Archive for October, 2009

Oct 29 2009

Dad in the Hospital with Low Blood Pressure and Parkinson’s

The following questions were sent by Nancy:

Question:

Saw your interesting article on the internet last night. My Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about 10 years ago. He has been on the required medication, such as Levadopa and Requip, maybe some others. My most concern is the Requip.

He has been the hospital all week because of his low blood pressure. For some reason they don’t know what to do about it. I have been  told that the requip  causes low blood pressure. Can he safely get off of the stuff? And how?

Response:

Once a person starts taking medication, it is very tricky to stop. The body goes into a type of withdrawal. It is important to work closely with the doctors if the intent is to stop taking any Parkinson’s meditations (or reduce the dosage). It is not a smart idea to go cold turkey on the medications.

Question:

How can you tell if someone has been misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s?

Response:

Parkinson’s is a garbage can type diagnosis which means it covers a wide range of symptoms. Research estimates show that about one third of the people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s were misdiagnosed. This happens because there is no definitive test for it. Most doctors eliminate other possibilities – and if nothing is left – it is diagnosed as “Parkinson’s”.

Question:

Has all this medication put him in the condition he is in?

Response:

You can partially answer your own question by asking your pharmacist for the list of side effects from the medications he takes. If the symptoms he is experiencing are on the list, there is certainly a good possibility interactions of the medications might be the culprit.

There is also another problem that emerges when more than one medication is taken: drug interactions and depletions. Additional problems are caused sometimes when certain medications are combined. I refer people to Randy Mentzer who is a nutritional counselor and compounding pharmacist.

Randy does a full analysis of everything a person puts into their body, consults with the patients and writes up a detailed report of recommendations. He can sometimes make a natural medications that can substitute for the medication the person may be taking that is causing the problem.

Most medication doctors are not trained to do such an analysis. I might add it takes someone like Randy years and years to learn what these medications do and how they interact, It is a specialty in itself.

Question:

I see Parkinson’s patients and say to myself,

“My Dad does not act like that.”

Response:

How interesting, I always encourage people to trust their own intuition. It may be that it is time to entertain other possibilities.

Question:

Can a person safely get off of the medication to see if he really needs it at all?

Response:

As I mentioned above, weaning off of medications is a tricky business. You have to work very closely with your doctors and reduce the dosages very slowly and cautiously.

Question:

Just would like your opinion be and what can I do for him?

Response:

I am not a medical doctor, so I can only offer my “opinion” if this were my Dad. To be clear, I am not suggesting you do these things! This is only what I would do if this were my Dad.

First, I would do everything in my power to get my Dad out of the hospital with the doctors’ blessings. There are many bacteria floating around hospitals these days, so people can get sicker sometimes because of exposure to new infections.

Second, I would get a consultation with Nutritional Counselor and Compounding Pharmacist Randy Mentzer for my Dad.

Third, I would order a bioenergetic assessment from Dr. Ivy Faber (which would likely point to possible causes of the symptoms).  There is more information about bioenergetic assessments on the Parkinsons Recovery website (www.parkinsonsrecovery.com).

Fourth, I would get a consultation with a naturopathic doctor.

Fifth, I would do everything possible to make sure my Dad was eating live foods.

Sixth, I would do something for my self as his son, so I could have some distance from the urgency of the problem at hand. If I am in fear as his son, it will do him no good whatsoever.

All of the above steps make it possible to approach the crisis in different ways, to step outside the box so to say. I am confident your current doctors are doing everything possible to help your Dad out, but specialists look at problems from the perspective of their own specialty. That is what they are trained to do!

If I were in your shoes,

  • I would begin thinking about the problem from different perspectives.
  • I would involve other health care practitioners in addition to the neurologists.
  • I would remind myself that the body always knows how to heal itself.

