Category Archives: recovery

Painting for Parkinsons

painting, recovery

My guest on the radio show this week was Anne Atkin who has made remarkable discoveries for herself about what helps her get sustained relief from her symptoms. She sponsored a novel Painting for Parkinsons program. Her interview is remarkable in every respect and I strongly encourage everyone to listen.

Anne was kind enough to send me a copy of her book, Living and Laughing with Parkinsons which I have now devoured. I did not stop reading and laughing until I landed on the final page.

Her book is a thorough and comprehensive review of the symptoms that are associated with Parkinsons and the frustrations that they present. Anne has drawn provocative and very funny cartoons that complement each explanation of a symptom and that embody the many challenges she personally encountered.

In addition to sending me her book, Anne forwarded a letter she wrote in response to a question about what she has been doing to get relief from her symptoms, Anne gave me permission to post the letter which follow. May this not however be a substitute for listening to her interview which is full  of golden treasures for anyone who currently experiences the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.

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

I am very careful about how I describe what is happening to me. Recovery is a word that is too strong; I like to think that I have reached an equilibrium and a state of balance with Parkinson’s. I feel that I am always improving some aspect of myself. If you think you have recovered, then you may allow bad habits to come back whereas to keep in balance you have to keep working at it. It all becomes second nature.

Yes, it is true that I no longer use a cane and that has happened because my quad muscles are much stronger and that helps balance. Also, my overall balance has improved because I spend time just practising standing on one leg then the other.

I don’t do hours of exercise because I would be bored silly. I exercise no more than 10 minutes at a time but at frequent intervals. This way I don’t get tired or bored. I do all my own housework, which is also exercise! I love gardening and I will talk about gardening more.

I don’t do anything that is complicated or difficult. Nor do you have to do everything exactly the way I do it. After a while you will find your own pathway and it will feel right and comfortable. I treasure painting for Parkinsons but you may not be a painter. 

So I use a combination of:

Creativity as evidenced in my Painting for Parkinsons program in Australia.

Socialization- being with people from all walks of life is the way to go. Don’t isolate yourself.

Humor – develop a sense of humor as laughter is so good for our bodies

Exercise – and you don’t have to join a gym. There is a great book on exercise for us and it is called ‘Delay the Disease.’ It is by Jackie Russell and David Zid.

Mindfulness

Wellness These three are handled beautifully on the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation website

Visualization

Positive thinking: Not giving in to negative thoughts

In everything I do I have a little catch-cry –

‘You’ll never, never know if you don’t have a go.’

You can retrain your brain through thinking positively. It is very important if you have depression.

Whoops! I forgot about gardening. Gardening is an activity that is both creative and exercise. You get the best of both worlds. I love gardening and spend at least an hour a day in mine.

My book ‘Living and laughing with Parkinson’s’ is just at the very beginning of my journey and it is my second book which is being published later this year which will do a lot of talking about the dot points above.

I hope I have given you some ideas but I must impress on you that you can find you own path to wellness and mindfulness. There is more than one pathway because Parkinson’s is such a mixture of symptoms. We are all different and therefore our pathways are going to be all different too.

I also started this journey about 4 years ago and the further along the pathway I went, the more easily I found it to take control of some symptoms. For example, anxiety attacks are now no problem because when I feel one starting, I just visualize myself drawing, or sniffing my roses or I see myself bathed in sunlight with, sitting on a hill and watching the clouds.

Anne

Painting for Parkinsons Postscript:

I do believe that the complexity of Parkinson’s means that there is a complexity of different ways you can tackle the condition. I concentrated on the motor skills because I like being physically independent. Plus, retraining the brain is vitally important. I hope people see that if a late middle-aged mum from Australia can help herself then it is something within the reach of most.

But the key word is Persistence.

Cheers

Anne Atkin

Living Well with Parkinsons Disease

recovery

 Sel Kerans , Author of Leading the Dance: Living Well with Parkinsons Disease

leading the dance

Trust me on this. Take the time to listen to this interview which was recorded several years ago. It will be well worth your time!

Sel Kerans discusses his new book, Leading the Dance: Living well with Parkinsons Disease, and his own journey on the road to recovery in an open, conversational expose of a five year journey with Parkinsons disease and the experiences that have inspired the writing of a book that may be helpful, motivational and encouraging for others, especially those newly diagnosed with the condition.

His book has been dedicated to the late Robin Williams and is about overcoming adversity, staying positive and content; focusing on healing, recovery and living well. Leading the dance with an unwelcome stranger called Parkinsons disease. Sel discusses:

  • What hurdles have you faced?
  • How have you overcome them?
  • Would you consider yourself recovered from Parkinson’s disease?
  • Do you believe it’s possible to recover completely from the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
  • You mention in your book some reluctance with medication – what’s been your approach to taking medication over the five years?
  • What resources have been useful for you in learning about alternative approaches to managing the symptoms?

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

 

Do I fight or Give In?

recovery

Do I fight or give in to the symptoms?

I know what you are thinking. The
answer is obvious. Of course you fight,
right? This will not be my answer.
Since there are only two choices, you
now know my answer. Read on.

Fight versus Surrender

One of my favorite past times is
reading obituaries. OK. I agree
this is weird, perhaps even
demented, but give me credit
for a little self-disclosure here.

What do people say about their
loved ones when they die of cancer?

“She fought a courageous battle.”
It goes without saying (although
I am now saying it) the obituary
never points out that the battle
was lost. For all of the thousands of
obituaries I have read, no one –
I repeat no one – won the battle.
These odds are not encouraging.

This is my twisted way of alerting you
to what you are not expecting. I will
argue that a healthy way to heal
the symptoms of Parkinson’s is to
embrace the meaning and information
they offer to us.

My explanation starts with a story
about horse racing. How in the
world is horse racing related to
Parkinson’s? Ah, is impatience
an issue for you? It is for me. Let’s
each tolerate our impatience
as I write and you read the next
section.

Horse Racing and Parkinson’s

One of my pleasures in life has been to
live at one time in the beautiful city of
Lexington, Kentucky which is home to
some of the fastest and most famous
thoroughbred racing horses in the world.
Part of the Lexington folklore revolves
around Patrick Henry, a horse that won
over 6 million in purses.

In his retirement years Patrick Henry
lived on a horse farm near the famous
racing track known as Keeneland.
His handlers told me that the most
dangerous time to be inside Patrick
Henry’s horse stall was when the racing
horn at nearby Keeneland signaled
the time for a race to begin.

Patrick Henry knew he was not at the
starting gate. He knew he was not racing.
He knew he had been “put out to pasture.”
He did not like it one bit.

Patrick Henry would become angry,
even violent. His entire body would
shake, rattle and roll. He tore up
anything in his way – his hay rack,
the walls to his stall and even his
handlers if they were inside the stall
with him. It was dangerous business
for his handlers on racing day.

Patrick Henry was determined to
race. He had no interest sitting
on the sidelines, hearing the shouts
of the crowd while eating hay in
his stall.

His handlers quickly learned that you
could not confront Patrick Henry during
such occasions. His fury would be ignited.
He temper would intensify. His symptoms
would become measurably worse.

His handlers explained to me that the
only response was to allow Patrick
Henry to have his pout, shake like
a mad horse and scream out his anger
from the bowels of his life force. The
only response possible was to allow
the energy to be expressed.

Once he was able to fully and
completely express his feelings they
would pass. The shaking would stop.
The fury would pass.

