Natural Options that Reverse Symptoms

Author: manabunnow4zph (Page 26 of 37)

Parkinsons Disease and Dopamine

I have a Parkinsons Disease and dopamine related question: First, I was astounded to read that only 1/3 of PD autopsies indicated degeneration of the substantia nigra. There is no history of PD in my family, so I immediately thought I could well be one of the misdiagnosed 2/3 -even though I underwent the full battery of tests to rule out other possible problems.

My specific question for you is about the efficacy of PD drugs as an indicator. I believe I was told at the onset that if the PD medication controls my symptoms, then I indeed have PD. If PD medication does nothing, I may only have Parkinsonism. What is your opinion?

Without knowing the science behind this, I still believe miracles big and small happen every day, and I don’t believe PD is a permanent fixture in my life. Last month I proved to myself that attitude is everything: Reflecting back, I realized that I felt much worse on July 29, 2009 than I did on July 27, 2009. Nothing had changed except that I was told I may have PD. So, early last month, I decided to host a festive funeral for my PD, complete with a decorative shovel and a champagne toast. I have felt more capable and optimistic ever since! My symptoms are still present, but I know I already buried my PD, so it can’t be that!

In closing, I simply want to thank you for your precious work and the hope and optimism left in its wake.

Best Regards,

Christine

Response to Parkinsons Disease and Dopamine

What an amazing report! You are indeed on the road to recovery. There is certainly no question that our thoughts are the most powerful force on earth. If we think we are sick, we remain sick. If we think we are well, we become well. If we think we are on the road to recovery, we feel better and better over time. If we feel all the dopamine producing cells in our body are dead, we give up and reserve a bed in our neighborhood nursing home.

My research reveals that there is badly mistaken thinking about Parkinsons (which will soon be archaic my work and others spreads like wildfire). Here is the mistaken logic:

The body has a given number of cells that produce dopamine. In some people – these cells begin to die off like soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

By the time 80% are of these dopamine cells are dead the person has neurological symptoms that are destined to get worse and worse over time. They are diagnosed with a condition known as Parkinson’s Disease. The only hope is to fill this sadly malfunctioning body with dopamine because it is not capable of producing dopamine on its own.

This simplistic view does not match with my observations as a researcher. Why? I have interviewed hundreds and hundreds of persons with Parkinsons. People tell me the same story over and over but the details differ here and there. Here is a prototype of the stories I hear everyday.

I loved to play ping pong when I was young. I gave it up years ago because I was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease One day – don’t ask me why – I decided to try and play ping pong again. Why not after all. It is a degenerative condition right?

Once I put the paddle in my hand and started playing all of my symptoms vanished. I could play as well as when I was 20 years old. No one could tell I had Parkinsons if they were watching me play. When I stop playing the symptoms return.

In the report above I used the word ping pong. You can substitute dozens of other activities; e.g. – kick boxing, painting, singing, woodworking, tennis. martial arts. The list is endless.

Now I ask you and all others reading this now: How could the body return to a state of balance and harmony and be producing all the dopamine needed to maintain a steady hand to play ping pong and move seamlessly if 80% of the dopamine producing cells in the body were dead? Duh – Of course it could not.

Of course – a small percentage of persons do have a deterioration of dopamine producing cells. Me research reveals that most people do not.

Why is it you ask when dopamine producing medicine is given symptoms are controlled in the short run? The problem is not a dopamine production problem. It is an access problem. The body is not able to activate the pathways necessary to produce dopamine because the pathways needed by the body to manufacture dopamine are obstructed for one reason or another.

Instead of giving a scientific explanation permit me to explain the problem the body confronts by way of an analogy.

Imagine if you will that you and I are traveling down main street in Olympia, Washington to play ping pong at the YMCA. We encounter an unexpected road block and cannot get through town. The road is closed. We peek ahead and see that there is an accident involving two cars that are badly twisted.

The road we are traveling on on is analogous to one of our many neural pathways. The blockage we confront is a trauma that we have experienced in our life or a toxin or a bacteria that has invaded our body. The body physically contorts inside when confronted with any of these three obstacles (i.e. – trauma, toxins or bacteria). Unless we set our intention to remove the obstacles, the blockage will remain though we may be able to pass partially push our way through the blockage. Or, we can always take a detour which unfortunately creates an uncomfortable twist in the pathway.

We take our detour and run into another road block. This time there is slippery gunk on the road way – toxins that have spilled from a gas truck that overturned. These are analogous to the toxins in our body that are making it impossible for the delicate signaling system to function in our neurological system.

We turn the car off to wait, then decide to turn the car back on and take another detour. Oops – the car will not start because the alternator is broken. Sometimes genes that are critical to the function of the hormonal system are shut down, genes like COMP. If that turns out to be the case, you simply have to wake the sleepy genes up.

Some people falsely belief that if a gene is “defective” you might as well pack your suitcase and head for your neighborhood nursing home now because there is no hope. That idea too will be seen as middle ages thinking as the ability of the body to repair genes is better understood.

