About Parkinsons Disease

Natural Options that Reverse Symptoms

Secrets to Healing: Recovery is Always Moving Toward You

Are Answers are “Out There” Somewhere?

Many people who experience symptoms of Parkinsons Disease engage an aggressive search for ways to reverse them.  Secrets to healing are somewhere “out there” in the universe. The belief is that most of the good answers are difficult to find. The journey for the right answers is much like a treasure hunt for a treasure that is buried in a secret vault – a Fort Knox of sorts that locks up all the answers for reversing Parkinson’s symptoms.

Sometimes the journey involves finding one solution after another. When one solution fails to produce desired results, a new solution or therapy is pursued. Some people chase after dozens of therapies. Results are often disappointing time and time again. The search for answers “out there” is exhausting!

Research can and does make a difference. Being better informed can and does make a difference to recovery. That is why I maintain the massive body of resources on options for recovery on the many Parkinsons Recovery websites I subsidize.

But, there is a downside to a search “out there” somewhere for answers. It activates a continuous infusion of adrenaline. Adrenaline rushes are stimulating. They energize the body into action. The downside to adrenaline rushes is that the body has no energy or resources to produce dopamine. What is needed to reverse symptoms is to maintain a delicate balance of dopamine and adrenaline.

Recovery is Always Moving Toward You

There is a companion approach to a search for answers that offers the promise of marvelous results. Think about recovery as an opportunity that is always moving toward you. It is not something you have to discover by searching long and hard in places far away.

One of the seven secrets to healing a chronic illness like Parkinson’s disease is to
listen to the messages your body is always trying to communicate to you.  The body has a memory of the perfect state of wellness and health. Disease is not the body’s natural state. Health is.  the body is always striving to reverse any disease process that causes neurological symptoms.

Your body is giving you important information every day. Perhaps your intuition tells you to stop dying your hair or stop using a particular shampoo or stop using laundry detergent that is toxic. Perhaps you always tend to discount the instincts about recovery that you get every day. When you begin to trust these instincts you may marvel at how much better you begin to feel.

  • Finding natural ways to die your hair is not a solution that is “out there.” It is right here!
  • Finding a natural shampoo without toxins is not a mysterious solution that is “out there” somewhere. It is right here!
  • Changing your laundry detergent is not a task that can be performed only by a rocket scientist.

You can do it – right now.

The reality is that recovery is staring you in the face every day. Your job is simple. Pay attention. Act on any and all intuitions that you get when you listen to your body.

The body has all the resources it needs to maintain the delicate balance of adrenaline and dopamine. You usually have to make some life style changes to give the body the support it needs. When the body has the resources it needs to maintain balance, symptoms will melt like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day.

The answers have been staring you in the face all along. They are not “out there.” They have always been moving toward you.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Seven Secrets to Healing

Rock Solid Walking

Are you interested in rock solid walking? Are you sometimes anxious because of a fear you might …

  • Freeze
  • Trip
  • Stumble
  • Fall

When these fears rear their ugly head the possibility of falling, freezing, stumbling and tripping becomes even more likely. Ugh! Many practical solutions to mobility challenges do exist. I have documented what people with Parkinson’s report helps their walking to become rock solid.

Click on the image below to register for Rock Solid Walking
rock solid walking

Rock Solid Walking Online Course

Selected for inclusion in this comprehensive online course are the most useful tips, strategies, therapies and suggestions I have documented during the past decade and a half. Many are taken from the wisdom of guests on Parkinsons Recovery Radio.

I want everyone to know about the many proven techniques, therapies and strategies that offer the promise of reducing the troubling consequence of falling, freezing and tripping. It is high time to stop worries about having to make visits to hospital emergency rooms because of broken bones, sprains or muscle tears.

Rock Solid WalkingThe strategies, suggestions and tips for walking have been taken from the wisdom of two primary sources: individuals with Parkinson’s symptoms and knowledgeable health care professionals. Radio show guests reveal how they have succeeded in improving their own gait, walking pace and overall stability.

Rock Solid Walking Online CoursePhysical therapists and other health care professions who work with persons with Parkinson’s symptoms offer practical suggestions that they use with their patients. .

Connection mind with body

 

 

Ease of mobility is derailed when there is a disconnection between the mind and the body. This course covers how to restore this connection.

Fundamentals of Rock Solid Walking

The Fundamentals
Discover tried and true strategies that make it possible for walking to be balanced, centered, stable and safe every time.

Rock Solid Walking Feet

Feet
Feet need to be flexible and malleable for walking to be rock solid. Locations of rigidity in the bottom of your feet give important clues about why mobility is compromised.

Vision affects Walking

Vision
Sometimes a limitation or obstruction of peripheral vision accounts for mobility challenges. Other times it is a question of where you look when walking.

grounding affects rock solid walking

Grounding
A reason for falling, tripping and freezing is a lack of grounding. The human energy field that supports the physical body is top heavy. Discover ways to balance and center the energy field.

Exercises to make walking rock solid

Exercises
Simple exercises are discussed that address specific problems with mobility including poor posture, rigidity, freezing and shuffling.

Mindfulness improves gait and balance

Mindful Walking
Studies report that becoming mindful promotes walking that is rock solid. Become totally aware of the “now” experience rather than regretting the past or worrying about the future.

How to Kick Start Rock Solid Walking

How to Kick Start Mobility
Practical Suggestions for How to Kick Start Mobility Challenges

Music improves gait and balance

Sound Therapy
Research shows that listening to music that has well defined beats and rhythms facilitates a steady and reliable pace of walking.

Light therapy improves gait and balance

Light Therapy
Light can have an immediate effect on effortless mobility. For some people, wearing glasses that allow a specific color to dominate vision shifts walking from being awkward to effortless.

The online Rock Solid Walking course is accessible using any phone or computer.

Click on the image below to register:. rock solid walking online course

Spine issues affect gait and balance

Spinal Decompression
Problems with mobility can be caused by compression in the spine which can be corrected with a series of chiropractic adjustments.

Break Down Movements for Rock Solid Walking

Break Down Each Movement into its Component Parts
Any movement can be broken down into its component parts which make up the whole. Focus on the parts – not the movement taken as a whole. .

How to train for rock solid walking

Solution for Tick Tock Walking
Re-train your body to remember how to walk with evenly paced, evenly distanced strides.

Vibration therapy improves gait and balance

Stochastic Resonance Therapy
A new invention from Germany adds a critical feature to vibration therapy by delivering the frequency of the vibrations randomly.

Energy Healing centers the body to make walking rock solid

Chakra Healing
Watch a demonstration of a brief chakra healing using the voice to emit sounds that open up the energy flow through chakras.

