Archive for the 'recovery' Category

Jan 13 2012

Painting for Parkinsons

Published by under painting,recovery

My guest on the radio show this week was Anne Atkin who has made remarkable discoveries for herself about what helps her get sustained relief from her symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Her radio show interview is remarkable in every respect and I strongly encourage everyone to listen.http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery 

Anne was kind enough to send me a copy of her book, Living and Laughing with Parkinsons which I have now devoured. I did not stop reading and laughing until I landed on the final page.

Her book is a thorough and comprehensive review of the symptoms that are associated with Parkinsons and the frustrations that they present. Anne has drawn provocative and very funny cartoons that complement each explanation of a symptom and that embody the many challenges she personally encountered. You can purchase her book (which Anne sends to people to any country in the world) on her website: http://www.anneatkinart.com

Living and Laughing with Parkinsons is a beautifully written and illustrated book  that reveals the work of an incredibly creative woman. Anne points out in the book that the creativity of many people with Parkinson’s soars and blossoms.  Her work soundly confirms this hypothesis. When you see her book you will understand why,

In addition to sending me her book, Anne forwarded a letter she wrote in response to a question about what she has been doing to get relief from her symptoms, Anne gave me permission to post the letter which follow. May this not however be a substitute for listening to her interview which is full of golden treasures for anyone who currently experiences the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com  

I am very careful about how I describe what is happening to me. Recovery is a word that is too strong; I like to think that I have reached an equilibrium and a state of balance with Parkinson’s. I feel that I am always improving some aspect of myself. If you think you have recovered, then you may allow bad habits to come back whereas to keep in balance you have to keep working at it. It all becomes second nature.

Yes, it is true that I no longer use a cane and that has happened because my quad muscles are much stronger and that helps balance. Also, my overall balance has improved because I spend time just practising standing on one leg then the other.

I don’t do hours of exercise because I would be bored silly. I exercise no more than 10 minutes at a time but at frequent intervals. This way I don’t get tired or bored. I do all my own housework, which is also exercise! I love gardening and I will talk about gardening more.

I don’t do anything that is complicated or difficult. Nor do you have to do everything exactly the way I do it. After a while you will find your own pathway and it will feel right and comfortable.

So I use a combination of:

•    creativity
•    socialization- being with people from all walks of life is the way to go. Don’t isolate yourself.
•    humor – develop a sense of humor as laughter is so good for our bodies
•    exercise – and you don’t have to join a gym. There is a great book on exercise for us and it is called ‘Delay the Disease.’ It is by Jackie Russell and David Zid.
•    Mindfulness
•    Wellness   These three are handled beautifully on the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation website
•    Visualization
•    Positive thinking
•    Not giving in to negative thoughts

In everything I do I have a little catch-cry -

‘You’ll never, never know if you don’t have a go.’

You can retrain your brain through thinking positively. It is very important if you have depression.

Whoops! I forgot about gardening. Gardening is an activity that is both creative and exercise. You get the best of both worlds. I love gardening and spend at least an hour a day in mine.

My book ‘Living and laughing with Parkinson’s’ is just at the very beginning of my journey and it is my second book which is being published later this year which will do a lot of talking about the dot points above.

I hope I have given you some ideas but I must impress on you that  you can find you own path to wellness and mindfulness. There is more than one pathway because Parkinson’s is such a mixture of symptoms. We are all different and therefore our pathways are going to be all different too.

I also started this journey about 4 years ago and the further along the pathway I went, the more easily I found it to take control of some symptoms. For example, anxiety attacks are now no problem because when I feel one starting, I just visualize myself drawing, or sniffing my roses or I see myself bathed in sunlight with, sitting on a hill and watching the clouds.

Anne

Postscript:

I do believe that the complexity of Parkinson’s means that there is a complexity of different ways you can tackle the condition. I concentrated on the motor skills because I like being physically independent. Plus, retraining the brain is vitally important. I hope people see that if a late middle-aged mum from Australia can help herself then it is something within the reach of most.

But the key word is Persistence.

Cheers

Anne Atkin
http://www.anneatkinart.com

No responses yet

Jan 07 2012

Most Amazing Journey on the Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

My radio show guest this week is Anne Atkin from Victoria, Australia. Anne offers painting workshops throughout Victoria to persons with Parkinson’s where she discusses everything that really counts when it comes to reversing the symptoms of Parkinson’s.  Below is a brief email from Anne that gives your a sneak preview at the incredible story she will be telling on the radio show this Wednesday.