We got lucky and find ourselves stuck next to a repair garage and are lucky to get a replacement alternator for the car in 15 minutes. We start her up again, turn around and take another detour. A mile down the road we confront a mother hen and her 12 chicks crossing the road. Unfortunately, they are not interested in reaching the other side. Rather, they have a dedicated preference to hang out in the middle of the road, blocking our ability to pass.

A hen and her chicks on our journey to the ping pong courts is a symbol of all the critters in our body that can obstruct the pathways the body needs to access to produce dopamine. Which critters? The list includes among others bacteria, viruses and fungus in the form of candida. These critters are living entities in our body that a conscious of their own.

If we do not find a way to invite them to leave the roadway (and our body) the neural pathways in our body will be littered with obstructions.

Once we arrive at our destination at the ping pong courts our bodies relax. Stress dissolves. We are finally ready to have some fun. Our bodies are finally able to relax from the our series of roadblocks on our journey to the ping pong courts. The same type of obstructions occur over flashes of time as neurological signaling is sent and received.

What does it really mean when dopamine supplements are given to a person who confronts one or more of the roadblocks above? Some people do feel better. The good news is that they can function normally sometimes for years. This can be an excellent option to embrace. The problems that are causing the symptoms are not addressed with dopamine supplements.

  • Dopamine does not heal the trauma. It continues to linger.
  • Dopamine does not release the toxins. They too still hide out in the crevices of our body.
  • Dopamine does not kill the harmful bacteria in the body. They too continue to thrive inside the body (where it is warm and cozy) and not outside (where it is cold and dangerous).

Supplementation of dopamine (whether through medications or supplements) overrides the normal operating system used by the body to manufacture and access dopamine.

To clarify – the ping pong courts were sitting there waiting for us to use them. We just discovered that access was obstructed by an accident (trauma), an oil spill (toxins) and the chickens hanging out in the road war (critters). We are lucky if we get to play ping pong because all of our symptoms dissolve when we do.

If instead we get so frustrated with all the road blocks, we may simply give up our plan to play ping pong. It is just too difficult to get there. (Note – this is what happens to so many people who give up the activities they enjoy so passionately.) When it comes down to Parkinsons disease and dopamine, it is high time to get a hit of dopamine, eh?

We may decide instead to stop at the bakery and have dessert full of sugar and genetically modified wheat. When we arrive back home, we feel horrible and have to go to bed.

Yes, dopamine is obviously a factor. The problem in summary is not a dopamine deficiency. It is a problem of access to dopamine. Help the body with the access problem and the symptoms will fade away into the sunset.

Robert Rodgers, PhD.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

 

Excessive Saliva

What can I do about excessive saliva? I am swallowing all the time. I have been ill one year. I currently take ropinirol and l-troksin.

Thanks for your Parkinsons Recovery newsletters. They are very interesting to me.

A number of factors might be causing the troubling symptom of excessive saliva. Your body may be simply releasing toxins through the saliva rather than urine. Since the discharge is centered in your mouth and throat, there may be a residue of heavy metals that your body is working hard to get out of your body. A detox protocol might be very helpful in this regard.

There is one possible cause that I would recommend you investigate first. Your problem may be caused by the side effects of medications you are currently taking. I recommend that you talk with your doctor and a pharmacist about the side effects of the drugs you are taking. You can also usually obtain information sheets on the drugs from your pharmacist or from the company that dispenses your drugs.

It is possible that you are experiencing the effects of a drug interaction. Taking any two drugs such as those that you you mention in your question may possibly cause the symptom you describe of excessive saliva. No one can ever really know what side effects might present when more than one medication is taken. Why?

There is never any research done on the possible interactions that result when more than one prescription meditation is taken at the same time. Even if research existed, we still would not know if your body would react more severely from taking these two particular medications than would be found with another person.

In short, it would be a smart move to talk with your doctor about the possibility you are experiencing side effects of the medications you are taking,

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

© 2013 Parkinsons Recovery

Treatment Options for Multiple System Atrophy

My doctor recently switched my diagnosis from Parkinson’s Disease to MSA (Multiple System Atrophy). Do you know of any treatment modality that is particularly successful for treating MSA?

There are many causes of neurological symptoms. I believe it is always wise to pause and consider what factors might be at the root cause of the symptoms that are currently experienced. As you will discover from stories of people who have reversed their symptoms, many causes can be the culprit. Some of these stories are reported in Pioneers of Recovery.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
www.parkinsonsdisease.me

Exercise Tips for Parkinsons Disease

“I need exercise tips for Parkinsons Disease. How often should I exercise and what type of exercise is best for persons currently experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?”

Listen to my response to this question below.

It is well established that exercise is beneficial for the general population. Exercise has all of the same beneficial effects of people with Parkinson’s disease as it does on healthy individuals. For persons who have symptoms of Parkinson’s exercise can help to alleviate some of the negative signs and symptoms of the disease such as bradykinesia and reduce tremors.

