Archive for November, 2008

Nov 30 2008

Parkinson’s and Stress

Question:

“In my opinion, the true cause of the hormonal imbalance in 
Parkinson’s lies with an overabundance of stress hormones: 
It obviously will take time to convince the body otherwise
- to produce dopamine.” Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.

I was diagnosed with PD 8 years ago. I completely agree that
the major cause is related to stress and stress hormones.

Can the body be convinced to produce dopamine after its total
depletion?

Has any body been convinced and by what means?

I would be grateful to receive some help and advice for myself
and other PD sufferers in Lithuania.

Responses

Here are my responses to your questions in the
order they have been asked:

Can the body be convinced to produce dopamine after its total
depletion?

I believe the body can always heal itself when given the
proper support and nutrition. Yes, the body does
know how to heal itself. It just needs a little help
from time to time re-remembering how.

I am well aware that most medical professionals frame the
the cause of Parkinson’s solely in terms of a dopamine
deficiency. If there is a severe head injury this is
probably a meaningful and useful frame of the problem.
But for a vast majority of people with the symptoms of
Parkinson’s, the problem is far more complicated
than a simple deficiency of dopamine. There are over
40 hormones in the body which are out of balance.
Dopamine is only one among these 40 interrelated
hormones that are out of balance. 

Has any body been convinced and by what means?

The good news here is yes! Some people are symptom free
today. Many people are finding good relief by a wide variety
of modalities and approaches.

I have learned that there is considerable variation in what
works for people. There is no universal list of things you
can do that will guarantee that you will feel better. It really
depends on the specific factors that happen to be causing your
symptoms.

I have spent the past year interviewing people who have
fully recovered or who are finding ways to get
relief from their symptoms. I will soon be launching a
Parkinsons Recovery member website where all of this
incredibly fascinating information will be posted.

I would be grateful to receive some help and advice for myself
and other PD sufferers in Lithuania.

There are a wide variety of natural methods you can
use to get relief from the effects of stress. The idea
behind all of these methods is to release fear that is trapped
at the cellular level so our bodies can produce neurotransmitters
and reduce the production of stress hormones. Strategies that
are useful on a daily basis are:
 
• Meditation
• Relaxation
• Walking
• Sitting
• Dreaming
• Singing
• Sleeping
• Listening to music

Body therapies are also useful in this regard.
If you click on the link below, do a search
for craniosacral therapists in Lithuania. Three were
listed when I did the search, though only one had
contact information.

http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php

Essential oils can be very effective, as can Emotional
Freedom Technique (EFT). I will soon be posting an interview with
an aroma therapist who explains how essential oils can
provide great release from the effects of stress. I recently
wrote a newsletter with a link showing the effects of
EFT on veterans of war.

Breathwork can also be very powerful. This involves continuous
breathing (in and out) for a period of 5 minutes or longer.
We bury the effects of stress on our bodies by not breathing.
When we do breathwork, we release the effects of stress that
has been trapped in our bodies, sometimes for decades.  

These are just a few of the approaches that you can do
yourself. They are safe and noninvasive.

With a little experimentation, you should be able to
discover the methods, techniques, therapies and modalities 
that work for you. Use them daily and you will gradually
see relief from your symptoms.    

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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2 responses so far

Nov 29 2008

Sugar and the Symptoms of Parkinson’s

Question:

On Saturday night my 30 year old daughter
told me she was afraid she would develop
Parkinson’s Disease at some point in her
life. This put me into a silent fear that
continues to haunt me.

For me I know I resisted anything and everything
that entered my life that I didn’t like.
Everything from a challenging mother in law
to being told I wasn’t qualified for certain
work related positions.

I used caffeine and sugar at times exclusively
over nutritious food to numb that and any other
self depreciating thought/ pain. I personally
feel this was a huge step into a diseased state.

Is there a history of people who have been diagnosed
with Parkinson’s Disease of body abuse in some way?
I would really appreciate any insight you may have.

Response:

Your question asks about the history of
people who have abused their body with poor
nutrition.

There are thousands and thousands of studies that
evaluate the effectiveness of one drug or another
on the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Sugar is not
on that list because sugar is not considered a
drug. The idea behind these studies is to identify
a drug that will provide some relief to symptoms.