Give the body what it needs to come back into balance and your Dad’s body will take care of the rest.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

Resources

Jump Start to Wellness
Parkinsons Recovery Weekly Reader
Parkinsons Recovery Chat Room
Parkinsons Recovery Radio Network
Aqua Hydration Formulas
Symptom Tracker

Books

Pioneers of Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery
Meditations to Relieve Stress
Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin’

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One response so far

Oct 23 2009

The Secret to Reversing Gray Hair Naturally

Published by admin under Jump Start to Wellness, gray hair

Several days ago I announced in the Parkinsons Recovery newsletter a “free bonus” to everyone who attends Jump Start to Wellness November 30th and December 1st : the secret to how I am reversing my gray hair back to its natural color. Everyone has free giveaways for programs like Jump Start, so I joined the club.  After all, I do not want to be perceived as unconventional!

What I did not expect was the response. My in box is flooded today with emails from readers who would like to attend Jump Start to Wellness but report they are unable to make the trip due to financial worries. What a quandary I find myself in!

Part of me wants everyone to know the secret. After all, it is symbolic of how recovery from Parkinson’s happens when we trust the body’s ability to heal itself.

If I believe that gray hair goes hand in hand with aging, then I will of course accept gray hair as I age because I believe it is inevitable.  If I believe that aging goes hand in hand with greater vitality and youthfulness, I will expect my hair will remain the color of my youth – black.

The secret I will divulge about reversing my hair color is not about changing my thoughts patterns. But when  I did challenge my own thoughts about gray hair, the secret smacked me in the face.  I couldn’t help but notice and take positive action immediately. I can’t wait to show off my new hair at Jump Start.

In a flash of insight I realized that the rash of emails asking that I reveal the secret lies at the foundation of the recovery process. What are  the reasons people write to me about why they cannot come? (These are paraphrased since I do not want to quote anyone.)

“I do not have the funds for an airline ticket.”

“I don’t have the money.”

“I don’t want to spend the money.”

“I have a limited budget.”

“I live on social security. The trip is out of reach for me.”

I invite you to sense in to the restrictive thinking that is tied to all of these reasons. They are no different in substance from the following reasons that sideline recovery from the symptoms of Parkinson’s:

“I do not have the funds to pay for the therapies that will help me feel better.”

“I don’t have the money to take good care of myself.”

“I don’t want to spend any money to help myself feel better.”

“I have a limited budget, so I am going to have to let Parkinson’s take its course.”

“I live on social security. Taking action to help myself recover would be much too expensive.”

My point of course is that these limiting thought forms insure that the symptoms of Parkinson’s persist.We  manifest whatever we think about constantly.

There is an alternative. Remove, release, detach, eject and shield all thoughts of limitation. Replace them with thoughts of abundance. You will get exactly what you think. That is what we will be teaching everyone to do for themselves who attends Jump Start to Wellness.

I am not going to let the cat out of the bag right now and divulge the secret to reversing gray hair. I think a much higher purpose is being served here. If you want to know the secret now, you have to attend Jump Start to Wellness.

Of course, there are many practical reasons why you may be unable to attend. If you can not come, the most important gift you can give yourself is to examine the reasons why you are not coming.  Consider adopting the following thoughts as mantras about all of your current and future therapies:

I have all the funds I need to pay for the therapies that will help me feel better.

I live on the unqualified generosity of the universe. Taking action to help myself recover gives me the energy, stamina and power to become all that I am.

I have all the money I need to take good care of myself

I have all the resources I need to recover

I hope you do attend Jump Start to Wellness. But whether you do or not, please track  your own thoughts of limitation that “there is not enough.” We recycle thoughts of limitation by the hundreds day in and day out as we ride the same hamster wheel in the cage of our minds.

Shift your thoughts about what is possible.

Get well.

Change your life.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

Resources

Jump Start to Wellness
Parkinsons Recovery Weekly Reader
Parkinsons Recovery Chat Room
Parkinsons Recovery Radio Network
Aqua Hydration Formulas
Symptom Tracker

Books

Pioneers of Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery
Meditations to Relieve Stress
Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin’

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2 responses so far

Oct 22 2009

Parkinson’s Reseach

Below is a research proposal to do a rigorous evaluation of Aquas, a homeopathic remedy that was designed to address dehydration.  This effort is being energyzed by John Coleman, a naturopath doctor from Australia, who has advocated the use of Aquas for many years to address the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

If you are on the lookout for sound research projects to support, this research project is well worth considering.
Details follow.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

The neuro recovery foundation inc. has developed a partnership with Deakin University Integrative Health Research Unit and the Lewis Institute for Health and Wellbeing (Dr. Daniel Lewis) to undertake this ground-breaking research in reversing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. We need your help in obtaining funding for the research.

