Exercise provides a natural endorphin rush and stress release. Exercise is important for everyone, including your loved ones with PWS. Make it a family activity - ride bikes together, play tag in the backyard, go for a walk or run. If exercise is not your thing, just moving your body will help - roller skate, swim, dance - the options are endless. Click here or on the image above to find helpful resources on exercise.
Taking time every day to channel your inner peace and refill your cup will give you the energy to enjoy the rest of your day with the utmost happiness and supportiveness for others. Only by having your own mental clarity, free of self-stress and self-inflicted worries, will you be able to show up to the rest of your life the way you want to. Click here or on the image above to find helpful resources on Mindfulness & Meditation.
Eating healthy, nutritious foods are essential for not only your children but for you as well. Include a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats throughout the day to help nourish your cells with what they need to help you perform. Having a balance of these three nutrients is what we call the "energy trifecta" - it helps keep blood sugar levels more stable and helps you feel more energized throughout the day. Click here or on the image above to find helpful resources on nutrition.
Whether you’re striving to eat healthier, exercise more, manage stress or boost your wellness overall, staying motivated is crucial. The more motivated you are, the more successful you’ll be at reaching your goals and maintaining your results long-term. Even modest efforts can go a long way toward keeping your enthusiasm and determination going strong. Click here or on the image above to find helpful resources on Motivation & Coaching.
Wellness Tips from our PWS Caregiver Community
Motivation & Coaching
Therapy, exercise, family support, positive thinking, one day at a time, focus on 1-2 years goals to avoid worry about unknown future.
- Angela, PWS Parent
Mindfulness & Meditation
Do what you love! Make a list of things that bring you joy and schedule time to participate in them - weekly or monthly.
- Anonymous
Mindfulness & Meditation
Take 15 minutes a day for yourself. It doesn't matter how you spend those 15 minutes if it is meaningful to you. Take a bath or have a cup of coffee alone before anyone else wakes up.
- Anonymous
Exercise
Movement! I am a Peloton user and rely on cycling classes, yoga, meditation, and strength training to help keep my focus on my personal wellbeing. There are so many options available on YouTube as well (as a yoga teacher, I love Yoga by Adriene on YouTube and have recommended her for years).
- Valerie Selinger, PWS Parent
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.