Archive for June, 2008

Jun 29 2008

What Exercises are Suitable for a Mobile Person with Parkinson’s?

Published by under Exercise and Parkinson's

Question:

John Coleman, ND, has exercises for those who
have limited mobility and for those who are a bit
mobile. He has about 15 pages of exercises in his
book Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin’.

Which ones are suitable for a mobile person and
how many or how long should a mobile person
exercise? 

Response 

I asked Dr. John Coleman this question. Here is
his answer: 

“Mobile people need to exercise to the extent of
their ability without causing exhaustion. All the
exercises in the book are suitable, plus walking,
swimming, cycling, Pilates, Yoga, light weights,
NIA (dance exercise), etc. She needs to set
goals with regard to her strength and flexibility,
and see an improvement each month. If not,
she can up the ante and increase her exercise.”

“If she finds any particular movement difficult,
then that is the one to practice the most. The
harder it is, the more we practice it.”

“You may want to check out 
www.parkinsonsrecoveryprogram.com
and see if this is your cup of tea.”

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery 

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

No responses yet

Jun 29 2008

Fingernail Problems

Published by under finger nail problems

Question: 

My finger nails are gradually
disappearing and are soft.
Any suggestions?

Response:

Here is a response from Dr. John
Coleman, a naturopathic doctor.   

It could be a few things here.
She may have a problem absorbing
protein. She needs to look at her diet
and see how much protein she’s
getting – especially eggs, fish, avocado,
nuts and seeds, quinoa. If that’s okay, |
silica in tissue salt or homeopathic
form is often good. It is also important
to take a good quality, high potency
vitamin B complex supplement.
Vitamin C is also critical here.
If you would like further assistance,
consider enrolling in John’s mentoring
program where he offers a step by
step approach for helping people
get relief from their symptoms and
individualized assistance. You can find
more information at: 

http://parkinsonsrecoveryprogram.com?a_aid=rodgers

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

No responses yet

Jun 24 2008

After being Diagnosed with Parkinsons, I have become Very Creative. Why?

Question 

I have experienced the same enhanced creativity
as others. After being diagnosed 10 years ago I
was laid off from my job after 9/11. It was during
this time I began to use my father’s tools he left
me and started building things out of wood.

So far I’ve built two blanket chests, one for
my daughter, another for my wife, a toy chest
for my niece, an outdoor barbecue table and
a kitchen center island. In addition, I completely
tore down our old deck and rebuilt it with 
composite boards, added all new vinyl railings
and topped it off with deck lights.

These things never entered my mind before being
diagnosed. It seems my mind is always dreaming up
things to build. Why is that?

Response 

What a fascinating and very exciting story.
Here is what I suspect might be happening.

I believe everyone has an inherent passion 
to create whether it is a new idea, furniture,
art, comedy – the list is endless.  

If I have been unable to create something
new for even a day, I begin to have an empty
feeling deep inside. It is a familiar feeling, a
sense of sorts that  I am wasting my life. 

When I can write as I am now, my juices 
flow. My energy expands. My steam for
living bursts at the seams.

For many of us, there is too little opportunity for
creativity to have a place in our lives. Jobs,
family or other commitments have a way of
commanding our energy. 

The body will find a way to insist on finding ways
and time to be creative. If we do not allocate the
time and space for our own creativity to surface,
our body will give us a reason to make it so. 

What does our body do? It sends us a 
clear signal to slow down, change our
habits and do things differently out 
of necessity. If the choice were up to
us we would not change but our bodies
demand to be heard.    

The symptoms of Parkinson’s slow 
down the time spent on effort that does not
feed our creative addiction, making it possible
for the creative juices to ferment.  

This in no way implies that we were uncreative
previously, but the focus of the creative activity 
shifts. Let me explain.

Innovation versus Creativity

One form of creativity is to be innovative which
involves generating creative ideas and applying
them to a specific context. With innovation the  
problem is clearly defined and the solution set is
clearly bounded.  