CONTACT

John C. Coleman, 03 9850 9048, 0437 771 406, pdfree@returntostillness.com.au.

BACKGROUND TO RESEARCH

Parkinson’s disease is considered to be progressive, degenerative and irreversible. Yet a few people have reversed all their symptoms and become well. To all observable measures, they can be considered “recovered” or “in remission” – that is, they are free from symptoms, need no medication or ongoing treatment, and live normal, healthy lives.

The first person to recover was John Coleman, who developed his own protocol of activities and therapies to reverse his symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (stage IV on the Hoehn and Yahr scale, or 127/199 on the UPDR scale), and early stage Multi System Atrophy. Others using this protocol have reversed their symptoms equally or to a lesser degree, and continue to live healthier lives.

Central to the therapeutic section of this protocol are the Aqua Hydration Formulas, homeopathic remedies designed to hydrate the body at cellular level (www.aquas.us). It is thought that the Aqua Hydration Formulas play a pivotal role in preparing the environment around nerve cells and cells producing dopamine, so allowing and enhancing repair and cell recovery.

The remedies have been shown, in clinical practice, to be safe to use in conjunction with all other medications – Western, Complementary, or traditional Chinese, and free from adverse effects.

This research is designed to show the degree to which the Aqua Hydration Formulas, when taken appropriately, will enhance the process of symptom reduction and health improvement by conducting a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Participants will be under the care of a Neurologist for definitely diagnosed Parkinson’s disease, and treated conservatively. The only change, during the study period of approximately nine months, will be the introduction of the Aqua Hydration Formulas or placebo at safe levels established in open clinical trials since 1998.

When efficacy is established, the information will be provided freely to all Parkinson’s disease patients, associations, support groups and therapists to assist in improving the quality of life for those living with this dreadful disorder.

There are approximately 6.5 million people with Parkinson’s disease worldwide – around 100,000 in Australia. Any therapy that can improve quality of life for patients, also improves life for family, friends and carers. This research has the potential to help many millions.

AQUA HYDRATION FORMULAS

The Aqua Hydration Formulas were developed in Australia by Neuro-endocrinologist Dr. Jaroslav Boublik and Natural Therapist Leonie Hibbert. They were designed to assist athletes overcome hydration issues during elite sporting events.

The Aqua Hydration Formulas were first used in treating Parkinson’s disease in 1997 by John Coleman, after he had investigated their properties and felt they could help him improve his health. He discovered that he required tiny doses, rather than the amounts used by athletes. His health notes show improved health status after establishing appropriate dosage, and continuing improvement resulting in freedom from all symptoms by mid 1998.

Two years of clinical observation resulted in a well-established protocol for using the Aqua Hydration Formulas in conjunction with other activities and therapies. Over 2000 people around the world have used this protocol with varying degrees of success in conjunction with synergistic activities and therapies.

This research is designed to show the efficacy of the Aqua Hydration Formulas alone in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, when used by people who are being treated conservatively for Parkinson’s disease.

NEURO RECOVERY FOUNDATION

The Neuro Recovery Foundation was established in 2002 to support those diagnosed with neurodegenerative or autoimmune disorders who wished to seek information and/or interaction outside established organisations focusing on Western medicine.

A prime aim was to support and/or establish research in Complementary Medicine that would assist patients to improve their quality of life and mitigate symptoms. The neuro recovery foundation has approached established Parkinson’s disease organisations for assistance in proceeding with this research, but has been rejected because it falls outside the parameters of current pharmaceutical and surgical research.

Therefore, the Foundation has formed a partnership with Deakin University Integrative Health Research Unit and the Lewis Institute for Health and Wellbeing, and has agreed to raise the funds required to conduct this research as quickly as possible.

DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

Professor Sally Walker, Vice-Chancellor, says:

“Deakin University continues to move confidently towards its goal to improve the University’s research performance so that it is in the top third of the Australian higher education sector.

We are doing this by building a critical mass of researchers who will develop a distinctive, broad-based portfolio of high quality discovery, applied and commercial research.

Another central component to Deakin’s innovative work in health and wellbeing is the Clinical Research Facility, the first stage of which was launched in January, 2008. The CRF has been established to provide a much needed state-of-the-art space within the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences to support approximately one-third of the School’s research conducted in a clinical setting. It is a multipurpose area capable of supporting both discrete discipline and multidisciplinary activity. The proposed stage two of the research facilities will establish rehabilitation and exercise programming space to provide clinical opportunities for postgraduate students and staff.” (from Deakin University website, October 2009)

DR. DANIEL LEWIS

Dr Daniel Lewis, MBBS(Hons), FRACP, is an experienced rheumatologist (bone, joint and arthritis specialist) who integrates mainstream medicine with natural approaches to health and wellbeing.

He has a private specialist medical practice in Melbourne and has appointments at Monash Medical Centre, Monash University and Deakin University.

He is currently the Director of a musculo-skeletal and Pain Management Program at a Rehabilitation Hospital. He is a Past President of Arthritis and Osteoporosis Victoria.

He is co-director of the Deakin University Integrative Health Research Unit formed in 2007.

In addition, Daniel gives lectures, workshops on a range of medical subjects and has led retreats in Australia and overseas on various aspects of whole person care. He teaches meditation during the Lewis Institute’s More Than Meditation Course which is held regularly throughout the year.

Daniel’s passion is integrating balanced lifestyle practises into mainstream management of bone, joint and arthritis related illnesses.

The Lewis Institute for Health and Wellbeing evolved out of Daniel’s desire to provide a supportive and empowering educational network for individuals with long term arthritis- and other health-related illnesses and for those wishing to prevent illness.

LEWIS INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Our Philosophy: There are many pathways to health and wellbeing. Understanding this and having a willingness to take the time to explore various paths contributes to wellbeing. Gaining knowledge, skills and life purpose provides access to personal wellbeing.

What Do We Do? In line with our purpose to enhance health and wellbeing, we provide

  • whole person education programmes to the public
  • education programmes for health care practitioners
  • Integrative medical services
  • a clinical research programme.

The people who lead our programmes are carefully selected for their expertise and education skills. They are from the disciplines of Medicine, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Nutrition Science and Yoga.

  1. Our Medical Service is provided by Dr Daniel Lewis.
  2. Our Research Service is available to Companies, Universities and individuals who want to avail themselves of our expertise in the design and/ or conduct of scientifically-sound clinical trials.
  3. Our Disability Service is in association with Everycare. We provide access to information about and referral to this organisation.  Everycare specialises in computer programmes to assist individuals with severe disability in voice communication.

WE NEED

$35,000 to allow Deakin University to conduct a double blind study to establish the efficacy of the Aqua Hydration Formulas, and publish their findings through appropriate media. The Neuro Recovery Foundation has raised $13,00 so far from subscriptions and donations, but we URGENTLY need the balance ($22,000) to make this exciting research possible.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

  • Tell your family, friends and business associates about the urgent need for this research
  • Broadcast our need to the public through the media
  • Guide us to businesses or funds who can provide us with financial support (or get them to call us)
  • Donate to our research fund. Every cent donated will be used for this research project. No administrative costs will be deducted.

Neuro recovery foundation is a registered charity and any donation over A$2 is tax deductible in Australia. Receipts will be provided on request.

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Oct 19 2009

Cure for Parkinson’s

Published by admin under cure, recovery

Question:

Outside of John Coleman and Nathan Zakheim, have you interviewed or met anyone else who has fully recovered (symptom free) from PD?  If so, could you tell me who they are and what they did to recover.

Thanks.

