Meditation, Yoga, and Exercise in Parkinson’s

“There are moments of frustration in life. You must build good relations to support you in these moments. You must also learn to courage yourself and decide to stay determined in life.”  Lailah Gifty Akita Introduction: Parkinson's is a central nervous system disorder that usually presents with neurodegenerative and movement issues.  In managing Parkinson's, we should work …

Imagine Yourself Then, Imagine Yourself Now With Parkinson’s

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Winston S. Churchill Imagine yourself then, imagine yourself now. What are the differences? I …

Physicians in the Constellation of Care

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”  Edward Everett Hale “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” Karen Lamb Constellation of Care: In …

Dopamine: A Symbol of Hope

"As I ate breakfast one morning, I overheard two oncologists conversing. One complained bitterly, 'You know, Bob, I just don't understand it, We used the same schedule and the same dosage, and the same entry criteria. Yet I got a 22 percent response rate and you got a 74 percent. That's unheard of for metastatic …

Parkinson mPower iPhone Application: Tracking Symptoms in Real Time

"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith." Steve Jobs Parkinson mPower iPhone App: Do you think a smartphone app that measures several symptoms in Parkinson's would be helpful (personally)? Do you want to be part of an international study to monitor symptoms/progression of Parkinson's? Are you willing to give feedback/suggestions …

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Parkinson’s

"The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better." Paulo Coelho In a recent post, I listed the various types of therapy being used to treat my Parkinson's.  Importantly, I believe …

Parkinson’s: Dazed and Confused

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."  Randy Pausch The good news is that my diagnosis explains all of the health issues I've had for the past three years. The bad news is that I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's.  If you don't know anything about Parkinson's, go to …

Parkinson’s Puzzle

Parkinson’s is truly a puzzling disorder.If ten of us had the flu, we would all have similar, if not identical, symptoms. Ten of us with Parkinson’s, likely all would have different symptoms expressed. Every person with Parkinson's will experience symptoms differently. Parkinson’s is truly a disabling disorder. Yet, there are many strategies for managing our …

Exercise and Parkinson’s

Parkinson's affects your ability to move.  Exercise keeps muscles strong, improves flexibility and mobility, especially in Parkinson's. Exercise will not stop the progression of Parkinson's but it may help slow it down; however, it improves balance, reverses stiffening of joints, improves mobility, and definitely exercise bolsters your spirits. Exercise has been an almost daily part …

PDGF in Parkinson’s Brain May be Like Adding ‘STP’ (Oil Treatment) to Your Automobile

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” Maya Angelou Grow factors are substances (proteins) that help regulate cell division and promote …