Halt Anxiety with Proven Techniques

When anxiety flares up, symptoms always get worse. One of the best ways to sooth symptoms is to identify ways to get anxiety under control in the moment. This shifts the focus away from ways to suppress symptoms temporarily and embrace ways to reverse symptoms when they are most problematic.    

I document proven techniques to Halt  Anxiety in a book that is available as a download and as a paperback. This has been a work in progress for many months which is at long last complete.

My book introduces simple techniques that calm anxiety and reduce stress when they are most needed. The techniques:

  • Are simple to implement
  • Can be accessed anywhere, anytime in any situation.
  • Cost nothing
  • Reduce anxiety
  • Calm stress 
  • Help reduce the severity of symptoms

Click below to order the download of Halt Anxiety which will be sent immediately to your computer or phone.

Download of Halt Anxiety
8.88

Click the book cover below to order the paperback ($10):

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery 
Olympia Washington
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease|
https://www.parkinsonsdisease.me
877-526-4646

[

Five Ways to Tame Tremors

Searching for ways to tame  tremors?

Check out five natural methods that really do tame tremors. My book, Natural Treatments for Tremors,  explains each of them in detail.

To claim your free download click on the secure link below. Then, add your name and email so I can send you a link to download the book.

https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.org/pl/172708

P.S. I am pretty sure you have never heard about most of the techniques. I am also certain you will be happy to discover the ability to tame tremors each one has to offer.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com
Olympia, Washington
877-526-4646

 

How to Tame Tremors

Listen to this clip of my interview with Naturopath John Coleman who succeeded in reversing all of his Parkinson’s symptoms using a variety of approaches, therapies and methods. Here is what he has to say about tremors.

John Coleman’s website: http://www.returntostillness.com.au/

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Tame Tremors Online Course

Negative Pleasure

Robert, Good day. I have a couple questions for you about negative pleasure but will give a brief history of myself first. Dx with pd in 2008 at age 42. I have not taken any pd meds of any type. Since dx I have tried numerous therapies to include: mercury filling removal, chelation, aspartame detox, lyme tx (both antibiotic and herbal), EFT, TMJ mouth piece, dental cavitation tx, hypnosis, shiatsu, chiropractic, acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, herbs, CoQ10, more supplements than I can list, glutathione IVs, vitamin IVs, DMPS IVs, nanobacteria supplements, colored laser therapy, ozone injections, detox baths, infrared detox, hyperbaric chamber, heavy metal detox, organic diet, copious reading on everything from emotional topics to body electronics, forceless spontaneous release as described by the Parkinson’s Recovery Project in Santa Cruz, and Howard Shifke’s protocol as described on his website. Possibly a few more, truthfully, there are so many it is hard to remember.

Unfortunately, I have observed no distinguishable benefit from any of them. Meaning, I have continued to be increasingly affected by pd on the same trajectory as always. In spite of this, I refuse to admit that pd is not reversible.

I recently purchased your book Road to Recovery from Parkinson’s Disease. About halfway through it, I am finding it to be useful, though as you can see from above I have tried a good many of the therapies with no observable benefit. That said, I was intrigued by the explanation of “negative pleasure” on about page 146. I did say to myself,

“No, I won’t heal from this disease. I like to feel this way.”

When I thought and said that, I felt a tinge of something, not sure what…relief…peace…resonance. Bottom line, I need to deal with/heal from the illogical process of negative pleasure acquired in childhood. My question for you is, what is the best way?

Response:

You are certainly doing incredible work! It sounds like you have landed on what may be a primary reason your symptoms linger despite all the work you have done – the haunting influence of negative pleasure. When an unconscious feeling of pleasure is attached to a negative experience (such as the symptoms of Parkinson’s) it becomes “negative pleasure” which is an attachment of pleasure to pain.

Negative pleasure (which actually most people have experienced but do not realize it) is entirely unconscious. This of course is why it is so terribly difficult to heal and why you asked the question in the first place. It is a concept that is foreign to many people, but one that can keep us in a place of illness year in and year out.

The attachment of pleasure to pain often occurs in early childhood. It is  not an attachment that is not disengaged by resorting to logical reasoning alone.

I can happily report that you have made the most significant step already. Making conscious the role of negative pleasure as an obstruction to your recovery has taken you a long way toward healing it.

From my personal experience, you have to address the problem from both an intellectual (and logical) perspective and also address the underlying feelings that are involved. For me the latter challenge has been the most difficult.

On a purely logical plane, the question to ponder turns on the following:

What purpose does having symptoms of Parkinson’s serve me?

For example, perhaps having Parkinson’s disease has given you a reason to quit a job which was not in your best and highest good, a job that does not offer you pleasure and satisfaction. Before having the symptoms, your ego logic concluded you had to keep on working to take care of your family (or here … please fill in the gap with all the other reasons we can concoct for ourselves).

Or, perhaps having Parkinson’s gives you an excuse to become isolated and avoid contact with other people. Or … Obviously, there can be many answers to this question. It is important to reflect and meditate to find the answer that applies to your own situation. In other words, what do you get “not to do” that is intrinsically distasteful because you have Parkinson’s?

The goal in the end is to disassociate and untangle the dynamics of negative pleasure – to feel pleasure when there are pleasurable sensations and to feel pain when there is real pain to be experienced.

The reason it is so difficult to heal negative pleasure is that it comes from a place that has no words or logic. You can not talk it out of your body or will it out. So, how can you release an attachment of negative pleasure to Parkinson’s Disease?

Energy healers can provide help in this area. There will be a critical core of Brennan Healing Practitioners (all of whom have had extensive training and experience and know all about negative pleasure) who are well versed in this issue and help clients clear it out.

The Brennan healing work really is quite incredible I must say. It has been transformative for me. There are likely Brennan Healing Practitioners in your area who can help out as well.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery Membership
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com
Olympia, Washington

Mucuna as Treatment for Parkinsons

Question: What are your thoughts about using the mucuna to
treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s?

Answer:

There is an upside and a downside to taking Mucuna to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

The Upside

Macuna bean (or Mucuna Puriens) is derived from a plant
that grows
in tropical climates. The Mucuna herb has been used
for generations in India and other eastern countries
to treat
Parkinson’s with varying success. Mucuna is by no means
a new revelation.

People use Mucuna in part because it does not have the side effects of prescription medications.A number of people in my global audience who take prescription
medications for Parkinson’s have been pleased with the results they
get from taking Mucuna.  Others  have succeeded
in reducing the dose of their prescribed medications or
even weaning themselves off prescription medications altogether. 

