Category Archives: naturopaths

Parkinson’s Disease: An Integrative Individualized Approach

What follows is an article written specifically on Parkinson’s that was written by Dr. Daniel Newman, M.D., N.D., M.S.O.M. and presented to a Parkinson’s support group in Portland, Oregon in October, 2009. For those who are attentive to initials that appear after people’s names, you may have already observed that Daniel Newman is a medical doctor, a naturopath doctor and an expert in Chinese medicine. What a powerful combination that is!

I aired an interview with Dr. Newman next month on the Parkinsons Recovery radio show.
visit Dr. Newman on Treating Parkinson’s to hear the recording of the program

Dr. Newman has a wealth of experience working with persons who have the symptoms of Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions. Dr. Newman reports evidence of recovery during the interview. He has a clinic in Vancouver, Washington where he sees Parkinson’s patients in addition to individuals with other chronic conditions.

This is an insightful and exciting article. I encourage everyone with the symptoms of Parkinson’s to take the time to read it through to the end.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

It is estimated that Parkinson’s Disease affects 1.5 million people in the United States, and about 1% of all Americans over age 60. While a small percentage of Parkinson’s Disease can be considered hereditary, in the vast majority of cases, the cause is deemed ‘idiopathic,’ or unknown. Nevertheless, there is increasing evidence that environmental toxins play a role in the destruction of the substantia nigra, the nest of dopamine producing neurons in the midbrain whose loss is the defining anatomical feature in Parkinson’s Disease.

Toxins implicated in the development of Parkinson’s Disease include: recreational drugs (such as cocaine and amphetamines); pharmaceutical drugs (e.g., phenothiazines and metoclopramide); pesticides (such as β-hexachlorocyclohexane or B-HCH and rotenone); solvents (e.g., toluene, hexane, and trichloroethylene or TCE); and metals (such as mercury, lead, copper, and manganese).

Parkinson’s Disease can present as a spectrum of symptoms, from mild to severe. Aside from the characteristic tremor, patients with Parkinson’s Disease may manifest problems with: movement (slow arm swing, small handwriting, accelerating small steps when walking, rigidity, freezing, and decreased facial expression); balance (instability and the tendency to fall backwards); speech (slurred or muffled); diminished reflexes (including blinking and swallowing); sleep disturbance; mood disorders (anxiety or depression); difficulty thinking (cognitive dysfunction or dementia); constipation; and skin problems (either dry or oily).

Because of this broad spectrum of symptom type and severity, the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease patients must be individualized. The treatment program for a patient with simply a mild hand tremor should not be the same as for a patient with long-term, severe, incapacitating symptoms.

Treatment should accomplish three goals:

  • 1. Symptom management – control of symptoms that have already manifested.
  • 2. Neuro-protection – slow or prevent the further loss of dopaminergic neurons by providing the body with compounds that facilitate protection of nerve cells.
  • 3. Detoxification – lower the burden of toxic chemicals in the body to prevent further destruction of dopaminergic neurons.

An Integrative Approach to Treatment

My approach to the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease combines conventional treatment, naturopathic medicine, and Chinese medicine. I believe that each of these approaches has something unique to offer. Conventional treatment, in particular pharmaceuticals, can be helpful in managing the symptoms of advanced Parkinson’s Disease. However, conventional medicine has little to offer in the realms of neuro-protection or detoxification.

Naturopathic medicine has a breadth of modalities that can be useful in addressing neuro-protection and detoxification, and can be helpful in symptom management, but may not be able to blunt the symptoms of late stage disease without pharmaceutical support.

Chinese medicine utilizes a different paradigm than Western medicine (either allopathic or naturopoathic), looking at the body energetically. It may therefore be helpful in all 3 arenas of treatment, particularly when two of the primary treatment modalities, acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas, are combined.

Symptom Management

Management of Parkinson’s Disease symptoms may involve the use of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the later stages of illness. Drugs used for Parkinson’s Disease include those that: boost the amount of dopamine in the brain by offering dopamine precursors (such as Sinemet, Apokyn, and Stalevo); act like dopamine in the brain (e.g., Mirapex, Requip, Permax, and Parlodel); block dopamine’s competing neurotransmitter, acetylcholine (e.g., Artane, Cogentin, Akineton, and Benadryl); and prevent dopamine from being broken down as quickly (Comtan, Tasmar, Eldepryl, and Azilect).

While these medications can be useful in some circumstances, they are not without side effects, sometimes serious ones. Also, they may become less effective over time requiring ‘drug holidays.’ And, there is some suggestion that by overly exciting the remaining dopamine producing neurons in the brain, they may actually accelerate the progression of disease.

In some cases, deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be helpful in lessening the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease where medications fail. However, this is an expensive neurosurgical procedure that carries its own attendant risks. It is not a cure, and though it may reduce motor symptoms by up to 60%, worsening of other symptoms, like cognitive dysfunction, is not uncommon.