This form of creativity takes a given problem
or challenge and solves it. For example, how
do I invent a car that runs on water? Or,
how do I motivate my secretary to come to
work on time? Or, how do I fix my clothes
washing machine that is so old the part I
need is out of stock? 

When lives are busy and demanding, a 
second form of creativity lies dormant just below
the surface of our consciousness. It waits
for a chance – any chance – to pop out and
claim its birth right to be heard.   

This is the form of raw creativity where something
entirely new pops out of our brains for no
reason whatsoever. There is no pre-defined
problem to solve. There is no deadline to
meet. 

Instead there resides a massive body
of creative urges and ideas deep inside
each of us that are patiently waiting
their time to be acknowledged.   

The Process of Creativity 

What is the process that makes this
happen? Control does not work.  If you try
to order the creative ideas to reveal
themselves they will drill a hole even
deeper into your sub conscious and
cuddle up for the long haul. 

Using brute force to unlodge creative
thoughts does not work. You will have
just as much luck trying to break
through the walls of Fort Knox with a
jack hammer.  Setting a schedule
for creative ideas to be revealed
does not work. Creativity does not
obey a time schedule. 

Enough. How do thoughts that seemingly
have no origin or history find their way
out of our own consciousness?  How will
we know them when we see them?

They are revealed in their own time and
place as we quiet down the mind babble
that controls our lives. They pop out in the
most unexpected ways during the moments
of living when we are at peace with ourselves.  

We become creative when we quiet the chatter
of our minds and allow the part of us we
have stuffed for too many years to emerge.
It is the ultimate calling to become whole again. 

For many people this opportunity comes because
our bodies make us slow down the quick pace of
activity and force us to take in the mysteries
of the world. We appreciate our friends and 
spouses in new ways. We see life differently.

Once the feverish activity of our minds 
slows to a snail’s pace the creative juices
begin to percolate. At long last we recognize 
a good idea when it pops out of our minds 
because we can feel the surge of energy
that bubbles up from inside. 

The same creative ideas may have peeked
around the corner to be noticed by us before,
but we were too busy to notice. The faucet
of adrenaline was wide open and all of the
associated hormones were being manufactured
by our body 24-7. No rest for the restless. 

To summarize, the symptoms of Parkinsons 
slow down the pace of life. An opening is
created for the creative juices to flow and the
fresh ideas to be noticed. We begin to do
things we have always wanted to do in
our lives, but did not know it until now. 
We stuffed the creative urges before because
there was no time. But now, with a little
more space for new things to happen,
we become whole again. 

I am Like My Father  

There is a second part of your story that I also
want to acknowledge. Whether your father is 
still living or not, his presence and energy is 
embodied in the tools you are using. They
were his tools. Now they are your tools. 

As his son, you are connecting with him in the
most profound way. His hands guide your work
and keep you safe. After all, you are his son.
He gave you life. All of his wisdom lives through
you. You carry on the tradition of all the
fathers in the family.  

As men we all need to feel the support of
our fathers. When we genuinely receive 
and accept that support, we come into
our full creative power. We are able to 
manifest our dreams. 

When we take in the support of our father,
we are also receiving the support of all the
fathers who came before him – all our  
grandfathers, great grandfathers, great
great grandfathers that go back in time
generation after generation.    

I have personally noticed a profound
shift in my own energy and attitude
toward life after I fully took in the
support from my own father. I had
resisted his support for years, having
convinced myself I could do everything
on my own. I distanced myself from
him. It is much easier and more truthful
to acknowledge and honor the truth
that I am just like him. 

Anyone else have stories of how their own
creativity has shifted since Parkinson’s? 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery
     

2 responses so far

Jun 16 2008

How Can I find a Craniosacral therapist?

Question: 

Do you know of any upper cervical adjustment clinics in Costa Rica?
Or cranial adjustment therapy?
 
I was told I have Parkinson’s and told I don’t.
I am going to Costa Rica to heal.
 
And need all your advice.
 
Sincerely, 
MA

Response

I have located the names of two therapists.
The names and addresses have been forwarded
to you in a private e mail correspondence. 

