Parkinson’s Treatment With Dopamine Agonist, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), and Exercise

“Stop taking identity in illness and start taking identity in wellness” Nina Leavins “The thought of hope is the seed to healing.” Shilpa Menon Précis: Several of you have asked for an update on my strategy for treating my  Parkinson's.  My current plan consists of traditional Parkinson's medication,  augmented by a complementary and alternative medicine …

Parkinson’s Awareness Month: #EndParkinsons, World Parkinson Coalition, and Community Service

"Inspirations knock and hang around for a while and wait for some kind of response, which is the beginning of a creative act." Thomas Moore “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodal Introduction: In 1980, a Dutch horticulturalist, J.W.S. Van der …

Parkinson’s Awareness Month: Quotes About Parkinson’s Disease

“I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.” Madeleine Albright "This is where it all begins. Everything starts here, today." David Nicholls Introduction: What is Parkinson's Disease? Parkinson's is a motor system disorder …

Update on I’m Still Here: Life with Parkinson’s

“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.” Rabindranath Tagore "Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey." Paulo Coelho Introduction: A year ago this month, my …

Déjà Vu and Neuroplasticity in Parkinson’s

“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.” Winston S. Churchill “...remember that what has once been done may be done again.” Alexandre Dumas Introducing the terms: Déjà vu: "A feeling of having already experienced the present situation." (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/) Neuroplasticity: "The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming …

Neuroprotection by Modified-Macrophages in a Parkinson’s Model System

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan “You never change things by fighting the existing reality.  To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” R. Buckminster Fuller Précis: Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are using an innovative approach to treat Parkinson's in …

11 Tips And Character Traits For Living Better With Parkinson’s

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship but never in want." Irish Toast “As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” Criss Jami Happy New Year! Thanks for all of your support, feedback, responses and suggestions in 2015; they were most appreciated. 2016 …

Potential New Parkinson’s Drug Highlight: the Leukemia Drug Nilotinib

“With Parkinson’s you have two choices: You can let it control you, or you can control it. And I’ve chosen to control it.” US Senator Isakson “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” Albert Einstein Introduction: In my academic career to-date, my research group and I …

6 Personal Strengths for Living Decisively with Parkinson’s

“How are they going to see me — as the colleague as I have always been, or as the patient I always will be? That was the beginning of my transition.” Alice Lazzarini (a Parkinson’s researcher who was diagnosed with Parkinson's) Précis: After successfully hitting a golf ball out of a sand trap and onto …

Moving Day® was a Morning to Move for Parkinson’s and a Time to be Moved

“We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.”  Carlos Castenada “Don’t be ashamed of your story, it will inspire others.” Unknown Background story: Over the years, my research career has been supported by various non-Federal organizations, in particular the American Heart Association (AHA) and Susan G. …