To get a snapshot preview of Anne’s ground breaking book, Living and Laughing with Parkinsons, visit her website at: http://www.anneatkinart.com

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

You know Robert, when I look back about 4 years ago to how I was doing PWP, I can’t believe how much both the group and myself have developed.
I have found it all to have been a most amazing journey and one that I would not have missed for the world. I have changed so much as a person and developed skills that I never thought I would have.

I have attached some of my Parkinson’s cartoons which I hope you will find amusing. The are from my book ‘Living and laughing with Parkinson’s’

Cheers

Anne

 

No responses yet

Dec 30 2011

How to Manifest Recovery in 2012

Several weeks ago I sent out an invitation to persons who receive my free newsletter to do an exercise I have found personally powerful. The invitation was to jump ahead one year to January, 2013 and reflect back on everything you are grateful for. In other words, you set in motion the ability to manifest your dreams for 2012.

What follows is an email from Alan who has given permission to post here on the Parkinsons Recovery blog.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
http://www.pioneersofrecovery.com

Here is my list of gratitude for 2012. I accompany it with a story from Autobiography of a Yogi, a long-standing classic.

A student went to his teacher/guru, having become quite sick.

I see you have made yourself ill, said the teacher, but tomorrow you will feel better.”

Gladdened, the student went home and regained health. He returned to thank the teacher, who said,

“I see you have made yourself well. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?”

A wave of fear went through the student at the prospect of becoming ill again. He did become ill again and could hardly drag himself back to the teacher. Of course, the teacher said,

“You have again made yourself again indisposed.”

 The student, exhausted, asked the teacher what was going on.

“Really, it has been your thoughts that have alternatively made you feel weak and strong. You have seen how your health has exactly followed your subconscious expectations. Thought is a force, even as electricity or gravity.”

He then went on to explain that the mind is a spark of divine consciousness and that a thought, if believed intensely, would come to pass.  pp.133-4.

I could certainly use some work on the intensity of thought, but doing the exercise that Robert suggested has helped change my thinking. I listened to his broadcast many times to be sure I understood it. Then, I took some planned time and made my list of improvements as if looking back on them from 2013.

The next day, I found that I had planted those “subconscious expectations” mentioned above. For the past few weeks, that phrase “subconscious expectations” has been coming to mind. I wondered how I could set them up to be relieved of the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Without realizing it, this was the answer. Writing things out commits yourself to what you are writing. The next day. I kept thinking that change is possible and started acting as if it was happening.

The support for acting out change comes from within!! It is cool to see thought go to work for you. Everything will correspond. Of course, there is a battle between what is and what I can change. The nice thing is that the writing strongly plants new seeds in the mind of healthy thoughts because it is one of your actions–and it is free!

List of gratitude:

  • I restore full use of my left hand with flexibility and contractions are released.
  • My steady balance is restored.
  • I have excellent bladder control.
  • I regain and surpass the muscle mass that I have lost in the past few years.
  • I turn over spontaneously in bed while sleeping.
  • I live in a manner that improves my health, day by day.
  • As my symptoms disappear, my medications are reduced down to nothing.
  • Complete feeling returned to the left side of my body and face.
  • I advance in my career, personal growth, and wealth.
  • I easily chew and swallow all foods and liquids. Choking has ceased. I swallow saliva spontaneously.
  • I complete all tasks, intellectual and physical, easily with normal speed.
  • I walk efficiently with a normal gait and maintain a completely upright posture.
  • I lift and carry heavy items with ease.
  • I give positive encouragement to others.

It is necessary to have something in your mind besides devastation. I stayed positive and had faith in my first year and a half. I seemed to have spiritual healings but not so much physical ones. I was trying to defeat the “medical model”: it will progress.

That is all I knew and believed (from the Internet), and I did get worse in that time.  I found Parkinsons Recovery at this time of year in 2008-9. I soon committed myself to recovery, starting with vitamins. I’ve had to fight progression, and it has been challenging. What is truly better this year is my eye viewing the scenery, close or far.

I am spontaneous at noticing things.  My eyes flit about instead of stare, and I turn and notice things. Example: I heard some women laugh after a man spoke at the grocery checkout. I turned 180 degrees to see what that was. A tall man had just joked with three women who were facing him. I was surprised at my quick, turn around response. I have become more socially spontaneous, too.