Sugar is undoubtedly one of the most toxic substance
that exists in the world today. I know of no medical
researcher who believes sugar can provide long term
relief for symptoms. It is clearly toxic to the body and
deadly in its impact on the function of neural networks.
Neurons are the most sensitive cells of the body. 

If anyone really wants to begin feeling better, one of
the best things they can do for themselves is to stop
eating unrefined sugar. If you want to have verification
that sugar is toxic and harmful, do an experiment on
yourself.

The holidays are upon us, so we all have a great
excuse to eat sweets. Why not indulge yourself?
Eat all the sweet desserts you want for a day. This
is your “treatment.” Sugar stimulates the release of
dopamine, so it mainlines dopamine into blood stream.   

Then, see how you feel that evening and the
following day. I have done that experiment many times
myself and I always get the same result. I feel lousy,
depressed and angry at myself for damaging my body.

I do not think you will ever see published studies that
show sugar is harmful. To prove sugar aggravates
your symptoms, just do your own study on yourself. 

Why do we (myself included) sabotage ourselves? There
are sugar substitutes! There are great alternatives
to raw, unrefined sugar. There are ways to satisfy
our addictions that do not destroy the neural networks
in our body. So, why do we do it over and over?

It is an addiction. It numbs the bad feelings we
are always trying to avoid. Sugar is a great infusion
of warm, cozy feelings for a few minutes because
it triggers the temporary release of dopamine. When
ingested on a regular basis, sugar undermines
the body’s natural capacity to manufacture dopamine.

This is what happens with alcohol and illegal
drugs. They very quickly sabatoge the body’s
natural ability to manufacture dopamine and
the other “feel good” hormones. The body then
relies on the alcohol and drugs for a dopamine
infusion which is the physical explanation
for the addiction.

Sugar works in the same fashion. Think of it as
analogous to the effects of heroine. The only
difference is sugar is a legal drug.  

Of course the aftermath of ingesting sugar is deadly.
Think of the challenge of sugar cravings as an addiction
which can be acknowledged and treated.

In your introductory paragraph, you mention concerns
about your daughter’s potential to develop the symptoms
of Parkinson’s are putting “me into a silent fear
that continues to haunt me.” These feelings are associated
with all of the stress hormones that sustain an imbalance
in the body and feed the symptoms of Parkinson’s. When
we are suspended in a continual state of fear, our bodies
are trapped in a continual place of hormonal imbalance.
The good news is that there are a variety of therapies
that help to release the fears that we hold for our
children and loved ones. 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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2 responses so far

Nov 28 2008

Essential Oils Uses for Parkinson’s

Last Friday I interview Jean Oswald from
Rochester, New York who is a certified
aroma therapist and a registered nurse.
Jean provided a wealth of useful information
about how essential oils can be used to
provide relief from the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

Here is her answer to two of my questions:

What if an individual has problems with
rigidity of their muscles and it is very
difficult for them to move with ease. What
is an essential oil that might help relieve
that particular symptom? 

There are a few essential oils that could
be most beneficial for muscle rigidity.
Essential oils like Cedarwood, Frankincense
and Sandalwood are high in Sesquiterpene.
They cross the blood brain barrier. They are
going to be carrying more oxygen throughout
the body and helping with firing neurons and
relieving neurological symptoms.

Muscle rigidity in connection to that is
helped by Marjoram essential oils which are
very relaxing to the muscles and Basil which
is an anti-spasmodic.

Use them in a massage or put them directly
on the skin over the spine, on the souls of
the feet and specifically on areas of the skin
where the tension itself is present in the muscles.

I would recommend a blend, a lotion that
combines the Marjoram, Basil and other essential
oils.

How about the problem of tremors? What essential
oils might be recommended to relieve that symptom?

I would say Basil or Frankincense, the
anti-spasmodic oils.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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No responses yet

Nov 27 2008

Parkinson’s Treatments: Macro Food and Amethyst Biomats?

Question:

I am a woman on a mission (to recover) and
just found out about something called amethyst
biomats. They are infrared and considered a
medical device, also expensive.