Magnesium relaxes tight muscles

Solution for Rigidity
Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and one of the best therapies that offer relief from rigidity and stiffness..

Trauma is the underlying cause of gait and balance problems

Underlying Cause of Gait Difficulties
What really lies as the foundation of mobility challenges? Answer: Trauma locks up the muscles and freezes flexibility

Dancing makes walking rock solid

Dance Your Way to Success
The Tango – among other dances – helps maintain balance and centeredness. It is also fun and energizing.

Some walkers worsen gait and balance

Issues with Walkers
Are you considering using a walker to prevent falls? Select one that supports good posture rather than destroying it.

Accessing memories can make walking rock solid

Access Memories to Facilitate Rock Solid Walking
When struggling with large or small movements, recall an activity of the past that involved doing a similar movement effortlessly.

Yoga improves gait and balance

Yoga
Consistent practice of yoga helps make rock solid walking a reality

Guess what vitamin improves gait and balance

One Vitamin that Helps Maintain Balance and Prevent Falls
You may need to take more than you realize to get the benefit expected!

Click on the image to register:rock solid walking online course

Robert Rodgers PhD

Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

2024 Parkinsons Recovery Survey Results

 

This is a detailed report from responses provided by persons with Parkinson’s symptoms who responded to the 20242024 Parkinsons Recovery Survey Results Parkinsons Recovery Survey. The two minute survey asks two questions.

First, how have respondents been feeling since the previous holiday season one year ago (better, same, worse)

Second, what therapies have offered them symptom relief.

Listen to my reading of responses that reveal a huge range of therapies, methods and activities that offer symptom relief.

Bottom line: Many people believe that all persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease are destined to degenerate over time. As with the results of previous years, findings from 2024 soundly refute this false belief.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2024
Parkinsons Recovery

Pneumonia

  • Are you prone to experience respiratory problems including pneumonia?
    Have you ever had lung infections that were difficult to treat?
    Did you struggle to overcome a Covid infection?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions and currently experience Parkinsons symptoms, you want to provide protection again a pneumonia infection which is a leading cause of death among persons diagnosed with Parkinsons.

A new study offers a treatment found to offer respiratory support. The study evaluated a new photobiomodulation device – the Vielight RX-Plus – used as a treatment for 294 subjects experiencing COVID symptoms. Details of the study are reported below.

If you have confronted respiratory challenges in the past and decide to acquire the new Vielight RX-Plus device, there are two ways the company reduces the risk involved. First, they offer a 10% discount on all orders (coupon code healing4me). Second and most importantly, you are invited to use the device up to six months. If it does not offer the relief anticipated, you can return the device for an 80% refund.

Bottom line; Pneumonia is a serious health threat. The CODIV study results reported below suggest to me that the new photobiomodulation  is a new treatment option for pneumonia worth serious consideration.

Vielight RX-Plus Study

This first-of-its-kind PBM major clinical trial (n=294) with the Vielight RX-Plus (Vielight X-Plus 4 equivalent) examined the efficacy of photobiomodulation (PBM) in treating acute COVID-19 infections.

The primary focus was on recovery speed in patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms. Patients with symptom durations of 0–7 days experienced significantly faster recovery when treated with PBM and standard care (SOC) compared to SOC alone. However, those with 8–12 days of symptoms did not show significant improvement.

Recruitment

Recruitment began in September 2020, with 701 adults who tested positive for COVID-19 assessed for eligibility. Of these, 407 did not meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria: 406 participants either had severity scores outside the required 4-7 range on the WURSS-44 scale or were outside the age range of 18-65, while one couldn’t complete forms in English. This left 294 eligible participants. Recruitment ended on July 5, 2021, due to the availability of monoclonal antibodies, declining interest, and sufficient numbers for statistical power, after which the datasets were locked.

Results summary

This study evaluated the effectiveness of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, specifically the Vielight RX Plus, in accelerating recovery from COVID-19 for non-hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms. In patients experiencing symptoms for 0–7 days, PBM significantly reduced recovery time compared to standard of care (SOC) alone. However, in those with longer symptom durations (8–12 days), PBM did not produce a statistically significant improvement.

PBM was particularly effective in alleviating respiratory symptoms and reducing adverse effects like tachycardia and dysgeusia. It also contributed to a quicker recovery in specific symptoms such as headache, chest congestion, and body aches for patients in the 0–7 day symptom group. In contrast, the 8–12 day group showed slower recovery from fatigue and other energy-related symptoms, though they did experience milder symptom severity for some issues.

The study attributes the benefits of PBM to its anti-inflammatory effects, which have been linked to reduced cytokine levels in past research.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Magic of Music for Parkinsons

Hi Robert, some weeks ago I sent you a mail telling you my method to improve mymagic of music for Parkinsons walking especially in ff times. Here is a short video showing me first walking without the music – then afterwards walking with music and demonstrates the magic of music for Parkinsons. 

You can very well see in this video the result on my walking when I listen with concentration to the music. I would love other PD persons having problems with walking to have the same possibility of walking much better and for a Long time. The music has to be very Rhythmik with about 105 Beats per minute on the Metronom.

There is no medicine that can make me walk immediately – so I ask myself why nobody prescribes the Radetzky March to me ……….

What do you think about the result ?

Gerdi

This amazing video speaks for itself! Your video speaks to the reality  of  the magic of music for Parkinsons. This therapy is  natural, safe, fun and a 100% effective solution. It is one of the best natural therapies available.

Music Facilitates Movement

  • Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation: One of the most well-researched areas of music therapy for Parkinson’s is the use of rhythmic auditory cues to help with motor control. Patients often experience a reduction in symptoms like bradykinesia (slowness of movement) and tremors when they move in synchrony with a steady beat. Rhythmic cues can help improve walking patterns, gait, and overall mobility.
  • Enhanced Gait and Posture: Music with a clear, steady rhythm can help improve walking speed, stride length, and posture. Patients with Parkinson’s often struggle with walking, and rhythmic cues can help them walk more smoothly and confidently.
  • Movement Initiation: People with Parkinson’s sometimes have difficulty initiating voluntary movement, a phenomenon known as “freezing.” Music and rhythm can help overcome this by providing an external cue that prompts movement.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Pioneers of Recovery

 

Stochastic Resonance Therapy

Stochastic Resonance Therapy (SRT) was born in the German city of Frankfurt when Dietmar Schmidtbleicher developed a new training device for Olympic athletes. Since then, the whole-body vibration device he developed has been studied and shown to be effective in the treatment of Parkinson’s motor symptoms. While you may have already heard of the benefits of vibration therapy and Parkinson’s, chances are you haven’t heard of SRT until now.