The best place to find a therapist
internationally is to go to the Upledger
Institute Website. http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php

There are other excellent training programs
for craniosacral therapists, so if you live in
the United States or Canada do not limit
your search to the Upledger Institutes listings.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

No responses yet

Jun 13 2008

Cranioscral Therapy Relieves Symptoms of Parkinson’s

Question:

Would you please send me information about the Parkinsons Energy Project in Portland, Oregon involving study volunteers who did not take Sinemet and received craniosacral treatment?

I have eschewed Sinemet for four years of my PD. And any other long term non-Sinemet using studies?

Response

Results of the Parkinsons Energy Project were remarkable given the short time frame – only 4 months -
and the limited number of treatments offered. Outcomes were documented quantitatively using well accepted  research instruments and qualitatively using interviews and pre-post videos of motor functions.

I invite you to examine the videos below that show changes in motor functions for several study volunteers that gave us permission to make videos of them public. None of the study participants were on medications so the differences are not due to the effects of prescription medications which can affect how a person feels when they are effective (during the “on” condition) and then they are not
(during the ”off” condition).

By any-one’s standards, examination of the videos below shows dramatic improvements in motor functions. There is hope of relief from symptoms!

A video of Mary Before the 6 treatments

A Video of Mary After the 6 Treatments

A Video of Steve Before the 6 Treatments

A Video of Steve After the 6 Treatments

A Video of John Before the 6 Treatments

A Video of John After the 6 Treatments

A Video of Bob Before the 6 Treatments

A Video of Bob After the 6 Treatments

The encouraging results of the Parkinsons Energy Project (PEP) inspired the development of information, resources and programs that you now find on the Parkinsons Recovery web sites.

You also asked about studies for people not on Sinemet. I have been searching the literature, but they are very hard to find. Most control groups receive some form of drug therapy.

I did find one study of a control group not taking Parkinson’s medications. This study found a worsening of symptoms of about 13.5% a year.

Background of Parkinsons Energy Project

Zero Point Healers was asked by a support group in Portland, Oregon in 2005 to conduct a study that evaluated the effects of craniosacral therapy on the symptoms of their members. Members of the support group elected not to take prescription medications for Parkinson’s and were
specially interested in exploring treatments and therapies that might potentially offer relief from symptoms. No member of the support group had any prior experience with craniosacral therapy.

Eleven support group members volunteered to participate in the PEP study. Six 30 minute treatments
were given every two weeks. One study volunteer dropped out at the mid point of the study because
doctors determined his symptoms were caused by Lyme disease.

Treatments were administered by 2 or 3 persons (Deborah Russell, Ann Egerton and Robert Rodgers) who are all certified craniosacral therapists and Brennan Healing Science practitioners (which is a form of energy work that is complementaryto craniosacral work.)

Design of the PEP Study

The study was a pre-post design that used  quantitative and qualitative measures to assess outcomes. The UPDRS (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale) and the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39) were used to assess symptoms quantitatively.

Reliability of both instruments is well documented in the research literature on Parkinson’s.  Instruments were completed by participants before treatments began (the baseline), at the mid point, and after all six treatments had been given (the post-test).

Video tapes were also taken of 10 motor functions at the beginning of the study and at the end for purposes of comparison. Results of the videos of motor functions were consistent with the quantitative findings.

I will first explain what craniosacral therapy does and why it applies to Parkinson’s. I will then summarize the findings of the PEP study.

Craniosacral Therapy

One woman with Parkinson’s who found
relief using craniosacral therapy
summarized the nature of the treatments
beautifully:

“It is hard to believe anything is really
happening, but it works.”

The work is very gentle. The person
typically lies down on a comfortable
table such as a massage table.
Craniosacral treatments are not like
a massage. The nature of the touch
is very, very light and gentle.
The person remains fully clothed.

Energy work and craniosacral therapy
facilitate the body’s natural ability to
unwind and release any tension that is
trapped throughout the body. They
help the neural system rest and
rejuvenate.