When the horse’s handlers are asked –
do I fight or give in to Patrick Henry – if they
fight they would most certainly be physically
harmed.

Patrick Henry was processing his
own feelings of inadequacy. His
handlers and owners decided he
was too old to race. Part of him
certainly knew that he was too old
to race.

But this was all too much to stomach
for this proud horse. Patrick Henry
needed to release his own feelings of
inadequacy in his own way.

Parkinsons and Horse Racing

Let me now explain the connection
between Patrick Henry’s frustration
and Parkinsons. Having known now
many persons who have the symptoms
of Parkinson’s, I have observed that
there is an underlying intensity that
is usually present. The intensity is
coupled with a genuine sense of power
and focus, two remarkable traits that
help people succeed in life.

The intensity and focus is a good thing.
It is a precursor to success in life. It is
the reason why so many people with
Parkinson’s have a long record of amazing
accomplishments.

The Place of Balance

When the symptoms of Parkinson’s present
themselves what is the typical response for
anyone? For most people (myself included)
the typical response is to fight the symptoms,
to engage an internal war against them.

This response works beautifully for some
people, but I want to offer a companion
response for you to consider.

Consider the possibility that
your body will find a place of
balance no matter what
circumstances you confront
or how you respond. 

If you operate in high gear day in and day out –
running marathons, accomplishing miracles,
running a business, setting high goals, handling
the traumas of everyday living – your body will
find a way – anyway – to find balance in your life.

You cannot stop this process no matter how
hard you try. You have no control over
it.

Yin Versus Yang

We need both yin and yang. Aggression needs to
be balanced with receiving the pleasures of life.
The war inside us needs to be balanced with
making peace within us.

If it suddenly becomes more difficult to move,
your body may simply be finding a way to
slow you down. If it is more difficult to talk,
maybe your body is telling you it is time to
listen more often. If your body wants to shake
uncontrollably, perhaps there is tension in the
tissues that needs to  be released.

In other words, any symptom you experience
is valuable information your body is giving
you. All you need is to listen to your body.
Give in to the pain, discomfort and frustration.|
Set your intention to learn  more about its
underlying meaning. The symptoms –
however unpleasant they may be –
are gifts in disguise.

The best analogy here is to think
of what happens in martial arts
when you absorb the blows of your
opponent rather than counteracting
with equal force. There is limitless
power when you flow with the energy
of the moment – absorbing the blows
rather than fighting them.

If you counteract the blows of your
opponent you will ultimately lose
the fight. In the end the route to
victory is “giving in” and yielding. From
a martial arts perspective the answer to
the question – do I fight or give in – is to yield,
Absorb the blows. Therein lies the power.

Process Work

This philosophy is eloquently honored in
Process Work as formulated by Arnold
Mindell and explained in the Dream Body.
The following is taken from my interview
with Steven Fenwick, Ph.D., who
is a psychologist and national expert in
process work.

“As you look at the underlying meaning
and purpose of the symptoms, what are
they trying to tell you? It is like it has a
gift for you.”

“Even though you may hate the symptoms
– we all hate symptoms – but even though
we hate them and we want them to go away
and we do everything we can to make them
go away, which is good, we also want to look
at what the meaning is.”

“What is it trying to tell you about your life?
What is it trying to tell you about your life
purpose and meaning? And as you unfold
that and get more in touch with that and
express it more in your life, often times the
symptoms do get better. “

“From a Process Work point of view,
I would say ¦- instead of always trying
to repress the symptom, experiment.
Amplify the tremor or whatever your
most disturbing symptoms
are with just making them bigger and
feeling what they are expressing. “

“Maybe you could dance it some; of if
you are sitting in a chair you could move
various ways to express it. You could
draw it. And just feel. If this had a
message for me, what is it telling me?“

Do I Fight or Give In Summary

No one likes to have the symptoms
of Parkinsons. They are horrible.
A usual response is to launch a battle
against the symptoms or to find ways
to suppress them through medications,
drugs, herbs, supplements or other
therapies.

I am suggesting here to consider a
counterintuitive approach to the question –
do I fight or give in – that is
embodied in process work:

  • Acknowledge the symptoms
    as gifts in disguise.
  • Set the intention to explore
    what they are really about.
  • Listen to what your body is
    telling you.

Your body is not broken. It is
working perfectly. My answer to the question –
do I fight or give in – is to listen to the messages
my body is sending. Do not fight them. Listen to
the messages they are conveying to you.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

© Parkinsons Recovery

Miracle Recovery from Parkinsons

recovery

My husband, has experienced a miracle recovery from
Parkinsons. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
seven years ago, and who was drug free for the first five
of those years, has improved dramatically over the past
two months as follows:

major, noticeable and sustained increase in energy
  (sexual, emotional, physical, mental, etc.):
handwriting is easier;
balance improved;
less need for sleep and recovery/rest;
abatement of muscle soreness;
urge to return to direct, upright posture and then, arms swing naturally;
return of facial expression
moving faster and smoother;
the list goes on.

He presently takes 5 25/100 Sinemet per day, which he
has been taking for almost two years. He also is on a wide
range of supplements, which he has been on from the beginning
and finally, I have been giving him weekly energy treatments
which are loosely based on yin tui na but which amount to
an intuitive, hands on kind of relaxation session.

We are simply unable to explain his seeming recovery
and are happy to live with it as a miracle. However, we
wanted to advise you of the remarkable turn-around
he is undergoing and seek any input you may have.

Your story of recovery is an inspiration to everyone with
Parkinson’s who are on the road to recovery. Thank you
so much for sending it. I hope others with stories similar
to yours will be encouraged to send their own personalÂ
experiences with recovery.

Your husband’s recovery program has consisted of a two pronged
approach: nutrition and energy work. He gives his body the
nourishment it needs to rejuvenate damaged neural pathways and
balance out the intricate array or hormones in his body.

Why did it take so long for the supplements to take effect?
It is often the case that the digestive system is compromised
in the early stages of recovery. The food needed by the
body to repair cells is not being adequately assimilated or
processed. It takes time for blockages and barriers in the
digestive system to clear.

Some of the best evidence of recovery comes from John
Coleman, ND. It took him nearly four years to recover from
the symptoms of Parkinson’s. As a naturopath John has helped
other clients fully recover, but their recovery too has taken
2-4 years. It simply takes time for the digestive system and
the body time to come “back on line.”

You have also been giving him subtle energy treatments.
I believe this is also a significant reason for his miracle recovery
from Parkinsons.

My colleagues and I did a six month study to evaluate the
effects of energy healing on the symptoms of 10 persons
who have Parkinson’s in Portland, Oregon. We tracked
their symptoms using standard research instruments
and videos.

Findings showed that 75% of the symptoms either improved
or stayed the same. Videos of before the treatments and after
also showed remarkable improvements.

Energy work helps to release stress and trauma which we
believe is a factor that causes the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Energy work also helps the body balance out the complicated
mix of hormones that are continuously circulating throughout
the body.

Your experience with the recovery of your husband matches
our own experience perfectly. The weekly energy sessions and
the nutritional supplements are both clearly two important reasons for
the miracle of his recovery.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery  

© Parkinsons Recovery

I Have Parkinsons But Parkinsons Does Not Have Me

Exercise and Parkinson's, recovery, Thoughts and Parkinsons

I have a heads up on the most fascinating interview below. Leif
Ogard has had Parkinsons for 21 years. Leif has published a book with
the quite fascinating title of I Have Parkinsons But Parkinsons Does
Not Have Me.