Carl

Response:

As you state above, I have interviewed two people who declare they are “symptom free” after having advanced symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. They are John Coleman, ND and Nathan Zakheim. I included interviews with both persons in Pioneers of Recovery.

I document many other stories of recovery here on the blog and on my radio program. Generally, most people report symptoms that fluctuate widely that involve symptom free periods and periods when symptoms flare (usually connected to stress).

Before pondering your question I had planned to do just as you suggest. My initial idea was to maintain a count of people who are symptom free and those whose symptoms are improving. I talk with many people who are feeling much better, but I do not have their permission to tell their stories or even add them to the count. The only stories I can report during the radio program interviews and the e mails are by people who give me permission to post them (with their first names only).

Thanks to your question, I have decided not to construct a “count” on the basis of symptoms as a function of whether they fully or partially resolved.  I realize now that such a “count” would place the emphasis on the wrong side of the coin – on the goal of becoming symptom free. What is the  problem with this emphasis? You are most likely thinking, “Isn’t that the whole point of recovery?”

All successful recovery programs hinge on maintaining a healthy inventory of positive thoughts. The challenge for all of us is that our egos entangle us in a nightmare of negative thoughts throughout the day which trips us up and creates mobility difficulties.

We get angry:

Why am I not feeling better today?

We get frustrated:

Why did a new symptom flare up today? I have suffered long enough.

We get impatient:

Why do I have nothing to show from my hard work?

We get fearful:

Why does my family believe I will get worse and worse. Is it true Parkinson’s is “progressive”?

We get depressed:

Why should I bother trying anything new? Nothing is working out.

We get mental:

Where is the evidence for recovery?

I could continue with 100 pages of questions inspired by our cleaver egos, but you get the point from the short list above. Our egos keep us stuck in the mud. It happens to all of us. No one in a body escapes.

Here is the rub. When our thoughts throughout the day are intent on eliminating symptoms or becoming “symptom free” we give energy to what we do not wish to manifest. If we agonize about becoming symptom free, any hope of recovery will inevitably backfire. We get the opposite of what we want. We give energy to what we do not want. If a majority of thoughts during the day focus on becoming symptom free, we nurture the sympt0ms, guaranteeing they will continue to pester us.

I admit this sounds counter intuitive, so let me explain. Focusing on becoming “symptom free” suspends you in a space of negative thinking that hangs out in collective consciousness. Every thought has a frequency. Those that center around “eliminating symptoms” are low frequency thoughts that can never manifest health and wellness. Rather, such thoughts sustain disease and illness. The thought

I want to be symptom free”

focuses on what you do not want rather than what you do want to manifest.

A key to recovery is to take control over our thoughts moment to moment. As I wrote Five Steps to Recovery (which is all about transforming our thoughts), I monitored my own thoughts each day.

Geez. I could not believe what I discovered. I roll the same negative thoughts around my head every day. The number of new thoughts was unbelievably tiny when compared to the thousands of negative thoughts I recycled every day. It was if I was living the same day over and over as I  listened to the same  record of depressing songs.

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day where Bill Murray re-lives the same  day every fricking day? The trap of negative thinking is just like the nightmare Bill Murray faced every day.  You might as well read the same book every day of your life, year after year. The first day the book is  interesting. After several months (much less decades) the book gets pretty darn boring.  The juices of life get drained very quickly.

When I keep recycling the same negative thoughts, I have no prayer of changing any circumstance in my life. I certainly have no hope of reversing a chronic set of symptoms.

Among those who occupy a body, who is “symptom free”? I suggest that the honest answer is no one. Not me. Not you. Not anyone who occupies a human body. Everyone experiences symptoms most days: perhaps a new ache, perhaps a familiar digestive challenge, perhaps depression, perhaps low energy, perhaps a sprain, perhaps anxiety.

What is the Count of Your Symptoms?

When I preview the list of symptoms that are associated with people who have the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, they include just about everything wrong that can happen to a person. Perhaps this sounds outrageous, but it is true.

Below is a streamlined list of symptoms reported by persons who have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. A “streamlined list” means I have not included every symptom that people with Parkinson’s tell me they have experienced. As you read down the list, make a mental count of  which ones you have experienced at some point in your life time.

