Categories
General

Living with ALS

Non-drug therapies are an essential part of the management of ALS. These include lifestyle changes such as eating easy-to-swallow foods, which is advised especially in the early stages of the disease. 

Physiotherapy to tackle pain and mobility and the use of equipment such as braces or a wheelchair can help prolong independence.

Occupational therapists can also provide advice regarding adaptations in the home.

Since the muscles involved in speech are affected, speech therapy can help ALS patients make themselves understood and explore other methods of communication including computerized voice synthesizers.

When breathing becomes more difficult, equipment may be required at night. In the later stages of the disease, a ventilator attached to a breathing tube inserted into the windpipe may be necessary.

Categories
General Nutrition

Fueling From Within: Nutrition, Fitness, and Wellness

The actions we take to fuel our bodies on the inside are often some of the more, if not the most, important steps in maintaining a healthy lifestyle to the best of our abilities.

Whether it be nutrition, fitness, or wellness, information on all three are scattered throughout the Internet and consistently recommended by healthcare professionals. The importance of taking care of our bodies from within is not only exclusive to a group of people but is crucial for everyone, which includes ALS patients as well. Nutrition and wellness can be more difficult for ALS patients and their families as limits to chewing, swallowing, and moving may be presented. Although many of recommended patients to an antioxidant and micronutrient-rich diet, supplements, or feeding tube nutrition, there is currently no concrete and consistent evidence that strongly correlates specific vitamins and supplements to the decline of ALS. However, we know that proper nutrition and mindfulness do play a crucial role in minimizing possible challenges in ALS. Teaming up with leading researchers, healthcare professionals, institutions, and our beloved ALS patients and families, we are dedicated to spreading awareness in the significance of nutrition and wellness by compiling all of these tips and resources into a single easy-access platform, in hopes of pushing forward the fight of ALS. 

Categories
General Marketplace

A Message to Our Vendors

Welcome! We wanted to take this time to introduce you to ALS Caring and thank you for your support. As many of us have been personally affected by ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that currently has no cure, through the diagnosis of a family member, friend, co-worker, neighbor, or ourselves, we see the forever change ALS has on our lives. As advocates of ALS, we wanted to create a single platform that provided a variety of resources, a list of information, and a sense of community to loosen some of the challenges-psychologically, physically, and financially- that our patients and families face. We currently have a wide range of categories listed on our site: wellness, transportation, physical therapies, medical supplies, in-home services, house cleaning, food and nutrition, clinical data, and cleaning supplies. As one of our partners, you will be listed under your respective category with an introduction space, product summary, and customer review section. All proceeds from customer purchases will not only go directly to you but utilizing our site makes the finding and purchasing process easier on our customers due to the compilation of products on a single platform, the sharing feature, and the informational tips our community gives. If you supply any one of those resources or have suggestions, reach out to us as we would love to have you on board. Please join us in helping our ALS patients and their family members as well as contributing to the promising progress in finding a cure to ALS.

 

Categories
General

Leaky Gut: A concern for ALS?

Leaky gut is a condition of the digestive system in which bacteria and toxins leak out through the walls of the intestines into the bloodstream. When it is working correctly, the lining of the intestines forms a barrier that allows helpful substances to be absorbed in the bloodstream, while blocking harmful substances. 

There are naturally occurring gaps in the wall of the intestines that allow for some intestinal permeability. When these gaps are small, they are called tight junctions and form a barrier that only allows certain substances to pass through. However, when the gut lining in unhealthy, those gaps can become larger, allowing space for unwanted things like partially digested food particles, certain proteins, and toxins to enter the bloodstream. This is called increased intestinal permeability. The passage of harmful substances creates a cycle of inflammation and changes to gut bacteria. This cycle is associated with a number of chronic diseases.

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