Leif feels great – not just good – but great. Most “well”
people can’t say this!. He has incredible energy and owns
his own business which he started after his diagnosis.
By the way, his business is thriving. Leif considers
himself healthy in every respect.

Leif offers genuinely helpful insights and suggestions. His comments
will be especially helpful for anyone who has been
recently diagnosed.

I interviewed Leif because he has just published his new
book, “I have Parkinsons But Parkinsons Does Not Have me.”
Believe me when I tell you that his life is true to the title
of his book.

If you are in a place in your life where you could use a
motivational boast listen to my interview with Leif.
You will not be disappointed. on Blog Talk Radi

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

Does CoQ10 Slow Down Parkinson’s?

COq10, recovery, Thoughts and Parkinsons

Does coq10 slow down Parkinson’s?

Stephen

Response:

The framing of your question is fascinating- Does CoQ10 slow down Parkinson’s? There is an implicit assumption behind the framing of your question that Parkinson’s disease is a race in a download direction. I fully realize that many people hold the belief that Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease – meaning that anyone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease is destined to deteriorate over time, with no hope of recovery.

The mission of Parkinsons Recovery is to provide compelling evidence from across the globe that the assumption Parkinson’s is “degenerative” is misguided and wrong. In support of this mission, I have been interviewing people for the past several decades who successfully reversed their own Parkinson’s symptoms. Stories of former guests on my radio show are featured contributors in Pioneers of Recovery. We are documenting more and more cases of recovery every week now.

There are many treatments and modalities of one form or another that help reverse the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Some supplements will help depending on the factors that are causing the symptoms. After all, a supplement is simply food for the body. You can feed your body with the nutrients it needs by eating healthy, live food or you can acquire the nutrition you need through supplements.

There is a controversy in the research studies concerning the use of CoQ10 to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s.  The difference in study outcomes (some studies report positive effects and others do not) is due to the type of Co-Q10 that is used. In the video below I provide an explanation that speaks to your question : Does CoQ10 slow down Parkinson’s.

There are independent benefits of two supplements: Creatine and CoQ10. First I summarize the benefits of taking each supplement independent of the other, then present evidence when both are taken together.

Benefits of Creatine for Parkinsons

People with Parkinson disease have decreased muscular fitness, including decreased muscle mass, muscle strength, and increased fatigue.  Taking creatine has been found to improve exercise capacity and overall endurance.

Creatine supplements have also been found to boost mood and reduce the need for medication.

Benefits of CoQ10 for Parkinson’s

Has your doctor recommended that you take Coenzyme Q10 along with your regular medications? Some doctors do. CoQ10 has been found deficient in persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Some health care professionals I have interviewed also report medications can deplete availability of CoQ10 in the body which increases the importance of supplementation.

What do you get when you take both Creatine and CoQ10?

The research reports taking both creatine and CoQ10 improves cognitive function and is neuro-protective.

But which brand of Co10 is best? There are so many!

There are so many choices on the market today. Many of them have limited potency.

Natural compounding pharmacist Ross Pelton directed me to a source of CoQ10 that is worth taking seriously. It is produced by Pharmanord of Denmark.

Most Coenzyme Q10 products sold today have negligible absorption rates. We are talking 1% at best. Why is this so? The melting point of CoQ10 is 10 degrees above body temperature. Most of the supplements you buy – even those in oil, have crystallized and cannot be absorbed by the body

Why Bioavailability of CoQ10 Matters 

Bioavailability measures the ability to absorb and utilize a substance like CoQ10 in the tissues and blood of the body. CoQ10 is fat soluble with a high molecular weight which is why its absorption is very limited.

Pharma Nord https://www.pharmanord.com has developed the most studied brand of CoQ10 globally. A proprietary heat treatment process greatly facilitates its absorption. The molecular structure of the Pharmanord CoQ10 is transformed from rough crystals to a snowflake like shape. More than 75 studies have now been published that document its superior absorption when compared to other brands.

The price is also reasonable. You can order the Pharmanord CoQ10 directly on their website. Their professional staff generously set up a 20% discount for members of my audience. You can claim this discount only if you ship to a USA destination. Enter the coupon code “PRQ10WEB“ to claim a 20% discount (not case sensitive).

CoQ10 Research

Eur Neurol . 2015;73(3-4):205-211. The effect of creatine and coenzyme q10 combination therapy on mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease Zhenguang Li, Pengfei Wang, Zhancai Yu, Yannan Cong, Hairong Sun, Jiangshan Zhang, Jinbiao Zhang, Chao Sun, Yong Zhang, Xiaohua Ju

Abstract

Background: To investigate the effect of creatine and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) combination therapy on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Parkinson’s disease (PD; PD-MCI) and its influences on plasma phospholipid (PL) levels in PD-MCI.

Methods: The demographic data of 75 PD-MCI patients who enrolled in this collaborative PD study were collected. These patients were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). These 75 PD-MCI patients were randomly treated with creatine monohydrate 5 g b.i.d. and CoQ10 100 mg t.i.d. orally or placebo. MoCA evaluation and PL level measurements were performed after 12 and 18 months of treatment.

Results: After 12 and 18 months of treatment, the differences in the MoCA scores of the combination therapy and control groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05 at 12 months and p < 0.01 at 18 months), and the plasma PL levels of the combination therapy group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01 at 12 months and p < 0.001 at 18 months).

Conclusions: Combination therapy with creatine and CoQ10 could delay the decline of cognitive function in PD-MCI patients and could lower their plasma PL levels; therefore, this combination therapy may have a neuroprotective function.

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

Cure for Parkinson’s

Cure for Parkinsons, recovery

Outside of John Coleman and Nathan Zakheim, have you interviewed or met anyone else who found a cure for Parkinson’s? Has anyone fully recovered (symptom free) from PD? If so, could you tell me who they are and what they did to recover.

Thanks.

Carl

As you state above, I have interviewed two people who declare they are “symptom free” after having advanced symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. They are John Coleman, ND and Nathan Zakheim. I included interviews with both persons in Pioneers of Recovery.

I document many other stories of recovery here on the blog and on my radio program. Generally, most people report symptoms that fluctuate widely that involve symptom free periods and periods when symptoms flare (usually connected to stress).

I talk with many people who are feeling much better, but I do not have their permission to tell their stories or even add them to the count. The only stories I can report during the radio program interviews and the e mails are by people who give me permission to post them (with their first names only).

Thanks to your question, I have decided not to construct a “count” on the basis of symptoms as a function of whether they fully or partially resolved. I realize now that such a “count” would place the emphasis on the wrong side of the coin – on the goal of becoming symptom free.

What is the problem with this emphasis? You are most likely thinking, “Isn’t that the whole point of recovery?”

All successful recovery programs hinge on maintaining a healthy inventory of positive thoughts. The challenge for all of us is that our egos entangle us in a nightmare of negative thoughts throughout the day which trips us up and creates mobility difficulties. There are good reasons we choose to wait for a cure for Parkinson’s.

We get angry:

Why am I not feeling better today?

We get frustrated:

Why did a new symptom flare up today? I have suffered long enough.

We get impatient:

Why do I have nothing to show from my hard work?