Exercise, such as balance work, Tai Ji, and Qi Gong, has been shown in recent studies to be helpful in mitigating the balance issues in Parkinson’s Disease, and should be a part of any treatment program. Other types of exercise to promote general fitness, such as stretching, strengthening and aerobic exercise, can be useful in promoting general health and well being, thereby improving symptoms as well.

Dietary changes and appropriate personalized supplements may be helpful in addressing issues with skin condition, bowel function, sleep disturbance, and mood. A whole foods, organic, anti-inflammatory diet is a basic foundation. Diet should be further individualized based upon food sensitivities and digestive tract issues.

Chinese herbs and acupuncture may also be helpful with symptom management. Two systems of acupuncture, auriculotherapy (the use of needles retained in the ear) and scalp acupuncture (the use of needles retained in the scalp) are particularly useful in treating neurologic conditions like Parkinson’s Disease. Chinese herbs are best administered in synergistic combinations, specifically formulated for each individual based upon their Chinese energetic diagnosis.

Psycho-emotional health is very important in controlling symptoms. Individual counseling, support groups, meditation, and social networks can all be useful in supporting the spirit of the afflicted individual.

Neuro-protection

Protecting neurons against further damage is an essential part of preventing progression of disease in Parkinson’s Disease. While some nutritional supplements have been studied and show promise in this regard (Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin E, for example), there are many others for whom more indirect evidence of antioxidant / neuro-protective effects exists. These include: R-lipoic acid, Carnitine, Acetyl-carnitine, Uridine, Alpha-glycerophosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC), Vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine, Fish oils, Lithium orotate, Zinc, Vitamins B1, B5, B6, B12, Folic acid, and Phosphatidyl serine.

There are also a number of herbs that have shown promise in protecting neurons against damage, and / or improving dopaminergic activity in the brain. These include: Gingko biloba, Mucuna pruriens, Vinpocetine, Withania somniferens (Ashwaganda), Bacopa  monniera; Rosemary; and several Chinese herbs (Dan Shen, Ye Jiao Teng, Bai Zi Ren, Huang Qi and Suan Zao Ren, to name a few).

Not all supplements or herbs should be used in all Parkinson’s Disease patients, nor should they be used in the same amounts. The extent of progression of disease, size and age of the individual, use of concurrent medications, and additional medical problems must all be considered in personalizing a safe and effective regimen.

Exercise, as mentioned above, particularly cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise, can increase cerebral blood flow by promoting healthy vasculature, thereby exerting a neuro-protective effect as well.

Detoxification

We live in a toxic world. Unprecedented pollution of our land, water, and air, due to decades of emissions, has reached the far corners of the globe. Radioactive plutonium can be found in remote areas of the arctic. Lead from gasoline banned in the United States 30 years ago can still be found in the atmosphere. Residues of pesticides banned over 40 years ago, such as DDT, can still be detected in our food supply.

Low levels of long-term toxin exposure tend to have an insidious effect on health over many years. Most toxicology studies look at the effects of acute poisoning, that is, a large dose given over a short period of time. Such studies form the primary basis for government recommendations of safe contact levels. However, we are all exposed to low levels of a multitude of toxins over a long period of time. Data on the effects of this real life exposure pattern is scant. However, experiments have demonstrated that even a single contact to legally acceptable levels of tainted air can have a lethal effect on laboratory animals.

Until the point when the sum of cellular damage from toxicity exceeds your body’s ability to compensate, you may feel perfectly well. The moment your body can no longer compensate for the amount of cellular damage you have accumulated, you get sick. It may seem like disease came on suddenly, when in fact you could not sense the accumulation of cellular toxicity until it reached a critical threshold.

The total amount of toxicity we have accumulated during our life-times is referred to as our ‘toxic load.’ This is not a single number, like a blood pressure, for there is no way to calculate the total of all the poisons and damage from toxicity we have experienced in our lifetime. Rather, we can get a general idea based upon our past history of exposure to certain toxins. We can also perform tests to detect certain toxins that we may suspect, or that are highly toxic or ubiquitous, such as heavy metals. We can also test for toxicity indirectly, by looking at chemical end products of oxidation (rusting), or levels of antioxidant protection.

Some people clearly have high toxic loads based upon their history. I have had patients, including those with Parkinson’s Disease, who acted as flaggers for crop dusting planes, dipped their hands in poisonous solvents to clean mechanical parts, chewed on lead rope, or as children, ran behind trucks spraying DDT or played with balls of mercury. Other patients I have attended to may not have had such clear contact, but upon testing had extremely high levels of environmental toxins from unknown exposures.