The intent of craniosacral therapy is
to work with the body so that tension
and trauma trapped at the cellular
level can be released. Therapists
are trained to “follow the body” as
they allow tension and stress to be
released from the muscles and tissues.
The process is best described as one of
unwinding tissues that are tightly
entangled with too much tension.

Trauma to the body is analogous to a
wet wash rag that has been twisted so
many times that all the water has been
squeezed dry.  After the rag is exposed
to the hot sun it dries out and becomes
hardened and inflexible. This is what
happens to tissues that have been
traumatized. Craniosacral therapy
softens and helps hydrate the tissues so
that they can be properly nourished.

Stress and Parkinson’s

After talking with many, many people with
Parkinson’s I have concluded that stress is a
key factor that aggravates symptoms. When
stress can be relieved, symptoms get better.

Person after person in my interviews
tell me the same thing: There is a direct
correlation between stress and their symptoms.

When their symptoms flare up, people
report they are always under more stress.
When they are able to find ways to get
relief from the stress, symptoms become
less troublesome.

Stress creates inflammation throughout
the body which is the basis for many chronic
diseases. Reduction in inflammation is a
key reason for the improvement in symptoms.
Here is the sequence: (1) Craniosacral work
releases stress. (2) Inflammation is reduced.
(3) Symptoms are relieved.

Craniosacral therapy is only one way
to help relieve stress. There are also
other excellent methods that help to
relieve stress, but we zeroed in on
craniosacral work as the intervention
of choice in the PEP study.

Trauma and Parkinson’s

Life experiences can be so traumatic
that they have a long lasting effect on the
body. The source of trauma varies widely,
but can involve the early and untimely
death of a parent, service during wartime,
physical or sexual abuse to a child,
automobile accidents, head injuries – you
name it.

I was discussing trauma this week to a
Parkinson’s support group when one woman
raised her hand.

“I know an example of this. I have a friend
whose son committed suicide.  His symptoms
flared up two months later.”

Regardless of the source, trauma makes the
tissues throughout the body freeze up.
Tissues in many people with Parkinson’s feel
much like concrete after it has hardened.

Many adults (myself included) have held
the belief that if we are able to function in
the world as adults by educating ourselves,
getting good jobs, and making a contribution
in our respective fields, we have overcome
any and all traumas we experienced as a child.

I  personally convinced myself for
5o years that I could “will” traumas
from my own childhood to vanish into
thin air. Speaking from personal
experience, I must confess this
plan was a big flop.

What I now know to be true is
that traumas from childhood
(and traumas we experience as
adults) have a permanence about
them.  Traumas reside inside our
cells as we age. They get stuck in
our tissues and settle in for the
long haul. This is why our issues
are in our tissues.

When a threshold level of trauma and
stress is reached the body becomes less
and less able to tolerate it. The good news
is that it takes time for the hormones in
the body to become seriously imbalanced.
It should thus come as little surprise that it
also takes time for hormones to come back into
balance.

Findings of the PEP Study

Findings of our study showed that craniosacral
work did help to relieve symptoms.  Quality
of life of study volunteers did show
impressive improvements.

Study volunteers were able to do things that
they had previously been unable to do. Here
are some examples:

  • Cook Thanksgiving dinner
  • Take weekly nature hikes
  • Go out on a date
  • Travel
  • Be assertive
  • Take off a coat without assistance
  • Stand up to brush teeth
  • Attend business meetings
  • Swing arms freely
  • Blink eyes
  • Hang out with friends
  • Drive without anxiety
  • Handle stress better

We observed other positive changes from
one treatment session to the next including:

  • More flexibility getting on and off the treatment table
  • Better posture
  • Greater ease walking
  • Enhanced mental clarity and expressiveness
  • Greater flexibility
  • More smiling, better skin color and overall vibrancy
  • More vitality and youthfulness

Craniosacral therapy clearly had a positive impact
on the overall health and well being of Study
Volunteers.

Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale
(UPDRS).
The quantitative research instruments
confirmed reports from study participants,
images from videos and our own observations.
One standard instrument that is used in
Parkinson’s research to evaluate the
progress of Parkinson’s is the Unified
Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS).

The UPDRS was administered before the study
began and at the conclusion of the study six
months later.  The average baseline score for
the PEP study group was 40.3. The average
score dropped to 38.7 at the conclusion of the
study.

The higher the score, the worse the condition.
That is to say, study participants got better
on average. Some experienced significant
improvements. Further analysis of the data
showed that study volunteers improved on
all three sub-scales of the UPDRS
(Activities of Daily Living, Mental, and Motor).

Most people believe that the symptoms of
people with Parkinson’s are “destined” to
progressively “deteriorate” over time. Results
of the PEP study refute this widely held belief
and show it to be false.

The improvement was remarkable in that the
intervention was very modest, involving only
6 treatments lasting 20-30 minutes each.

Changes in Symptoms. We also asked
Study Volunteers to report on 62 symptoms
before the study began, at midterm and at
post test. Analysis of the data indicated
that there was an improvement or no change
in 75% of the symptoms we tracked.

In the figures below, the center point is
the place where the person is symptom free.
The farther out from the center of each spoke of
the wheel, the worse the person is feeling.

The points marked in red reflect the
averaged baseline symptoms for study
volunteers before we began the study.
The green points are the averaged mid
term report of symptoms taken after three
treatments. The blue points are the
averaged post-test report of symptoms
taken after 6 treatments.

For many of the symptoms, the color of the
dot that is furthest from the center (reflecting
a worse condition) is red. Note that the plot
point in blue that represents the symptoms
at the end of the study are usually closer to
the center than the baseline in red. This
indicates an improvement in symptoms.

Change in Physical Symptoms

Parkinsons Disease Questionnaire 39.
We also administered a third instrument -
the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39.
Among the sub-scales analyzed from the
data reported on this questionnaire,
improvement was seen in two categories,
no change was seen in four categories and
Study Volunteers were slightly worse in
two categories. Again, these findings refute
the conventional expectation that most
persons with Parkinson’s always get worse.

Summary

All sources of evidence including
quantitative data and qualitative
observations showed the same
result.  It is possible to find relief
from the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Parkinsons Energy Project (PEP)
study results suggest that craniosacral
therapy can be useful in helping to
relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
These results suggest releasing
stress does make a difference.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

6 responses so far

Jun 06 2008

Drumming Relieves the Symptoms of Parkinsons

Do you like the title of this article? I do. Are
you surprised that drumming helps to relieve
the symptoms of Parkinson’s? 

I am not. I must make a confession before
I tell you more. I have been a drummer
since I was in elementary school. Much of
my time in high school was spent playing in 
bands and orchestras. I still love to drum on
anything – chairs, tables, walls and of course 
drums of all sizes and shapes.

Some people say drumming relieves the
symptoms of Parkinsons so I drum at every
 Jump Start to Wellness event. The purpose
of drumming is to have fun and feel better. 
Drumming fulfills both aspirations effortlessly.  
Everyone becomes young again.  

The drum is a powerful force in healing.
It:

  • Releases stress
  • Energizes the spirit
  • Heals troubling emotions
  • Releases anger
  • Creates euphoria 

It is hard to beat this list, eh? The body’s
ability to heal is boundless. Drumming is
a fundamental way to support this ability. 

Dr. Connie Tomaino has found that listening
to drumming gives people with Parkinson’s
better control over their movements and
helps to improve their gait in stressful
situations. Dr. Tomaino, DA, MT-BC, uses
drumming in her work with persons with 
Parkinson’s.  Here is her report:

“I once worked with a young person
with Parkinson’s disease who had
trouble initiating movement. I
explored different rhythm patterns
with him. We then made a cassette
of different kinds of African drumming
that he seemed to find very stimulating
and helped him get moving.”

“Anytime he had to walk across a street,
whereas in the past he may freeze, he
would put on his headphones and listen
to African rhythms to get to the other
side without freezing in the middle of
rush hour traffic.”

http://www.remo.com/portal/pages/health_rhythms/library_article9.html

What is Drumming?