SRT is different from other types of vibration devices. It delivers randomized and non-uniform oscillations and perturbations to the body, whereas all other devices on the market deliver uniform, sinusoidal vibrations. The random nature of SRT vibrations elicits the automatic stretch reflex in the muscles, which leads to postural adjustments being made in the spinal cord and the cerebellum (the part of the brain that automatically adjusts movement patterns). These adjustments keep the head still and the body upright while on the device. Hundreds to thousands of stimuli are delivered to the spinal cord and cerebellum in a matter of minutes.

In the literature, SRT has been shown to decrease tremor and rigidity, improve postural control and balance, and lead to better gait patterns in Parkinsons patients. For further information contact:

https://zeptoring.com/

The following is an update on the status of the SRT therapy for use in the USA from Kyle Harris…

The SRT Zeptoring is available for purchase in the US by way the company in Berlin. It is primarily intended for use within a clinical setting, ie physical therapy clinic, and the price point reflects that. And as far as I know there’s are still only two units in the States.

However, it could be purchased for private in home use, cost being the prohibitive factor. It is equivalent to purchasing a luxury car.

I still hope to help this technology to the US, but the going has been incredibly difficult. Medical professionals are understandably hesitant to invest in a machine that they currently cannot bill for insurance. The SRT Zeptoring would easily clear the FDA requirements to be able to bill insurance, the German-based company is still waiting to officially expand here while they focus on expanding in Asia and continue to do very well in Europe.

Maybe some of your listeners would have the resources to be able to visit Germany to try the device. I would be more than happy to put them in contact with my contacts at the Berlin headquarters.

Hopefully in a a couple years we will be on he road to SRT being available via the US healthcare system.

Kyle Harris, MS, CSCS, SRT Zeptoring
Cell: 605.454.1418
Email: kyledharris2017@gmail.com

Brady Volmering
Cell: 989.551.9503

Parkinsons Dis. 2016:2016:7948721. Postural Stability in Parkinson’s Disease Patients Is Improved after Stochastic Resonance Therapy

Abstract

Background. Postural instability in Parkinson’s disease (PD) increases the risk of falls and is not improved by pharmacological therapy. Objective. We performed a double-blind, randomized sham-controlled study to test the effects of stochastic resonance (whole body vibration) therapy on postural stability in PD.

Methods. Fifty-six PD participants were allocated to either experimental or sham groups. The experimental group received four series of vibration over eight days, with each series consisting of six stimulus trains of 60-second duration using a randomized whole body vibration. Participants allocated to the control group received a sham treatment.

Results. Within-group analysis revealed that postural stability in the experimental group improved by 17.5% (p = 0.005) comparing experimental and sham groups. The between-group analysis of change after treatment comparing both groups also showed a significant improvement of postural stability (p = 0.03). Only in the within-group analysis several items were improved after Bonferroni correction, too, rigor 41.6% (p = 0.001), bradykinesia 23.7% (p = 0.001), tremor 30.8% (p = 0.006), and UPDRSIII sum score 23.9% (p = 0.000), but did not reach the level of significance in the between-group analysis.

Conclusions. Stochastic resonance therapy significantly enhanced postural stability even in individuals with increased risk of falling. Thus it offers a potential supplementation to canonical treatments of PD.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Shortcut to Hope and Healing

Lilian Sjoberg presents a fascinating discussion on the shortcut to hope and healing.

Get ready to be inspired from watching my interview with her below. She is author of Interviews with People with Parkinsons.

Here are the questions Lilian answers during the interview:

    1. The book is based upon the connection between stress and Parkinson’s. Can you elaborate
      on this connection?
    2. What’s the most common misconception about Parkinson’s that your book challenges?
    3. This book features interviews – why this format, and what makes these stories so compelling?
    4. What are some practical stress reduction strategies readers can implement after reading your book?
    5. Many people feel hopeless when diagnosed with Parkinson’s. How does your book
      address this?
    6. Can you share a brief, inspiring story from one of the interviewees?
    7. What makes this book essential reading for everyone, not just for those with Parkinson’s?
    8. Many people with Parkinson’s feel isolated. How does your book foster a sense of community and shared experience?

Parkinson’s is traditionally diagnosed as a disease which only gets worse over time. This book challenges that view..

Interviews of people with a Parkinson’s diagnosis from around the world reveal that it does not have to be this way. Instead, hope and self-reflection can be part of the solution to a better life.

People can recover or improve, not via quick fixes or miracles, but with supporting psychotherapy and an understanding of why the body, due to chronic stress or trauma, has ended up reacting the way it does.

Below are listed the resources she discusses on the shortcut to hope and healing.

Faceblog group where Gary Sharpe and I post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hopeshortcut

Webpage: https://hopeshortcut.com/

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Interviews-People-Parkinsons-inspirational-conversations/dp/B0DC5MP99Y

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Jump Start to Recovery

 Steer a Steady Course on the Road to Recovery from Parkinson’s Disease

In small part, recovery from Parkinson’s disease is about medicines, supplements, exercise and good food.

In large part, it is about our own thoughts that declare we cannot heal, stress that soars to new heights every day, anxiety that seems to never lift, toxins that eat away at tissues and even infections that destroy cells.

The Jump Start to Recovery Course offered by Parkinsons Recovery founder Robert Rodgers PhD convenes 8 classes on Mondays and Thursdays during January 2025.

Regular Tuition $148
Sign Me Up 

Let me ask you a few questions. Do you want to…

  • Erase negative thinking that does not serve the best interests of your recovery?
  • Discover what is causing your symptoms?
  • Explore natural treatment options that reverse your symptoms?
  • Manage your anxiety?
  • Release past trauma?
  • Connect with others who experience similar symptoms?

In short, do you want to reverse the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease? Want to do that in 2025?

Jump Start to Recovery provides the resources and support needed for a successful journey down the road to recovery.  This 2025 course includes:

  • Eight (8) live sessions with me as your instructor
  • No need to travel anywhere. Connect from your home or office using a telephone or your computer 
  • Classes convene Mondays and Thursdays at 12:00 noon pacific time USA during January 2025
  • Free access to replays and notes for all classes 
  • Every question answered during each class no matter how long it takes 
  • Personal connection  with me and all other students during each class 

Lillian comments on Jump Start to Recovery

Jump Start to Recovery Launches Monday January 6th, 2025     

Since 2004 I have been conducting research on the factors that cause Parkinson’s symptoms and natural therapies that offer the opportunity of reversing them. After two decades of research, I have integrated my discoveries into the eight Jump Start classes. Included will be recent discoveries that are revolutionizing  how neurological conditions can be successfully reversed.

