"Where Life Meets Parkinson's." A blog for Parkinson's education, research advances, treatment strategies, and personal reflection. The goal is to provide support and resources to anyone either with Parkinson's disease or with any neurodegenerative disorder.
"My actions are my only true belongings." Nhat Hanh "Today is the most important day of our lives." Nhat Hanh Introduction: There are many types of people-with-Parkinson's (PwP), different stages of progression, numerous motor and non-motor symptoms, there is early onset, and typically one is 65 years old when diagnosed. And I realize there are …
Continue reading "11 Hopeful Quotes to Support Your Life With Parkinson’s"
"A correct diagnosis is three-fourths the remedy." Mahatma Gandhi "The art of clinical diagnosis lies in the ability to ask the right questions." Harriet B. Braiker What is Parkinsonism? How is this different from Parkinson's? Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder that destroys dopamine-producing dopaminergic neurons. As Parkinson's progresses, other brain areas are affected, leading to motor- …
"Come grow old with me. The best is yet to be." William Wordsworth "As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning." Criss Jami Introduction: Likely, everyone in the world has said the words "COVID-19 Pandemic" at some point since early 2020. From mid-February 2020 to December 2022, more than 324,000 publications …
Continue reading "10 Lessons Learned About COVID-19 and Parkinson’s"
"food is never just something to eat." Margaret Visser "your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." Anthony Bourdain The New Year's Day Supper: Maybe your family has a New Year’s Day tradition? In the southern states of the U.S., we follow many traditions, but one of my favorites is the …
Continue reading "Journey with Parkinson’s: A Southern Good Luck Meal in the New Year"
"Let us resolve to do the best we can with what we've got." William Feather "Maybe this year, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but looking for potential." Ellen Goodman Happy New Year! In the New Year, may you maintain excellent health, create quality time for loved …
Continue reading "Happy New Year (2023) from the Journey with Parkinson’s"
"The greatest achievement is to outperform yourself." Denis Waitley "Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement." Albert Camus Introduction: Have you been taking carbidopa/levodopa to treat your Parkinson's? Are you experiencing any off-on periods? Do you have any dyskinesia? Do you think it's time to change your dosing pattern or the timing …
Continue reading "A Graph of Your Daily Level of Exogenous Levodopa"
"Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before." Elizabeth Edwards "Health is wholeness and balance, an inner resilience that allows you to meet the demands of living without being overwhelmed." Andrew Weil Introduction: The goal is to review the role(s) played by dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine (also …
Continue reading "The Complex Role of Neurotransmitters in Parkinson’s"
"Your brain is your greatest weapon. Connect it to your heart, and you can go anywhere." Angelique Kidjo "Don't believe everything you hear - even in your own mind." Daniel Amen Précis: A big fear for anyone with Parkinson's is the development of dementia. It is predicted that a large percentage of those with Parkinson's …
"In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result." James Allen "Storms make trees take deeper roots." Dolly Parton Introduction: In the presence of Parkinson's, each person encounters a different invader that can progress very slowly or evolves quickly. Symptoms expressed are …
"To the sick, while there is life there is hope. [Lat., Aegroto dum anima est, spes est.]" Marcus Tullius Cicero "We can’t live without hope. When we keep hoping, we keep living." Pete Wilson Introduction: Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA*) is a naturally occurring bioactive lipid that contains a fatty acid moiety and ethanolamide. The molecular formula of …
Continue reading "Update on Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) for the Treatment of Parkinson’s"
Journey with Parkinson's 