No changes in the dosage of prescription medications should of course be made without consulting with your doctor first. Even though it is not a prescription medication, it is also just as important to consult with your doctor before taking any natural herb supplement like Mucuna to boost dopamine.

The Downside

It is clear from talking with other health professionals that
Mucuna is not a cure nor does it provide relief
for everyone. After all, if Mucuna were a panacea
everyone with Parkinson’s would be taking it and no one
today would be suffering from its symptoms.

Many people think of Parkinson’s simplistically as a
deficiency of dopamine. In fact, the “disease” is
described by most health care providers as such.
The truth of the matter is that
reasons for
the symptoms of Parkinson’s are far, far more
complicated than this simple explanation. 

Symptoms of Parkinson’s are affected by an imbalance
of over
39 different neurotransmitters. When you take
Mucuna or any dopamine supplement for that matter
you are making a decision to
focus on a tiny fraction
of the problem. 

The body is making fine adjustments to the production
and distribution of hormones continuously, second by
second, minute by minute.
Consider the maze of
complicated adjustments your body makes to produce
and distribute the other 38 neurotransmitters when you take
any dopamine lookalike.

Ingesting a single synthetic hormone once a day creates an instant
adjustment the body must make to the delicate balance of hormones
in the body.
The “adjustment” that comes from taking a dopamine
supplement (whether prescription or a supplement like Mucuna)
is crude.The body produces and distributes hormones continuously each and every second of the day.

Do the math.

If the choice is between relying on the  body or any dopamine supplement I
am betting on the body any day of the week.

A second challenge you will encounter if you decide to
take Mucuna – and keep in mind this
may be a good
choice for you – is that you are giving your body the
signal it does not
need to expend the energy produce dopamine
on its own.
Think like your body and you will understand
the long term consequences of what happens when
you take a dopamine producing supplements.

Here is the decision sequence:

1. Your body is busy with the work of adjusting and balancing hormones
which, after all, is one of its functions.

2. An external source of domaine mysteriously
appears in the digestive system.
There is suddenly and
unexpectedly an
external intrusion into the body.

3. The body begins to ponder: “Who is in charge here?” A critical function of the body is suddenly and unexpectedly being handled by an external intervention.

4. The body then concludes:  “If someone else is doing my job, why should I bother?”
Isn’t this just anyone of us do  when someone else takes on the burden of  doing
a job you thought was our responsibility? I mean, if someone else wants to do the work, why not let them?

A reason cells in the substantia nigra die is because
dopamine is being supplied by an external source.
Cells
that produce dopamine are no
longer needed since the supply is provided by an external source.  You either use it or lose it. In this case you lose it.
The body eventually surrenders responsibility for producing dopamine.

Prescription medications and Mucuna  are different delivery systems for
dopamine. For most people higher doses have to be take to experience symptom
relief.

John Coleman ND points out that most of the Macuna bean
that is packaged and sold in the marketplace is not actually
“natural.” It is a processed. The Mucuna pill capsules
are manufactured and refined, purified and converted to
powder. John Coleman ND has also observed in his clinic that
some forms of Macuna  induce the “same adverse effects as synthetic
levodopa if consumed in large quantities over a long period.

Coleman offers a different recommendation for his clients.
He suggests you hydrate your body by taking a
natural homeopathic remedy. The body has an easier
time producing and balancing hormones when the cells
are adequately hydrated.

Mucuna may provide welcome relief in the short term.
But if it is used as a lifetime remedy your body’s
incredibly intricate
system for monitoring
hormones will be short circuited. Sensitivity of
the monitoring system is degraded and the system
itself is eventually disabled.

Your body gradually gives up its mandate at birth to maintain
health and wellness. You eventually begin to feel lousy.
Health
deteriorates.

Why not give your body a chance to do its work whenever
possible? Wait. Be patient. Ask the most important question of all:
What is causing your symptoms?

Once you identify and address the cause, you will not necessarily
begin feeling  good every day. Some days you will may feel lousy.

Helping  the body re-remember how to balance hormones is not an
easy task but the rewards are worth it.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Aquas

Circadian Rhythm Reset for a Good Night’s Sleep

The circadian rhythm, or circadian cycle, is a natural oscillation that repeats roughly every 24 hours. In this clip of my interview with Karl Sterling  a two step process is recommended for resetting your circadian rhythm. Why bother? This facilitates a restful night’s sleep.

Please take note of the fact that no medications are suggested or supplements recommended here. This two step process is a natural way to celebrate sound sleep which is the key to healing from the inside out.

Step outside for a minute the first thing in the morning and the last thing in the evening before the sun sets. 

Try this two minute fix if you have having problems getting to sleep and staying asleep.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Memberships

Iron Toxicity Chelation

This clip from my interview with Steven Fowkes discusses an iron toxicity chelation method that will likely surprise you. As documented in previous posts the accumulation of excess iron can be a contributing cause of Parkinson’s symptoms. His solution to address the dangerously high accumulation of iron is eloquent and simple.

“I would say one of the things that potentially could be a critical factor for Parkinson’s disease is iron storage. I would tell anybody who has Parkinson’s disease to get their iron storage assessed clinically early in life. If they are accumulating too much iron they can off load that iron by donating their blood to the Red Cross. This is one of the things that is sadly under appreciated.

Iron toxicity can be a cause of heart disease in men particularly, and in post menopausal women. When women stop menstruating, they start accumulating iron like men do in their twenties, so twenty to thirty years of iron accumulation can actually get to the point where you actually start to “spill” the iron. At that point your entire health starts to deteriorate very rapidly, including your cognitive function.”

So, donating blood to the Red Cross can be a huge benefit to a
person?

“Oh yes. When I was doing volunteer work for the AIDS community, they did a study where they were transferring antibodies from people with high antibody counts to people with low antibody counts. The people receiving the antibodies actually did not get any benefit at all. But the surprise was that the people donating the antibodies got benefit.

I regularly give blood three to four times a year and have for a long period of time. I know that this is the best way to get rid of iron. If you are male and in your thirties, ask your doctor to give you a serum ferritin test. If you want, also ask for a transferrin saturation test and a TIBC which is a Total Iron Binding Capacity test. They are all relatively cheap. They tend not to be included in a regular annual physical because your iron status changes so slowly over time.

Normal blood tests that you get done by your doctor during an annual physical will measure the iron in hemoglobin, but it does not measure the stored iron. Hemoglobin iron and stored iron do not track with each other. Oftentimes they have nothing to do with each other.