Jump Start to Recovery is the whole enchilada!  Because ongoing support is essential to recovery, the course also includes personal instruction and support from me personally during each of the classes with replays and notes always available.

These sessions were very helpful as far as truly understanding Parkinson’s disease. To me it’s like a mystery movie playing out in your body and your job is to solve that mystery by trying everything you can to find answers as your body give you clues. The class helped a lot with my anxiety which was a very big problem for me. I still have it but now I seem to be able to control it better. Also I especially enjoyed listening to what the others had to say about the different things they are doing to help their symptoms. Jeannette

In short, Jump Start to Recovery offers a wealth of resources I have identified over the past two decades that have been helping people reverse their symptoms.

Why not set the intention to formulate a personalized recovery program that supports a successful journey down the road to recovery in 2025?

Most participants have to miss a session or two because of other pressing commitments. All classes are recorded and available for replay at a later time.

The Jump Start to Recovery Course offered by Parkinsons Recovery founder Robert Rodgers PhD convenes 8 classes on Mondays and Thursdays during January 2025.

Regular Tuition $148
Sign Me Up 

Hi Robert,
Thank you so much for putting the jump start program in the place. I am experiencing great benefits from your knowledge as well as the experiences of others. 
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 8 months ago by a neurologist. Not believing her, I drove 2 1/2 hours for a second opinion by another neurologist that specializes in movement disorders. It was confirmed. Beyond a reasonable doubt, they said. I accessed your materials within one month of the diagnosis. I refused medication and put together my own program, with the help of your materials.


I want you to know that this week alone, my neurophysical therapist, my acupuncturist, and my cervical chiropractor, have all said no way, no way, do you have Parkinson’s Disease! They all three have many clients with PD. Whether I actually had it or just the symptoms does not matter. I am on the road to recovery! 
The best is yet to come!

Nancy

Purpose of Jump Start to Recovery

The good news about Parkinson’s disease is that it is possible to feel better and celebrate relief from symptoms. Jump Start to Recovery demonstrates what other people with Parkinson’s have done for themselves to feel better.

Everyone knows some things that can make a difference. Eat healthy food. Exercise. Reduce stress. Maybe you do this. Maybe not. Jump Start to Recovery introduces fresh ideas and approaches that are making a huge difference to the quality of life for people who currently experience Parkinson’s symptoms.

The Jump Start to Recovery experience helps you discover what you can do for yourself to feel better. You read the last sentence correctly. Jump Start to Recovery is all about putting you in the drivers seat of your own recovery. It is not about convincing you to buy into any particular therapy.

More and more people are reversing their symptoms, but the path to success differs for everyone. Given the complexity of this particular neurological condition, there will never be a single magical solution that will fix the problem for everyone.

Jump Start to Recovery helps you figure out for yourself the natural therapies that will offer you the best opportunity for returning to your natural state – the state of balance and health.

  • My mission is to help you steer a steady course on the road to recovery.
     You are the one who heals.
  • My role is to facilitate your process of recovery.
     You are the one in control.
Hi Robert,
Now that our Jump Start to Recovery program has completed, I want to thank you. Your knowledge and  skill in guiding us through each session was very helpful and appreciated. You affirmed my feelings that I need to learn to trust my gut instinct and maintain control over my own healing journey.

Thank you for making time to respond to every one of my emails when I was looking for information. I’m looking forward to having ongoing access to all the resources you are posting.

All the Best,
Ann

It goes without saying that the 2025 Jump Start to Recovery course will not offer a quick fix or “cure”.  Given the complexity of the factors that contribute to the symptoms of Parkinson’s, it is highly unlikely that any single “cure” will ever be found.

I do believe it is possible for each person to discover opportunities to get great relief from their symptoms and lead a full and productive life. My research has revealed that many people’s lives are enriched beyond measure after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Some  are symptom free today. Others are successfully traveling down the road to recovery,

Grateful…yes, that is the word for the Jump Start To Recovery. The opportunity to share and reflect in a neutral space, a place where awkwardness crumbled in the mind’s inner core to be awakened on a new path for discovery.  
Dave

What Helps Reverse Parkinson’s Symptoms?

Find out by enrolling in the Jump Start to Recovery course. You get to take the journey with other participants who are also committed to their own healing.

The Jump Start to Recovery Course offered by Parkinsons Recovery founder Robert Rodgers PhD convenes 8 classes on Mondays and Thursdays during January 2025.

Regular Tuition $148
Sign Me Up 

Many people use prescription medications to control their hormones. This works well for some people and not so well for others. Jump Start to Recovery introduces various options that capitalize on natural therapies and approaches that facilitate recovery. My goal is to help you heal yourself from the inside-out by learning how to reset the delicate ‘thermostat” your body uses to balance your body’s hormones.

Hi Rob: 

Your program provides extreme value in guiding me through the process I had already embarked on. The guidance you provide as well as the guidance the other participants provide through their stories is rock solid spot on , so my body confirms.  Allowing to feel the old pains – getting presented where they come from , processing and synchronizing the mind and body and … releasing the old energy captured in my body after that is on my daily menu – all comments provide confirmation of what I am going through. All is part of the process.

Medication camouflages the real ‘feeling it’,  processing it and cleaning it up – therefore I can imagine that when people take medication it is hard to help them heal, as the experience remains hidden. Until also max medication can’t cover it up any longer – The area where medication does not yet or not anymore camouflages the symptoms is the area where the work lays. That’s where the nasty bits stick up their ugly heads, asking and yelling to be felt, recognized and healed. 
So grateful that I was given the techniques to handle the phenomena that then arise, through the guidance received from many, as a preparation for the release process which is now intensifying, and the relief that that brings afterwards – every time again.So grateful for folks like yourselves!! Just had to let you know.
Grateful regards,
 Hans

Can I Participate If I Take Medications?

Heavens yes! Medications are simply one of the many options that many people pursue to get relief from their symptoms. Many participants in our Jump Start to Recovery Programs currently take medications of one type or another. Methods that improve the efficacy of medicines and make it possible for them to last longer will be addressed in the course.

Hello Robert,
I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your Jump Start Program. I appreciate all the time and effort you put in to it. I learned so much and now have so many options to explore and research. Thank you so much
Janie

Can a Family Member Participate?

Yes indeed.  Family members are always welcome in all of the classes. They play a critical role in the recovery process.

Thank you so much for a wonderful seminar, full of a lot of practical ideas to help oneself, and most importantly your genuine care and concern for everyone. May Our Lord continue to bless your work with Parkinson’s and instilling hope and the positive approach that this does not have to be a life sentence. God bless you always,
Mary and Jeff

Reasons to Register for Jump Start to Recovery

Jump Start to Recovery does not replace the critical role of your doctor and other health care providers. It is critical that you consult with your doctor before starting any natural therapy that is introduced through the Jump Start to Recovery course.