You do not have to just listen to drumming.
You can drum yourself. Drumming is stress
free and fun by design.

No musical ability is necessary. No talent
is required. No sense of rhythm is necessary. 
No musical training is a prerequisite. 

The only requirement is to have a body.
Everyone meets this requirement. Right?
The only agenda is to have fun. Everyone
is qualified to participate. 

Any type of drum will do. Bongos, bass
drums, snare drums without the snare, 
tympani, hand drums, African drums -
you name it. If it sounds like a drum it
is a drum no matter what it looks like or
how it is made. 

You can drum alone or in groups. If you
drum with others, someone in the group can
volunteer to maintain a steady beat – often
like the beat of a human heart. Everyone  
else in the group then beats away on their
drum to their hearts content with whatever
beat calls to them.

Some people make simple beats that are
meditative. Others are show offs. It is not
the beat per se that matters. Whatever way
you drum is the right way for you. The room
rocks.

Let no one convince you otherwise. You
may be one who does not like to “keep the
beat.” Good for you. Go for it.    

When we are in groups it is fun to sit around
in a circle and drum together. Even if you are
not drumming yourself, it is healing to feel the
thump of the airwaves.  The thumbs crawl
under your skin and sit on the lap of your soul.  

What you get in return for having fun
by  just sitting in the group is euphoria.
What other remedy for Parkinson’s can
beat that? You also receive the welcome
benefit of dopamine. Who could use a
little more dopamine today?  

Why Drumming Helps Parkinson’s

There is a marked tendency for persons
with Parkinson’s to be hyper-vigilant.
Mental activity is usually turned up to the 
top notch.

Hyper-vigilance is a good trait. It is one
reason why people with Parkinson’s  
succeed in whatever they choose to do.
But hyper-vigilance also takes a heavy
toll on the human body which has a
foundational need for rest and relaxation. 

The body was not designed to pump out
adrenaline 24-7 without registering loud
complaints.  You know the story. People
who are always working and never playing 
have health problems. 

People who are hyper-vigilant also
have a much greater chance of having 
no alfa brainwaves. Zero.  Drumming
helps to jump start this deficiency by
inducing alfa brainwaves at 8-12 cycles
per second.

The alfa state is that delicious, relaxed
place that ever so gently nudges the
body into a state of pure relaxation, the
place where dopamine is manufactured.  
 The hyper-vigilant person has difficulty
producing dopamine because they 
rarely experience this state.  

I suspect that what happens in
transcendental meditation is similar
to what happens with drumming. 
Twenty minutes (or so) of a 30
minute transcendental meditation
are spent floating in the alfa state. 

Stress and trauma are embodied by a
disconnection from the earth. One good 
way to survive stressful circumstances and
trauma (especially when we are young) is to
disassociate from ourselves and from our
surroundings. We yank our roots up from 
the earth and let them flop about in thin air.

Drumming helps to connect you back to
the earth. Drumming calls you back to
the embrace of mother earth where it is
safe and exciting to be alive. Drumming
helps you accept everything and everyone -
including ourselves – just as you are.

Drumming invites the body to relax and
unwind. Results happen when you start. 
You do not have to wait weeks or
months for the “therapy” to take effect.
Pretty neat, eh?  

Testimonials tell us that drumming
helps people with Parkinson’s. We have
no formal research to indicate that it
helps but I say why even bother. 

Why not give it a try and find a drum
today? You can often find great drums
at garage sales for a few dollars. 

   It certainly cannot hurt you.  
   It is bound to be fun. 
   You may laugh while doing it.
   When you have fun and laugh …
       you give yourself the best dose of
       dopamine that exists. It is all natural
       and entirely free.

So be honest with me here. Do you think
this is a silly idea? If you do, please take
this opportunity to laugh at me. That will
do you some good for sure!