When you are anemic, you can actually have dangerously high levels of iron, but it is not getting from your storage form into the hemoglobin. When your doctor puts you on iron supplements this can actually threaten your life.

You need to measure your storage form of iron to know whether or not you need to take B12 and folic acid to solve your anemia or whether you need to take iron to solve your anemia. In men this is critical because they do not menstruate. The only way we lose iron is to go out and fight wars, get injured, fall from trees, and get bitten by wild animals.

Get this ferritin test. If you come from a family with a history of heart attack rates in males, in their fifties or sixties, you will probably see that your ferritin will be high.  Just start giving blood.

Since iron toxicity is involved in Parkinson’s disease, men need to get this assessed. Post menopausal women need to get this assessed to see if maybe part of their long term program should be offloading iron.”

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Tame Tremors Online Course

 

Dynamite Ways to Make Walking Rock Solid

I would like everyone who confronts mobility challenges to discover simple methods that make it possible for walking to become rock solid.
I prepared videos and written explanations of each recommendation. To watch the videos click on the secure link below. Then,  enter your first name and email address in the fields provided so I can email you links to the videos I have prepared for you to watch.
Robert Rodgers PhD
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
https://www.parkinsonsdisease.me
Olympia Washington
877-526-4646

Heavy Metal Toxicity and Parkinson’s Disease

The following is an amazing story of recovery by Hanne Koplev who successfully addressed the challenge of heavy metal toxicity. This is a “must” read by anyone who has any doubts that recovery from the symptoms of Parkinson’s is possible.

“A neurologist recommended in the year 1998, that I should be medicated against my tremor, but I said no thank you to his offer, as I preferred to be better diagnosed before starting medication.

The following year my symptoms increased, as I became more rigid and my tremor got worse and I therefore was easy to persuade by a new neurologist to try anti-Parkinson medication. Shortly after, I was scanned for Parkinson’s disease and the result was compatible with the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in the early stage.

Anti-Parkinson medication helped to decrease the symptoms, but soon I experienced more severe symptoms. At first I thought that it was the disease becoming more severe and this was confirmed by my neurologist who told me that it was unavoidable.

After one year on medication my neurologist recommended that I stopped medication before the next consultation. This became the start of a new phase in the way I coped with my disease, as without medication, I experienced that:-

– The medication can result in abstinences when the medication is stopped.

– Many of the symptoms, that I thought were Parkinson’s symptoms, were in reality side effects of the medication.

Therefore I decided to accept the symptoms of the disease instead of being burdened with adverse side effects of the medication. The outcome of this choice forced me to search for factors, which had influenced my symptoms.

In the year 2001 I was tested for Heavy Metal Toxicity in a private clinic in Aarhus, Denmark by Dr. Bruce Kyle and I was diagnosed with a combined toxic overload with mercury and copper.

I was treated at Dr. Bruce Kyle’s clinic with the Chelating Agent DMPS, with Vitamin-C infusions and different kinds of antioxidants and nutritional support. At the same time I had my amalgam fillings removed and had non-toxic, non-metal composites instead. This was done by a dentist with extra education in safe removal of amalgam. I also use saunas, which help detoxification by sweating out the toxins through my skin.

After some years of undergoing detoxifying treatments, I had fewer tremors and was less rigid, but I still suffered from fatigue. Allergic reaction against metals was suspect, and I undertook a MELISA-test. (www.melisa.org)

My test showed an allergic reaction against gold, nickel and cadmium and treatment protocol was removal of a dental gold crown, which was replaced with plastic. Now, I try to avoid nickel and to eat more organic food to avoid cadmium. Luckily I have been rewarded for my efforts as my fatigue has decreased.

Today I can honestly say that testing and treatments for my chronic cumulative toxicity has been successful for revealing some of the causes of my Parkinson’s disease. However, I still have slightly high levels of copper left and in Autumn 2006 and Spring 2008 tests show that I am also burdened with lead and aluminium.

I do not dare to think about how my life would have been without detoxifying treatments! When I look at other patients with Parkinson’s disease who are getting worse, I have even more reasons to be thankful for my health, which continues to improve as time goes on.

Where do these Heavy Metals come from?

In my case, mercury and copper were likely to have come from my amalgam fillings. Copper-amalgam contains a high percentage of copper and I had many fillings in my milk teeth. Even later in school I had many cavities, which were restored with amalgam. The dentist said that I had weak teeth.

As an adult, I have only had one cavity, so I might think that my parents were not good at helping me with tooth brushing and perhaps also the school dentist has been tempted to do fillings, which were not necessary as she was paid for the amount of pupils’ cavities that she restored.

In addition I have in my job as a veterinarian, been exposed to many thermometers, which sometimes break and where the mercury ended up in the bottom of the car. Veterinarians were not properly informed that this could constitute a health hazard at that time.

Moreover Mercury can come from vaccinations containing the preservative Thiomersal (ethyl-mercury). Mercury might also come from environmental pollution and intake of fish. Copper might come from use of copper spiral (anti contraceptive) and from drinking water and food. The Danish Agriculture Production uses 200 tons of copper yearly and this copper could be assumed to spread to the environment and end up in drinking water and food.

When a person is burdened with mercury toxicity, then the excretion of copper is decreased.

    • My toxicity burden with lead might perhaps come from common environmental pollution.
    • My toxicity with aluminium probably came from years of injections with aluminium containing products against dust mite allergy.

My nutrition today contains more antioxidants (nutrients which protects the body against free radicals and oxidation), more vegetables (raw vegetables are chosen) and more fruits. I have stopped eating unhealthy fats such as margarine, hard fats, corn oil, soy, sunflower etc. I try to eat more of the healthy fats such as fat fish (salmon), linseed, olives oil, nuts etc.

I take antioxidants as nutritional supplementation, also a multivitamin mineral pill without iron and copper, extra vitamin C and E, Lipoic acid, N-acetyl-cysteine, Echinacea, Ginkgo Biloba and Coenzyme Q10. I also use DMSA for mercury, copper and lead chelation.

Concerning the nutrition I would recommend the book by Jean Carper – Your Miracle Brain

Physical activity has been an important part of my life. At the beginning of my disease I walked without swinging my right arm and I stumbled rather often. After years training trying to walk normally with swinging my right arm, I have succeeded, but only when I am not too stressed or exhausted. The principle is like this, if I can walk one step with swinging the arm, then I can also walk 3 steps….. or also walk 5 minutes…or 5 kilometres and so on.

I also use visualisation when training my movements.

People, who do not realise the effects that Parkinson’s disease has on their own body, often have problems understanding how demanding it is for a Parkinson patient to cope with conscious movements. Even something as banal as cleaning your shoes on a doormat is not necessarily functioning automatically but needs mental work, like steering a toy car with a joystick.