  • Stiffness
  • Numbness
  • Cramps
  • Balance
  • Depression
  • Repeating yourself
  • Anxiety
  • Apathy
  • Swallowing
  • Walking difficulties
  • Standing up straight
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Diarrhea
  • Urinating
  • Tremors
  • Drooling
  • Faintness on rising
  • Dizziness
  • Excessive sweating
  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Insomnia
  • Memory loss
  • Weight loss
  • Skin rashes
  • Restlessness
  • Memory challenges
  • Rigid muscles
  • Muscle spasms
  • Joint pain
  • Nightmares
  • Hallucinations
  • Bruising
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Speech/voice changes
  • Difficulty with stairs
  • Frequent urination
  • Circulation issues
  • Haggard look
  • Headaches
  • Arm/leg heaviness
  • Muscle spasms
  • Full body weakness
  • Pain
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Red rash
  • Arm/leg rigidity
  • Social smiling
  • Swollen ankles
  • Chest tightness
  • Tingling
  • Tremors
  • Warmth in body parts
  • Weak muscles

I do not know what your count is, but I have personally experienced all of the symptoms in the list above at one point or another in my lifetime.  I do not have the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease.

How about now – in this very moment as I write these words? What symptoms am I experiencing  in this moment?

  1. I have incredible stiffness in my shoulders which always happens when I write every day.
  2. I have ringing in my ears which I have learned to ignore.
  3. I have an ache in the middle of my spine (T4-T5).
  4. My throat is restricted.
  5. I had memory loss a few minutes ago when I could not remember how to spell a word.
  6. I had a tinge of tingling in my left little finger a few moments ago.

My list of symptoms above pertains only to this single moment. I will not bore you with a list of my personal symptoms from this morning or yesterday, but I can assure you my list of symptoms differs from day to day.
This is normal for most people unless you are superman or superwoman. (I do not have any research evidence on Batman or Batwoman).

The body gives us a continuous feed of information. When we listen to the moment to moment information our bodies send us, we are in a much better position to make the adjustments that are needed for our body come back into balance. Instead of wishing I want to be “symptom free”, the better wish in my book of wishes is to be “symptom rich”.

If I were “symptom free” for one day, the likelihood my body would be out of balance is reasonably high. If I were symptom free for two days the likelihood my body would be out of balance is extremely high. If I were symptom free for a week, I dare say the probability my body would be out of balance would be assured. My personal mantra is thus:

Bring the symptoms on.

Don’t get me wrong. I do not like them one bit. I also do not know what I would do without them. I need the  information they give me to hang around the earth for a little longer.

If all of my thoughts zero in on the goal of becoming “symptom free,, there is no time or energy left to think about what I want to create in my life. I really do want to figure out what my soul needs to do in my life before my time is up. But if I choose to spend the rest of my day worrying about just one of my symptoms – say not being able to spell a word this morning – there will be no time in my day to ask my soul what it needs for nourishment. I am choosing to spend my time luxuriating in Worry Land which I visit frequently. Of course the process is repeated tomorrow as I worry about not being able to remember what I was worrying about the day before.  And so the process unfolds day after day as my enthusiasm for life diminishes.

If I focus my thoughts  on becoming “symptom free”,

  • I am not listening to my body.
  • I am detached from my body.
  • I am not connecting with the essence of who I am.

Because I am disconnected with my body, my symptoms in the moment will be sure to fester as other symptoms surface.

As I write this paragraph, I am not even aware of any of the symptoms that I listed a few minutes ago that were pestering me. I am not aware of them because my attention is focused in the moment on writing which is a true love of my life. Focus on writing and my energy sores. Focus on getting rid of my symptoms and my energy slides into the sewer.

How Do I Shift My Thinking

Bodies get out of balance. It happens. It happens to everyone.  The body always strives to return to balance. The natural state for the body is health and wellness, not disease and illness. How do I shift my hamster wheel of negative thinking which I have been riding on since childhood?

