Tag Archive for: physically active

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Living With Wolfram Syndrome – Adam Zwan

Are You Trigger Happy?

Photo of Adam ZwanPortion distortion is one of the many reasons for the rapid increase in obesity among individuals in the United States.  One category of food that people tend to splurge on is called trigger food.  Trigger foods are those that individuals go to when they are multi-tasking.  For example, while watching a movie, reading a book, working on a computer, or studying for an exam a person may have a snack item at their side and by the time he or she pays attention the entire bag has been eaten.  Depending on a person and their taste buds, trigger food may include chips, candy, popcorn, trail mix, cheese cubes, and list goes on.

There are no bad food groups or bad foods just improper serving sizes.  The good news is that trigger foods do not have to be eliminated from one’s diet; they should just be eaten in the right amount.  Luckily, many methods can be practiced to eat more mindfully.  For one, take your chosen trigger food and measure out a single serving and then placed the remaining food back in the pantry or fridge.  In turn, a smaller amount will be eaten and a limited amount will cause a slower eating pace, which will also help with healthy metabolism.

A popular method in defeating trigger foods is when grocery shopping, shop the perimeter of the store. Fat, salt, and sugar are the three taste good ingredients, which is why manufactured products all contain one or a combination of the three giving snack foods an addictive quality.  By staying on the perimeter of a store a person is less likely to buy trigger foods and have them in the household increasing temptation to overeat.  Also, shopping the perimeter increases the ability to substitute trigger foods with fresh fruits and vegetable.  Instead of having an entire bag of chips while multi-tasking have an apple; now, a bag of chips is defeated with healthier item.

As a Wolfram patient, controlling diabetic glucose levels is extremely important when slowing nerve damage.  Trigger foods can easily boost glucose levels, so eating more mindfully can promote controlled diabetes.  Limiting and substituting trigger foods has proven to be a valuable lesson in living healthier and increasing the quality of life.

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Living With Wolfram Syndrome – Lauren Gibilisco

Diabetes, Wolframs and Botox, Oh My!

Photo of Lauren Gibilisco

Lauren Gibilisco

Hello everyone.  My Botox surgery was a success.  I am happy to report that I am getting up only two or three times a night instead of every hour. I don’t feel as tired anymore through out the day.  This has made me feel so much better. I am able to drink a lot more and hold a lot more than every before.  This gives me a lot more energy so I can talk a lot more which is just what my mom needs. LOL.

I was also able to go back to my volunteer job this week where I shred paper.  Who better to shred confidential papers than someone who can’t see anything on them. ha-ha.  I’ve had this job since high school which I really enjoy.  The people there treat me like anyone else.  They don’t pity me.  In fact quite the opposite.  They love to give me a hard time and tease me.  It’s hard to know who is getting more harassed, them or me. My mouth is the only part of me that is not affected by WS.  Winking smile
I should back up and tell you a little about me.  I am affected by all aspects of DIDMOAD.  DI (DIABETES INSIPIDUS), DM (DIABETES MELLITUS), OA (OPTIC ATROPHY, D (DEAFNESS).  I am legally blind and use a cane to get around. I wear hearing aids for high frequency hearing loss. I was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus when I was two years old and take insulin shots.  The Diabetes Insipidus is controlled by medication. I take 20 prescription pills every day to control my WS. I was diagnosed with WS when I was 12. I have other symptoms but I will talk about them another day.
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Living With Wolfram Syndrome – Adam’s Story

What Define’s One’s Life

Photo of Adam ZwanSome people are glorified for an invention or for a remarkable breakthrough in science.  However, others make their mark in history by being diagnosed with a rare illness that shortens life expectancy by half.  My place in history start in 1987 on September 18, living life as a healthy young man only to find health beginning to spiral downward in 1994.  The diagnosis of Type I diabetes was only the first mile marker in my marathon known as Wolfram Syndrome.  As one of 18 patients with Wolfram in the United States I found myself obligated to beat the statistics and surpass the life expectancy of 31 years old by controlling my diabetes and staying as physically active as I possibly could. I took a realistic look at myself and said that Wolfram Syndrome is the hand that I was dealt in life and it is my responsibility to make the best of what I have.

[pullquote style=”right”]I took a realistic look at myself and said that Wolfram Syndrome is the hand that I was dealt in life and it is my responsibility to make the best of what I have.
[/pullquote] fitness routine has become the highlight of my every day and I use Wolfram as my driving force to continue staying physically active.  My clique is “No one needs an excuse to exercise everyday but it’s nice to know that I have one.”  Each day starts at Gold’s Gym from 6a.m until 8a.m. then I continue teaching fitness classes from 9a.m. until 12p.m. at a wellness and rehabilitation center and then finish each day with teaching Taekwondo classes from 3p.m.til 6p.m.  Simply put, being physically active, and helping others stay active, and rising above the natural struggles of health are just a few of the things I would like to define my life.

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