The Department of Veterans Affairs has added Parkinsons as one of three new conditions caused by the defoliant Agent Orange in veterans deployed in Vietnam. A website veterans may want to explore is www.bluewaternavy.org if they were aboard ship and traveled the inland waterways. The VA is urging veterans who fall into that category to apply for compensation for veterans exposed to agent orange.

The Department of veterans affairs for the longest time refused to recognize illnesses from sailors in the combat zone, since they didn’t have “boots on the ground” contact. But we were getting poisoned from the water we used. After the ground was sprayed, the dioxin seeped into the ground and got carried off into the harbors. That is where we pumped it in and converted it to fresh water. The same water we were drinking, bathing with, cooking, and doing the laundry.

The rate of PD in civilian populations is 1 out of 100 over 50 years old. In Vietnam veterans, it’s 1 out of 40. Thankfully the VA has acknowledged this and awards compensation to veterans exposed to agent orange.  

Sal

Agent Orange Exposure

• The U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam, with at least 11 million gallons being Agent Orange.
• An estimated 2.6 to 3.8 million U.S. military personnel served in Vietnam during the period of herbicide use.
• Exposure occurred through inhalation, skin contact, and contamination of food and water.

Health Effects

Agent Orange exposure has been linked to numerous serious health conditions, including:

• Various cancers (e.g. prostate, lung, bladder)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Birth defects in children of exposed veterans

Long-Term Impact

The effects of Agent Orange continue to impact people today:

• Over 300,000 U.S. veterans and 400,000 Vietnamese people have died from Agent Orange exposure.
• Lingering environmental contamination in Vietnam still poses health risks.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Randy asks an important question about exposure to Agent Orange and Parkinsons.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons
http://www.parkinsonsdisease.me

In some of the research I have been doing I discovered that there is a connection between agent orange and Parkinsonism. When we were at the last symposium, I think that I asked the question whether any of the Parkinsons patients grew up on farms or came into contact with insecticides and pesticides. Now I would include the question to include if any of these folks served in southeast Asia between 1961 and 1967.

Randy Mentzer

I have just joined your remarkable “Rosetta Stone” that will help me understand my disease  (Your approach is the 1st that includes laughter as a pathway to recovery). I am requesting “Where to Start” for information on Agent Orange and Parkinsons Disease.

I have been exposed, almost on a daily basis for 8 months, to Agent Orange spraying while serving with the 1st Infantry Division. I am presently receiving disability benefits from the VA. I was “diagnosed” in 2003 @ age 62. My CranioSacaral Therapist has told me that many Vietnam Vets require a good “cleansing” of their body of toxins that have “resided” there  since exposure.

Until I joined your group I have not been able to nail down research-wise this aspect of recovery or specific 1st hand “stories” of how other Vets are handling the Holistic” natural approach” to recovery. In order to save time could you point me in the right direction?

“Time is of the essence” as I have my first appointment with a nutritionist who alleges experience with PD patients on Tuesday PM 06/07/2011. I need to do some reading so I know what to ask her. Please forgive me for this intrusion on your time with such a short response time. Thank you for you good work and consideration.

Charles

Congratulations. You have unearthed a primary cause of symptoms you are currently experiencing. Research definitively confirms that exposure to agent orange (which can be from service in Vietnam or through exposure to pesticide applications on farms) does significant damage to the neurological system. Symptoms of Parkinsons are a likely outcome.

Even the VA now recognizes the compelling evidence on agent orange and Parkinsons disease – as you note in your letter – now offer benefits to veterans who were exposed. Once the agent orange toxin has been cleared from your body (and there may be other toxins as well) and damage to your delicate neurological system repaired – your state of health will improve dramatically.

A consultation with a nutritionist is an excellent choice. Detox diets can help your body detox. I would also recommend that you pursue this further by exploring various detox protocols that will facilitate the release of the agent orange toxin in your body. Be circumspect in the choices you make. Some detox protocols chase the toxins into the brain.

There are functional medical doctors who work with people who currently experience the symptoms of Parkinsons and various naturopath doctors who specialize in detoxing the body. I suggest that you start your journey by exploring options for treatment in addition to those prescribed by your nutritionist.

I also suggest that you detox slowly. Toxins cannot be cleared quickly. It is not like getting an oil change for your car.

May you continue to pursue ways to release trauma as you are currently through your treatments with a cranio-sacral therapist. When toxins are present, it is usually the case that the person has experienced significant trauma that is unresolved. The mere fact you served in Viet Nam suggests that focusing on releasing trauma will be needed to release the toxins. The body will refuse to release the toxins as long as trauma remains trapped in the tissues of your body.

When many people detox from a toxin like agent orange their symptoms flare. This is because the trauma is now presenting itself to be released. I discuss the connection between toxins and trauma at length in my book, Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery