ask Dr. Ergun Uc of the University of Iowa and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City. His 2014 study concluded that people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s Disease improved their mobility, motor function, mood, fatigue levels and overall quality of life after six months of taking regular aerobic walks.

Roughly 60 people with PD took part in the study, which entailed walking at moderate intensity while wearing heart rate monitors three times a week for 45 minutes per session for six months. The participants also took tests that measured their motor function, aerobic fitness, mood, tiredness, memory and thinking abilities.

The average walking speed was about 2.9 miles per hour, and participants were exercising at 47 percent of their heart rate reserve, which qualifies as moderate intensity aerobic exercise.

The study found that brisk walking improved motor function and mood by 15 percent, attention and response control scores by 14 percent, reduced tiredness by 11 percent, and increased aerobic fitness and gait speed by 7 percent.

Compelling reasons to try treadmill walking

Treadmill walking has shown benefits to improving Parkinson’s symptoms, particularly gait. It is often encouraged for those more advanced in their disease who may otherwise struggle with navigating turns.

In 2010, researchers from the U.K.-based nonprofit Cochrane analyzed data from eight trials featuring 203 people with Parkinson’s.

They compared treadmill training vs. no treadmill training, using effects on walking speed, stride length, number of steps per minute (cadence) and walking distance to measure improvement in gait. Treadmill training had a positive impact on each of these measurements, apart from cadence.

In 2011, researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center found that Parkinson’s patients who walked on a treadmill three times a week for three months at a comfortable speed for a longer duration improved their gait more than patients who walked for less time but at an increased speed and incline.

The study compared 67 people with Parkinson’s disease who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: walking on a treadmill at low intensity for 50 minutes; higher-intensity treadmill training to improve cardiovascular fitness for 30 minutes; and using weights and stretching exercises to improve muscle strength and range of motion.

Researchers measured participants’ cardiovascular fitness before and after training and found cardiovascular improvement in both the low- and high-intensity groups.

“We saw positive effects with all three types of exercise, but the low-intensity training showed the most consistent improvement in gait and mobility,” said Dr. Lisa Shulman, principal investigator and professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

3 tips for using a treadmill safely

1. Don’t get on a treadmill while the belt is moving at full speed. Clip the safety stop cord onto your clothing so that it will stop the treadmill if you stumble or fall. Start the treadmill at a slow rate of speed, then increase as needed.

2. Avoid hunching your shoulder, looking down or leaning forward. This reinforces poor posture and walking habits, and can lead to low back, neck and shoulder pain. Good walking posture is with the head up and eyes forward.

3. Take it one step at a time. The right way to walk is to strike with the heel in front while the rest of the forward foot is slightly off the ground. Then you roll through the step from heel to toe. By the time the toe is on the ground, you are midway into the next step.

Watch our Expert Q&A: Walking with Parkinson’s – Click here.

We’ll tell you which fruits and veggies are in season right now, where to find seasonal produce in your state, and how to incorporate them into mouth-water recipes.

Scientific research—not to mention common sense—taught us that eating a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet helps us look and feel better from the inside-out. It’s how we nourish our brains, optimize digestion and keep the other complicated systems of the human body running smoothly.

To get the best nutritional bang for your buck, choose fresh fruit and veggies from the farmer’s market or produce department over their canned counterparts. If you really want to up your health game, reach for the seasonal produce.

It’s normal to see the same types of fruits and veggies lining supermarket shelves 365 days a year, but that doesn’t mean the quality is the same year-round. Seasonal produce is fresher, tastier and more nutritious.

It’s also more cost-efficient since the rules of supply and demand dictate that the more abundant the produce, the lower the prices. Buying seasonal produce sourced from nearby farms boosts the local economy, which means you’re not only helping yourself, you’re helping your community.

Where can I find seasonal produce in my state?

Seasonalfoodguide.org is the most comprehensive national database of seasonal produce available in the U.S. You can search by state or month to learn where and when local produce in peak season is in your area. You can also search by produce item to find out where and when your favorite fruits and veggies are at their ripest.

You can then scroll through the various produce items that appeal to you. There will likely be a few that you don’t recognize or haven’t heard of before. Once you click on a specific fruit, veggie or herb that catches your eye, you’ll learn:

• Nutritional profiles and random fun facts
• Months in which it’s at its peak freshness
• How to store it for optimal freshness
• Tips for cooking, cleaning and consuming it
• Lots of recipes to keep meals interesting

(Trust us, you will be smitten with this website.)

Which fruits and veggies are in season right now?

There are far too many to list! Fall is known for its rich, hearty vegetables and plump, juicy fruits that fill the belly and prep our bodies for the cold winter ahead. It’s soup season for a reason, you know.

Here are some popular seasonal produce options for fall:
• Pumpkin, squash, and sweet potatoes
• Swiss chard, butter lettuce
• Apples, pears and grapes
• Plums, pomegranates and pineapples
• Broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts
• Mushrooms and jalapeno peppers

How about some fun fall recipes to try at home?