We get fearful:

Why does my family believe I will get worse and worse. Is it true Parkinson’s is “progressive”?

We get depressed:

Why should I bother trying anything new? Nothing is working out.

We get mental:

Where is the evidence for recovery?

This is why we demand there be a cure for Parkinson’s now.

I could continue with 100 pages of questions inspired by our cleaver egos, but you get the point from the short list above. Our egos keep us stuck in the mud. It happens to all of us. No one in a body escapes.

Here is the rub. When our thoughts throughout the day are intent on eliminating symptoms or becoming “symptom free” we give energy to what we do not wish to manifest. If we agonize about becoming symptom free, any hope of recovery will inevitably backfire. We get the opposite of what we want. We give energy to what we do not want. If a majority of thoughts during the day focus on becoming symptom free, we nurture the symptoms, guaranteeing they will continue to pester us.

I admit this sounds counter intuitive, so let me explain. Focusing on becoming “symptom free” suspends you in a space of negative thinking that hangs out in collective consciousness. Every thought has a frequency. Those that center around “eliminating symptoms” are low frequency thoughts that can never manifest health and wellness. Rather, such thoughts sustain disease and illness. The thought

“I want to be symptom free”

focuses on what you do not want rather than what you do want to manifest.

A key to recovery is to take control over our thoughts moment to moment. As I wrote Five Steps to Recovery (which is all about transforming our thoughts),  I monitored my own thoughts each day.

Geez. I could not believe what I discovered. I roll the same negative thoughts around my head every day. The number of new thoughts was unbelievably tiny when compared to the thousands of negative thoughts I recycled every day. It was if I was living the same day over and over as I  listened to the same  record of depressing songs.

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day where Bill Murray re-lives the same day every fricking day? The trap of negative thinking is just like the nightmare Bill Murray faced every day. You might as well read the same book every day of your life, year after year. The first day the book is interesting. After several months (much less decades) the book gets pretty darn boring. The juices of life get drained very quickly.

When I keep recycling the same negative thoughts, I have no prayer of changing any circumstance in my life. I certainly have no hope of reversing a chronic set of symptoms.

Among those who occupy a body, who is “symptom free”? I suggest that the honest answer is no one. Not me. Not you. Not anyone who occupies a human body. Everyone experiences symptoms most days: perhaps a new ache, perhaps a familiar digestive challenge, perhaps depression, perhaps low energy, perhaps a sprain, perhaps anxiety.

What is the Count of Your Symptoms?

When I preview the list of symptoms that are associated with people who have the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, they include just about everything wrong that can happen to a person. Perhaps this sounds outrageous, but it is true. It is why so many hold out the hope there will be a cure for Parkinson’s soon.

Below is a streamlined list of symptoms reported by persons who have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. A “streamlined list” means I have not included every symptom that people with Parkinson’s tell me they have experienced. As you read down the list, make a mental count of  which ones you have experienced at some point in your life time.

  • Stiffness
  • Numbness
  • Cramps
  • Balance
  • Depression
  • Repeating yourself
  • Anxiety
  • Apathy
  • Swallowing
  • Walking difficulties
  • Standing up straight
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Diarrhea
  • Urinating
  • Tremors
  • Drooling
  • Faintness on rising
  • Dizziness
  • Excessive sweating
  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Insomnia
  • Memory loss
  • Weight loss
  • Skin rashes
  • Restlessness
  • Memory challenges
  • Rigid muscles
  • Muscle spasms
  • Joint pain
  • Nightmares
  • Hallucinations
  • Bruising
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Speech/voice changes
  • Difficulty with stairs
  • Frequent urination
  • Circulation issues
  • Haggard look
  • Headaches
  • Arm/leg heaviness
  • Muscle spasms
  • Full body weakness
  • Pain
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Red rash
  • Arm/leg rigidity
  • Social smiling
  • Swollen ankles
  • Chest tightness
  • Tingling
  • Tremors
  • Warmth in body parts
  • Weak muscles

I do not know what your count is, but I have personally experienced all of the symptoms in the list above at one point or another in my lifetime. I do not have the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease.

How about now – in this very moment as I write these words? What symptoms am I experiencing in this moment?

  1. I have incredible stiffness in my shoulders which always happens when I write every day.
  2. I have ringing in my ears which I have learned to ignore.
  3. I have an ache in the middle of my spine (T4-T5).
  4. My throat is restricted.
  5. I had memory loss a few minutes ago when I could not remember how to spell a word.
  6. I had a tinge of tingling in my left little finger a few moments ago.

My list of symptoms above pertains only to this single moment. I will not bore you with a list of my personal symptoms from this morning or yesterday, but I can assure you my list of symptoms differs from day to day.

This is normal for most people unless you are superman or superwoman. (I do not have any research evidence on Bat Man or Bat Woman).

The body gives us a continuous feed of information. When we listen to the moment to moment information our bodies send us, we are in a much better position to make the adjustments that are needed for our body come back into balance. Instead of wishing I want to be “symptom free”, the better wish in my book of wishes is to be “symptom rich”.

If I were “symptom free” for one day, the likelihood my body would be out of balance is reasonably high. If I were symptom free for two days the likelihood my body would be out of balance is extremely high. If I were symptom free for a week, I dare say the probability my body would be out of balance would be assured.

Might I suggest a mantra that is diametrically opposed to waiting on a  cure for Parkinson’s? The mantra I suggest is:

Bring the symptoms on.

Don’t get me wrong. I do not like them one bit. I also do not know what I would do without them. I need the information they give me to hang around the earth for a little longer.

If all of my thoughts zero in on the goal of becoming “symptom free,, there is no time or energy left to think about what I want to create in my life. I really do want to figure out what my soul needs to do in my life before my time is up. But if I choose to spend the rest of my day worrying about just one of my symptoms – say not being able to spell a word this morning – there will be no time in my day to ask my soul what it needs for nourishment. I am choosing to spend my time luxuriating in Worry Land which I visit frequently.

Of course the process is repeated tomorrow as I worry about not being able to remember what I was worrying about the day before. And so the process unfolds day after day as my enthusiasm for life diminishes.

If I focus my thoughts on becoming “symptom free”,

  • I am not listening to my body.
  • I am detached from my body.
  • I am not connecting with the essence of who I am.

Because I am disconnected with my body, my symptoms in the moment will be sure to fester as other symptoms surface.

As I write this paragraph, I am not even aware of any of the symptoms that I listed a few minutes ago that were pestering me. I am not aware of them because my attention is focused in the moment on writing which is a true love of my life. Focus on writing and my energy sores. Focus on getting rid of my symptoms and my energy slides into the sewer.

How to Shift Thinking Away from Hoping for a Cure for Parkinson’s 

Bodies get out of balance. It happens. It happens to everyone. The body always strives to return to balance. The natural state for the body is health and wellness, not disease and illness. How do I shift my hamster wheel of negative thinking which I have been riding on since childhood?

First, I recognize I can choose the thoughts I wish to think. I am the master of my own thoughts. I can spend my day fighting against the symptoms of the day because I am determined to be “symptom free.” Yes, I can wait patiently on a cure for Parkinson’s.

Or, I can nourish my body with positive thoughts that will nourish my life force. I can write. I can dream. I can forward plan my life so that I am living the life I choose to live.

Second, I change my thinking habits. I can forward plan my day as the first activity of my day. It is 7:30 am. I have just woken up.