It is very common that a Parkinson patient with time develops a forward bending posture and some years ago I had thoracic Kyphosis and could not wear any of my shirts anymore. A physiotherapist has taught me some physical exercises, which I since have done every day.

Today my back is straight again, which makes me happy. People, who are happy, often have a straight posture, while sad and grieving people often have a crooked posture. By choosing body posture you can also indirectly choose your emotions.

I enjoy sending a signal that I am bubbling with joys of life.

I try to avoid, if possible, all kind of stress. Now I choose calm classical music instead of rock; I value tight relationships instead of having a circle of acquaintances with ‘small talk’ and I love being out in nature instead of taking city walks. It is a pleasure for me to do meditation and to sing.

I have also improved at listening to the signals from my body and I take care to rest and sleep when needed. I have also improved at learning to avoid doing things, which I dislike and instead I do things that make me happy.

When being diagnosed with a chronic disease the patient often goes through a life crisis and so did I. The crises made me more religious and I learnt to pray to my God from the bottom of my heart and this has given me spiritual power to cope with life and the new circumstances.

‘Where there is willpower, there is a way to go.’ This phrase was said about me by a good friend, as a way to express how I cope with my disease.

Years ago the neurologists said several times that I had got Parkinson’s disease and that this disease is chronic, impossible to cure and progressive. I thought that it might be like this for other patients, but that it would not be like this in my case. By working and studying a lot and sometimes by choosing blind paths, I have succeeded in finding a tiny little path out of my disease. Today I have fewer symptoms than in the year 1998, which means that the expression ‘progressive’ cannot be used generally about all patients with Parkinson’s disease.

I retired in the year 2001 when I was 44 years old and although it was really a hard time, today I feel that I have a good life. To my co-patients I will say:-

Search for knowledge and keep on trying to search for new possibilities.”

Generally I recommend neurological patients to be tested with a chelating agent for chronic toxicity with heavy metals. If this is diagnosed, then it is possible to de-toxify, which can give hope to a future of increased health and decreased neurological symptoms.

If you want more information about toxicity with heavy metal and Parkinson’s disease then use the Internet.

Thank you for reading my case-story and I wish you all the best.

Hanne Koplev, Veterinarian

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
Tame Tremors Online Course

Iron Toxicity and Parkinson’s

Iron toxicity may well be a contributing factor to symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

The problem of iron deficiencies is well known. Your body needs iron to:

  • Help hemoglobin in blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body.
  • Make red blood cells.
  • Produce certain hormones.

Normally, your intestines absorb just the right amount of iron from the food you eat. But with hemochromatosis, the body absorbs extra iron and stores it in your organs, especially your heart, liver, and brain. 

When it comes to Parkinson’s symptoms, the problem is not so much an iron deficiency. It is a unhealthy accumulation of too much iron in your brain. This  causes the death of brain cells that produce dopamine.

The Research

There have been a burst of studies that have documented the effects of iron as a factor that contributes to Parkinson’s symptoms. Ferroptosis is a type of cell death described less than a decade ago. It is caused by the excess of free intracellular iron. Iron is essential as a redox metal in several physiological functions. The brain is one of the organs known to be affected by iron homeostatic balance disruption. Since the 1960s, increased concentration of iron in the central nervous system has been known to create  oxidative stress, oxidation of proteins and lipids, and cell death.

Does Everyone with Symptoms have an Excess of Iron?

No. But some do have this problem and it is a significant contributor to symptoms.

An inherited genetic condition is the most common cause. It’s called primary hemochromatosis, hereditary hemochromatosis or classical hemochromatosis. With primary hemochromatosis, problems with the DNA come from both parents and cause the body to absorb too much iron. In other words, the body cannot convert iron to the form needed to perform essential body functions.

The Solutions?

If this condition applies to you, an iron chelator of one form or another might be considered. There is a medically prescribed chelator that your doctor may be willing to consider (though not specifically indicated as a treatment for Parkinson’s).

Deferiprone is a prescription iron chelator indicated for the treatment of patients with certain types of iron overload due to thalassemia syndromes when other chelation therapies prove inadequate. Your doctor may not be willing to prescribe this without clear evidence of iron toxicity in the brain which can be difficult to document.  

I would not recommend going this route as a first step, partly because everyone does not have this genetic configuration. Rather. I would recommend that you talk with your doctor about using herbal chelators documented to be useful in chelating iron. If you begin to gradually feel better – this may be a primary issue for you. The following can help chelate iron.

  • Curcumin (the active ingredient in the traditional herbal remedy and dietary spice turmeric)
  • Quercetin.
  • Resveratrol.
  • Green Tea.

My guess is that while not everyone has this condition but a surprising number probably do. This option is worth considering if you have had no success with pursuing other options.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
Rock Solid Walking Online Course
www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

How to Tame Tremors

A decade of hosting 250 guests on Parkinsons Recovery Radio has made it possible to document a  variety of natural treatments to tame tremors that have proven successful. They fall into a various categories including herbs, certain foods, essential oil tinctures, ketone esters, light and sound therapies, energy medicine and many home made remedies.

Click Here for Registration and Immediate Access the Tame Tremors Online Course

Why Did I Develop The New Tame Tremors Course?

It is surprisingly helpful to embrace natural methods that tame tremors. Unchecked they sustain unrelenting stress. When we are unable to reduce the intensity of stress, tremors always get worse. The cycle is endless unless checked. The vicious cycle is familiar to everyone.

        1. Tremors cause reoccurring stress.
        2. Stress inflames the tremors.
        3. Taming tremors helps reverse this vicious cycle.

The challenge for members of my global Parkinsons Recovery audience is that natural treatments for tremors are scattered all over the place, buried in my many thousands of blog posts and replays from 10 years of my many Parkinsons Recovery radio show interviews.

My new online course rolls out dozens of natural therapies that have been successful for persons to tame their tremors. It organizes, explains and updates the most successful strategies, therapies and treatments that have been reported by persons who themselves experience tremors.

Some of the methods have just emerged over the past decade. Some have been practiced for centuries. We do not have yet a great deal of evidence on their effectiveness, but early reports are very encouraging. I want everyone to know about these new developments.

Traumas Cause Anxieties. Anxieties Inflame Tremors.
Anxiety has a profound impact on making tremors so much worse. One of the most successful strategies that tame tremors is to shut down anxiety.