As for myself, I am on the lookout for 
drums to use at Jump Start to Wellness.
Euphoria is calling me. 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

 © 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

   

One response so far

Jun 02 2008

Exercise and Diet are Two of the Best Natural Remedies for Parkinson’s

Question

My husband has been diagnosed with
Parkinson’s Disease. What are some
natural exercise and diet remedies
that would help?

Response 

From my extensive review of the
research literature on Parkinson’s 
you have asked the right question.
Diet and exercise have a compelling
influence on how your husband
feels every day. 

Eat healthy food. Exercise. He will
feel better.

Eat junk food. Be a couch potato.
He will feel lousy.  

It is as simple as that. This is not 
rocket science.

The research on exercise and Parkinson’s
is unequivocal. Exercise helps people  
feel better and get relief from their
symptoms.

Exercise

I make it a point to add exercise
books and videos on the resources
resources page of Parkinsons Recovery. 
If anyone knows of exercise books or
videos that have been useful to you,
please reply so that I can add them to
the list of resources. 

I have a very simple, perhaps
mundane suggestion. Move any
way it feels good to him.  Move
as often as he can. 

Some people love to exercise. Other
people hate to exercise.  I talked
with one woman last week who loves
to exercise - so much so that her physical
therapist has limited her exercise routine 
to 90 minutes. She gets significant relief
from her symptoms. 

Other people have never exercised
in their life and are proud of it. Making
a practice of moving every day is an
annoyance. Too bad for them.  

I believe the trick is for your husband
to find a way of moving his body that 
is motivated from a place deep inside
himself. When he discovers a way of
exercising every day that works for
him his body will let him know:

“Yes. This is what I need. Do it
today. Do it every day.” 

What exercise is the right exercise
for your husband? Ask him to remember
what he loved doing when he was a child.
Did he enjoy swimming when he was little? 
Then swim now. Did he love to play 
marbles? Then play marbles now. 
Did he love to play hide and seek?
Then play hide and seek with your
dog Fido now. (My apologies if your
dog is not named Fido). You get the
point.

I have always been a runner, so I run
frequently. I get high when I run.
Running always makes me feel better.
It is the natural remedy that works
for me. 

Some people with Parkinson’s tell me
running on a treadmill is their exercise
of choice. Running itself is clearly not
the best form of exercise for many 
people. 
 
If any one of us (you or your husband or
myself) is told that we must exercise in
a specific way using a specific routine 
for 60 minutes a day, we will not do it
for very long if we do not like doing it.
Period. 

I will stick to a routine I do not like 
for a week – maybe. Perhaps you
are good for a month. Maybe your
husband is more disciplined and will
last four months. 

Eventually, we will all abandon any
type of exercise if it does not give us
intrinsic joy and genuine satisfaction.
The desire to move must, again, be
motivated by a place from deep inside
us.   

Another problem can surface if we 
exercise because we are told we must
do it to feel better - not because we
want to exercise to feel better. Isn’t
that just what I am telling you now? 

If the exercise is forced, we are
likely at some point to stretch and
challenge our muscles incorrectly.
Tares in tissues and serious injuries
can be the consequences. Injuries 
do not happen when exercising
is done mindfully.  

Of course, if you are injured you
can not exercise. Is not this the 
perfect outcome for anyone who
has always hated to exercise? 
The steps are simple to follow:

  1. Force yourself to exercise in a
    way that is not right for you. 
  2. Injure yourself. 
  3. Stop exercising.    
  4. Feel worse.
  5. Conclude it is your body’s fault
    for not working correctly.

If the question you ask yourself
repeatedly when you exercise is:   

“How much longer do I have to endure
this torture?” 

Stop. Consider the possibility there is
another form of exercise that is a
better way of exercising.

You may very well have expected a
different answer to your question
about exercise.  Perhaps you were
looking for an answer like this from
me:

“Everyone with Parkinson’s should
do “Professor Bob’s Zippy 2 Hour 
Daily workout  for Parkinson’s.”
(Just to be clear in case anyone is
wondering – this program does
not exist.)