Do you know anything about them for Parkinson’s?
 
I spoke to a friend of my sisters who cured
herself from scleroderma with meditation, macro
food, and she told about this mat and she uses it.

Taube

Response.

I have a long list of therapies people with Parkinson’s
have told me helps, but this is the first I have heard
about amethyst biomats. Anyone else out there have any
experience with amethyst bio mats (or macro food
for that matter)? If so, please comment below!

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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No responses yet

Nov 21 2008

Parkinsons Disease Diagnosis and Treatment for Pain

The following correspondence was
received from Marne. I thought this
would surely be of interest to others.

My husband was diagnosed in 2006 with PD. 
We had MRI’s, CAT scans, Xrays of his whole
spine & shoulder. Found several herniated disks
in the cervical & lumbar areas & arthritis
in his shoulder. For 3 years the neurologists
said there wasn’t anything we could do. 

We just recently (3 weeks ago) went to a pain
specialist who said the shoulder & right arm,
hip & leg pain (all of the right side) is
probably due to the herniations.  He recommended
an epidural steroid in his cervical spine area
to relieve the pain. 

My husband did the procedure & during the
injection he felt his entire right arm get
really hot as the medicine went down & he
even felt it in his legs.  He walked out of
that office being able to raise his arm & use
it for the first time in 3 years. 

He has no more shooting pains in his arms, neck,
back, shoulder, hips & legs.  What the Dr. said
was that his spine was really inflamed.  His only
symptoms are now down to a very slight tremor in
his right arm & not having full strength of his
right leg.  This may or may not be permanent,
only time will tell.  But what I now know is
that inflammation of the spine can be a huge
cause of the pain. 

And unfortunately once a Dr. knows your diagnosis,
he throws every symptom into the Parkinson’s bucket
& doesn’t look outside of the box.  This treatment
has been amazing overnight.  Now he can do the
proper physical therapy so that we can get his
body working again.  And, with God’s blessing, have
the pain stay away permanently.

Thanks so much for your letter. It is proven over and
over that everybody’s situation is unique.  It is
amazing what can happen when you begin considering
different causes for the symptoms and what miracles can
happen with a little experimention.  

PS:  My husband has been on Glutathione @ 4000 mgs/
push IV, 1X or 2X a week for almost 2 years now & that has
helped tremendously. A good website is
www.Glutathioneexperts.com
Take a look at the video by David Perlmutter. 

Another site that we are using is www.PDRecovery.org
Her treatment is quite simple and my husband is experiencing
some very interesting changes in his body…more feeling. 
The treatment is simple & FREE.  She has a very interesting
book that is available Free online on her site.  It’s worth
a read.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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No responses yet

Nov 19 2008

Parkinson’s Treatment Options and Parkinson’s Nutrition

Question (from Holland):

I use some times a week organic biological
soy sauce (tamari) and miso, a biological soy paste.
Can I trust this is MSG-free?

I read that nuts in the supermarket might contain MSG.
So biological nuts are MSG-free?

Response

In the United States, they have a term “organic”
which is supposed to mean no additives of any
kind. I am guessing the term “biological” means
the same thing in your country. It is probably
healthy and safe, but we never can be 100% certain!

The truth is that most products in supermarkets
have MSG of one form or another, so you really
never know for sure. The more often you can
purchase food from local suppliers, the more
you can be certain the foods are additive free. 

Another subject: Aquas: 

I use them now for ten days and I feel very good.
I take them together with noni-juice, in the evening
with other fruit-juice. I started with one drop, then
half a drop (threw half a glass water away), then
again one drop, after some days two drops, last few
days I try three drops. I feel emotionally very well
and optimistic, enjoy more of life.

Response:

Glad to hear the Aquas are helping. John Coleman,
ND, tells me that have been a big help to his
patients as well. 
 
Another subject: A Helpful Therapy that Contributes to
My well Being

I found a therapist that helps me to communicate
directly with my body. After a light head-neck-shoulder
massage she asks me to sit with my eyes closed
and concentrate on my body.

She asks what discomfort I feel, in what body part
it is located, and how long it is there. In a light
trance she guides me to the situation where the
discomfort started and encourages me to tell about
it and let it go.