Past experience has shown that best results come from gently nudging your body to do the intricate work of balancing hormones. Short term remedies do produce awesome results for a few weeks or months. Jump Start to Recovery is all about helping you discover ways of nurturing your body so that you enjoy long term relief of symptoms.

I got the diagnosis from the neurologist last year in May and made the choice not to take medication. I started to do my own research. I changed habits (still do), started to heal traumas and now I am healing my gut. So, your Jump Start program is a great welcome and a big confirmation that I am on the road (my road) to be recovered. Recovery is my goal. Thank you for this wonderful Jump Start.
Marie-Laure
Netherlands

Stress and trauma aggravate the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Sometimes trauma from the past – even in childhood – can be so horrific that it remains contained and stuck in your physical body. Trauma from the past can literally be lodged in your tissues. Reduce ongoing stress by releasing traumas.

There are gentle ways to release unresolved trauma. When stress and trauma are released from the body, it becomes possible to return to a familiar state for the body – a natural state of balance and harmony. The body’s natural tendency is toward health and wellness, not toward disease. At Jump Start to Recovery we introduce a variety of powerful methods that gently nudge the body to remember how to maintain the delicate balance of hormones and sustain overall health.

Lay a Fresh Foundation for Recovery

Much of my research over the past two decades involves identifying the therapies and treatments that help people with Parkinson’s celebrate relief from their symptoms. I know a great deal about what helps because people with the symptoms of Parkinson’s tell me what helps them.

What lies at the foundation of the symptoms? Some researchers believe genes lie at the foundation. I enthusiastically applaud their work. Other researchers believe chemical and hormonal imbalances lie at the foundation of symptoms. I enthusiastically applaud and support this stream of research. Still other researchers focus on developing new drugs and surgeries. I too enthusiastically applaud and support this work.

I center my attention on an entirely different approach – the identification of what is causing the symptoms. Once the cause has been identified, appropriate therapies can be pursued to reverse  symptoms.

Thought forms also lie at the foundation of the symptoms. Thoughts which bring up fears, anxieties and stress will inevitably wreak havoc on a sensitive neurological system. When we churn a hamster wheel of negative thoughts day in and day out, physical discomfort and disability will inevitably persist.

When destructive thoughts are dismantled and replaced with a new foundation of thoughts that serve our highest and best good, recovery becomes possible. This is when correcting all imbalances in the body happens.

Entanglements in family systems can also impede recovery. Once identified, these entanglements can be cleared.  Clearly entanglements is also an important focus of Jump Start to Recovery programs.

Learn about Natural Approaches and Methods for Releasing Toxins and Viruses

Viruses and toxins also contribute to the symptoms of Parkinson’s. There are a wide variety of natural and safe approaches that can be used to release toxins and viruses from the body.  Jump Start to Recovery offers explanations of natural approaches that facilitate the release of toxins, bacteria and viruses that clog up the neural networks. Many people are unaware that they are being re-exposed to toxins from every day exposures.

Jump Start to Recovery Course Tuition

The Jump Start to Recovery Course offered by Parkinsons Recovery founder Robert Rodgers PhD convenes 8 classes on Mondays and Thursdays during January 2025.

Regular Tuition $148
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There is no doubt about it. People feel better when they are not stressed and when they take control of their own health. Jump Start to Recovery is informative, interesting, fun and stress free. Learn what you need to know to feel better at Jump Start . Have fun doing it. Why wait?

 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder of Parkinsons Recovery
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com
Olympia, Washington
1-877-526-4646

   © 2024  Parkinsons Recovery

Feldenkrais for Parkinsons

Feldenkais Practitioner Cynthia Allen discusses the guiding principles of Feldenkrais for Parkinsons as she guides us through several fascinating movement experiences.

Feldenkrais for Parkinsons

Movement often becomes more difficult as we age. When we add Parkinson’s Disease to that mix, we can feel trapped. Let’s examine how we can reclaim functional and pleasure in movement using the Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education. Learn how working with curiosity and movement experiments awakens your brain to possibilities that were unavailable just a few moments ago. You will get a chance to do small movement experiments within this session from a seated position. Experience what Feldenkrais for Parkinsons is all about. Come ready to be surprised!

Website: FutureLifeNow.com

Cynthia Allen has been working in wellness practices, healthcare management, and organizational consulting for over 35 years. In 2001, she became a Certified Feldenkrais® practitioner and, more recently, a Senior Trainer in Movement Intelligence. She is the co-creator of the Integral Human Gait theory and the creator of Your Learning Body, an online Feldenkrais community

She has found Feldenkrais Method and Bones for Life to be a vital part of finding personal health despite life challenges. In her private practice, she has had the privilege of working with many people with Parkinson’s Disease, helping them to move through daily life with increased ease.

Cynthia has written about the Feldenkrais Method, pain, and trauma for the Alternative and Complementary Therapies Journal as well as the online Chronic Pain Partners. She has conducted and published a research paper: Alternative Movement Program in Geriatric Rehabilitation in the Functional Neurology, Rehabilitation, and Ergonomics.

She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, business partner and NLP guru, Larry Wells and their new puppy Darby. Today her practice is held online allowing her to serve more people than she ever realized was possible.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

1: My Preoccupation with What’s Shaking

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 1: My Preoccupation with What’s Shaking.

I began my Blog because of the long quiet among friends, family and me as I addressed my condition. I wanted those close to me to know how I was doing and for them to gain encouragement from my evolution. In doing so I stacked the deck to expect continued progress. 

Parkinson’s Disease has been called “as the gift that keeps on taking.”  Yet, for all that it takes I am enhanced for having it. 

And while the work is hard – and not always pretty – dealing with PD has made me more complete; a person I like more and am content with. But yes, the work is hard. 

This Blog is for me. It helps to organize my thoughts in a useful context. The plan is to make this a regular journal. In time, others may find this series of reports can be useful for them too. 

This is part of my effort to make sense of the changes that are taking place. My objective is to forestall the natural progression of the condition and establish strategies to get the best from it. 

I can be a better person while living with a condition that may be destroying my brain. Since there’s no hiding from it, I elect to embrace it. And since PD is relentless, then I will be too.

I am enjoying success with the program Rosie and I, and my health care team have put together. It’s a mix of traditional medicine and alternative approaches. I have good specialists supporting me. Some of my physical symptoms are reduced from a year ago. The emotional and cognitive limitations that are becoming more present can be successfully managed. “Parkinson’s in Remission” is a real possibility. Many different  years-ago metrics have improved.