My suggestions are taken from the recommendations of Dr. Daniel Corcos, Ph.D. who is Chair of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and Director of the Neural Control Of Movement Laboratory at UIC. Dr. Corcos recommends  various forms of exercise that are ideal for persons currently experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

 

 

Sam-e for Parkinson’s

Dr. Richard P. Brown, MD, recommended a supplement called Sam-e for Parkinson’s (no prescription needed) when I interviewed him on the Parkinsons Recovery Radio show.  His research revealed that persons with Parkinson’s symptoms tend to be very low in Sam-e. Dr. Brown has done extensive research on Sam-e and has compelling evidence about its usefulness in general for persons with neurological challenges.

Why? Dr. Brown believes that the levodopa medication depletes Sam-e and recommends that it be taken along with Levodopa.  In general, he explains during the interview that Sam-e is good for our liver, joints and cartilage – so it is a healthy supplement for anyone to take.

His recommendations are not necessarily endorsed by other medical doctors. I have heard from one listener recently that she was unable to get the endorsement from her neurologist to take Sam-e along with her Levodopa prescription medication. Be forewarned then that doctors disagree about the best protocol to follow when taking Sinemet. I recommend that you listen to my interview with Dr. Brown and if so called to do so, discuss the option with your doctor. Then of course decide for yourself the best course of action to pursue.

Dr. Brown believes that persons who currently experience Parkinson’s Disease symptoms can use a set of specific natural modalities along with improving lifestyle choices to recharge their dopamine system. The welcome results is a reversal of symptoms. He reports that his clients in general experienced more energy, better ability to move, greater mental clarity and more active engagement with the world. His Website:
https://www.breath-body-mind.com/

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
Consultations on Options

 

Low Dose Naltrexone

I have heard of low dose naltrexone and Parkinson’s disease. Some people with Parkinson’s symptoms seem to have some success taking Low Dose naltrexone. Have you heard of this and how do you dose it?

Low Dose Naltrexone and Parkinson’s Disease

Click on the purple arrow below to hear my research findings regarding the use of LDN as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Many people are on the hunt for a sure fire therapy that will eliminate all symptoms. I have certainly never identified such a solution and doubt any will ever be found.

There are dozens of therapies that do facilitate a reversal of symptoms however. I include low dose naltrexone as one of these therapies though it is a prescription medication that does have side effects.

LDN is certainly not a quick fix so to speak. Why? It can take several years for the body to strengthen the immune system. Once the immune system is back on line, the body is in a position to address the imbalances that may be causing the symptoms. Of course there are other approaches for building up the immune system. Some people have had remarkable results using LDN which does require a doctor’s prescription.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

 

How to Reverse Parkinsons Disease

My question is how to reverse Parkinsons disease?

I know of no more difficult question to answer than this one. There is no reference to any symptoms that might be experienced. It is tough to provide any focus when there is no clue as to the possible root cause.

Might it be heavy metals or pesticides or an infection or lyme disease or tetanus or …? Of course it takes additional investigation to figure out the answers to any of these possibilities, but having no place to start, what is the best answer possible? How in the world can someone reverse Parkinson’s disease?

Click the purple arrow below to hear my two cents worth.

How to Reverse Parkinsons Disease

After researching the factors that aggravate the symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, I have drawn the conclusion that one factor in particular stands out relative to all the other factors.

  • It is not toxins, though you would probably think it should be.
  • It is not pesticides, though the research certainly suggests this should stack at the top of anyone’s list. 
  • It is not an imbalance of hormones though most people would presume this should be the top factor.

No, the single most important factor that contributes to the symptoms day in and day out is stress. When stress rears its ugly head, symptoms begin to smack people in the face and sometimes knock them over sideways. Of course, this in itself is stressful, so taming the stress demon turns out to be the challenge of a lifetime.

This revelation is why I developed the Parkinsons Recovery Mindfulness program. My honest confession is that I worked long and hard on this project because I was determined to find ways to tame my own stress level.

Be sure to check out any suggestion or recommendation you might discover here (or on any of the many Parkinsons Recovery websites and publications) with your medical doctor before deciding how to proceed. I am a researcher, not a medical doctor. My purpose is to provide persons with Parkinson’s symptoms options that they can discuss with their doctor.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com

How to Increase Effectiveness of Levodopa

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhat solutions exist for how to increase the effectiveness of Levodopa? I am asked this question often. Many people confront the challenge of having to take more frequent and higher doses of medications like levodopa to treat their Parkinsons symptoms. Most people would prefer to hold down the dosage taken in light of the possible side effects which can become problematic.

Solution to the On Off Period Quagmire

Dr. Richard Brown, MD, a recent guest on the Parkinsons Recovery Radio show, who offered a fascinating option that you might well want to discuss with your own doctor. Dr. Brown has had extensive experience treatment persons who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. My fascinating interview with Dr. Brown follows:

His suggestion, among others, is to begin taking SAM-e, a natural supplement which can be found in health food stores. His research reveals that people who supplement their diet with SAM-e experience

  • Lessened anxiety
  • Improved sleep
  • Enhanced energy
  • Relief from depression

Better yet, he finds that when people who take levodopa take SAM-e with their medication the positive response to levodopa is enhanced considerably. His studies show that people have to take less medication less frequently when SAM-e is taken. On periods are lengthened and off periods are shortened.