Response:

This is truly fascinating. We all need to find
someone like this. Do they have a website? 

 
PS I was diagnosed PD in July 2007, I am free from
synthetic medicine. Still doing some professional work,
making long walks, go to fitness.

 Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Response:

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One response so far

Nov 15 2008

Parkinson’s, Dryness of the Mouth and Vitamin D

Published by admin under dryness of the mouth, vitamin D3

Question One:

I have two questions. Thank you for being available to answer my inquiries:

Heat seems to bother me.  The sun shining on my back/neck
or a hair dryer creates a feeling of crawling or shrinking on my
neck and head and gives me a slight sensation of nausea or
dizziness.  Have you heard of this being a problem with Parkinson’s or
others with neurological problems?

Response:

I have not heard reports from people with Parkinson’s that are
specific to the symptoms you describe, but I must say that the
range of symptoms that are associated with Parkinson’s is very
wide indeed.

Sunshine is a key mechanism that helps the body manufacture
Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 provides foundational support for balancing
all other hormones in the body.

I might suggest that with this symptom, your body is giving you a
big clue about the source of hormonal imbalances in your body. You
might put on your detective hat and launch a search for the
underlying meaning of the symptom.

I will be doing teleseminars over the coming months with a serious of
naturopaths, medical doctors and researchers. I suggest you write in
your question on the pre-event teleseminar pages. I will ask our guests
your question so you can hear what they have to say about the possible
underlying meaning of this symptom. It is a mystery to be solved.      

Question Two:

My mouth, throat, and lungs feel dry, dehydrated, and have a
burning sensation and when I breathe deep I have a dry cough. 
Is this a problem related to Parkinson’s or do I have a problem
on top of a problem?  I am in the Californian desert for the winter
and the problem seems to exacerbated.

Response:

Excessive salivation is the more common symptom that is
associated with Parkinson’s. By your own description, it sounds
like you are seriously dehydrated. It would be worthwhile to
hear an interview I did with Dr. Jaroslav Boublik who specializes
in issues associated with dehydration. He is a researcher, not a
medical doctor, and explains what happens when the body become
dehydrated. You can listen to his interview by clicking here.
http://www.instantteleseminar.com/Default.asp?eventid=4462005

He explains that as we get older, our thirst reflect becomes
compromised, so we simply do not drink when our body needs
water as was the case when we were young.

Of the two nettlesome symptoms you list, I would make the
second the highest priority. By far, the most common cause of
death for persons with Parkinson’s is pneumonia, so addressing
any issues with the pulmonary function will avert more serious
problems down the line.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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No responses yet

Nov 14 2008

Parkinson’s Supplements: Herbs that Help with Tremors and Salivation

Published by admin under Supplements, salivation, tremors

Last week I had the privilege of interviewing
Andrew Bentley who practices as a herbalist
in Lexington, Kentucky. A short excerpt
from my interview with him follows:

Question:

Many people ask me very specific
questions about how they can get help with
specific symptoms. For example, many people
have asked me recently about excessive
salivation. They have a lot of worries and
troubles with that.

Is there anything off the top of your head
that you would suggest as a possibility in
the herbal area for that?

There are some things that might help with that.
For example, oat bark extract taken in very
small amounts can sometimes help with excessive
salivation. Also, sometimes if you have better
muscle control in the muscles of the neck and
throat and the face, that can sometimes help
for the excessive salivation not to be a problem.

How about tremors? 

Oat straw is one thing that is sometimes helpful
for that. A nice thing about oat straw is that
it usually does not cause drowsiness. A lot of
things that are anti-spasmodic also cause sedation.
Sometimes people aren’t looking for that. That
is a helpful thing about that particular herb
because it doesn’t have so much of that effect.

Valerian is a much stronger herb for helping to
suppress tremors but it does carry some risk of
sedation, of feeling more drowsy and so forth
especially when people first start taking it.
Sometimes that lessons as time goes on.

It is a very strong substance when it comes to
helping control involuntary muscle movement
tremors and involuntary movement of otherwise
involuntary muscles. It is a good one for that.

