Natural Options to Reverse Parkinsons Symptoms

Month: September 2011

Natural Cures for Insomnia

Having difficulty sleeping? No one approach for getting a good night’s sleep will work for everyone. Here are four natural cures for insomnia that you might consider giving a trial run. I have a strong hunch that one of the four natural cures for insomnia will work beautifully for you. Why not try them all and see which one works best?

  1. Focus on your breath. Breath in for five seconds. Hold your breath for one second and breath out for 5 seconds. Change the time you count to match your comfort level. The rhythm of the breath will quietly sink the tissues of your body into a relaxed state and quiet your busy mind from rattling off babble that does you, your family or your friends no good whatsoever.
  2. Formulate lists based on totally arbitrary criteria. The idea here is not to make lists of tasks you need to accomplish the following day. Making task lists will just keep you wide awake. Rather, formulate lists based on criteria you create for that night. For example, make a list in your head of red foods or animals with long legs or states that grow corn or words that have the letter z. You get the point – send you mind working on random tasks that call your subconscious away from activating worries that keep you awake. Change the task each night. This really does work folks.
  3. Imagine having an experience that is sensually pleasing. The experience of course will differ from person to person. Perhaps you need to float on the warms waters of a Miami beach or meditate on top of Mount Ranier or hike through the ancient forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains or walk barefoot on the warm sand of a Puerto Rico beach. Perhaps you need to fly above the clouds in your imagination or simply sit on top of a cloud. Everyone has their own special place where they feel totally relaxed and comfortable. Go to that place when you are ready to sleep. Enjoy the fantasy. Notice how easy it becomes to sink into a cozy place of deep sleep and relaxation. Celebrate how quickly you sink into a deep sleep.
  4. Tense up, then relax each of your muscle groups. This is a relaxation approach I have personally used with great success since I was a teenager. I tense up my muscles (starting from my left calf) for 5 seconds, then relax them. I do this will all the muscle groups up my body from my feet to my head. It really helps to tense up the muscles in my face since those particular muscles are always tense (from babbling too much I suspect). Once the muscles in your body become fully relaxed, your mind will switch off worrisome thoughts and fears.

Please note: These four natural cures for insomnia do not have any unwanted side effects. They help promote better sleep, not make sleep more problematic.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

 

Parkinsons Recovery Happens Day By Day

I am a recently joined member from England. I am so excited about finding your web site and want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. There are no words to express my gratitude and excitement. I am really going to enjoy my recovery. Parkinsons Recovery happens day by day.  I have always had a little place inside me that says “I will figure this out”. Now I have found the way with your help and I have regained my drive. It is fantastic!

I have had definite symptoms for 12 years though I have been burdening my mind and body with severe stress for years, mistakenly believing I could handle anything. Then the oak tree collapsed: I was totally exhausted and had no idea. I have been taking requip for 5 years and sinemet for 18 months and am determined to get free of them. I know I will though I don’t know details of the how yet. Don’t worry I shall be very careful and I have a lot of support. I have learned that relationships are even more important than health.

The things I am doing NOW are:

listening to your radio shows lots of exercise, my dog gets 2 1hr walks per day in beautiful woodland exercise bike stretches and balancing listening to guided meditations really clean healthy diet lots and lots of water singing class nintendo wi writing out and reading poetry aloud eft feldenkrais recording my progress and activities and goals. my writing is loads better already hot and cold showering every day. The EFT Deft is HUGE for me.

I am not the person I was before my symptoms came along. The changes are quite staggering that actually I am a bit overwhelmed and confused. It has helped uncover something of the pay- off I get from having my symptoms – a mega breakthrough.

I found your site, actually the radio downloads on itunes 5 weeks ago and have improved so much already from really quite a bad place as the drugs were beginning not to work. They work well now. I have only stared eft in the last week

I was doing something of the above list before but now I have designed myself a programme which is a little bit strict and a little bit flexible. I have decided to stick to working with this before I look at supplements and more complex things. I want to give my body some time on the basics – good food, fresh air, mental stimulation, relaxation, fun etc. I have realized how sensitive I am at last. And I forgot to mention I have started detoxing my environment – so far I have junked all my toiletries for natural ones, and only have about 1/8 what I had before! Now I am working through the cleaning stuff. It feels so good.

I am 55 years young, have a great husband who doesn’t give me too much sympathy and does his own thing, yet is fantastically caring and I have 2 fantastic sons aged 24 and 27. I have a brother who I would do anything for and a sister that I value and love though I don’t have the same rapport with her.