Shaking Tames Tremors.
Vibration offers relief from symptoms associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Breathing The Right Way Tames Tremors.
If your cells have a deficiency of oxygen, doesn’t it make good sense they will shake, rattle and roll to get your attention?

Emotional Reactions Aggravate Tremors.
Emotional Reactions happen when our reaction to a situation is “over the top.” An intense and fiery emotional response is not justified by the circumstances.

Family Entanglements Sabotage Efforts to Tame Tremors.
Family Entanglements occur when we take on the suffering, pain and disease of another family member out of love.

Energy Psychology.
Energy psychology is a novel approach embraced by some psychologists who use muscle testing to identify and clear reasons for conditions like tremors.

Essential Oils.
Essential oils have a soothing effect on the body’s neurological system which helps tame tremors.

Herbal Remedies.
Certain herbal remedies can tame tremors. You have likely never even heard about some of them.

Home Remedies for Tremors
Macrobiotic Guru Warren Kramer offers highly effective (and little known) home remedies that tame tremors

For more information and to register visit:
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.org/tame-tremors
 

Fava Beans.
Aunt Bean has developed an inventive way to formulate a tincture from fava bean plants which tames her tremors.

Ketone Ester Tames Tremors.
Ketone esters have been available commercially only since 2019. They are a natural source of energy for the brain which can tame tremors

Photobiomodulation (Light Therapy).
Research reports promising possibilities for photobiomodulation as a therapy that offers relief from neurological conditions

Power of the Mind.
You have everything you need to tame tremors and always have: Actualizing the endless power of your mind.

Tai Chi.
Tai Chi is an ancient practice of soulful meditation that brings the body back to a place of centeredness and balance and as a result tames tremors.

Feldenkrais Therapy for Tremors.
Small movements help the body remember how to experience calmness without tremors.

Vibration Therapy
Vibration Therapy shows promise as a therapy for Parkinson’s symptoms including tremors

NADH
Consuming a NADH supplement or eating foods rich in NADH may tame tremors.

Yoga Tames Tremors
Yoga Helps Reverse Symptoms of Parkinson’s Including Tremors

For more information and to register visit:
https://www.parkinsonsrecovery.org/tame-tremors

P.S. The course will not address prescriptions medications which fall into the domain of medical doctors, so any issues or questions about medications will need to be addressed with your doctor.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
https://www.parkinsonsdisease.me
Olympia, Washington USA
877-526-4646
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com

 

What Causes Falls?

Do you have problems with balance that result in falls occasionally? You may suspect the problem is a dopamine deficiency. I suggest an alternative cause – food poisoning which results in a plethora of bad bacteria in your gut.

The energy running through various meridians in our body is what keeps us alive. All of the meridians that connect to the head and brain are the digestive meridians – stomach, small and large intestine. Focus on getting your digestive system back on line and your balance problems should resolve.

Lightheadedness is a common symptom of food poisoning, that stems from the symptoms of nausea, fatigue and/or dehydration.People with food poisoning may also experience dizziness that presents as a symptom a day or two (or much sooner)  after becoming infected.

One such food poisoning is listeria. Symptoms may include fever, aches, stiff neck, headache, lost balance, mental confusion, and convulsions. Please note the symptoms of “lost balance.”

There is a natural remedy for food poisoning you have likely never heard about. I certainly knew nothing about until I had a serious bout with food poisoning recently.

It is called “Activated Charcoal”, a nonprescription supplement available in health food stores and supplement outlets. This is a natural treatment that has highly absorbent capabilities. For this reason, it is mostly used in various detox programs and  to get rid of harmful substances like food toxins.

Although it is a natural remedy there are side effects. These need to be investigated before you decide to take it. Also, be sure to check with your doctor before deciding to give it a trial run.

I personally wanted you to know about it because it helped reverse my dizziness and reclaim Rock Solid Walking after experiencing a scary assault of food poisoning. I took an activated charcoal capsule for 3 weeks or so afterward and now take one capsule when I eat out at a restaurant.

This may be a simple solution to a very troublesome symptom. Check it out!

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Rock Solid Walking

 

 

CoQ10 and Parkinsons

Has your doctor recommended that you take CoQ10 along with your regular medications? Some doctors do. It is deficient in most persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Some health care professionals I have interviewed report medications deplete the availability of CoQ10 in the body which is why supplementation becomes necessary.

CoQ10 is no doubt a key anti-aging nutrient. It prevents free radical damage to the DNA in the mitochondria. Supplementation is also recommended for persons with heart issues.

A 10 year longitudinal study published in the European Journal of Heart Failure reported that taking  CoQ10 improved the survival for patients who confront the constant threat of heart failure.

Research that has examined the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on Parkinson’s disease has reported conflicting results. Recent meta-analytic reviews find little effect. I suspect an explanation resides in the fact most CoQ10 supplements have minimal penetration.

What brand of CoQ10 has high penetration?

There are so many choices on the market today. Natural compounding pharmacist Ross Pelton directed me to a source of Coenzyme Q10 that is worth taking seriously. It is produced by Pharmanord of Denmark.

Why do most Coenzyme Q10 products sold in the marketplace have negligible absorption rates? We are talking 1% at best.  The melting point of CoQ10 is 10 degrees above body temperature. Most of the supplements you buy – even those in oil, have crystallized and cannot be absorbed by the body

Why Bioavailability of CoQ10 Matters

Bioavailability measures the ability to absorb and utilize a substance like CoQ10 in the tissues and blood of the body. CoQ10 is fat soluble with a high molecular weight which is why its absorption is very limited.

Pharma Nord https://www.pharmanord.com has developed the most studied brand of CoQ10 globally. A proprietary heat treatment process greatly facilitates its absorption. The molecular structure of the Pharmanord CoQ10 is transformed from rough crystals to a snowflake like shape. More than 75 studies have now been published that document its superior absorption when compared to other brands.

CoQ10

The price is also reasonable. You can order the Pharmanord CoQ10 directly on their website. Their professional staff generously set up a 20% discount for members of my audience. You can claim this discount only if you ship to a USA destination. Enter the coupon code “PRQ10WEB“ to claim a 20% discount (not case sensitive).

https://www.pharmanord.com

Check out the research for yourself.

 

Stem Cell Rejuvenation

 

 

Phototherapy  has been around for over a century. It uses light to facilitate healing the body from the inside out. Ancient Greeks studied the healing effects of different light frequencies.

How do the X39 Patches Work?

Your body emits heat in the infrared spectrum. The X39 patches are designed to trap this infrared light energy when placed on the body. It secrets a peptide called GHK which studies report reactivate dormant stem cells (see below). No drugs or chemicals enter the body.