  • How do I want to spend my time today?
  • What do I want to accomplish?
  • What do I want to see happen?
  • What do I want to see happen in my life today?
  • What do I want to see happen in my life this month?
  • What do I want to see happen in my life this year and next year?

The more I can detail out what I want my future to look like, the more I can

  • sense it,
  • feel it,
  • taste it,
  • hear it,
  • see it,

The more energy the thought will manifest. If I spend my day contemplating what I do not want to experience (like symptoms), my life lacks focus. My energy is drained. My life force is diminished. My body feels clogged down with dead energy. I am able to manifest nothing other than feed the entrapment of my own ego which fuels my illness.

So thanks for whether they will ever be a cure for Parkinson’s.  It has helped my realize that if I begin counting the number of people who are “symptom free”, I will be oiling everyone’s hamster wheel of negative thinking. When suspended in a space of negative thought forms, no one is in a position to manifest balance and harmony in their life.

I get energy from forward planning my life. I lose energy from addicting myself to negative, depressing thoughts that drag me down into the pit of dark depression. My ego is always inviting me into the “mind sewer” of negative thinking.

I have decided it is my best interest to refuse the invitations. Mind sewers smell bad. Mind sewers are stagnant. Mind sewers breed disease. Mind sewers promote illness. They are not a good place to live.

I choose to whisk away all the negativity in my thoughts. I do not have any control over ending wars in the middle east or curbing drug related deaths in New York City. I can control what I choose to think.

When I choose to focus my thoughts during the day on what I want to accomplish during my lifetime, I feel lighter, more alive, more energetic and more powerful. When my mind becomes a fertile garden of positive thoughts, miracles do happen. Often. This feeds my life force and is a far better choice than waiting on a cure for Parkinson’s.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2024 Parkinsons Recovery

Self Discipline and Determination

recovery

Robert you are doing fantastic work: You’ve given me hope through your Parkinsons Recovery Radio program which I’ve never had before. It’s now six years since I was diagnosed, and I’m as young as you are; and I still more or less succeed in running my own medical equipment manufacturing company. However although I am looked after by one of London’s most eminent Neurologists, he has never given me the slightest suggestion that the symptoms can be over come with proper self discipline and determination….

But you have opened my eyes and by your enthusiasm, your profound study of the subject matter, you have transformed my attitude single handed. You are true hero, and I salute your efforts with all my heart.

I have a young first family with a three children of 8,10 and 12 and I have every thing to live for. But it is you that has transformed my attitude to life with Parkinson’s. Now I can see that its possible for me look forward to ten years time when I now still expect to be able to go skiing with my children, rather than dreading as before that they would not want to be seen with their then doddery Dad. You’ve shown me the light and the hope, and with that I can fight like hell to make sure my children are not robbed of their entitlement in a father.

Robert, I thank you for everything you are doing. May you have the strength to continue for a thousand years. 

Robert W (London)

Remarkable Story of Recovery

recovery

I extend a warm invitation to listen to a remarkable story of recovery documented in my interview with Sue. She provides a thorough and heart warming account of her rocky journey down the road to recovery from the symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Learn all about the therapies and modalities that supported  her ability to recover.

Parkinsons Recovery challenges the false belief that Parkinson’s is a degenerativeremarkable story of recovery “disease” by documenting cases of individuals who have made remarkable recoveries. Some of the recoveries are complete in the sense that the person is symptom free today. Other recoveries are partial in the sense that the person has seen remarkable improvements. Both recovery experiences cases are documented in Pioneers of Recovery.

Once anyone realizes that people can and do recover, it is much easier to fully and completely believe in your heart mind and soul that the body really does knows how to heal from the inside out.

Are you serious about wanting to get relief from your symptoms? Sue Richards used a walker last year. She walks without a walker today. How did she accomplish this remarkable feat?

Sue provides a rich accounting of  her remarkable story of recovery as she traveled down the road to recovery. You might want to take notes as she provides a thorough accounting of the therapies that helped her celebrate sustained relief from her symptoms.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

 

Road to Recovery

Parkinsons, recovery, road to recovery

I received the e mail below last night from Danny. It makes my heart sing to know that my new book, Road to Recovery is having a positive impact on people who are on the Road to Recovery.

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

Your book, Road to Recovery is absolutely phenomenal. I’ve only read the first 50 pages and I can’t put it down. I had to force myself to take a break and write you this email. During my 10+ years with Parkinson’s, I have had doctors, family members, support group friends and personal friends insisting that with Parkinson’s I will get progressively worse as time goes by until I am eventually completely disabled.
.

How refreshing to finally find someone who tells me that that is not necessarily the case, that I have the power within me to relieve my symptoms and to heal myself. I have always felt deep down that it is possible to get better and as you know I have made much progress in that direction through the use of tai chi.

In your book, you provide proof that it is indeed possible through a myriad of alternative approaches, with the research and stories of people who have been successful.You provide the information in such a positive and optimistic light, allowing the reader to experiment, discover, and develop his own Road to Recovery that is suitable for his own individual journey.

You encourage us to live life to the fullest, using our creative powers to experience the wonderful things that life has to offer us. These are indeed the best years of our lives.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Danny

Can You Reverse Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinsons Disease Information, recovery

The question “can you reverse Parkinson’s disease” is answered for you here. 

What really matters when it comes down to a successful program of recovery?

What needs to happen to celebrate a reversal of Parkinson’s disease?

Results of my annual Parkinsons Recovery survey answer the question posed here – can you reverse Parkinson’s disease.  What survey you ask?

Parkinsons Recovery Annual Survey

Each year during the holiday season I send out a question survey to members of the global Parkinsons Recovery audience. The question asked on the survey was:

Please list below natural therapies that have helped you experience relief from symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

I am always surprised and awed with the variety and diversity of therapies reported to have been helpful by members of the Parkinsons Recovery audience. When I examined results of the survey, I asked myself the question – what is the common theme here?

The answer quickly became crystal clear. Therapies reported to have been useful in reversing Parkinson’s symptoms turn down the volume of the sympathetic nervous system (which inflames symptoms) and switch on the parasympathetic (which soothes symptoms).

There is no single approach, method or therapy that permanently flips the switch. Each person discovers their own unique way to make this happen for themselves.

Dozens of therapies are reported to have been useful in this regard as reflected in my survey. They are now thoroughly listed and documented in my online course What Really Matters that rolls out a comprehensive explanation and review of each recovery  option. Click on the What Really Matters Link below to register and take advantage of the 7 day free trial.

What Really Matters

While there are a surprising number of natural therapies that help, I wanted you to know about several in particular. Which ones among the many natural therapies will offer relief from your Parkinson’s symptoms? Consider the following possibilities that are reviewed in detail in this course.

Tumeric

Tumeric
Turmeric helps prevent depletion of dopamine, reduces oxidative stress and reverses inflammation

Magnesium

Magnesium
Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant which helps address issues with rigidity and constipation.

Lions Mane Mushrooms

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms show welcome benefits as a therapy to reverse symptoms

PEMF

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)
One reason detoxes are unsuccessful is compromised circulation. PEMF is an ideal therapy to address this problem.

Passion Flower

Passion Flower
Some persons who experience neurological symptoms report Passion Flower has been helpful

Online Course Information 

The new What Really Matters online course rolls out a comprehensive explanation and review of each recovery  option. Click on the What Really Matters Link below to register  and take advantage of the 7 day free trial.