Passion flower is also one that is helpful for
some particular individuals.  These are all
things that would go into that category of
working on tremors.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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3 responses so far

Nov 11 2008

Parkinson’s and Nutrition – What is a Good Multi-Vitamin?

Published by admin under Nutrition, multi-vitamin

Question:

Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate receiving your newsletter. My husband has PD and I seem to do more research all the time in learning how to help him do well. He presently take kaunch sand (he calls it that) along with 1 Sinement twice a day. This seems to keep him fairly well…not much shaking, but legs sometimes get weak (he rakes leaves, etc…overdoes at times). He has diabetes type 2 and is on meds for that…would love to get him off! But that might be too much for him to try! We thank God for His help and for you and the hope you offer through your newsletter. I have a CD of ‘Sit and be fit’ for PD sufferers. Hoping to get him started on those exercises.

I’m still looking for a multi-vitamin that is more specifically geared for those with PD. My husband can’t take any large pills or capsules, that is a problem.
 
   THANKS again for your positive and exceptional coverage on PD.

Betty

Response:

Thanks so much for your kind words. They are an inspiration.

I will be interviewing a series of naturopaths in Teleseminars over
the next several months. Be sure and ask your question about a good multi-vitamin to all of them.

You can write your question at the bottom of the pre-event announcement pages. You will likely hear different answers, but they will give you a good set of choices to consider.

One approach is to do testing which many naturopaths recommend. There are various forms of testing, but they all yield helpful information
about deficiencies in the body which inform specific supplements that
are needed. I have personally gone the testing route and it has been
very helpful.

There is another approach I think is worth considering. Begin placing an
emphasis on putting good food into the body every day. I personally do this in two ways. I juice live food as often as possible. And, I purchase canisters of Perfect Food from the Garden of Life. This is ground up food in powder form.

They also have “horse pills” which I can not swallow. I also have a terrible problem taking pills. With Perfect Food in powder form I put the powdered food in water and drink it – no pills are required. There are other excellent companies that offer good food in powder form. Perfect Food is just what I use. It was recommended by my naturopath. 

The idea is to begin giving the body the fuel what it needs every day to
function, maintain balance and sustain good health. Over time, most of
the vitamin and mineral deficiencies will be addressed.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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No responses yet

Nov 04 2008

EFT Therapy

Question:

Janice Walton Hadlock wrote a book on Parkinson’s Disease and it is available on the web, I believe under PDrecovery.com.  She warns against using acupuncture if you have ever taken a PD drug for more than two weeks.  Since EFT uses a form of acupuncture, I am a bit concerned about the negative effects.
 
Could you enlighten me please?

Response:

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a fundamental form of energy healing. I personally do not place it in the same category as acupuncture which requires that you see a licensed acupuncturist and involves placing needles in the body (although acupuncture too is a form of energy healing).  
 
From the work on EFT I have seen, it is a safe and noninvasive therapy which you can administer to yourself and is a gentle approach for re-programming the energy pathways in the body.
 
At the end of the video on EFT that looks at its effect for war veterans
(http://www.emofree.com/splash/video_vets.asp). At the top of this web site, there are several links to pages that provide detailed instruction and training on how you can do EFT on yourself. You do not have to be a psychologist to do this on yourself!

Look over the training information and see what you think. Ask your own body the question! Your body knows the answer. Everyone responds differently to different therapies. EFT may not work for you. Then again, it may work miracles!
 
I have personally never known anyone who has had a negative experience with EFT, but be sure and check out the research yourself. If you find any information which suggests there may be a problem, be sure and let me know!
 
EFT has been around for quite a while and it has grown in acceptance every year because I think it is safe and easy to do.
 
I am reviewing the literature on acupuncture as it has been used on Parkinson’s patients and will be reporting on my findings in the near future. Overall, the studies suggest it too is an effective therapy for Parkinson’s, though I have not yet seen any studies that focus specifically on acupuncture as it is used on people taking prescription medications. 
 
In the end, I would advise that you always use your intuition. If it feels right to do EFT, give it a try. If it does not feel right, look elsewhere. I like EFT because it is easy to do and anybody can do it on themselves anytime of the day or night. You can see whether it is helping relatively quickly.
 
Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
 
© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery

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3 responses so far

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