Below  is a Youtube presentation by the inventor of the X39 Lifewave patches David Schmidt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W66vQ9IcZs0

How to Order the Lifewave Patches

Order any of the patches from the website or directly from me. The website address:

https://lifewave.com/parkinsonsrecovery/

Research

The study abstracts listed  below do not specifically evaluate the impact of the X39 Stem Cell Patches on any specific chronic condition. They do offer support on the impact of the GHK peptide secreted by the patches on the rejuvenation of stem cells throughout the body. Stem cells facilitate healing of all chronic conditions.

Brain Sci. 2017 Feb 15;7(2):20. The Effect of the Human Peptide GHK on Gene Expression Relevant to Nervous System Function and Cognitive Decline.Loren Pickart, Jessica Michelle Vasquez-Soltero, Anna Margolina

Abstract

Neurodegeneration, the progressive death of neurons, loss of brain function, and cognitive decline is an increasing problem for senior populations. Its causes are poorly understood and therapies are largely ineffective. Neurons, with high energy and oxygen requirements, are especially vulnerable to detrimental factors, including age-related dysregulation of biochemical pathways caused by altered expression of multiple genes. GHK (glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine) is a human copper-binding peptide with biological actions that appear to counter aging-associated diseases and conditions.

GHK, which declines with age, has health promoting effects on many tissues such as chondrocytes, liver cells and human fibroblasts, improves wound healing and tissue regeneration (skin, hair follicles, stomach and intestinal linings, boney tissue), increases collagen, decorin, angiogenesis, and nerve outgrowth, possesses anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-pain and anti-anxiety effects, increases cellular stemness and the secretion of trophic factors by mesenchymal stem cells.

Studies using the Broad Institute Connectivity Map show that GHK peptide modulates expression of multiple genes, resetting pathological gene expression patterns back to health. GHK has been recommended as a treatment for metastatic cancer, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, inflammation, acute lung injury, activating stem cells, pain, and anxiety. Here, we present GHK’s effects on gene expression relevant to the nervous system health and function.

Biomed Res Int. 2014:2014:151479. GHK and DNA: resetting the human genome to health. Loren Pickart, Jessica Michelle Vasquez-Soltero, Anna Margolina 

Abstract

During human aging there is an increase in the activity of inflammatory, cancer promoting, and tissue destructive genes plus a decrease in the activity of regenerative and reparative genes. The human blood tripeptide GHK possesses many positive effects but declines with age. It improves wound healing and tissue regeneration (skin, hair follicles, stomach and intestinal linings, and boney tissue), increases collagen and glycosaminoglycans, stimulates synthesis of decorin, increases angiogenesis, and nerve outgrowth, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and increases cellular stemness and the secretion of trophic factors by mesenchymal stem cells.

Recently, GHK has been found to reset genes of diseased cells from patients with cancer or COPD to a more healthy state. Cancer cells reset their programmed cell death system while COPD patients’ cells shut down tissue destructive genes and stimulate repair and remodeling activities. In this paper, we discuss GHK’s effect on genes that suppress fibrinogen synthesis, the insulin/insulin-like system, and cancer growth plus activation of genes that increase the ubiquitin-proteasome system, DNA repair, antioxidant systems, and healing by the TGF beta superfamily. A variety of methods and dosages to effectively use GHK to reset genes to a healthier state are also discussed.

Robert
360-789-1658
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com

Restful Sleep Therapy

It will inevitably be impossible to heal troublesome symptoms if you are not able to celebrate restful sleep every night. That is how the body heals from the inside out.

Difficulty with getting to sleep and staying asleep is due to a sympathetic nervous system that is running full steam ahead. This is the nervous system that we need to manifest goals, finish marathons and change the world. We can’t get anything done unless the sympathetic nervous system is in working order!

However, you do not want an active sympathetic nervous system when trying to go to sleep and stay asleep.  How then do you (so to speak) put the sympathetic nervous system to sleep and activate your parasympathetic nervous system which will make it possible to celebrate a deep night’s sleep?

Try an icy cold treatment on the back of your neck to celebrate restful sleep. This does a marvelous job of shutting down your sympathetic nervous system. I demonstrate in the video how to give yourself this treatment when going to sleep. If you have an ice pack in the freezer you can try this therapy out tonight.

I have strong evidence that this therapy is worth trying out. I think you will be pleased.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Rock Solid Walking
Fundamentals of Health

Sleep Homeopathic Remedy

The homeopathic remedy Rescue Sleep by Bach Flower Essences has the potential to offer deep sleep throughout the night. I have anecdotal evidence it has been helping people.

The active ingredients are included because they address issues that make it impossible to drop down into a good nights sleep. Here is the listing of ingredients and what they are designed to address.

White Chestnut offers relief from repetitive  thoughts
Star of Bethlehem softens the impact of shock
Cherry Plum supports a balanced mind when losing control
Impatiens institutes patience when you are having problems with other people
Clematis enhances focus
Rock Rose boosts courage and presence of mind

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Rock Solid Walking
Fundamentals of Health

 

 

Fundamentals of Health

I am excited to announce that my new online course, Fundamentals of Health, is available for registration today.

As many of you are aware, I have meticulously documented dozens of natural therapies in online courses that reverse symptoms such as tremors and mobility challenges. My new course addresses a bigger issue:

What basic support does the body need to maintain a steady state of health as we age as well as reverse whatever symptoms we currently experience?

Hosting interviews with 300 guests on Parkinsons Recovery Radio has proven very beneficial for me personally. It has given me the unique opportunity to pick and choose therapies that research and users report have been most beneficial. These choices have paid off for me personally. I am healthy today.

My new course demonstrates therapies I personally use to support the ability of my body to sustain excellent health. Research evidence that supports the efficacy of these therapies is also included.

Click on the link below to register for my new course:

 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com
Olympia, Washington
877-526-4646

Update from Christian Hageseth

Robert and I have recorded interviews three times in the past:

  1. September 2016: Five years no medications. Parkinson’s improving. How I had gone for 5 years without meds and was doing well using exercise and yoga
  2. January 2017: Wholistic (or holistic) how different PWPs approach their treatment.
  3. October 2018: Shifting the Parkinson’s disease mindset.
  • This is my fourth appearance on the show today, and I still hold to my beliefs.  
  1. EXERCISE. EXERCISE, EXERCISE. I cannot exercise as hard as I did before. Gradually I had to walk more and jog less. Could only 3 – 4 miles.
  2. More convinced than ever that MINDSET/ATTITUDE is the key, PARKINSON’S IS A CHALLENGE, NOT A CURSE.  When I was formally diagnosed, I was 70 years old. Life expectancy for me was 84.1. Well, now I’m 82.4. In a year and a half, I will have reached my life expectancy.
  3. YOGA remains critical.
  4. WAIT UNTIL you really must take Levodopa. Levodopa induced dyskinesia (LID) is a real deal and can be disabling. Google it on YouTube. 
  • Let’s look at my life since we last met, year by year.