This is not the response I can give
you because I do not believe that
any single exercise program – even
Professor Bob’s Zippy program - is
right for everyone. Any particular
type of exercise will always work 
for some people, but it will never 
work for all people. Far from it.

What is important is to move. Move.
Move. Move every day. The more
your husband moves the better he 
will feel.

Everyone - people who are healthy and
people who are  not – should move the 
equivalent of 5 miles each day (weekends
included). Total up each of your separate
movements throughout the day to reach
your goal.

For example:  Let’s say a walk from your 
bedroom  to the kitchen in the morning
is .005 miles. A walk from your car to the
store at 9 am is .02 miles. And so forth. 
By the end of the day, the sum total of all
such movements should total 5 miles. 

There are many, many ways to move
your body.  If your husband is not moving
his body every day, I recommend he
investigate the multitude of options
that are available for getting the daily
exercise he needs: Pilate’s, Tia-chi, yoga,
swimming,  daily walks — the list is
endless. There are so many fascinating 
ways to get exercise. 

If he does not move every day, his body
will eventually begin to complain loudly. 
Symptoms will smack him in the face.  

Have you noticed that there is redundancy
in my writing here? This is just was exercise
is all about, going through the same routine
over and over, day after day. So get with it. 

I am working diligently to document ways 
of exercising that people with Parkinson’s
tell me helps them feel better. If your husband
has not found a way of exercising that works
for him, stay tuned. 

There is a way of exercising somewhere out
there in the universe that is perfect for him.
He just needs to discover it.  

There are also physical therapists who are
specifically trained to help persons with
Parkinson’s. They assess your strengths and
weaknesses and recommend specific exercises 
that will help him find relief from his symptoms.  

Good options surround you. Explore the options.
Try them out. An exercise routine is not working
for you if you are not doing it regularly and loving
it. Find another. Try it out. Keep experimenting
until you find a way of moving every day that
gives you joy.

Your body will thank you. And you will thank
yourself. 

I am supposed to talk about diet in this
blog too. Oops. Sorry. No time today. I have
to get my daily run in before it gets too
late. 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

 © 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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Jun 01 2008

Are Prior Surgeries Connected to Parkinson’s Symptoms?

Question: 

Are Prior Surgeries Connected to Parkinson’s Symptoms?  

Response 

Scars from surgeries interrupt meridian pathways in the body.
It is important to heal the scar tissue so that all channels
of energy that nourish your organs and tissues are unobstructed.

What do I mean by channels? There are well documented energy
pathways in our bodies that are given difference names in
acupuncture: The stomach meridian, the liver meridian, the spleen
meridian, etc. You can find charts of these pathways in the
library.
 
Surgery on your foot or hand or any part of your body for that
matter interrupts the flow of vital energy across any one or more
of these pathways. Acupuncturists place needles along the meridian
lines that need a jump start. It is like recharging the battery of
a car. An acupuncturist may place needles in your foot or neck 
to address issues with your digestion or mood. 

For example, let’s say you have had surgery on your hip recently.
There is a big scar on your upper thigh that is located at the
center of your body. This scar tissue from hip surgery 
creates a systematic interruption in the energy pathways that
nourish one or more of your vital organs.

Check out the meridian charts to see if any surgeries you may have
had lie on a key meridian. Do not be surprised to discover you
may be having difficulty with an organ that is connected with the
meridian that happens to cross the scar tissue.

Let me be clear that no one in the research literature
has identified scar tissue as a factor that is related to the
symptoms of Parkinson’s. I personally believe that it
can aggravate the symptoms, so why not address
the problem?

The remedy is cheap and easy to do. No expensive
tests are needed. No prescriptions need be written
by a medical doctor.

Simply find wheat germ oil in a co-op or health food store. 
Apply the wheat germ oil to the scar tissue twice daily.
The treatment takes 15 seconds.

I personally purchase wheat germ oil in capsule form. I then apply
the wheat germ oil directly onto the scars on my body that resulted
from surgeries. That is all there is to it.

Robert Rodgers
Parkinsons Recovery

 © 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

3 responses so far