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Symptom Management
Exercise
When asking what to do to manage the early symptoms of
Huntington’s disease, exercise comes at the top of
the list. It is an easy, but effective way of helping yourself. It is well
known that exercise contributes to good
mental health as well as good physical health. You may know that regular
exercise has been shown to be an
effective way of treating depression. It can certainly contribute to a sense of well-being.
There is also some evidence from the HD research community that exercise may have an impact on slowing
down the motor problems caused by the illness. While no one is sure about this, the other benefits still make
it a very worthwhile activity. Regular exercise does not just involve having to go to the gym and can be as simple as going for a regular walk. If you
are unsure of what type of exercise to do, your General
Practitioner can give you advice. In many parts of
sports centre and can refer you for advice about exercise.
Diet
Getting a well balanced diet is another important way of enhancing your health and wellbeing. What you eat will be different depending on your tastes,
preferences and beliefs, but there are some good guidelines from the Department of Health. You should try to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables per
day. Most of the energy you need should come from eating things like bread, cereals, rice or pasta and these should make up about half of what you eat.
Try to limit the amount of fatty food or sweets that you eat to one or two portions per day. Eating some dairy products is an important way of getting
calcium, which you need for strong bones. You also need to eat enough protein which comes from meats, Soya or pulses. A lot of good advice is available
on the internet or from your GP surgery. If you have any concerns about your diet, it might be useful to talk them over with your GP. Some people with
Huntington’s disease find that they lose weight in the later stages of the illness. For this reason, we suggest that people with HD should not be concerned
if they are a little overweight.
Stress
Stress is a normal part of everyday life. Whether you are stuck in a traffic jam or trying to meet a deadline you will experience a degree of stress but usually
once whatever is causing the stress can be dealt with, it passes. Some stresses may be long term, for example problems in a relationship or illness. We all react
differently to stress but some of the symptoms include: being irritable, fatigued, having difficulty concentrating, feeling low and fretting.
If you have the early symptoms of Huntington’s disease, you may find that you experience stress and strain more easily than you used to and this in turn may
lead to you noticing an increase in your symptoms. You can help yourself greatly by learning how to deal with stress. There are many ways to reduce stress
which are not just about breathing exercises or relaxation techniques. Spending time on a favourite hobby, listening to music, pottering in the garden, going on a
social event with friends, reading or exercising are just a few ways in which you can relieve stress. One key to keeping stress down is to spend some time thinking
about the things that you enjoy that have a relaxing effect on you. Try writing out a list of things that you could do to relax. It is also important that you take time
to do these activities regularly because this will help prevent stress from building up.
Keeping a Positive Attitude
One of the challenges of living with early symptoms of HD is how to keep a positive outlook on life. It can be tough, but staying positive may mean that you feel
that you are on top of the challenges that you face in life. As weird as it may sound many people living with Huntington’s disease tell us that they have found
positives amongst the many difficulties that the illness brings. What would help you to stay positive? Below we have listed some ideas that may help you to keep
a positive attitude.
• Deciding to make the best use of the time when you are relatively well.
• Putting life in perspective and worrying less about ‘the small things’.
• Discovering new opportunities and meeting new people.
• Pursuing new interests and perhaps exploring your creative side.
• Spending quality time with the people that are important to you.
The SHA runs family branch support groups around
focus on the things that are positive in your life. Let the people around you know when you need support. It is natural for the people around you to be overprotective
and you may need to let them know how important it is to you to be as independent as possible.
Scottish Huntingtons Association,
Thistle House,
Tel; 01505 322245,
email: sha-admin@hdscotland.org.uk
The Scottish Huntington's Association is
a Registered Charity: No 121496.