Studies show that SAM-e:

  • Enhances mental focus,
  • Sparks new enthusiasm for life,
  • Activates pleasures long abandoned
  • Renews optimism about the future.

Why? SAM-e nurtures the cell membranes of nerves which Dr. Brown explains is one important reason why it can be so helpful to persons who experience Parkinson’s symptpoms.

You may have come across early research on SAM-e which showed it had no effect. Dr. Brown explains that this research involved injecting SAM-e into people’s brains. Since SAM-e has to first be processed by the liver, this approach was destined to fail. The only result was to create harmful acidity in the brain.

I recommend that you first listen to my radio show interview with Dr. Brown by visiting Dr. Brown’s recorded radio show. Then, if you are so called, discuss with your doctor the possibility of taking SAM-e with levodopa as Dr Brown recommends

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

Best Path to Recovery

An idea fizzled into my brain that sizzled with energy and insight. What is the best path to recovery? Let it happen or make it a struggle?

Much of my work at Parkinsons Recovery over the past six years has been dedicated to identifying all sorts of options that are helping people reverse their symptoms. This has been important work and it seems I am the only researcher in the world doing this type of research. Everyone else is very focused on a narrow issue (as was I when employed as a professor). If you do not focus narrowly as a  professor, you do not get promoted or tenured. I succeed with the promotions and tenure but contributed little to the world in terms of insights and revelations.

What is my revelation this week about the best path to recovery? I believe we do not need to struggle for the answer. The journey down the road to recovery need not be a war of us against a disease. I believe the answer comes quite naturally and effortlessly as long as we allow it to float in and have its way.

What do I mean here? If we are struggling to find a solution, we are activating all of the hormones and systems in our bodies that sustain neurological problems. If we are always on the go searching and struggling to solve the problem – our bodies are never able to hang back and get the rest and space that it needs to heal.

Believe me when I say that the body really does know how to heal. Just give your body the power to heal and let recovery unfold gently in its own time. Yes, it may take a little time to come back into balance. No one ever said (certainly not me) that the body can heal quickly or instantly. Allow it a little time and patience. Then, relish in the signals and signs of recovery as they unfold gradually and effortless over the coming months.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
www.parkinsonsdisease.me

 

Health Affirmations

Health Affirmations

Many people who currently experience the symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease focus their primary attention on therapies that have helped other people in similar circumstances reverse their own symptoms. They have set in motion their own health affirmations.

Such a strategy of recovery can be invigorating and yield exciting victories. There may however be an undercurrent process which ultimately undermines your success with reclaiming your health. What in the world might this be?

Most people do not acknowledge that there is often an unconscious process that undermines a positive intention to heal. Since the process is entirely unconscious it is hidden and thus impossible to detect. Why might a person’s subconscious be undermining their positive intent to recover?

There are many reasons of course, but the person is getting something out of being sick that they would not get if they were well. Perhaps they are getting disability payments or special attention from family and friends. Perhaps they finally have a perfectly justifiable excuse to quit a job they have never liked doing. If a person is getting something out of being sick, it will be virtually impossible to heal.

I believe that everyone has unconscious processes at work. We all wind up sabotaging our best and highest intentions at one time or another. I know I do. The first step in paving a clear and unobstructed pathway down the road to recovery is to acknowledge that unconscious processes do exist that undermine our good intentions. The second step is to take a minute out of every day to state your intention to recover with a clear and loud voice.

My suggestion is to print out the health affirmations below, attach them to your refrigerator and say them out loud each and every day for 40 days.

My intention is to maintain health and wellness for myself.

I admire and model people who are healthy.

Health makes life more enjoyable.

I am healthy when I do what I love.

I deserve to be healthy because I add value to other people’s lives.

I receive compliments and gifts from others with an open heart.

I am grateful for the health I have now.

Opportunities to reverse any and all symptoms always come my way.

My capacity to reclaim full health and wellness expands each and every day.

If there is no unconscious current which is undermining your recovery, the task of  saying the statements above for 40 days will strengthen your intention and facilitate your recovery. If, on the other hand, there is an unconscious process at play which is undermining your good intention to reverse symptoms, you will not succeed in saying the statements out loud for 40 days. You might succeed for 30 days – but suddenly you skip a day.

Saying the health affirmations above out loud only takes a minute each day, yet you forget to do it. It was not because you did not have enough time!

When you realize that you “forgot” to state your affirmations, you will know that there must be something that you are getting out of your disease that you are not acknowledging.

And if this is the case, what do you do? Acknowledge that there must be part of you that does not want to get well. It is no big deal. We all sabotage ourselves in one way or another. The most important step is to acknowledge it.

Then, simply begin saying your affirmations again starting with day one. See if you get through 40 days without missing a day. If you succeed, celebrate your success with paving an unobstructed road to recovery. If you forget again, start the 40 ritual again. Maybe three times will be a charm.

If three times is not a charm, why not simply accept the reality that you are getting something out of being sick that may actually be worth all the trouble?