2018 – I shot a video titled So High So Low for the “I HAD A DREAM PROJECT” where I hiked a three mile walk trail and climbed a thousand feet. 

Link: https://www.ihadadreamproject.com/i-had-a-dream-project-videos 

That year I also went to Uganda to demonstrate the practices I used to manage so long without meds. (Robert, this is quite a tale, plus I have pictures.)

  • 2019 – After directing the local Parkinson’s support group, I resigned so new blood could take over.

BUT: New symptoms emerged that I didn’t know about:

  1. Anomia: a language specific disturbance arising after brain damage whose main symptom is the inability of retrieving known words. But it’s not dementia!
  2. Pseudo Bulbar Affect Crying or laughing excessively upon feeling any deep feeling.
  3. Dysphagia: difficulty or discomfort in swallowing as a symptom of disease. It starts out with mucus as postnasal drip. Get to an OT!
  4. Oily, flakey skin
  5. Sleep disturbances. Fall into deep sleep in the middle of the day. And then don’t sleep well at night.
  6. Pain in bed at night. Interfered with sleep.
  • 2020 – It was a remarkable and horrific year. PANDEMIC!

No more yoga classes! No gym with weightlifting. Social interaction approached zero. 

  • 2021 – Then, a condition worse than Parkinson’s emerged: Major Depression.

March 2021 – Fell and shattered right knee – 16 days in hospital.

July 2021 – Fell and broke my right hip.

August – Severe depression, I became suicidal.

September – Chose to have a course of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)

October- It worked, and my PD improved a lot.

The falls were due to the antidepressant I was taking may increase fall for people with Parkinsons.

LESSON: Make sure you MD goes through all meds in case a med might make falling more likely

My story with Depression

Family history is strong.

Parkinson’s did not cause my suicidal depression, genetics and environment did.  Antidepressant medication failed to work and led to my falls!

2022 – I returned to my new normal. And that’s where I am today. I just have more symptoms and feel weaker.

I followed up with PWPs who I have advised in the past.

It became clear to me: I want to coach people with PD. 

I HAVE A LOT TO OFFER!

Teach PWPs how to become a “Bad Ass with PD.” 

No more withdrawal and depression.

My PD website: www.makemostofpd.com  

Robert, I want to come back with a program I have just developed to make being a person with PD and their caregiver have a better relationship. 

New website www.the-kindness-dialogue.com 

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

Mangosteen

Listen to discover the findings of recent Parkinson’s studies which have identified the strong correlation between insulin resistance and a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

If you are challenged with gut issues and insulin resistance, what natural remedies might be helpful? Taking insulin might well be beneficial but that would be a prescription medicine option. What are the natural options that might be embraced? Listen to my brief set of suggestions below where I lay out a few options to consider.

Interested in mangosteen as an option to take seriously? Below I have included information about mangosteen and the recent research which suggests it is an option worth taking seriously.

There are obviously a number of different sources of mangosteen which has proven to have a wide variety of health benefits.

Watch a short video below which discusses a mangosteen product developed by CTFO (Changing the Future Outcomes). If you get high potency mangosteen and it does not offer symptom relief, you can return the empty bottle to claim a 100% refund plus shipping. I suggest this as a possibility because it is a no risk option to consider. You of course may well have other options to acquire mangosteen. The mangosteen described below should provide the best option to see if it may help address the issue of insulin resistance.

YouTube player

Click the link below with information about the Zanthomyst (mangosteen) product.

https://parkinsonsrecovery.myctfo.com/xanthomyst.html

Research on Mangosteen and Insulin Resistance

The study below uses rats which is the standard protocol used by researchers. Human studies are seldom launched until studies using animals demonstrate effectiveness. It will likely be another 5-10 years before studies with human subjects are published.

Pharm Biol. 2023 Dec;61(1):241-248. Alpha-Mangosteen lessens high-fat/high-glucose diet and low-dose streptozotocin induced-hepatic manifestations in the insulin resistance rat model. Vivian Soetikno , Prisma Andini , Miskiyah Iskandar , Clark Christensen Matheos , Joshua Alward Herdiman , Iqbal Kevin Kyle , Muhammad Nur Imaduddin Suma , Melva Louisa , Ari Estuningtyas

Abstract
Context: ?-Mangosteen (?-MG) attenuates insulin resistance (IR). However, it is still unknown whether ?-MG could alleviate hepatic manifestations in IR rats.

Objective: To investigate the effect of ?-MG on alleviating hepatic manifestations in IR rats through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sterol-regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) pathway.

Methods: IR was induced by exposing male Sprague-Dawley rats (180-200 g) to high-fat/high-glucose diet and low-dose injection of streptozotocin (HF/HG/STZ), then treated with ?-MG at a dose of 100 or 200 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. At the end of the study (11 weeks), serum and liver were harvested for biochemical analysis, and the activity of AMPK, SREBP-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-?, interleukin (IL)-1?, IL-6, insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1, Bax and liver histopathology were analyzed.

Results: ?-MG at both doses significantly lowered ALT, AST, triglyceride, and cholesterol total by 16.5, 15.7, 38, and 36%, respectively. These beneficial effects of ?-MG are associated with the downregulation of the IR-induced inflammation in the liver. Furthermore, ?-MG, at both doses, activated AMPK by 24-29 times and reduced SREBP-1c by 44-50% as well as ACC expression by 19-31% similar to metformin. All treatment groups showed liver histopathology improvement regarding fat deposition in the liver.

Conclusions: Based on the findings demonstrated, ?-MG protected against HF/HG/STZ-induced hepatic manifestations of the IR rats, at least in part via the modulation of the AMPK/SREBP-1c/ACC pathway and it could be a potential drug candidate to prevent IR-induced hepatic manifestations.

Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 27;21(17):6211. Mangosteen Pericarp and Its Bioactive Xanthones: Potential Therapeutic Value in Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Depression with Pharmacokinetic and Safety Profiles. Ha Thi Thu Do, Jungsook Cho

Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and depression are growing burdens for society globally, partly due to a lack of effective treatments. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.,) pericarp (MP) and its xanthones may provide therapeutic advantages for these disorders. In this review, we discuss potential therapeutic value of MP-derived agents in AD, PD, and depression with their pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.