First, I recognize I can choose the thoughts I wish to think. I am the master of my own thoughts. I can spend my day fighting against the symptoms of the day because I am determined to be “symptom free.” Or, I can nourish my body with positive thoughts that will nourish my life force. I can write. I can dream. I can forward plan my life so that I am living the life I choose to live.

Second, I change my thinking habits. I can forward plan my day as the first activity of my day. It is 7:30 am. I have just woken up.

  • How do I want to spend my time today?
  • What do I want to accomplish?
  • What do I want to see happen?
  • What do I want to see happen in my life today?
  • What do I want to see happen in my life this month?
  • What do I want to see happen in my life this year and next year?

The more I can detail out what I want my future to look like, the more I can

  • sense it,
  • feel it,
  • taste it,
  • hear it,
  • see it,

The more energy the thought will amass to manifest. If I spend my day contemplating what I do not want to experience (like symptoms), my life lacks focus. My energy is drained. My life force is diminished. My body feels clogged down with dead energy.  I am able to manifest nothing other than feed the entrapment of my own ego which fuels my illness.

Thanks for asking the question. It has helped my realize that if I begin counting the number of people who are “symptom free”, I will be oiling everyone’s hamster wheel of  negative thinking.  When suspended in a space of negative thought forms, no one is in a position to manifest balance and harmony in their life.

I get energy from forward planning my life. I lose energy from addicting myself to negative, depressing thoughts  that drag me down into the pit of dark depression. My ego is always inviting me into the “mind sewer” of negative thinking.

I have decided it is my best interest to refuse the invitations. Mind sewers smell bad. Mind sewers are stagnant. Mind sewers breed disease. Mind sewers promote illness.  They are not a good place to live.

I choose to whisk away all the negativity in my thoughts. I do not have any control over ending wars in the middle east or curbing drug related deaths in New York City. I can control what I choose to think.

When I choose to focus my thoughts during the day on what I want to accomplish during my lifetime, I feel lighter, more alive, more energetic and more powerful. When my mind becomes a fertile garden of positive thoughts, miracles do happen. Often.

I will expand on these ideas during Jump Start to Wellness which will be held November 30th and December 1st at the Little Creek Resort Hotel in Shelton, Washington.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
© 2009 Parkinsons Recovery

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Oct 17 2009

Swine Flu Precautions

Published by admin under swine flu

It appears virtually impossible to protect yourself against exposure to the swine flu so the value of wearing masks is doubtful. Below are six  suggestions from Dr. Vinay Goyal that seemed very reasonable practical to me. His suggestions are all natural and noninvasive.

1.  Wash your hands frequently.

2. Resist touching your face with your hands if possible. Exposure comes through the nose and throat.

3. Gargle with warm salt water two times a day. This prevents proliferation once exposed. While gargling, also cleanse your nostrils. I personally sniff up water through my nose while taking a shower.

4. Get plenty of Vitamin C through the foods you eat or supplements you take. If you are taking vitamin C supplements, Dr. Goyal recommends they contain zinc to boost absorption.

5. Drink warm liquids like tea or coffee. This was a new one for me but I like the suggestion because I love to drink hot tea all day long. Apparently,  drinking warm liquids washes the virus from the throat into the stomach where it cannot survive or do significant harm.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

Resources

Jump Start to Wellness
Parkinsons Recovery Weekly Reader
Parkinsons Recovery Chat RoomSymptom Tracker
Parkinsons Recovery Radio Network
Aqua Hydration Formulas

Books

Pioneers of Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery
Meditations for Parkinsons
Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin’

Tags: , , , ,

No responses yet

Oct 15 2009

Lyme Disease and Parkinson’s

Published by admin under lyme disease

Question:

I have been following your work carefully, and  I thank you so  much.  I am 45 years young.  I was diagnosed by 3 PD specialists and 2 other neurologists only 9 months ago, but have had symptoms for almost 2 years.  My symptoms are not improving but my attitude has been upbeat due to your work and John Coleman’s.  I continue to try all sorts of holistic natural therapies.  Many of my symptoms are changing and new ones popping up quickly.