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery
www.fivestepstorecovery.com

Experience of Parkinson’s

Michael Day recounts his remarkable experience of Parkinson’s in the email below which he has given me permission to post. There is not doubt about it. The experiences of Parkinson’s is unique for each person.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Experience of Parkinson’s : A Magnificent Adventure

Robert…partly thanks to you…I have not experienced any shame the entire time I’ve had Parkinson’s. And my diagnosis day? For me, it was more of an initiation into a magnificent adventure than a day of heartbreak and devastating news.In fact, I would say that my overall experience of Parkinson’s symptoms has been the complete opposite of shame. It has been a profound gift. But this doesn’t mean it’s been easy!

Currently,

    • I can only type with my left index finger…
    • Walking is incredibly weird and difficult…
    • Fatigue is sometimes overwhelming…
    • Talking is often not possible…
    • The tremor is relentless.

However… even though the phenomenon of Parkinson’s is absolutely the most challenging thing that Life has ever invited me to face…every single day I feel so grateful to have been given such powerful support to accelerate my evolution. For me, shame has always been more a verb than a noun and when experienced from this perspective, shame becomes a choice. So, instead of shaming myself for having attracted a neurological imbalance, I choose to embrace these symptoms with love and compassion and let the shaking and the limitations lead me deeper and deeper into the discovery of who I really am.

My Experience of Parkinson’s

Until 2006, I practiced for 30 years as a spiritually oriented psychotherapist with a 25 year professional background in natural medicine consulting that included many years of study in energetic healing and psychoneuroimmunology. At one time, I also ran an oriental medicine clinic for 3 years. My original training as a therapist had its foundations in Primal Therapy (Janov, Rubin), Bioenergetics (Lowen), and The Option Method (DeMarsico, Kaufman, Johnstone, Evans), with internship positions that included assisting with the process of conscious dying, managing a suicide hotline, and counseling runaway kids on the streets of San Francisco. Thankfully, my work as a counselor was transformed early on in my career as a result of receiving countless of hours of intimate guidance from remarkable beings from India and Tibet, western mystics, and elders of indigenous communities.

In the mid eighties, an incident very close to a near death experience, caused me to see that to offer myself as a therapist was really a sacred privilege. This made it “impossible” for me to continue looking at counseling as a business, and in my attempt to live in integrity with this experience, all my work with people has been on donation ever since. Due to the fact that there are periods of time when donations do not cover expenses, my wife Dovida and I entered the world of home based self employment. After struggling on many levels with network marketing and various business opportunities, we started an independent long distance phone service agency in 1996, which enabled us to sell national and international long distance service for the next 10 years. Since 2007, we have been exploring online marketing and blogging but as of 2012, we have yet to experience any significant monetary success from our efforts.

Back in 1992, I started and facilitated for the next 14 years, a residential inner work community dedicated to world peace through ending the war within. This community was partly modeled on Gandhi’s phrase: “Become the world you want to see”. Also in 1992, I received one of the only two honorary PhDs ever offered by one of the oldest colleges of natural healing in the U.S. and shortly thereafter, I was ordained as a nondenominational minister.

In 2006, partly as a result of my background in trauma counseling, I was invited to come and do service in a community in Venezuela. However, in 2010, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s which caused me to realize that the challenges Life was offering me through the kind of counseling work I had been doing were more than I could effectively embrace right now. So, while my focus is primarily on personal healing at this time, I continue to participate whenever I can in what is known in South America as the Bolivarian Revolution: a remarkable movement that has transformed the quality of life of over 15 million Venezuelans who had previously only known the multi-generational hell of abject poverty.

I suspect that a 40 year dedication to natural medicine, spiritual practice, and psycho-spiritual study, are partly what led me to connect up through the internet with a tiny community of brave souls who have committed to fully recovering from the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Inspired by their courage to clear what the medical community solely regards as a progressive incurable illness, I have committed myself to evolving beyond the need for the symptoms of Parkinson’s and while I’m at it…I have committed myself to evolving beyond the need for any other concept of illness or physical imperfection as well.

My experience of Parkinson’s and the attempt to recover from it can be a wild and fierce gift of grace. Fully embracing the experience of these particular symptoms, can bring a raw, visceral, physicality to the process of awakening to who we really are which is actually a profound gift if we also desire full integration of body, mind, and spirit. This process has shown me that to truly evolve beyond the need for these particular symptoms, or the need for any illness or physical imperfection, requires no less than an absolute reconsideration…in fact a total “reinvention” and “re-imagining” of all that we have previously known ourselves to be.

I have exclusively used Apple computers since 1989, and I feel utterly certain that if it were not for the genius of Steve Jobs, pen and paper would still be the primary tools of my creative expression. Besides relentlessly exploring Life through my beloved portal to infinity (my iMac), my core interests are meditation, natural medicine, Qi gong, yoga, conscious diet, uncovering the connections between personal healing/awakening and the transformation of global issues, all forms of music, independent film, and the process of hopefully becoming a better and better writer.

Warmest regards, namaste, and ubuntu,

From a little pig who’s trying
to become the world he wants to see

Michael

Experience of Parkinson's

Best Exercise for Parkinsons

Everyone knows by now that exercise helps alleviate the symptoms that are associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. What is the best exercise for Parkinsons?