MP-derived agents have shown multifunctional effects including neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-neuroinflammatory actions. In addition, they target specific disease pathologies, such as amyloid beta production and deposition as well as cholinergic dysfunction in AD; ?-synuclein aggregation in PD; and modulation of monoamine disturbance in depression. Particularly, the xanthone derivatives, including ?-mangostin and ?-mangostin, exhibit potent pharmacological actions. However, low oral bioavailability and poor brain penetration may limit their therapeutic applications. These challenges can be overcome in part by administering as a form of MP extract (MPE) or using specific carrier systems. MPE and ?-mangostin are generally safe and well-tolerated in animals. Furthermore, mangosteen-based products are safe for humans. Therefore, MPE and its bioactive xanthones are promising candidates for the treatment of AD, PD, and depression. Further studies including clinical trials are essential to decipher their efficacy, and pharmacokinetic and safety profiles in these disorders.

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

Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance correlated with Parkinson’s symptoms: One of the most ground breaking research discoveries of the past decade ….

Are you tired all the time. Do you usually have little energy?

The breakdown of glucose synthesis may well be the reason. Metabolically, insulin receptors play a key role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis, Insulin signaling controls access to blood glucose in body cells.

Do you typically feel better in the morning before you have had something to eat? This is a clue that you may be susceptible to insulin resistance. Fasting over night means that is a 12 hour or more period you have not eaten anything. This is the condition needed by the body for the liver to manufacture ketones. Before eating anything in the morning. your brain is being efficiently fueled by ketones rather than glucose which is the by product of eating anything.

Epidemiological evidence and experimental data support the interaction between Parkinson’s and diabetes. Treatments for diabetes show promising neuro-protective results in PD patients for both diabetic and non-diabetic patients, Therefore, the role of anti-diabetic treatments for Parkinson’s patients offers a promising therapeutic approach

Ask your self – why are so many persons diagnosed with neurological conditions so thin? A logical reason is that when they eat, their symptoms worsen, so they do not eat regularly

Studies that find the connection between insulin resistance and Parkinson’s symptoms

Mov Disord. 2022 Aug;37(8):1612-1623. The Impact of Type 2 Diabetes in Parkinson’s Disease. Dilan Athauda, James Evans, Anna Wernick, Gurvir Virdi, Minee L Choi, Michael Lawton, Nirosen Vijiaratnam, Christine Girges, Yoav Ben-Shlomo, Khalida Ismail, Huw Morris, Donald Grosset, Thomas Foltynie, Sonia Gandhi 

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is an established risk factor for developing Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its effect on disease progression is not well understood.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of T2DM on aspects of disease progression in PD.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Tracking Parkinson’s study to examine the effects of comorbid T2DM on PD progression and quality of life by comparing symptom severity scores assessing a range of motor and nonmotor symptoms.

Results: We identified 167 (8.7%) patients with PD and T2DM (PD + T2DM) and 1763 (91.3%) patients with PD without T2DM (PD). After controlling for confounders, patients with Type 2 Diabetes had more severe motor symptoms, as assessed by Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Part III (25.8 [0.9] vs. 22.5 [0.3] P = 0.002), and nonmotor symptoms, as assessed by Non-Motor Symptoms Scale total (38.4 [2.5] vs. 31.8 [0.7] P < 0.001), and were significantly more likely to report loss of independence (odds ratio, 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-3.25; P = 0.001) and depression (odds ratio, 1.62; CI: 1.10-2.39; P = 0.015). Furthermore, over time, patients with T2DM had significantly faster motor symptom progression (P = 0.012), developed worse mood symptoms (P = 0.041), and were more likely to develop substantial gait impairment (hazard ratio, 1.55; CI: 1.07-2.23; P = 0.020) and mild cognitive impairment (hazard ratio, 1.7; CI: 1.24-2.51; P = 0.002) compared with the PD group. 

Conclusions: In the largest study to date, T2DM is associated with faster disease progression in Parkinson’s, highlighting an interaction between these two diseases. Because it is a potentially modifiable metabolic state, with multiple peripheral and central targets for intervention, it may represent a target for alleviating parkinsonian symptoms and slowing progression to disability and dementia. 

Mov Disord. 2021 Jun;36(6):1420-1429. Type 2 Diabetes as a Determinant of Parkinson’s Disease Risk and Progression. Harneek Chohan, Konstantin Senkevich, Radhika K Patel, Jonathan P Bestwick, Benjamin M Jacobs, Sara Bandres Ciga, Ziv Gan-Or, Alastair J Noyce 

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are prevalent diseases that affect an aging population. Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have explored the relationship between diabetes and the risk of PD, but the results have been conflicting. 

Objective: The objective was to investigate T2DM as a determinant of PD through a meta-analysis of observational and genetic summary data.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was undertaken by searching 6 databases. We selected the highest-quality studies investigating the association of T2DM with PD risk and progression. We then used Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal effects of genetic liability toward T2DM on PD risk and progression, using summary data derived from genome-wide association studies.

Results: In the observational part of the study, pooled effect estimates showed that T2DM was associated with an increased risk of PD (odds ratio [OR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.36), and there was some evidence that T2DM was associated with faster progression of motor symptoms (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.55, 95% CI 0.39-0.72) and cognitive decline (SMD -0.92, 95% CI -1.50 to -0.34). Using MR, we found supportive evidence for a causal effect of diabetes on PD risk (inverse-variance weighted method [IVW] OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14; P = 0.010) and some evidence of an effect on motor progression (IVW OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20; P = 0.032) but not on cognitive progression.

Conclusions: Using meta-analyses of traditional observational studies and genetic data, we observed convincing evidence for an effect of T2DM on PD risk and new evidence to support a role in PD progression.   

J Parkinsons Dis. 2020;10(3):775-789. The Association Between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Parkinson’s Disease. Julia L Y Cheong, Eduardo de Pablo-Fernandez, Thomas Foltynie Alastair J Noyce

Abstract

In recent years, an emerging body of evidence has forged links between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In observational studies, those with T2DM appear to be at increased risk of developing PD, as well as experiencing faster progression and a more severe phenotype of PD, with the effects being potentially mediated by several common cellular pathways. The insulin signalling pathway, for example, may be responsible for neurodegeneration via insulin dysregulation, aggregation of amyloids, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and altered synaptic plasticity. In light of these potential shared disease mechanisms, clinical trials are now investigating the use of established diabetes drugs targeting insulin resistance in the management of PD.  

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