My outlook is a well-managed positive one. Being upbeat in the face of challenge is a gumbo of gratitude, confidence, faith, good humour, and the choice to be happy.    

To consolidate and reinforce this, I reflect on my  simple pleasures. My list is intended to go beyond the sunsets-and-puppies pleasures that everybody shares and focus instead on deeply personal, specific pleasures of mine that celebrate and strengthen the sensation of being me. I include the following list of pleasures I am grateful to enjoy. 

Parkinson’s can’t take this.

 

 

2 My Five-Step Program.

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 2: My Five Step Program

Starting with an upbeat mindset, my What’s Shaking Five-Step program includes excellent nutrition, 15-plus hours physical fitness training every week, Parkinson’s-targeted physio, and not automatically adding more prescription drugs (my pharma load is 25% less than two years ago). 

There’s a lot of learning in each of these steps (and lots of trial by error too) but with this plan I continue to see progress.

I reject the notion that I’m retired. I have a career’s worth of work ahead of me. Learning about myself. Learning about medicine and the warren of health care approaches. Continuous measured improvement of my five-steps. Learning and practicing and refining healing modalities – both conventional and natural, even mystical. Always moving forward. And seeking opportunities where my direct experience may benefit others, and vice versa. Sharing the lessons learned from this peculiar gift.

The work starts with getting in my own face…How healthy do I want to be? 

If on the one-to-ten scale it’s a number I can be proud of, then I need a big  vision. “Training” must be a total lifeforce devotion, not a twice a day lifestyle diversion. All-in commitment vs. sort-of miscellany. 

3 Reawakening a Zest for Life

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 3: Reawakening a zest for life, while making do with less – and not wanting more.

That’s the thought I had when this picture was taken. I prepared (aka “trained”) for this week in Barbados and was determined to vigorously participate in all resort activities; every nibble was going to be a shark’s bite. That was my schtick.

We had a wonderful holiday. I especially love this photo because it depicts my body in a state of joy, disengaged from the limitations of my head. The week away was all of that.

Not to say everything was perfect. There was brain fog, stumbles, and Parkinson’s disquiet that collided with best intentions for fun and frolic. The verdict wasn’t always in my favour. I was sometimes left shaking and disappointed, wishing I could’ve been better in the moment. And so, the journey continues.

My newly acquired hard knocks are contrary to the usual principles of training. Weren’t we taught the longer and harder we train the more stamina we develop? Shouldn’t I be able to build a reservoir of energy I can spend recklessly during a vacation blow-out? Pre-Parkinson’s, sure. Now, maybe no. No, definitely not.

As you may have guessed, for all my preparation I over-indulged while on holiday. Nothing embarrassing unless you count the five weeks of sluggish recovery from exhaustion, and associated opportunity cost.

It’s been an important lesson about Parkinson’s-as-adversary: momentary improvement doesn’t foretell long-term success. This is a close cousin to a favourite platitude, “never take a victory lap.” This isn’t how I expected to feel after a week in paradise. What went wrong?

4 I’ve never excelled at moderation

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 4: I’ve never excelled at moderation. Which is hilarious.

I don’t want to be a shuffling drooling addled old fart. Not yet anyway. The responsibility for that is mine. The expectations are mine. Getting into my grill is like a return to the drawing-board and refocusing the plan.

My zest-for-life reawakening needs to be bigger than goofing in a pool. Having yielded to excess – and paid a price in relapse – I’m ready to do what it takes for the best total health possible. This sounds almost gullible, yet I’ve got some fundamental self-management choices to make, each with significant repercussions, not just in Parkinson’s disease management, but that apply to continued good health in the prevention and cure of most chronic ailments.

What exactly did I learn?

  1. I can’t play peek-a-boo with Parkinson’s. If PD doesn’t take a day off (and is always progressing), then I can’t either. A larger commitment requires a more complete focus.
  1. If medication is essential to successful self-management, then why would anyone knowingly limit its effectiveness with body chemistry fluctuations caused by poor eating, booze, and lifestyle high jinks? Face it, how healthy do you really want to be? 
  1. Being nonchalant about body chemistry invites scorn from some of the people I rely on the most – including myself…sort of are-you-crazy (?!) scorn. It’s not good to piss off the fan base.
  1. Making do with less and not wanting more is a wonderful philosophy. It’s got significant currency and broad relevance. It’s “Sustainability” in bumper sticker form. Make it a mantra.
  1. Embrace gratitude. Holiday travel to exotic locales with good friends and wonderful experiences is a gift that warms the soul forever. In the face of challenge celebrate what fortifies the fight.

Getting better with Parkinson’s may be therapeutically (theoretically?)  impossible based on current science and the published literature. 

Being better with Parkinson’s is within my realm. I’m glad for the opportunity to examine this more closely and the feeling of greater determination that has come from it. 

5 Living my life, not the disease

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 5: Living my life, not the disease.

“Jay, you’re living your life, not the disease,” said a medical team member at my pre-summer check-in. That’s a mantra disguised as a compliment. I take great pleasure from that observation and am propelled forward. 

So, I ventured on the squash court for the first time in 30-years. I was no Jahangir Khan for sure. But I didn’t embarrass the club or my host with my performance. And at least the following days’ muscle stiffness was not  rigor mortis. Since then, I’m playing regularly…line up ten guys my age on a squash court and ask which one has Parkinson’s. You won’t pick me! 

I visited family on my first unaccompanied transcontinental trip in ten-years  with Parkinson’s. Well worth the effort; just the effort was strenuous. Travel is a marvel – and you can’t beat the welcoming arms of family at your destination – but the literal people-packing logistics are a coordinated effort to exploit or aggravate brain damage. It’s a challenge for those of my ilk.

Further to this, students of the Parkinson’s condition will recognize a concern about impulse control. In some cases, the interaction of the disease and medication will produce potentially embarrassing “impulse control” side effect issues, like gambling,  excessive carnal desires, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and so forth. I face the prospect of impaired impulse control with big time apprehension.

So, I signed up for an online seminar on the topic. My first. It was a support group for those with hideous experiences to bare. Like the person who admitted he is compelled to disrobe completely each time using a toilet. 

He can recount it now with humour recalling people’s reactions to a wrinkled nudist in a public restroom. Ha-hah, right. It strikes fear of imminent humiliation for me. 

Laugh all you want, but while shopping at Nordstrom last month I was spooked I’d wander out of the change rooms naked. I was so preoccupied with not presenting myself nudus nudum, that I locked myself out of the change room. My clothes were inside. “…ROSIE?!”