You got it. We like this recipe for Moroccan Vegetable Stew, courtesy of Parkinson’s disease nutrition specialist Kathrynne Holden at Nutritionucanlivewith.com.

Want a few more recipes? Visit briangrant.org/recipes to learn how to make:
• Thai Green Curry Spaghetti Squash
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
• Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

Kathryn Jones

For three generations, Nicholas Restaurant has been serving up traditional Middle Eastern cuisine for the Portland Metro community. This recipe for muhammara (roasted red pepper and walnut hummus) combines garbanzo beans, red pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, walnuts and cumin for a creamy, plant-based dish that originate in Aleppo, Syria.

Thank you to Nicholas Restaurant for sharing this recipe.

Watch the video and follow along at home!

Oregon Sports Hall of Fame celebrates its 40th anniversary and selects Brian Grant as the recipient of the Commitment to Community Service Award.

Special Virtual Induction Ceremony To Be Held September 26, 2020 at 7pm PST on KGW

August 31, 2020

2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. To celebrate the milestone event, legacy inductees will make appearances at this year’s annual induction ceremony, scheduled for September 26. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, this year’s induction ceremony will be a virtual event. Instead of the traditional Multnomah Athletic Club awards banquet, this year’s event will air on KGW TV at 7:00 PM, and also be seen on YouTube, KGW.com and at www.oregonsportshall.org. Jordan Kent is master of ceremonies, with additional participation by Orlando Sanchez, KGW TV sports anchor.

The 2020 class of inductees will include five new members, who will join nearly 400 prior inductees, according to Mike Rose, induction ceremony chairman.

This year’s class includes Craig Hanneman, multi-sport, John Jaha, baseball, Rockne Freitas, football, Tom Jernstedt, special contribution, and Tiffeny Milbrett, soccer. In addition, Brian Grant will receive the special Commitment to Community award.

Inductees will be introduced by legacy recipients Steve Preece, Dale Murphy, Steven Jackson, Mike Bellotti and Shannon MacMillan.

This year’s virtual 40th anniversary program will also include appearances by Phil Knight, Bill Walton, Mel Renfro, Neil Lomax, Dan Fouts, Tinker Hatfield and Bill Schonely, and many more, all prior inductees.

Each year the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame helps preserve Oregon’s rich sports heritage through its recognition of outstanding Oregon athletes and special contributors to sport.

In addition, Oregon Sports Hall of Fame college scholarships will be awarded to Oregon scholar-athletes, made possible by contributions from the MacTarnahan Family Trust. Six student-athletes will be awarded $3000 scholarships to be used for continuing their education at Oregon colleges and universities.

This year’s student athletes are: GABRIEL KNOX from Harrisburg HS, LESLY LUJAN LOPEZ from Beaverton HS, JOHNNY MARTINEZ from David Douglas HS, TAYLOR RAMIREZ from Gresham HS, MAXWELL REED from Oregon City HS, and JILLIAN RUDOLF from North Lake HS.

The event will air at 7:00 PM. The program will repeat on KGW TV on dates TBA.

The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame recognizes and honors Oregon’s rich athletic history with our museum and annual induction and awards ceremony. The Hall of Fame’s goal is to inspire participation in sport and foster awareness of the values and life-long rewards gained from this participation.

The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame & Museum now has a select number of exhibits on display at 4840 SW Western Avenue in Beaverton OR. Please come visit between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm week days. There is no charge for admission. You can reach us at 503/227-7466 and www.oregonsportshall.org.

Parkinson’s not only affects those diagnosed, but also adds a new layer of complexity to their relationships with loved ones.

Communication is the key to healthily navigating your concerns with your parent with Parkinson’s and showing support in the most effective way. Throughout my childhood and now adulthood of living with my mother and her diagnosis, I have reflected on our conversations around PD, and I present five tips on communicating and supporting your parent with Parkinson’s.

1. Approach discussions at the right time in the right way.

When discussing more sensitive topics, reading the other person and situation correctly becomes more important. Everyone is receptive to different approaches, but there are a few ways to frame conversations that I have found especially helpful. Try setting up conversations around adding in more healthy habits versus taking something away. For example, if I notice my mother is puttering around the house and not taking enough time for self-care, instead of insisting that she stop whatever task she is tackling immediately I might suggest that she take some time to read a good book, lounge with a cup of tea, or catch up with friends and family over the phone. Being deliberate in when you approach these conversations is key. I try to be more proactive and consistent rather than ambushing my mother while she is in the middle of a task.

2. Show you care and help out through actions.

There may be certain topics and conversations that cause tension between you and your parent with Parkinson’s. In my family it is suggesting my mother take more breaks and ask for help when it comes to housework and errands. Instead of causing unnecessary issues by bringing these topics up often, my sisters and I have adapted by being more aware of when my mother is silently struggling and intercepting chores before she can get to them. Another approach can be proactively taking actions that may ease your parent’s workload or supporting them in other ways they find helpful.

