Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

Nov 21 2011

Give Thanks This Thanksgiving

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What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday? I am collecting an amazing set of responses in a survey which takes just 2 minutes to complete. Click the link below to participate.

http://app.getresponse.com/survey.html?survey_id=9362

I will read each and every response on this week’s Parkinsons Recovery Radio Show that airs live at 3 pm pacific time Wednesday (11/23), the day before Thanksgiving. Add your first name only to your response.

It only takes two minutes. Give others the gift of celebrating along with you! Click the link below to complete the Parkinsons Recovery Thanksgiving Day Survey.

http://app.getresponse.com/survey.html?survey_id=9362

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

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Jun 03 2011

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

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Listen to my show here with Nan Little as my guest Wednesday, June 8th at 3:00 pm pacific time.

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

Listen to internet radio with Parkinsons Recovery on Blog Talk Radio

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Dec 08 2010

A Cure for Parkinson’s at the Forefront?

Question:

I have a question regarding the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

A close relative of mine is suffering from what it appears to be a symptom of Parkinson’s.  She is at the initial stages right now. E.G:

- resting tremors
- tremors get slightly worst in mid air (whether or not she’s holding onto something)

She is exercising regularly now which is a definitely a good thing, however, I have noticed that when she does alot of housework or work in general the tremors would get slightly worst…is that a regular symptom of Parkinson’s?

At this point, she is going to be taking the anti-tremor pills prescribed by the doctor which hopefully will reduce or eliminate the tremor for the time being.

She is also not quite receptive to the idea of having to change the hygienic needs (e.g. shampoo, soap etc) to the herbal ones as was suggested in the e-book.

Are there any other suggestions you can provide aside from drinking 8 cups of water a day and more exercise to reduce the tremors?  Acupuncture at this point did not seem to help very much…We haven’t tried massage or Bowen Therapy nor have we tried the Aqua therapy (simply coz we don’t know much about it)

Do you know whether there is a cure for the disease with the invention of a new pill at the forefront?

Any suggestions or feedback would be appreciated.

Response:

You ask whether doing a lot of housework or work in general are regular symptoms of Parkinson’s? It is not the housework in itself or work in particular that fuels the symptoms. The issue turns primarily on the presence or absence of stress. When work – no matter the form – is stressful, symptoms will flare up. The more your relative can acknowledge the stress she is under and find ways to release it, less problematic will be her symptoms.

Is sounds like she has decided to medicate her symptoms. An alternative approach is to acknowledge her body is sending her a strong signal that something different needs to happen. Other symptoms will rear their ugly head if the cause of the current challenge is not addressed.

Exercise will certainly make a huge difference. Also consider doing more disciplined exercise like Tai Chi or perhaps yoga. Yes – body therapies that release stress such as craniosacral therapy and Bowen therapy have the potential to help offer her relief from her symptoms because they help her body release the stress that is trapped at the cellular level. Why not give them a trial run? With medicines you incur side effects (which may well be worth the cost). Body therapies are noninvasive and safe.

The Aquas are recommended by Naturopath Doctor John Coleman who himself is now fully recovered from the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Aquas are a homeopathic approach which helps reprogram the body’s mechanism to signal thirst and distribute water throughout the body which gets disabled as we age. You can discover more information at: http://www.aquas.us.

Will there be a cure for the symptoms? No, there will never be a cure because the conditions that create the symptoms are multi-faceted. Each person’s situation is entirely unique to them. That is why the symptoms vary so widely across individuals. If there were a single cause, then it might be possible to see a “cure” down the road, but there is no single factor that causes the symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Trauma creates havoc with the neurological system. Stress damages neural connections. Toxins blow the neurological system up.

I note that your friend does not seem to be worried about toxins. Toxins affect everyone who is alive today. If we do not take the effects of toxins seriously, we will eventually become ill in one form or another.

Do I have a suggestion for you? Yes. Make a habit of listening to the weekly Parkinson’s Recovery radio show.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery. You will find at least one suggestion in every show that will – I repeat will – help your friend get relief from the symptoms she is currently experiencing. It is free to listen.

You can download any of the previous shows for free. I have aired 90 shows. Your relative  can download any of the previous shows to an MP3 player and listen while they exercise.

From my contact with hundreds and hundreds of people who currently experience the symptoms of Parkinsons I have observed the following. The people who are hoping for a cure or for someone out there to fix them are feeling worse and worse with each passing week. The people who are taking responsibility for their health and take it upon themselves to figure out what their body is telling them are feeling better week by week.

The bottom line: Take responsibility for your life and you get better. Expect someone or something to fix you and you get worse.

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

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Nov 15 2010

Difference Between Craniosacral Therapy and Bowen Therapy

Question:

What is the difference between craniosacral therapy and Bowen therapy?

Marilyn

Response:

Bowen Therapy:

  • Moves, positions and holds hands, feet, arms or legs into various positions for releases
  • Gently rolls the body or positions the body for releases
  • Focus is on the release if trauma and tension throughout the entire body body

Craniosacral

  • Touch is very gentle – more so than Bowen Therapy.
  • The therapist may work on or off the body
  • Focus is on cranial sacral system – the system that comprises the brain, spine and sacrum.