What Really Matters

Fasting

Fasting
Fasting is a natural way for the body to produce ketones which are the most efficient fuel for our brains.

Eliminate Dairy

Eliminate Dairy
Research consistently reports that eating dairy is a significant predictor of who experiences symptoms of Parkinson’s.

CBD Oil

CBD Oil
Research studies report that CBD helps to shut down anxiety. Once anxiety is brought under control, relief of symptoms follows.

Photobiomodulation

Light Therapy – Photobiomodulation
Reports from persons who experience symptoms of Parkinson’s indicate light therapy has a beneficial impact on symptoms for 9 out of 10 users

Fava Bean Tincture

Fava Beans
Aunt Bean has formulated a home made fava bean tincture that offers welcome relief from her Parkinson’s symptoms. Here is the recipe so you can prepare it for yourself.

Healthy diet

Food as Medicine
Do you insist on only eating organic food? Great, but guess what? Eating organic is not enough. The food necessary for cellular healing is actually not available or sold in most food outlets.

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a natural anti-oxidant that boosts glutathione levels which are usually dangerously low in persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Low Dose Naltrezone (LDN)

Low Dose Naltrezone (LDN)
Low Dose Naltrezone (LDN) is a prescription medicine that boosts the immune system. It is reported by some persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s to have been beneficial.

Hot Ginger Spine Therapy

Hot Ginger Spine Therapy
Macrobiotic Guru Warren Kramer’s Hot Ginger Spine Therapy

Secret to Recovery

Secret to Recovery
When most people get sick they immediately gravitate toward finding something they can put into their body, but …

Important of Life Style Balance

Importance of Balance in Diet and Lifestyle
Excesses in diet and lifestyle sustain tremors. When you eat mostly meat or carbs – you are out of balance. When you work 24/7 you are out of balance.

Inclined Bed Therapy

Inclined Bed Therapy
Improve circulation while you sleep by raising the head of your bed 6-8 inches.

Energy Kick Start

Infusion of Energy
An Exercise to Kick Start Your Energy using your siren voice along with a simple movement of arms and body.

Fermented Papaya

Fermented Papaya

Detoxes

Three Types of Toxins
There is no such thing as a single detox protocol that gets rid of any and all toxins. So, which therapies should be used for which toxins?

Heavy Metal Detoxes

Heavy Metal Toxicity
Types of heavy metal toxicity and methods to detox them

Issues with Parkinson's devices to help tie shoes

Problems with Tying Shoe Laces or Buttoning a Shirt?
Devices designed to make typing shoe laces or buttoning your shirt easier may not be in your best and highest good.

Vibration Therapy

Vibration Therapy
Vibration Therapy offers symptom relief.

Yoga

Yoga
Many individuals who experience symptoms of Parkinson’s report Yoga has been a life saver.

Emotion Code

Emotion Code

Dozens of natural options have been shown to offer relief from symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The listing of possibilities above offers a sneak preview of the many shown to be helpful.

Summary: Can You Reverse Parkinson’s Disease

My answer to the question is obviously yes.

Dozens options like the ones listed above are rolled out in my new “What Really Matters” online course. Each option is thoroughly documented, accompanied by the research evidence that evaluates each option’s efficacy for persons who experience Parkinson’s symptoms. Selections are inspired by what members of my audience report has helped them get relief from their symptoms. I list each option in the course because I know it has helped some people reverse their symptoms.

Click on the What Really Matters Link below to register and take advantage of the 7 day free trial.

What Really Matters

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com
Olympia, Washington
877-526-4646
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com

 

Brain Power Exercises

brain fitness, handwriting, Parkinsons Disease Information, recovery

Most people choose to suppress the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease with medications or supplements. And why not? If you can begin to feel “normal”, you can begin leading a “normal” life. Brain power exercises are an entertaining and effective way to boost existing neural networks and create new ones.

Whole Brain Power
Michael Lavery, Author of Whole Brain Power

Michael Lavery, author of Whole Brain Power: The Fountain of Youth for the Mind and Body. has invented fascinating and innovative ways to increase and enhance the integrity and functionality of your brain. You read my last sentence correctly.

  • You can get a lot smarter!
  • Your memory and recall can improve significantly!
  • Your handwriting can improve!
  • Your can become more focused!
  • You can lift depression!
  • You can reclaim your life force!

All of this is possible, Michael explains, when you start a program of brain power exercises that exercise your brain in ways you never before even imagined. I like his approach because it puts you in the driver’s seat of your recovery and allows medicines and  supplements to take a back seat rather than front seat.

Joining Michael in my interview with him is Len Fox who discusses his own experience with taking Michael’s program of brain power exercises seriously.

More about Brain Power Exercises

The fine and gross motor controls of the hands help to grow the brain.  This brain growth occurs specifically on the surface of the brain as well as certain anatomical areas of the hippocampi structures, the corpus collosum and the cerebellum. The growth of myelin occurs with improved procedural memories.  When the myelin thickens on the axon sheaths, chemical changes occur with the production of a  master steroid. This process helps maintain homeostasis within the brain.

The brain has the ability to create new neurons in a process called neurogenesis. The brain has much greater plasticity than previously recognized.This is encouraging news for anyone dealing with mild cognitive impairment. People dealing with Parkinson’s  and Alzheimer’s can be inspired to become more proactive with the issues of doing certain brain exercises that can help to rewire both hemispheres.

One of the tenets of whole brain exercises is to work on ambidexterity with handwriting drills and to also work on mirror writing.  This exercise is called “Da Vinci writing.”  It is one in which the practitioner writes from right to left with cursive penmanship.  The other ambidextrous drill is to bounce a golf ball off a mallet and to do so with either hand.

People with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s make tremendous strides in these areas where initially they had coordination problems.

To keep your program focused, Michael Lavery has also published a Whole Brain Power: Workbook & Progress Journal

How to Boost your dog's brain power
Canine IQ Quests

I suspect you may be thinking – really? I thought I was born which a fixed level of brain power. Do you have a dog? If so, I suggest test out the ability of anyone to get smarter – even dogs. Click on the Canine IQ Quests image for information about mind exercises that boost the brain power of a dog!

 

Robert Rodgers PhD
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

Can Parkinson’s Disease Be Reversed?

Parkinsons Disease Information, recovery, road to recovery

Perhaps you are one among people individuals who have been wondering whether anyone has succeeded in reversing the symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Everyone says the condition is degenerative. Can Parkinson’s disease be reversed? Take a peak at my new video to discover the answer.

Parkinsons Recovery Radio is one of the many free services I support through Parkinsons Recovery. I began hosting guests on the show in 2008. To date, there are over 270 shows that have aired and are available for free replays any time of the day or night. Over seventy (70) of these shows have been interviews with individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who found ways to reverse some if not all of their symptoms.

The cumulative evidence from these radio show interviews leads me to conclude the answer to the question “can Parkinson’s Disease be reversed” is yes.

The update to my book Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease provides detailed information about these guests and the dates the shows were aired.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

P.S. Sales of Road to Recovery help to subsidize the expenses to provide replays of all Parkinsons Recovery radio show interviews for free to all listeners.

Can Parkinson's disease be reversed
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

Vielight Photobiomodulation

light therapy, Parkinsons Disease Information, photobiomodulation therapy, recovery

Visit this link to learn about Vielight photobiomodulation devices. https://www.vielight.com. Call them at 877-355-8012 for more information.