I have just joined your membership pages today to continue my parkinsons recovery and it is great to get your emails. Encouragement is fab.

The crucial thing you have given me is the knowledge PEOPLE GET BETTER. Now I know that I am on my way.

With heartfelt thanks

Fiona

Thank you Fiona for your inspirational progress report and reminder that Parkinsons Recovery happens day by day.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com 

 

Oat Straw Extract for Tremors

I purchased your book and have found it most useful. My only symptom of Parkinson’s seems to be the tremors. I could not take Valerian as it gave me insomnia. I am now trying oat straw extract for tremors and was wondering how long I should take it to see any possible results. Is it immediate or does it take weeks or months?

Thanks you for any advice.

I have taken a few days to ponder on your question. I considered calling some of my resources who are herbal experts and ask them to tell me about about their experience with oat straw extract. Then I thought – no – that might well give misleading information.

Why? Because everyone’s body is different. It might take you several months to see a result from taking oat straw extract or you may never see a benefit while someone else sees a result within 24 hours. The body mechanisms are truly complex. Underlying reasons for your tremor are likely to be entirely different from anyone else – whether they currently have a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease or they are experiencing neurological difficulties of one form or another.

Here is what I believe is true. Your body has the answer to your question. Your body is the expert here that is entirely trustworthy.

When I have a question such as yours, I always just ask my body. My body always gives me the correct answer.

Oat Straw Extract for Tremors Questions

  1. Should I take oat straw extract?
  2. How often?
  3. How much should I take each time?
  4. How long should I take it?

We can ask our bodies questions like these by testing our muscles. If the response is strong – our body is giving us a yes answer. If the response is weak, the answer is no. Your body will always give you a reliable answer to your question.

Why not ask your body and see what answer you get? You can ask repeatedly and see if you don’t get the same answer each time. If you are uncomfortable doing muscle testing on yourself, ask a health care practitioner to help you out. Many use muscle testing as a foundation of their practices.

If we rely on presumed experts to give us the answers, they will certainly give us the best answer they have – but they do not have any idea how any supplement – be it oat straw extract or another substance – will impact your body.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Recovery

 

 

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro

I was infused with a large dose of infinite inspiration Saturday. The Northwest Parkinsons Foundation sponsored an event In Seattle which boosted my appreciation for the power of raw courage and determination. Everyone who attended the event heard the stories of people with Parkinsons disease and MS who participated in climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

A majority of participants made it to the top – but not all. People without any symptoms of Parkinsons or MS experienced just as much of a challenge on the climb to the top as those with the symptoms. The slide shows which were shown of the 6 day climb up the mountain showed smiling faces and determined spirits on each day of the climb – from day one to day six.

You are likely thinking – Right. The people who joined this adventure probably had a few minor symptoms and were diagnosed last month. Wrong my friends. One of the participants had Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. All had experience the symptoms of Parkinsons for a number of years.

Two of the climbers were guests on my radio show – Nan Little and John Carlin. Listen to the radio show and you will  hear them talk about their expectations of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.

You are likely thinking – that mountain is probably no big deal. Wrong again my friends. Mt. Kilimanjaro is one mile higher than the highest mountain in Washington state – Mt. Rainer.

There were two members of a medical support team who also participated in the climb up the mountain to provide support to the climbers who had MS or Parkinson’s and their support person. Both members of the medical staff expressed some initial concern before the trip about whether some of the people who signed up would be able to do the climb. Both said that their doubts were quickly dismissed.

Once on the climb up the mountain, both did not even think about who had symptoms of PD or MS during the climb. Everyone on the trip – those who had symptoms of PD or MS and their support person.

I encouraged the company who organized the climb to do it again next summer.

John Carlin’s wife (John currently experiences some symptoms of PD) reflected on her experience which is summarized in her blog. Her insights are an inspiration to anyone and everyone: https://www.marthacarlin.com/2011/07/lessons-i-learned-from-the-mountain

If you are like me, you think from time to time you can’t do something, be it exercise or a change in life style or change in diet or … The desperate thought that creeps in is:

I do not have the balance or stamina or energy or physical strength to fulfill my dreams.

Become acquainted with what these four amazing people with PD symptoms accomplished last month. They inspire us all to fulfill our passions and dreams. They teach us that with focus and clear intention, anything is possible, absolutely anything.

A transcription of my radio show with John Carlin and Nan Little will be featured in the second edition of Pioneers of Recovery.  I consider it a high privilege and honor to have met each of them.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
http://www.parkinsonsdisease.me