Differences Between Bowen Therapy and Craniosacral therapy:

The difference between cranial sacral therapy and Bowen therapy depends in large part on the practitioner. Some cranial sacral therapists are more technique oriented. They are trained to move through a standard serious of adjustments.

Other cranial sacral therapists are trained to listen to the person’s body and allow the body to communicate how it needs to release the trapped trauma. There is no standard protocol that is used with any particular patient.

My personal experience with Bowen therapy involved a treatment I received from Naturopath doctor John Coleman and his associate four years ago at a workshop in Tacoma, Washington. Bowen therapy originated in Australia in the 1980′s.

I loved receiving the  Bowen treatment from John. It clearly allows for gentle releases of stress, trauma and tension.

Bowen therapy is a wonderful therapy, as is craniosacral.  Either one will work for some people and not others. It is more physical than craniosacral therapy, but both can generate similar outcomes. If one therapy does not help you, try the other!

John Coleman recommends Bowen therapy to persons with Parkinsons Disease because it was so helpful to him personally.  Some people report back to me who have had Bowen therapy that is indeed the case for them. Others report they  did not receive the releases that they had hoped for. Still others report relief is maintained for several days after the treatment, but symptoms tend to return.

Many therapists – whether Bowen or Craniosacral – have extensive training with other modalities. When they begin working – they will employ other modalities as needed in addition to using the techniques associated with cranial sacral therapy.

I suggest that anyone who currently has the symptoms Parkinson shop around for a practitioner who provides the support that works well for you. It is a very personal choice. You might want to try several therapists so you can experience the wide range of treatments that  are possible.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

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May 15 2010

Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska

On the Parkinsons Recovery Cruise to Alaska we met with near perfect weather. I heard a story on the trip that there are only 55 days of clear weather a year at Glacier National Park. We just happened to hit one of those picture perfect days as you can see from the video. This 8 minute video offers a glimpse of what we had the opportunity to experience as we cruised through Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska on May 5, 2010. This is truly one of the most magnificent places in the world to visit.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

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Feb 23 2010

Loss of Smell and Parkinson’s Disease

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Question:

A pre-diagnosed Parkinson symptom was the loss of my sense of smell.  It rarely appears on medical information forms, and if brought up during  examination noted but never gone further in discussion.

I wonder about this. If it was a matter of lose of touch, hearing or sight, would this be treated differently?  Why is it downplayed?   Are there any known recovery  methods, studies or treatments concerning this condition?

Thanks, any information will be appreciated.

Daniel

Response:

Researchers have known for at least 30 years that persons with the symptoms of Parkinson’s have an impaired sense of smell. Several studies were released in 2008 confirming the link. The impairment in ability to smell involves more than being able to take in the full essence of a scent. Individuals with the symptoms of Parkinson’s have greater difficulty distinguishing one order from another, or are unable to detect any order whatsoever.

There is currently considerable research interest in the link between Parkinson’s symptoms and the loss of smell now that it has become clear that the two are inextricably linked. Loss of specific smells in particular have also been linked to Parkinson’s symptoms, which is interesting in itself.

Some researchers are currently working on designing a diagnostic smell test for Parkinson’s. There is no definitive test at present that gives a clear  indication of Parkinson’s.  A smell test will also not be definitive,  but it can be used in conjunction with other evidence.  I suspect such tests will soon be routinely offered to patients.

The Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test is often used by many neurological clinics to evaluate neurological imbalances. This test evaluates a person’s ability to detect 40 scents.  People who take the test can are able to identify on average 35 of the 40 odors correctly. Parkinson’s patients can identify 20 of the 40 odors or less.

Researchers predict that people with seriously impaired olfactory functions have five times the risk of developing Parkinson’s than those with the highest olfactory function.

In light of your interest in this question, I will set my intention to interview some of the researchers who are currently conducting studies to evaluate the connection between the ability to smell and the symptoms of Parkinson’s. To be sure, it is an interesting line of inquiry which may  lead to understanding the underlying factors that are at play.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

Resources

Cruise to Alaska
Jump Start to Wellness
Parkinsons Recovery Chat Room
Symptom Tracker
Parkinsons Recovery Radio Network
Aqua Hydration Formulas

Books

Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
Pioneers of Recovery

Five Steps to Recovery
Meditations for Parkinsons

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Nov 05 2009

Healing at Jump Start is for Everyone

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I have had a number of calls from people asking about the two for one offer to attend Jump Start to Wellness. If you are a persons with the symptoms of Parkinson’s and wish to attend Jump Start to Wellness on November 30th and December 1st, you are most welcome to attend with another person – whether it be a spouse, family member or friend. The other person attends for free.

For more information, visit:  http://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com/jumpstart.html

If you are a caretaker or family member who has been affected by Parkinson’s Disease, you are most welcome to attend Jump Start to Wellness with or without the family member or friend who has Parkinson’s. The program  is designed to help everyone who attends.  Bring a friend or family member for free.

I have learned from experience that the best thing I can do for my the health of my own family is to take care of my own needs. When I heal myself, I heal my entire family.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

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