"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.
"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"
"What you do today can improve all your tomorrows." Ralph Marston "One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity." Albert Schweitzer Introduction: In 2015, I wrote a blog post entitled "Physicians in the Constellation of Care" (click here to read it). The topic was about the importance of …
"Life is a journey, not a destination. Happiness is not "there" but here, not "tomorrow" but today." Sidney Greenberg "The moment in between what you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place." Barbara De Angelis Précis: This post reminds the Person (People)-with-Parkinson's disease (PwP) that …
"A myth is a lie that conveys a truth." C.S. Lewis "Myths are made for the imagination to breath life into them." Albert Camus Introduction: Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Thus, Parkinson's occurs relatively frequently in adults. Unfortunately, it can be a complex disorder for physicians to make a proper diagnosis, and it …
Continue reading "Fifteen Myths and Common Misconceptions About Parkinson’s"
"Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use." Ruth Gordon "Commitment is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets." Chalene Johnson Introduction: Along the way to receiving the diagnosis of Parkinson's, you may have to undergo several different kinds of tests/procedures to help your physician(s) learn what …
Continue reading "Part 4: Journey to Parkinson’s and Electromyography (EMG)"
"Beginners are many; finishers are few." Stephen Covey "Nothing comes from doing nothing." William Shakespeare Introduction: By now, you know exercise is medicine for many disorders, including Parkinson's. But how is our health improved for those with Parkinson's, and what does that mean? The studies described here are either review articles that summarize the evidence …
Journey with Parkinson's 