I have hosted a series of renown researchers on Parkinsons Recovery Radio Show who have discussed the benefits and virtues of exercise. It is clear you will see improvements in your health on some level when you exercise. Everyone needs to exercise if they are serious about recovery.OK. But …

Let’s get down to practicalities here. What is the best exercise for Parkinsons?

  • Is it aerobic exercise which strengthens the heart and immune system?
  • Is it resistance exercise that involves lifting weights?
  • Is it advisable to lift heavier and heavier weights?
  • Is it stretching muscles with Yoga?

Or, is exercise that improves balance the best option for people with Parkinson’s symptoms through accessing a modality like Tai Chi or Qigong or dance?

How often should you exercise – every day? Or, every week? Or …? When you really get down to practicalities it gets complicated.

Daniel Corcos, Ph.D., is my guest on the Parkinsons Recovery Radio who answers all of these questions after three decades of conducting research on exercise and Parkinson’s.

Exercise is incredibly beneficial for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Regular physical activity improves motor symptoms, maintains balance, enhances mobility and improves overall quality of life.

OK – so you have never liked to exercise? Dr. Corcos has some suggestions for you too!

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
Olympia, Washington
877-526-4646

 

Maybe You Have Lyme Disease and Not Parkinson’s Disease

I will soon be hosting several guests on the Parkinsons Recovery Radio Show who will discuss the unbelievable role that Lyme disease has for a surprising number of people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Symptoms of a Lyme infection are similar to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Many people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease actually have a Lyme infection. A variety of treatment protocols for Lyme are used by doctors with varying degrees of success, but everyone who treats Lyme agrees that it is a nasty infection to heal.

Some of you have heard my radio show with Lexie or had the opportunity to meet her in person at the Santa Fe Summit. Lexie has been taking LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) to treat her own Parkinson’s symptoms with notable success. At her Santa Fe Summit presentation she reported that she only experiences symptoms when she is straddled with an overload of stress. At all other times she is symptom free.

Why should LDN help to reverse Lexie’s Parkinson’s symptoms? A fundamental cause of her symptoms is likely to be an infection of some sort (like Lyme). LDN helps to strengthen the body’s immune system. Once the immune system is brought back on line, the body is better equipped to heal infections naturally.

Why is a body unable to heal infections like Lyme disease naturally? When I give you the answer you are going to know instinctively that I am right. The factor that accounts for the inability of the body to eliminate infections like Lyme naturally is trauma. When trauma has been experienced (whether physical or emotional) effects of the trauma are long lasting. They become trapped deep inside the body at the cellular level. Tissues of the body tighten up as if there were in a vice grip.This is why muscles of many persons with Parkinson’s symptoms can be so hard and inflexible.

The long term result of trauma is to destroy the body’s immune system. When the immune system is shot, the body does not have a prayer of eliminating infections without a little outside support of one type or another.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

Road to Recovery from Parkinson’s Disease

Over the past six years of researching Parkinson’s disease, I have concluded that there are many, many routes that offer the opportunity to celebrate symptom relief as you travel down the road to recovery from Parkinson’s disease

I do get many questions from people asking what is the most important step they should explore to recover. The good news is that there are many options that are helping people reverse their symptoms. The bad news is that there are so many choices, is can be a daunting task to choose ones to pursue.

I thought when I began my research I would discover a simple solution. That anticipation has been transformed into something much more exciting – the preview of many options that are making a difference.

I received an inspiring email from Anne who has given me permission to include her correspondence here  She will be a guest on the radio show when her second book has been officially released. Her story beautifully captures the observation that everyone’s journey down the road to recovery is unique

Hello Robert and how are you?

My second book is out by the end of next month. It’s title is ‘Still Laughing.’ It is slightly longer that the first one and deals with what it has been like now that I am no longer considered to be newly diagnosed. In fact, it will be 8 years in August plus another 5 on top where I was misdiagnosed.

I volunteered for the Australian Parkinson’s registry 4 years ago and was given a very thorough physical and cognitive overhaul. Last month (March). I was recalled for another overhaul and my results were even better. My postural balance is now considered to be normal. My cognitive scores had improved – one test is where you look at a list of 10 words and then say them. Four years ago I scored 6 and then 30 mins later, the score was still 6. This time I scored 9 and 30 mins later it was 10!

I still take medication but it has not been increased for 3 years. The non-motor symptoms are the ones that are not all that responsive – sleep disorder, gastric reflux, excessive sweating, bowel and bladder problems are still there but I can live with them. Being able to walk and move well and actually remember myself doing that is just the best feeling.

I can stand on one foot and put a sock on the other without over-balancing. My score overall was 98/100. Last time it was below 85. I am even getting muscle tone back.

I do not attend a gymnasium. I use my everyday life as exercise i.e. the housework and gardening are part of my exercise program. I still have my beautiful bed of roses where I take time to bury myself in the perfume.