Tell the representative you are a member of the Parkinsons Recovery community and they will credit your order with a 10% discount. Or, if you order on line. enter the coupon code healing4me to claim the discount.

I have interviewed Dr. Lew Lim, the CEO of Vielight, on three different occasions since 2018. At the time of my first interview, we did not know whether persons diagnosed with neurological conditions would benefit from using his company’s devices. Now we do!

Visit the youtube presentation below by Dr. Lew Lim where he provides the science behind photobiomodulation and research findings.

YouTube player

The company still offers the opportunity to use any device for 6 months. If you do not experience the relief you seek, you are invited to return the device for an 80% refund. I know of no other company that offers such a generous warranty.

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

Unshackling Chains of Fear

Parkinsons Disease Information, recovery

This is an edited interview with Fred Phillips on Parkinsons Recovery Radio who discusses unshackling the chains of fear that aired in 2017.

Fred Phillips is an author and former martial arts instructor. He was diagnosed withunshackling chains of fear Parkinson’s disease in 2008. Fred discusses his journey with this challenging health condition, his philosophy and approach to recovery and his ten step recovery protocol.

Fred blogs about his experience at fredphillips.wordpress.com. He lives on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada.

Fred discusses his answers to the following questions that all pertain to unshackling chains of fear:

1. How long you have you been experiencing symptoms?

2. What is your philosophy and approach?

3. Why did you choose to recover naturally?

4. What symptoms do you experience?

5. What is your recovery protocol?

6. What has been your greatest challenge?

7. What advice would you offer others experiencing a health challenge?

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

Can Parkinsons Be Cured?

Cure for Parkinsons, Parkinsons Disease Information, recovery

Can Parkinsons Be Cured?

No doubt you will encounter many fund raising campaigns that support the cause to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Can Parkinsons be cured? Will a cure ever be discovered?

I will offer my answer to this question which may surprise you, but first let’s consider what is being intended.  No one would ever make a comparison of the body to concrete. Do you want your body to be cured just like concrete is cured? I think not.

Nor have I ever heard anyone compare the body to bacon. Do we really want our body to be cured just like we cure bacon? I think not.

Of course, if the goal is to raise money it makes sense to pitch the cause in terms of a cure. After all, don’t we all want a simple fix that will reverse all neurological symptoms? Well yes, of course we do.

The answer to the question – can Parkinsons be cured – is one you will not want to hear. The answer is no. It will never be “cured” this year, ten years from now or one hundred years from now. Besides, hello? Who wants their body to be “cured” like concrete or bacon anyway?

Why do I make this bold statement? There are a multitude of factors that cause symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Most people experience a combination of causes which trigger their symptoms. Toxins are a primary culprit as is stress, trauma and infections.

It is possible to remove toxins from the body with proven chelation techniques, but this is a remedy for toxins that are embedded at the cellular level. It is not a “cure” for Parkinson’s. It is possible to release trauma that is embedded at the cellular level, but this would be a resolution for trauma that contributes to symptoms.

This is a roundabout way of explaining the “disease” called Parkinson’s is what we researchers call a garbage can diagnosis. It includes a wide variety of causes.

Identifying yourself with a label like Parkinson’s disease results in embracing a belief no relief is possible and that the condition is – hold on to your seat here – progressive. If you have the diagnosis, you are 100% destined to get worse. Really I say?

Conclusion

There will never be a cure for Parkinson’s disease but believe me when I say you would never want that. You certainly do not want your body to harden up like concrete or cured like bacon. When the cause or combination of causes are identified and appropriate treatments embraced to address them, a successful journey down the road to recovery is possible, not tomorrow when a “cure” is found, but  now.

There is no reason to hope for a cure when actions can be taken today that offer welcome relief from symptoms. A successful approach to recovery is to set the intention to heal from the inside out. Check out my online course which offers the opportunity to do just that.

Healing from the Inside Out

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

 

Is Parkinson’s Degenerative?

recovery, Surveys

The 2023 Parkinsons Recovery survey results provide a surprising answer to the question – Is Parkinson’s Degenerative?  Respondents report how they have been feeling over the past year since the previous holiday season in 2022 [better, same or worse] and what therapies have been useful in celebrating relief from symptoms.

You are cordially invited to listen to a detailed listing of results that refute the universal belief that Parkinson’s is degenerative.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Healing from the Inside Out
Olympia, Washington
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com

Resources for Recovery from Parkinsons in France & Great Britain

radio program, recovery

Dear Robert:I have been given your address, after being diagnosed with early Parkinson’s Syndrome, by a friend after discussing my general state of health with him. After exhaustive tests and the most frightening stay in hospital, a number of health issued raised their ugly heads. I am interested in resources for recovery from Parkinsons in France & Great Britain

I am just coming to my 56th birthday in June, to be told I had a liver virus, gall stones, depression (I have suffered with this after a nervous breakdown in 1994, but have been taught to control the effects through non-medicinal methods). I am in constant lower back pain and my specialist finally dropped the bomb shell that she believed I had the early symptoms of Parkinson’s.

I have been on a ‘light’ cocktail of drugs which have helped, but I do find it difficult to write now and hold a glass – it can suddenly fall from my hand for no reason. Walking is difficult, and I have had to give up driving, move into a friends apartment after falling and being unable to contact anyone for two days.

I want to be able to not be classed as disabled (which is what the French Health Service currently have me registered). It was hard work learning how to deal with my depression, but I learnt, I’m sure I can do it with the tools you have in your arsenal ! I am not a religious person, but I do believe in the power of the mind and the importance of a balanced spirit. If I could get to Bali, I know who and where I could go to get this positive / negative energy balance.

Thank you for your time,

Best regards

Rigby

Sounds like it is indeed a good time to get serious about considering other options! You have certainly come to the right place to get information about options that are helping people reverse symptoms that are similar to yours.

Resources for Recovery from Parkinsons in France & Great Britain

You ask about other resources. My answer here is really quite simple. Start listening to some of the Parkinsons Recovery Radio shows interviews. There is a wealth of information in each show that I have aired.

Read posts here on the Parkinsons Recovery blog too. If you have ever had any doubt about the prospects for recovery, those doubts will soon dissolve after you have listened to a few of the radio shows and had a chance to realize the wealth of information on the blog. Recovery is happening for more and more people.

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

Expect to Get Better and You Will Get Better

recovery, Thoughts and Parkinsons
Alan granted me permission to post his reflection below on how thoughts about Parkinson’s Disease have a profound impact on his recovery.

 

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

I just took time out to listen to Howard Shifke’s’ interview again. I am re-inspired to keep going.

I don’t know if I’m getting better or not, but I don’t worry as much about a bad day or “what Parkinson’s is going to do to me.” I have been working on my thinking that I will get better since the last time that I listened to this interview. I got his point that expecting to get better is the way to get better, but it often takes a million reminders a day and starting over as many times. Yet, I think today, how nice to think it can get better. That was just the vaguest hope since taking recovery seriously a year and a half since diagnosis.


Alan

Heavy Metal Toxicity and Parkinson’s Disease

heavy metals, recovery, Toxins in the Body

The following is an amazing story of recovery by Hanne Koplev who successfully addressed the challenge of heavy metal toxicity. This is a “must” read by anyone who has any doubts that recovery from the symptoms of Parkinson’s is possible.