I live in an area (Maryland) that has lots of deer ticks and Lyme.  I was just diagnosed with chronic Lyme’s via the IGeneX  lab by a wonderful Lyme Literate MD.  This may be the smoking gun (so to speak!).  I can keep you updated if you  would like.  I’ve been told from the beginning by Neurologists that my Parkinson’s symptoms were “A-typical”.

Have you gone down the research path for a PD and Lyme Link?

Thanks for all that you do!

Susan

Response:

There is an overlap between the symptoms of Parkinson’s and Lyme Disease. The research suggests that some people are misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease when in fact they have Lyme Disease. From how I see it, this is a possibility that is often overlooked. The symptoms are very similar.

Of course, the recommended treatments are vastly different. This is one of the reasons I talk so much about strengthening your immune system regardless of the diagnosis.

We all look forward to your updates on this unique path of recovery.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

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Oct 14 2009

Agent Orange Vietnam Veterans with Parkinson’s

Published by admin under agent orange

Below is a website address that will be of interest to all Vietnam veterans who have Parkinson’s Disease.

http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1796

The following announcement is taken from the website above which extends “agent orange” benefits to veterans of the Vietnam War.

Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present.  Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service.  This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

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Oct 12 2009

Brain Stimulation

Published by admin under memory exercises

The following suggestion was sent in by a reader:

I have found this a helpful brain stimulation, and it is easy, most people have a computer, with games.

Play solitaire, and when you get dealt a card eg… red 7,  you state in your mind as quickly as you can,, the card before must be a black 6 and the card after must be  black 8. Force yourself to think quickly about these choices. It might sound silly, but it does make you think quickly

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Oct 11 2009

Jump Start to Wellness

Published by admin under Jump Start to Wellness

We are going public with the work we have been doing to help persons with the symptoms of Parkinson’s get relief from their symptoms.  Click on the link below for more information about the one and only Jump Start to Wellness event we will  be holding in 2009.

http://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com/jumpstart.html

Click on the arrow below to hear details about the 2009 Jump Start to Wellness Program 


2009 Jump Start to Wellness

Or, click on the link below to hear more about Jump Start to Wellness

Jump Start to Wellness

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Oct 11 2009

Train Your Mind. Change Your Brain

Here are some resources to share:

http://www.befitoverfifty.com/pages/thera.htm?source=OverTo

Although the first part is “depressing” to read, the section on “Why Exercise Is So Important” is simple and motivating. There are yet more exercise programs for people with muscular and neurological disorders on this link, but I am not sure of their availability.

I am reading a new book (to me), Train Your MIND, Change Your BRAIN by Sharon Begley, (Ballantine). This is a survey of how the brain adapts to the kind of thinking we do and the feeling modes that we experience.

The Dalai Lama figures in this story with his patient challenge to neurological researchers on the reverse of the belief “the brain creates the mind or the mind is the result of brain activity”–doesn’t the mind affect the way the brain operates? Beliefs in science are hard to confront.

This book is about research on this confrontation. There are stories of experiments in re-training the thinking of people with depression and obsessive/compulsive disorders. As they corrected for their distorted thinking, they experienced relief, even when medication was supposed to give them relief. Re-training our thinking is crucial because our brains respond to the perception of our reality. The experiments related in the book can inspire ideas on working our own programs. Parkinson’s isn’t even mentioned, but strokes are.

The evidence shows that plasticity or brain/neural changing doesn’t occur only in childhood but throughout life. A Tibetan monk, whom the Dalai Lama knew, was imprisoned by the Chinese for 18 years, a time which included torture. When freed, he was found to be the same gentle, mentally sharp man that the Dalai once knew, just like he was before the imprisonment. Was he ever afraid? Yes, he was afraid that he would lose his compassion for the Chinese.

“Because of forgiveness, his bad experience with Chinese not got worse,” said the Dalai Lama.

This anecdote shows that mind is over matter. The book goes on to explore, from the Buddhist perspective, what mind is or does. The link between Buddhist thinking and scientific neurological research is attention and attention training.

Thanks for all that you do!

Alan

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