I am a very positive person and I do it automatically. Same with all my movements. I was told that using the frontal cortex was effective but movements would never become spontaneous and that you would have to plan each part of a movement. Not true. I can do 2 things at once and most times I don’t even think about what I am going to do. Many times I have stopped and realised that I have been on automatic pilot and wasn’t aware of doing so.

I don’t put myself down. I never say that I am stupid or dumb. If I make a mistake I just think of it as a learning experience and will do it better next time. I made the decision to present to the world a smiling face. And when I am asked how I am, I always answer ‘I feel fine’ and you know what? I am!

Cheers

Anne

Foot Whisperer Randy Eady Inspires a Successful Experiment

I must tell you about a foot whisperer experiment I carried out today after listening to the foot whisperer Randy Eady on your radio show. I knew the hands and feet mapped onto large areas of the brain but had no idea that this was such a dynamic mapping. When I felt my sine met level go low, instead of taking another I got up onto my feet. I stayed on my feet for 1 hour and 20 minutes walking, kicking a ball, throwing a ball, dancing whatever I could think of as long as I stayed on my feet and I was fine. Eventually I got bored rather than tired and took another tablet. This kicked in within a few minutes. Great because my medication lasted an extra hour and 20 minutes and would have been longer if I hadn’t got bored.

This explains to me why the exercise bike doesn’t help me walk, why I can’t easily walk after a long swim and why I’m in trouble if I need to get up in the night. And why if I sit down at a friends house for hours in the evening I have trouble leaving!

I for one am going to get up and walk around every 20 minutes or so when I have to sit. Maybe in a marginal situation like Parkinson’s the brain needs very frequent reminders from the feet. Thank you Randy!

I do think my two biophotonic treatments have a role in this improvement also.

Fiona

Rhodiola for Parkinsons

Rhodiola for Parkinson’s Disease

Mechanisms of Action

The therapeutic potential of Rhodiola for Parkinsons disease can be attributed to several key mechanisms:

  1. Antioxidant Properties: Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Rhodiola contains several bioactive compounds, including rosavin, salidroside, and tyrosol, which have potent antioxidant properties. These compounds can help neutralize harmful free radicals and reduce oxidative damage to dopaminergic neurons, which are critically affected in Parkinson’s.
  2. Neuroprotective Effects: Research suggests that Rhodiola may exert neuroprotective effects by enhancing the brain’s resistance to stress and supporting cellular health. Studies have indicated that Rhodiola can promote the survival of neurons and prevent neurodegeneration, which is crucial in the context of Parkinson’s disease.
  3. Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Chronic inflammation is another factor contributing to Parkinson’s progression. Rhodiola’s anti-inflammatory properties can help mitigate inflammation in the brain, potentially slowing the progression of the disease.
  4. Dopaminergic Support: Parkinson’s disease is marked by a depletion of dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for motor control. Some animal studies suggest that Rhodiola might help support dopaminergic activity and improve motor function, though more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans.

What is Rhodiola Rosea?

Rhodiola rosea, commonly known as “golden root” or “arctic root,” is a perennial plant that grows in cold, mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. It has been used for centuries in traditional medicine for its adaptogenic properties, meaning it helps the body adapt to stress and maintain homeostasis. Rhodiola is renowned for its ability to boost energy, enhance mental performance, and alleviate fatigue.

Clinical Evidence on Rhodiola for Parkinsons

A few studies have explored the effects of Rhodiola on cognitive function and mood disorders, which are relevant to Parkinson’s disease management. Some research has found that Rhodiola can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety, which are commonly experienced by Parkinson’s patients.

Below is a followup correspondence I received from Aunt Bean who reports on still another natural options that is providing some people with symptom relief.

Hi Robert…a friend of mine with PD who is also only doing fava beans and Mucuna for her PD symptoms has started on Rhodiola and her husband said it has really made a difference in her health already…more energy, walking faster, etc….yeah…praise God , it is not just my imagination with my symptoms…..so coooooool !!!

Aunt Bean

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
www.parkinsonsdisease.me

 

Trauma and Parkinson’s

Parkinsons disease is a condition of extreme overwhelm of the central nervous system. It is set in motion by traumatic events and belief systems that were crystalized at an early age. The connection between trauma and Parkinson’s symptoms is profound.

Traumatic events result in brain wave distortions that jeopardize survival of a person until resolution can be achieved. If resolution is not found, the neural distortions continue to run rampant throughout the body. This precludes access to dopamine reserves. The body becomes exhausted by the stress and continues to decline.

Understanding Trauma and Parkinson’s

Trauma leaves an imprint on our minds and bodies. It is not just a mental or emotional burden. It  manifests physically, influencing our nervous system, bodily functions, and overall well-being. Traditional therapeutic approaches often focus on talking through traumas. An alternative therapy  enables the release of traumas that have been embedded at the cellular level since childhood. It is known as Breathwork.

What is Breathwork?

Breathwork is a practice that involves continuous breathing techniques to influence  mental, emotional, and physical states. It ranges from deep, conscious breathing to more structured techniques like holotropic breathwork or pranayama. The core idea is to use the breath to bring to the surface trapped emotions that are then released.

