Living Well with ALS - a column by Dagmar Munn

I always love having a good “aha!” moment, especially when it helps improve how I manage my ALS symptoms. Better yet is when I learn that what I thought was a symptom of ALS was actually an impostor, the result of something called “learned nonuse.” Here’s what happened.

During the years I taught yoga, I always enjoyed explaining the concept of effort and ease. It’s the feeling of holding a yoga pose with the right amount of force. Not too much, not too little — just right. Little did I know how, years later, an expanded version of…

I’m always open to learning new things, especially when they involve simple ways to improve my life with ALS. When I come across something super helpful, I just have to share it with my readers. My most recent discovery involves a simple plastic straw. In fact, it’s become a…

During my first year living with ALS, I spent a lot of time researching and learning whatever I could about the disease. I came across long lists of medical equipment that patients like me could expect to use when ALS symptoms progressed. Books written by medical experts with…

I’m always surprised how something simple and totally unrelated to ALS can change my perspective about living with the disease. For example, who knew that a bag full of unfinished knitting and crocheting projects could lift me out of a temporary mental funk, return me to feeling positive…

I remember the first time someone asked me, “What is ALS?” It was an awkward moment and the question caught me completely off guard. Why? Because only a few months earlier I had received an ALS diagnosis and was searching for the answer to that very question myself. “Um…

I’ll admit that because I live with ALS, some of my past “Human vs. Automation” experiences have been, um, less than perfect. Touchpads that open automated doors don’t always work for me, and voice activation software doesn’t recognize my commands. But now, I have a new sense of…

I’m excited to share good news about the growing access by ALS patients to the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. As readers of this column likely know, I’ve been on a quest to increase awareness in the ALS community about these wonderful mind-body practices. Being mindful…

Shortly after I was diagnosed with ALS, I began to notice my reflexes acting kind of wonky. Pre-ALS, thanks to years of practicing yoga and tai chi, I considered myself a relatively calm and relaxed person. But now, any sudden loud noise or unexpected tap on my shoulder had…

For most people, the holidays are a time of joy and good cheer, and an opportunity to get together with family and friends. But when living with ALS, social gatherings have the potential to add stress to an otherwise happy season. For anyone like me who has ALS-related…