Now,  I hope to get into bodybuilding again. Two years ago, I couldn’t find any thoughts to desire it at all, and it had been a passion of mine. Listening to the music of Johann Strauss has freed me up to start thinking about mobility again. I can picture the ballroom dancers seen on youtube when I hear or think of this music. Prior to this, I couldn’t picture any motion at all.

Now, I need to expand my visualization to other activity.  I used a study where one group exercised, one group imagined exercising, and another group did nothing. The second group improved, though not as much as the first. The third group made no improvement. This study told me that the mind will affect the body in regard to motion.

My biggest crisis this year was whether to go down in defeat or not. Howard Schifke said, if you fight Parkinson’s, it will fight you back. After that, I could see you can fight the whole thing–it may be fierce, but its fierceness does not have to beat you into a hole.

When you set up one therapy or practice you open up other possibilities of  healing. I am excited with the effects already of making this list of gratitude for recovery in 2012.

Alan

2 responses so far

Dec 13 2011

Good News About My Progress

Published by under recovery

Dear Robert,

A month has passed and I want to report good news about my progress. I’m happy to say:

The inner shaking is completely gone. It was constantly present before.

I have better balance when walking  Now I can even look aside when walking, which was impossible for me two months ago.

My left side, the affected one, is not so rigid and heavy any more.

I notice tiny swings of my left arm when I am walking.

My voice gained some energy back. Before I sounded like I was too exhausted to talk.

I notice more strength in my body.

My concentration is better. I can work for 3-4 hours now. Before it was around 1-2 hours.

In general, I feel much better. Of course, some days are good, some others not so much, but I notice the progress. I know I still have a long way to go, but I am optimistic now!

My recovery program includes:

 I don’t take any anti-parkinsons drugs.

Dr. Paneri’s ayurvedic medicine since October 10th 2011 – I’m taking some tablets at mornings and evenings and some others before and after lunch and dinner. I follow the diet which, honestly, is not so hard to follow. I order a new package of medicine from India every two months.

Since September 2011 my husband is helping me according to the description in the book of Dr. Janice Walton-Hadlock – he simply holds my foot for an hour every evening. I have noticed recovery symptoms described in the book. The method is aimed to correct wrong energy (Qi) flows in the body.  Note, please, that this method is suitable only for those who are not taking any anti-parkinsons drugs!

I have a Tui na massage every two weeks.

I practice yoga (30 min daily, twice a week for an hour).

I meditate daily.

I work on resolving the psychological influences (conflicts, resentment, guilt, trauma, etc.).

I practice self-healing method reiki and … I’m changing my life principle from “Be good, work hard!” towards a wiser one: “F*** it!”

:-) It works! :-)

I wish you all a nice day! And … let’s keep going!

Romana

One response so far

Nov 13 2011

Does CoQ10 Really Slow Down Parkinson’s?

Does coq10 in large doses really slow down Parkinson’s?

Stephen

Response:

The framing of your question is fascinating. There is an implicit assumption behind the framing of your question that Parkinson’s disease is a race in a download direction. I fully realize that many people hold the belief that Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease – meaning
that anyone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease is destined to deteriorate over time, with no hope of recovery.

The mission of Parkinsons Recovery is to provide compelling evidence from across the globe that the assumption Parkinson’s is “degenerative” is misguided and wrong. In support of this mission, I have been interviewing people for the past several years who have successfully reversed their own Parkinson’s symptoms. Stories of former guests on my radio show are featured contributors  in the book just released, Pioneers of Recovery. We are documenting more and more cases of recovery every week now.

There are many treatments and modalities of one form or another that help reverse the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Some supplements will help depending on the factors that are causing the symptoms. After all, a supplement is simply food for the body. You can feed your body with the nutrients it needs by eating healthy, live food or you can acquire the nutrition you need through supplements.

There is a controversy in the research studies concerning the use of CoQ10 to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s. I am about to launch a thorough analysis of the research evidence. At the outset, I suspect the difference in study outcomes (some studies report positive effects and others do not) is due to the type of Co-Q10 that is used.

Some people with Parkinson’s shop around for the lowest cost CoQ10 available. The cost differences are extreme. A search for the lowest cost is a terribly flawed strategy. You might as well be throwing your money into a bottomless well if you purchase and take a low cost form of Co-Q10.  There are only a few forms of this particular supplement that will pass through  the blood brain barrier.