“A neurologist recommended in the year 1998, that I should be medicated against my tremor, but I said no thank you to his offer, as I preferred to be better diagnosed before starting medication.

The following year my symptoms increased, as I became more rigid and my tremor got worse and I therefore was easy to persuade by a new neurologist to try anti-Parkinson medication. Shortly after, I was scanned for Parkinson’s disease and the result was compatible with the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in the early stage.

Anti-Parkinson medication helped to decrease the symptoms, but soon I experienced more severe symptoms. At first I thought that it was the disease becoming more severe and this was confirmed by my neurologist who told me that it was unavoidable.

After one year on medication my neurologist recommended that I stopped medication before the next consultation. This became the start of a new phase in the way I coped with my disease, as without medication, I experienced that:-

– The medication can result in abstinences when the medication is stopped.

– Many of the symptoms, that I thought were Parkinson’s symptoms, were in reality side effects of the medication.

Therefore I decided to accept the symptoms of the disease instead of being burdened with adverse side effects of the medication. The outcome of this choice forced me to search for factors, which had influenced my symptoms.

In the year 2001 I was tested for Heavy Metal Toxicity in a private clinic in Aarhus, Denmark by Dr. Bruce Kyle and I was diagnosed with a combined toxic overload with mercury and copper.

I was treated at Dr. Bruce Kyle’s clinic with the Chelating Agent DMPS, with Vitamin-C infusions and different kinds of antioxidants and nutritional support. At the same time I had my amalgam fillings removed and had non-toxic, non-metal composites instead. This was done by a dentist with extra education in safe removal of amalgam. I also use saunas, which help detoxification by sweating out the toxins through my skin.

After some years of undergoing detoxifying treatments, I had fewer tremors and was less rigid, but I still suffered from fatigue. Allergic reaction against metals was suspect, and I undertook a MELISA-test. (www.melisa.org)

My test showed an allergic reaction against gold, nickel and cadmium and treatment protocol was removal of a dental gold crown, which was replaced with plastic. Now, I try to avoid nickel and to eat more organic food to avoid cadmium. Luckily I have been rewarded for my efforts as my fatigue has decreased.

Today I can honestly say that testing and treatments for my chronic cumulative toxicity has been successful for revealing some of the causes of my Parkinson’s disease. However, I still have slightly high levels of copper left and in Autumn 2006 and Spring 2008 tests show that I am also burdened with lead and aluminium.

I do not dare to think about how my life would have been without detoxifying treatments! When I look at other patients with Parkinson’s disease who are getting worse, I have even more reasons to be thankful for my health, which continues to improve as time goes on.

Where do these Heavy Metals come from?

In my case, mercury and copper were likely to have come from my amalgam fillings. Copper-amalgam contains a high percentage of copper and I had many fillings in my milk teeth. Even later in school I had many cavities, which were restored with amalgam. The dentist said that I had weak teeth.

As an adult, I have only had one cavity, so I might think that my parents were not good at helping me with tooth brushing and perhaps also the school dentist has been tempted to do fillings, which were not necessary as she was paid for the amount of pupils’ cavities that she restored.

In addition I have in my job as a veterinarian, been exposed to many thermometers, which sometimes break and where the mercury ended up in the bottom of the car. Veterinarians were not properly informed that this could constitute a health hazard at that time.

Moreover Mercury can come from vaccinations containing the preservative Thiomersal (ethyl-mercury). Mercury might also come from environmental pollution and intake of fish. Copper might come from use of copper spiral (anti contraceptive) and from drinking water and food. The Danish Agriculture Production uses 200 tons of copper yearly and this copper could be assumed to spread to the environment and end up in drinking water and food.

When a person is burdened with mercury toxicity, then the excretion of copper is decreased.

    • My toxicity burden with lead might perhaps come from common environmental pollution.
    • My toxicity with aluminium probably came from years of injections with aluminium containing products against dust mite allergy.

My nutrition today contains more antioxidants (nutrients which protects the body against free radicals and oxidation), more vegetables (raw vegetables are chosen) and more fruits. I have stopped eating unhealthy fats such as margarine, hard fats, corn oil, soy, sunflower etc. I try to eat more of the healthy fats such as fat fish (salmon), linseed, olives oil, nuts etc.

I take antioxidants as nutritional supplementation, also a multivitamin mineral pill without iron and copper, extra vitamin C and E, Lipoic acid, N-acetyl-cysteine, Echinacea, Ginkgo Biloba and Coenzyme Q10. I also use DMSA for mercury, copper and lead chelation.

Concerning the nutrition I would recommend the book by Jean Carper – Your Miracle Brain.

Physical activity has been an important part of my life. At the beginning of my disease I walked without swinging my right arm and I stumbled rather often. After years training trying to walk normally with swinging my right arm, I have succeeded, but only when I am not too stressed or exhausted. The principle is like this, if I can walk one step with swinging the arm, then I can also walk 3 steps….. or also walk 5 minutes…or 5 kilometres and so on.

I also use visualisation when training my movements.

People, who do not realise the effects that Parkinson’s disease has on their own body, often have problems understanding how demanding it is for a Parkinson patient to cope with conscious movements. Even something as banal as cleaning your shoes on a doormat is not necessarily functioning automatically but needs mental work, like steering a toy car with a joystick.

It is very common that a Parkinson patient with time develops a forward bending posture and some years ago I had thoracic Kyphosis and could not wear any of my shirts anymore. A physiotherapist has taught me some physical exercises, which I since have done every day.

Today my back is straight again, which makes me happy. People, who are happy, often have a straight posture, while sad and grieving people often have a crooked posture. By choosing body posture you can also indirectly choose your emotions.

I enjoy sending a signal that I am bubbling with joys of life.

I try to avoid, if possible, all kind of stress. Now I choose calm classical music instead of rock; I value tight relationships instead of having a circle of acquaintances with ‘small talk’ and I love being out in nature instead of taking city walks. It is a pleasure for me to do meditation and to sing.

I have also improved at listening to the signals from my body and I take care to rest and sleep when needed. I have also improved at learning to avoid doing things, which I dislike and instead I do things that make me happy.

When being diagnosed with a chronic disease the patient often goes through a life crisis and so did I. The crises made me more religious and I learnt to pray to my God from the bottom of my heart and this has given me spiritual power to cope with life and the new circumstances.

‘Where there is willpower, there is a way to go.’ This phrase was said about me by a good friend, as a way to express how I cope with my disease.

Years ago the neurologists said several times that I had got Parkinson’s disease and that this disease is chronic, impossible to cure and progressive. I thought that it might be like this for other patients, but that it would not be like this in my case. By working and studying a lot and sometimes by choosing blind paths, I have succeeded in finding a tiny little path out of my disease. Today I have fewer symptoms than in the year 1998, which means that the expression ‘progressive’ cannot be used generally about all patients with Parkinson’s disease.

I retired in the year 2001 when I was 44 years old and although it was really a hard time, today I feel that I have a good life. To my co-patients I will say:-

“Search for knowledge and keep on trying to search for new possibilities.”

Generally I recommend neurological patients to be tested with a chelating agent for chronic toxicity with heavy metals. If this is diagnosed, then it is possible to de-toxify, which can give hope to a future of increased health and decreased neurological symptoms.

If you want more information about toxicity with heavy metal and Parkinson’s disease then use the Internet.

Thank you for reading my case-story and I wish you all the best.

Hanne Koplev, Veterinarian

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
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