3. Get involved and educated.

Not only is it important to listen to the experiences of your parent with Parkinson’s, but also getting involved with the PD community may give you more insight into the disease and its effects. The more you are able to listen to others, the more likely you are to learn something that could help you and your parent with Parkinson’s navigate the disease and your relationship. This can look like participating in a fundraiser, a local 5K, attending a support group, or even reaching out online. As the quote goes, “we fear what we do not understand,” so educating yourself on all aspects of Parkinsons’s and its greater implications for your parent and your family will not only lessen your anxiety and worries, but may also open you up to more PD-centered conversations.

4. Seek the help of others.

Along with getting involved with the PD community, another way to learn more is by seeking the help of others when necessary. For example, if you would like to learn more about the disease itself and the kind of care your parent is receiving, perhaps go along with them to their next doctor’s appointment if they are comfortable with that. Reach out to other members of your family and support network to get advice and to keep the conversation about PD continuously going.

5. Know when to take a step back.

As much as it is important to be there for you parent with Parkinson’s it is also key to know how they need you. I often find myself trying to take on every chore and task that I suspect my mother may need support with, without taking into account how strong I know she is! I acknowledge that just as this disease is physically challenging for her it is also mentally difficult, and trying to stop her from doing everyday chores in the name of physical self-care might affect her mental morale.

This disease is complex and challenging, and so navigating your relationship with a loved-one with PD is too. Ultimately, they are still your parent, the same person you have always known and so just like any other challenge in your relationship, it comes down to respect, understanding, and communication!

By Neha Mathur, who is pictured with her mother, Soania, above.

Self-care for Parkinson’s is important to help you manage your symptoms.

According to the World Health Organization, self-care can be defined as “what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, prevent and deal with illness.” As a physician I know how important self-care is for optimizing quality of life in the context of a chronic illness like Parkinson’s. But like others living with the challenges of this disease (in my case 21 years since my diagnosis) I also know that it takes a significant effort to prioritize one’s health in all areas. This include physical, mental and emotional health. And despite knowledge and good intentions, in the hectic pace of life, our to do lists, family’s needs and other responsibilities can often take precedent over our own care. But at what price?

Parkinson’s is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease and symptoms need to be addressed on a daily basis. Our symptom control is fairly fragile. There exists a fine balance between the effectiveness of our medications and the side effects we may experience. Any change can upset that balance – change in stress, sleep, other sickness, even diet. Because of this vulnerable state we live in, the key to living optimally with Parkinson’s disease is to establish a routine of self-care. Although individual routines will differ depending on needs and limitations, there are some general points to consider.

Stick to a regular sleep schedule

Sleep is a time of reprieve from the persistent movement that marks our tremors or dyskinesia and the relaxation of the stiffness that we experience. It is also thought that perhaps sleep is a time for replenishing remaining dopamine stores as well.

Eat a healthy diet

Malnourishment is a known complication of this illness which leads to poor physical health and poor quality of life. So it is very important for your overall health to eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet with protein redistribution if you find it interferes with absorption of your medication. (Learn more about nutrition for Parkinson’s on our website.)

Get regular exercise

Exercise is key and absolutely necessary in Parkinson’s disease! It helps to prevent bone loss, improve stiffness, muscle strength, mobility and balance. There are also undeniable benefits for cardiac and pulmonary health. You simply feel better. (Learn more about exercise for Parkinson’s on our website.)

Stimulate your mind

Just as physical exercise is important to keep your body strong, stimulating your mind is also important. Puzzles, games, formal online brain activities – all are great ways to keep your mind sharp and stimulated.

Take your medications on time

The timing of Parkinson’s medications is very important. Missed or delayed doses often will result in an increased off time or a break-through of your symptoms. Doses too close together will result in an increased risk for dyskinesias.

Don’t forget to relax

Between our life responsibilities and managing our symptoms, life can be busy and full of activity. But it’s important to work in some down time into your day, to allow your body to relax. Particularly since many people with Parkinson’s tend to sleep poorly, a short nap during the day may prove to be rejuvenating.

Mental relaxation

In the same spirit, it is important to relax your mind. This can be accomplished in many ways – sitting in quiet contemplation, reading, listening to music or something more formal like meditation.

Do what you love

Whether it’s your occupation or a hobby, pursuing interests that you love is vital. Try not to give those activities up as they are integral to your sense of satisfaction and well-being.

There are certain things that those of us with Parkinson’s must do in order to live well with this disease. Not only do we have to advocate to optimize our care from those health care professionals on our team but we have to recognize that a big part of managing this condition is being an active participant; controlling those variables that we do have control over. So establish and protect your self-care time. It will undoubtedly result in you being better able to face the challenges this disease brings.

Dr. Soania Mathur is a member of BGF’s medical advisory board and Parkinson’s advocate. Soania has written numerous articles about living with Parkinson’s and is the author of books to help people talk to their children about the disease. Soania is a speaker and serves on the boards of many Parkinson’s organizations.