Kaleidoscope Chart

6 Parkinson’s Kaleidoscope

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 6: My Parkinson’s Kaleidoscope.

My other first is my beginnings of a “Parkinson’s Kaleidoscope” to help chart progress on the Parkinson’s journey. Where am I on this supposed progressive, degenerative voyage?

I’m aware of the random course my Parkinson’s symptoms appear to take. There’s no clear or predictable path to the journey. All sorts of different external factors affect change in Parkinson’s symptoms. Call them externalities. The externalities are not variables easily measured and they defy predictability. Each symptom  can be affected differently by externalities like emotional state, routine, current sense of self, level of exercise, nutrition, family status and feelings of support, among others.  

The current state and status of these relationships can’t be depicted as a histogram or a bar chart. I wish it were a periscope in which I could peer from great depths to see what lies ahead. The reality is more like looking into a kaleidoscope. 

So, I’m forced to make sense from an imperfect device…a kaleidoscope. To start building the basic viewfinder there’s got to be  an inventory of symptoms. 

Here’s mine – remembering that Parkinson’s cases are like snowflakes…no two are the same, they are merely a collection of similarities classified as “Parkinson’s”. This my snowflake…

I’m working to make sense of the journey and will have more thoughts on the Kaleidoscope in future Blogs.

My summer of firsts includes my first-ever effort at a series of short stories. I have no desire for a public career as children’s author, but I can see this becoming a private love affair of mine. I have (will have) some hesitation in sharing. Because I’d like it to be good.  But to be good, it will need to be vulnerable, emotional and personal, and we already know what I think about getting naked in public! Let’s see how this goes.

7 Do Fun Stuff

The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 7: Millie & Grampy Do Fun Stuff.

“The shoes of two Penticton hikers now relaxing after a busy day in the Okanagan wilderness. 

If you look closely, you may notice Tickleberry ice cream drippings, the official energy food of the region.”

Chapter One – Introduction: On the Trail Together

Millie, a spirited toddler with unstoppable curiosity, and her Grampy, Jay, a towering figure  whose wealth compounds in rich life experiences, have started a tradition of real and pretend fun stuff. Jay, who at 70 lives freestanding of Parkinson’s Disease, finds joy in these adventures, fuelling an offbeat perspective on the stories each trail tells. 

Despite a reserved nature, Jay’s dashing vitality and charming demeanor make him a well-liked figure in the community.

Their journeys are filled with exploration, laughter, and occasional goofiness, all strengthened by the bond of adoring grandfather and adorable granddaughter. As they navigate the rugged terrain, they create memories, each step building their spirits with shared delight. 

Today’s hike was no different, a mix of stunning vistas and dusty detours, including a stop for Tickleberry ice cream that produced more than just a sweet smackerel of tasty goodness.

As Millie padded along the path, her tiny shoes mirroring the confident long strides of her Grampy, the world was full of endless possibilities. Jay’s heart swelled with pleasure, and a hint of melancholy, knowing that his condition might one day limit these precious adventures. For now, he revels in the moment, each hike a chapter in their unfolding story.

Years into the future, Jay imagines Millie at the age when she can fully appreciate the wisdom and tales he longs to impart. He envisions her as a young woman, cool grey eyes flashing bright with interest, and gentle heart open to the world. A halo of soft red curls dancing in the wind.  Her sense of resolve being foremost in a confident demeanor. By then, his Parkinson’s might have advanced, making the rigorous hikes of today a dear memory. Yet, in his mind there is always now, and he crafts his letters and stories for her, weaving the threads of their experiences into a forever cuddle.

“Millie,” he would say in those future letters, “remember the time we stood at Munson Mountain, the wind whispering secrets only we could hear? Or the way the Okanagan Lake sparkled like a thousand diamonds just for us? Those moments are stamped in our soul for all time.”

Back in the present, they reached a lookout point where the valley spread beneath them, a montage of vineyards and orchards. Jay lifted Millie onto a rock, steadying her as she pointed eagerly at a distant sailboat. “Boat!” she called, her eyes wide. Jay laughed, the sound rich and warm, echoing across the landscape. “That’s right, Millie. A boat. One day, you’ll sail the world.”

In these quiet moments, Jay hoped that their hikes would be more than just physical journeys. He wished for them to become a bedrock of Millie’s childhood memories, a source of comfort and inspiration for the years ahead. As they started their descent, Jay whispered a silent prayer: to cherish each step, each laugh, and each precious moment they had together, building a gift of love and adventure that would endure, even when the hikes themselves could not…

Millie & Grampy Do Fun Stuff is the result of encouragement from family and friends to capture real moments in verse. I will be happy to blame/credit those same people for any strong response to the author’s work…and of course at this stage the work is still, as the lawyers in the family would say, in furtherance thereof. LOL.

How can I know what I need to do for myself to feel better?

How can I know what I need to do for myself to feel better?

Trust that your body knows what it needs to come
back into balance. I think there is a special skill
involved in being able to communicate with your
own body. The skill requires the ability to check in
regularly to see what your body needs.

I think it helps to think about what you can do
in the moment rather than trying to figure out
one single huge intervention that you can do
(such as visit clinic A or take supplement B or
see doctor C).

For example, let’s say you are in a stressful
situation. Your body will probably give out the
usual signals of stress. Symptoms will flare up
(such as more shaking, trembling, greater
rigidity or whatever.) Are you noticing?
This is your stage cue to reduce the stress
in the moment.

I think a key is first to make conscious the
usual reality that the underlying trigger for the
symptoms involves some combination of fear,
stress and trauma. It thus helps to begin watching
yourself closely and noticing when the stress
flares up. When you can monitor your stress
levels every moment, you can learn how to
get your body out of stress and into a more
balanced mode.

Alternatively, if you have having increased
symptoms, your body may be having problems
processing all the supplements and medications
you may be taking in conjunction with the food
you eat. You may feel sluggish or depressed.
When everything is combined together, the level
of toxins can begin to overwhelm your immune
system.

When your body gets overloaded with
substances it can not process (which can
include medications of one type or another
(toxins, pathogens, etc.) the immune system
crashes. Again, symptoms will get worse.
This is when the toxins begin to take their toll.
If this happens it would help to investigate
ways to detox your body.

So as to your question – How can I know what I need to do for myself
to feel better? Answer; Your body will tell you what it needs. The
symptoms are important signals. In the end,
it is all a question of inviting your body to
come back into balance moment to moment.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2024 Parkinsons Recovery

Principles of Recovery from Parkinsons

I have devoted the last two decades interviewing people with different backgrounds, different training, different approaches to treatment and different qualifications across the wide spectrum of medical specialties. What follows is summary of principles of recovery from Parkinsons I have identified.

