Posts by Laura Malis
Walnuts for Brain Health After Stroke | Aphasia at Home
Walnuts for brain health after stroke have been part of my life for more than 50 years. I’ve been eating walnuts for more than 50 years. I’m not sure why. My mom used them in oatmeal. I used them in cereal — Grape-Nuts, Cheerios, Raisin Bran. Walnuts, a little sugar, half a banana, and milk.…
Read MoreCocoa and Coffee for Brain Health After Stroke and Aphasia
Cocoa & Coffee Real taste, simple ritual, brain food for stroke Cocoa is chocolate — just the pure, unsweetened part. This is part of my 7 Brain Foods for Stroke: My Daily Brain-Support Program. I drank coffee with Half & Half and sugar from the time I was 18. In winter, my special treat was…
Read More7 Brain Foods Stroke That Support Blood Flow, Steady Energy, and Low Inflammation
7 Brain Foods for Stroke: My Daily Brain-Support Program Simple Foods, small habits, real life after stroke and aphasia After my stroke and aphasia, I spent years working on language, reading, and my brain. I also slowly changed how I eat. Not a diet. Not strict. Not expensive. Just simple foods I use most days…
Read MoreAI Teacher and Laura Talk about AIs Name and Aphasia.
Arguing (sort of) between AI Teacher and Laura Hi AI. ARE YOU A SHE, HE, THEY, OR IT? AI. Good question I don’t have a gender or a body.l I’m an AI, so the most accurate choice is “it.” That said, many people prefer to use “they” because it feels more human and respectful. You…
Read MoreAphasia Poetry, AI, and Text-to-Speech: Write Again
AI Became My Teacher And Why This Poem Had to Be Heard, Not Read I wrote the poem for my aphasia poetry class. I published it to the group on Monday January 19, 2026. This was my fourth poem in my life. After I wrote it, I wasn’t sure it was a poem. That is…
Read MoreAphasia and Writing. How it works.
Aphasia and Writing. It Takes Time. ChatGPT is a Collaborator. Since September 2025, I’ve experienced aphasia and writing. I’ve produced 14 blog posts for Aphasia at Home. I’m honestly amazed by how much I’m enjoying writing again. Before my stroke in July 2022, I had two blogs. The first was during COVID. The second was…
Read MoreWhy Writing Poetry Helps People with Aphasia
Why Writing Poetry Helps When You Have Aphasia Then see my poem about 2025 and 2026! I admit it. I was depressed. You do not need long sentences. Your do not need perfect grammar. You can use single words. Short Lines. White space. That matters when language is hard. Poetry lets you: practice word finding…
Read More11 Practical tips for living with aphasia
Aphasia Recovery Takes Daily Practice Every person with aphasia is unique. But if we want to rebuild language—speaking, reading, and writing—it helps to think of recovery as a full-time job, about 30 or 40 hours a week. Speech Therapy and Home Practice Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are important. They help guide recovery and show how language…
Read MoreAphasia Practice at Home: Haircut Language After Stroke
Life After Stroke: Practicing Language at Home Life after a stroke can be overwhelming—especially when aphasia makes speaking, reading, and writing difficult. At Aphasia at Home, I share real experiences and practical tools that help people with aphasia practice language in everyday situations. This post highlights a simple but powerful resource for rebuilding confidence and…
Read MoreSunflower Lanyard helps with Hidden Disabilities
Making the Invisible Visible How the Sunflower Lanyard Helps People With Hidden Disabilities I was going to write a long blog post explaining the Sunflower Lanyard — but I don’t need to. Aphasia Phil and Glory Gresham have already created an excellent video that breaks down how the lanyard works and why it matters for…
Read More