When traumatized, we all have learned to stop breathing. Why? This immediately cuts us off from feelings of fear, horror and agony that are inevitably triggered by trauma. Because we stop breathing, these horrible feelings get stuck and trapped in our physical body. Continuous breathing connects with these feelings, making  them available for release so that we are no longer holding the traumas deep inside ourselves. This is what makes us sick.

For more information about the revolutionary approach to Breathwork illustrated in the video, visit:  About Breathwork Today

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
http://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

 

More Support as You Journey Down the Road to Recovery

Finally. A project I thought would take three weeks wound up taking six months. I have finally finished and released the 2013 edition of Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease which includes all of the new information I have discovered over the past two years. I was actually overwhelmed by the richness and depth of the information I had generated from my radio show interviews and other reseach about Parkinson’s disease.

Learn all about the  edition and order either a desktop copy or have the printed version shipped by visiting:

http://www.parkinsonsdisease.me

My goal in writing the book was to provide information that will help anyone with Parkinsons get sustained relief from their symptoms. There are so many excellent options to consider, the only frustration people have is deciding which ones to pursue first.

Please do not think you have to purchase the book to get the information. All the information I have collected is freely available on my websites and can be accessed by listening to my radio shows over the past four years. People ask me to organize the information so that it is more easily accessible.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

 

 

Positive Energy is My Power Over Parkinson’s Disease

Positive energy is my power over Parkinson’s disease. Some times I want to give up, but when the tremor tries to take over I get the fight back in me.

A Doctor told me to give up my motor cycle. What did I do? I went out n bought a bigger one. Riding my Harley forces my mind to work harder. The tremor slows and my balance improves.

Think positive. I can do this. I have been fighting this for over 13 yrs. I can not stop as long as there is hope.

Malcolm

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Meditation and the Brain

Dear Robert: The reason for my letter this morning is the topic of meditation and the brain. From Sarah McLean’s book Soul-Centered, I learned that it changes the brain. She cites a journal named Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, Jan. 2011. After just 8 weeks of meditation, 27 minutes a day, they could see beneficial changes in the brains of a group of meditators, and the changes remained after the meditation period.

Among those changes was a ‘taming’ of the amygdala, which would mean less anxiety. (And I think those changes are possible even if we have our usual daily upsets, which we could deal with mindfully.) The people who partook of the experiment were most likely healthy. I guess the best way to find out if it’s helpful for us with PD, is to start a practice. I find it hard to get started, though. It’s somehow easier to do something, like exercise, than to sit down and do nothing. I need reassurance.

Stresses are not just about the daily ups and downs. I find that during a perfectly easy day, I can be made to tremor by just somebody looking at me in a certain way. Deeply embedded memories of a teacher looking for the right answer or your mother asking you where you’ve been could be the culprits. Nothing I can prepare for – it just happens out of the blue.

I also wanted to point to a seemingly good program, The Healing Journey. The person, who developed it, is a Canadian, Alastair Cunningham, OC, PhD, C Psych. Unfortunately for us, it is written for people with cancer. It is offered in many cancer support groups throughout Canada. It has withstood the test of time – 20 years or so. In the introduction, the author maintains that the program could be used by anyone with a  chronic illness. Part of the reason we get sick is a high allostatic load (stress) and a way to soften the impact of that is, among other things, to meditate. You can download the program without cost. If you as much as look at part one, I think you’d be excited. It might even help you not to have too many days of doubt you mentioned yesterday. Mind-Body ‘medicine’ works.

I emailed dr. Cunningham some time ago, and his secretary was kind enough to reply. In a nutshell, she thinks the program would be beneficial for us with PD, but that it would need to be rewritten for our needs, and that would involve money. I might bring it up with our local support group. Meanwhile, I’d better get started meditating!

I enjoyed your show yesterday, as usual. I was a little unnerved by the Mirapex and heart problems, as I haven’t heard about that before. Also, the Tetanus shot – what to do about it?

Best of luck with your new book Language of Recovery. I will most definitely order a copy.

Thanks for all you do,

Canadian Fan

What a fantastic overview that provides a sweet overview of meditation and the brain. You offer rich resources for people to access for free. Yea!

I worked with author Nancy Welch to create an amazing book which explains how people can find a meditation practice that works for them. Through my collaboration with her and interviews with all the experts on meditation, I learned a great deal about its beneficial impact. Nancy wrote a book titled Medicine and Meditation which has a focus on meditation for persons with chronic illnesses.

As for what to do about lingering effects of tetanus inoculations … keep in mind this may not be an issue for you, though several independent resources have found it to be problematic for a surprisingly large proportion of persons – perhaps as high as 25% to 30%. There are two options as I see it. The first requires that you work diligently to strengthen your immune system so that your body can address the issue naturally. The second is to use sound or light frequencies to invite the little critters to depart your body.

Of course there are many other approaches which can be also effective. Know that there are alternatives out there that are helping people reverse the neurological symptoms that they currently experience that have been caused by a wide spectrum of factors. The connection between meditation and the brain helps sort what therapies can be useful to any recovery program.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

 

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