For recommendations, I suggest you listen to my radio show with guest Laurie Mischley, ND who has extensive experience treating people with Parkinson’s and has specific recommendations about the brands of Co-Q10 that she has discovered have been helpful to her patients. I aired two shows with Dr. Mischley in June, 2010.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
www.pioneersofrecovery.com

No responses yet

Nov 08 2011

Hope and Support for Recovery from Parkinsons Disease

A few months ago I have ordered and read your book Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease. It gave me a lot of hope, support and very valuable information.

It was important for me to see that some people managed to recover! I am much more relaxed now, not in a panic any more.

I have a diagnose since August 2010. I took Azilect until December 2010, but afterwards I have stopped taking it. I’m exercising yoga, meditation. I’m walking every day. Tuina massage also helps. I have changed  food, reduced stress factors, etc. And I’m taking Dr Paneri’s medicine for a month now.

Great news: I am already noticing some improvements!

I hope you know, how important your help is! Thank you.

I wish you all the best.

Kind regards,

Romana

Response:

Thanks so much for letting us all know about your recovery progress and giving me permission to post your update. I am hearing more and more stories of recovery every week now. I just released a new book this week [Pioneers of Recovery 2012] that reports 11 stories of recovery as told on my radio show.  These are exciting times to be alive.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Pioneers of Recovery
www.pioneersofrecovery.com
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
www.parkinsonsdisease.me

No responses yet

Sep 24 2011

Parkinsons Recovery Happens Day By Day: People Get Better

Parkinsons Recovery- People Get Better

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 as it 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

No responses yet

Sep 07 2011

How to Raise Money Needed to Recover from Parkinson’s Disease

Published by under money,recovery,road to recovery

My grandfather has Parkinsons in its later developments. He’s currently in stoke hospital recovering from a recent fall. He’s pretty much fully recovered now and ready to be released, Unfortunately his care home wont take him back unless he has a properly fitted chair to get him around without falling over again. The chair costs around £3000 for the type that he needs. I’m trying to find a way to raise this money, I was hoping you might have some ideas as to how I might do it?

Response:

Sometimes people need a jump start to begin feeling better. Sounds like your grandfather may need just that. I typically do not work on questions about wheel chairs, since they invite thought forms which are negative and De-energizing. Sounds like in your grandfather’s case, a properly fitted chair might help improve his quality of life significantly so he can begin to feel better.

I believe the way to approach this type of challenge is to set up a website interface which makes it possible for friends and family to donate small amounts of money. A person may well be unable to pay 3000 pounds, but they can probably donate 5 pounds or 10 pounds. When you set up the website interface, you explain how the funds will be used and invite people to make donations of any size. Many small donations will eventually amount up to 3000 pounds. You will be surprised by how many people will be eager and happy to assist. The money goes for a very worthy cause.

A guest on my radio show, Sue Richards, who appeared on September 15, 2010 talks about her success with setting up just such a website to raise money she needed for her own recovery. It is not difficult to do. On the show Sue offered to help people who want to do this. I suggest you listen to the show and see if her approach calls out to you:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery

Scroll back to the show which aired on 9/16/10 with Sue Richards. You could probably raise enough in the short term to put a down payment down now – and could continue to raise funds over time until the chair is paid off. Everyone can contribute – if even 1 pound. It all adds up.

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

No responses yet

Jun 15 2011

Chi Gong and Parkinsons Disease

Published by under Qigong,recovery

Listen to internet radio with Parkinsons Recovery on Blog Talk Radio

Below is the link to the Youtube video that I mentioned during the radio show where Bianca Molle discusses her full recovery from Parkisnons Disease and offers a brief demonstration of Chi Gong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAY6XmMxr48

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

2 responses so far

May 05 2011

Expect to Get Better and You Will Get Better

Alan granted me permission to post his reflection below on how thoughts about Parkinson’s Disease have a profound impact on his recovery.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery

I just took time out to listen to Howard Shifke’s’ interview again.I am re-inspired to keep going. I don’t know if I’m getting better or not, but I don’t worry as much about a bad day or “what Parkinson’s is going to do to me.” I have been working on my thinking that I will get better since the last time that I listened to this interview. I got his point that expecting to get better is the way to get better, but it often takes a million reminders a day and starting over as many times. Yet, I think today, how nice to think it can get better. That was just the vaguest hope since taking recovery seriously in Jan. 09, a year and a half since diagnosis.

Alan

No responses yet

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