  • Anyone, anywhere can employ therapies to get sustained relief from the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.
  • Many of the therapies that help are not intrusive.
  • Many are natural and safe.
  • Many are free.
  • Therapies that help other people may not necessarily offer you relief. Everyone is different.
  • Anyone who claims their therapy or treatment can help everyone with the symptoms of Parkinsons will not be able to justify their claim. Why? Because it can not be true. Any particular therapy may certainly help some people, but not everyone.
  • People who are on the road to recovery experiment. They try different therapies to discover what works for them.
  • It is highly unlikely that any single treatment or therapy can ever address all symptoms. A combination of therapies is needed.
  • Dopamine deficiency is a part of the big picture. Focus on bringing back on line all systems in the body – the immune system, the digestive system, the lymph system as well as the neurological system – and you will begin to feel better. Pouring more dopamine in your body can certainly help you feel better in the short run, but in the long run the root cause of the symptoms has not been addressed.
  • Trauma lies at the root of the symptoms.
  • Negative thought forms feed the symptoms.
  • Commitment and focus are needed to recover.
  • If you are not taking charge of your health care, you probably have an unconscious resistance to healing. Little progress will be made until you release resistance to healing.

These tried and true principles of recovery from Parkinsons mean that recovery does not have to be an impossible undertaking as you journey down the road to recovery.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

 

 

Iyengar Yoga Offers Relief from Parkinsons Symptoms

“I want everyone to know that Iyengar Yoga offers
relief from Parkinsons Symptoms. I am 52
and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s

about 4-5 years ago. I do intensive Iyengar yoga
(which is quite physical) and am fit and strong.
I do two, 2 hour classes per week and home
practice. I will be going on a 3 day retreat in a
couple of weeks.”

“I couldn’t live without it. I haven’t had the
need to increase my medication for a couple of
years and rarely visit my neuro. I really
believe that it has slowed down the progression
of the disease. I think the word needs to be
spread!”

Regards
Deborah

How Iyengar Yoga Offers Relief from Parkinsons Symptoms

Iyengar Yoga, a form of Hatha Yoga, is known for its emphasis on precision, alignment, andIyengar Yoga the use of props (like blocks, straps, and blankets) to help individuals practice yoga safely and effectively. It can be especially beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease, offering a range of benefits that can support physical, emotional, and neurological health.

1. Improves Flexibility and Mobility

Parkinson’s disease often leads to stiffness, rigidity, and reduced range of motion. The slow, deliberate movements in Iyengar Yoga can help to stretch and lengthen muscles, improve joint mobility, and reduce rigidity. The use of props helps make poses more accessible and allows individuals to deepen their stretches gradually.

2. Enhances Balance and Coordination

Parkinson’s disease commonly affects balance and coordination, increasing the risk of falls. Iyengar Yoga’s focus on alignment, posture, and stability helps develop better proprioception (the body’s sense of its position in space). Many of the poses help strengthen the legs, improve posture, and enhance balance, which can reduce the risk of falls and improve overall stability.

3. Increases Strength

Many Iyengar Yoga poses involve holding postures for extended periods, which helps to build strength, especially in the core, legs, and arms. Strengthening these areas can improve posture and support the body in daily movements, making it easier to manage some of the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s.

4. Promotes Breathing and Relaxation

Parkinson’s can affect respiratory function, leading to shallow breathing or difficulty with breath control. Iyengar Yoga emphasizes breath awareness (pranayama) as a central part of the practice, which helps regulate the breath and reduce tension in the body. Learning to use the breath effectively can also reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, which is helpful for managing the emotional and psychological challenges of Parkinson’s.

5. Encourages Mental Focus and Mindfulness

Parkinson’s often comes with cognitive challenges, such as difficulty with concentration or executive function. Iyengar Yoga encourages mental clarity and mindfulness through the practice of holding postures and focusing on breath and alignment. This form of yoga can help improve cognitive function and promote a sense of mental calm and clarity.

6. Reduces Stress and Anxiety

The emphasis on mindfulness and breathwork in Iyengar Yoga can help reduce stress, anxiety, and the emotional strain that often accompanies chronic conditions like Parkinson’s. The slower, meditative nature of the practice can foster a sense of calm and mental ease, which can be therapeutic for people with Parkinson’s.

7. Improves Posture and Gait

Parkinson’s disease often leads to a stooped posture and shuffling gait. Iyengar Yoga’s focus on alignment and spinal health can help improve posture, make standing and walking easier, and promote more fluid movement. By practicing specific postures that align and lengthen the spine, individuals can experience improved posture and more confident, efficient movement.

My thanks to Deborah for spreading the good news that
Iyengar Yoga offers relief from Parkinsons symptoms.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

© Parkinsons Recovery

Ayurveda for Parkinsons

The Ayurvedic approach for eliminating heavy metals and toxins from the body is to support the organ that does the proper work in the first place. The following is taken from an interview I recently had with Nathan who is a strong believer in the Ayurveda for Parkinsons approach to eliminate toxins from the body.

When a person is ill their breath can become sort of foul. But that is not the case when they are healthy. Similarly, what we are talking about here is that some organ is not producing healthy elements that are supposed to be transferred to the brain.”

“The brain is supposed to be filled with nutritious, beneficial gasses. Those gases can become polluted due to stress or injury.”

“The organ producing them will produce contaminated substances which then go on to cause a great deal of difficulty in the form of shaking because the corrosive material starts eating away at the part of the brain that produces movement and starts creating involuntary ones.”

Most doctors would not agree that the problem is in the stomach. From the Ayurvedic
perspective,  all diseases originate in the stomach.”

I should also mention that Nathan once suffered from an advanced stage of Parkinsons but is symptom free today. Ayurveda for Parkinsons certainly worked wonders for him. Nathan is one of the contributors to the first edition of Pioneers of Recovery.

In Ayurveda a degeneration of nerve cells is viewed as a disturbance in the body’s subtle energy system, leading to issues like tremors, stiffness, and instability.

A balanced diet is essential in Ayurveda for managing neurological health.

  • Warm, easily digestible foods: Emphasis on warm, cooked foods like soups, stews, and porridges, which are easier to digest and help balance the Vata dosha.
  • Incorporation of healthy fats: Ghee (clarified butter), sesame oil, and coconut oil are recommended to lubricate the body and calm the dryness associated with Vata.
  • Anti-inflammatory foods: Foods like turmeric, ginger, and garlic, which have natural anti-inflammatory properties, can help reduce overall inflammation.
  • Hydration: Drinking warm water or herbal teas throughout the day helps to hydrate the body and keep the nervous system nourished.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

© Parkinsons Recovery

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