The first principle of detoxification is not to get toxic in the first place. This means avoiding toxins wherever possible. It is not feasible to avoid toxicity altogether, as there is nowhere on earth that is truly a pristine environment anymore. Nevertheless, there are many specific ways to limit toxic exposure.

The most critical step in toxicity avoidance, however, is to be conscious about it. Educate yourself about what is toxic, what alternatives there are or what protective steps you can take. And, keep toxicity exposure in mind when you decide where to live, what to eat or drink, or what products to use.

Apart from toxicity avoidance, which is preferred and of paramount importance, the second most important principle is to learn how to work with your body to improve your ability to detoxify. In order to do this, it is helpful to know something about the detoxification process.

Detoxification occurs both at the level of the cells and the body as a whole. At the level of the cells, detoxification involves several factors. First, wherever possible, the toxic substance must be removed from the cell and/or neutralized. Anti-oxidants help neutralize chemically reactive toxic substances called ‘free-radicals.’ There are proteins called metallothioneins, which help neutralize and removed toxic heavy metals, such as mercury.

The cell membrane, which is the bag that surrounds our cells, is a complex border where decisions (in effect) are made about what gets in and out of the cell. It is mostly made of fat, and having the right balance of lipids in the cell membrane can effect the removal of toxins from the cell.

With regard to the body as a whole, enhanced circulation such as with exercise can improve blood flow to the cells, facilitating the removal of cellular toxins. Since much of the body’s toxic load is stored in the fat, breaking down fat with proper diet and exercise can also boost detoxification.

Once toxins have been mobilized from cells into the circulation, they must exit the body. They may exit via the urine (kidneys), stool (colon), sweat (skin), or breath (lungs). Elimination may be improved through these organs by various means. However, arguably the most important organ of detoxification is not an organ of direct elimination, but rather the liver.

The liver may be likened here to the sewage processing plant of the body. Chemical toxins (raw sewage) must be metabolized (processed) in order to be safely eliminated (dumped) by the body. Most petrochemical toxins, such as herbicides, pesticides, solvents, cleaning compounds, plastics, and cosmetics are primarily lipid soluble. Lipid solubility means that they dissolve more easily in fat than they do in water. To facilitate their elimination, the liver converts them into compounds that are more soluble in water. The liver also attempts to mitigate their toxicity by converting them into compounds that are less toxic than the original compound. By converting poisons in this way, they can more easily be eliminated, and, while in circulation, are likely to be less toxic.

Effective detoxification is an ongoing process of avoiding toxins wherever possible, and eliminating those that have accumulated in the body. Elimination involves the mobilization and removal of toxins that have built up in the body. This is most effectively accomplished by a well orchestrated program of facilitating toxin mobilization from the tissues, supporting their removal by the organs of detoxification, and optimizing the function of the body as a whole.

Detoxification is not necessarily an entirely benign process. If toxins are mobilized faster than they can be eliminated from the body, or if the body is not properly supported during detoxification, then people can feel more ill than they did before the process was started.

This may occur due to a phenomenon known as ‘re-distribution,’ in which a toxic molecule residing in a harmless location (let’s say, the fat in your buttock) is mobilized into circulation, but before it can be eliminated from the body it ends up re-depositing in a not so benign location, like the brain.

Thus, while some aspects of detoxification are safe for individuals to self-administer, others are best guided by well-trained physicians. Even in the best of hands, depending upon one’s initial state of health, constitution, and toxic load, it is not uncommon for people to feel initially worse before they get better.

A successful detoxification program is therefore a bit like conducting an orchestra or making a soup: you need the right components or ingredients, in the right amounts, introduced at the right time. Sometimes, small well-placed adjustments can mean the difference between a serenade and cacophony, or delectable versus inedible.

Successful detoxification requires a degree of vigilance for toxicity avoidance: eating clean food, drinking clean water, and generally avoiding chemicals in one’s environment. The remainder of the detoxification process, which should be supervised by a physician skilled in this process, would include diagnostic testing to assess hormone balance, nutritional deficiencies, signs of inflammation, and other disease states. Following this, appropriate supplements and procedures to facilitate toxin elimination would be prescribed.

Conclusion

In summary, an integrative individualized treatment program for Parkinson’s Disease takes into consideration the stage of disease progression, and overall health and age of the patient. There are three main areas of focus: symptom management; neuro-protection; and detoxification. Conventional, naturopathic, and Chinese medicine modalities should be skillfully blended to maximize treatment efficacy.

Daniel I Newman, M.D., N.D., M.S.O.M.
RISING HEALTH
Classical & Modern Medicine
www.drdanielnewman.com
Naturopathic Medicine 8301 NE Hazel Dell Ave.
Acupuncture P.O.B. 65759
Chinese Herbs Vancouver, WA 98665
Internal Medicine Board Certified TEL 360-696-3800
Pain Medicine Board Certified FAX 360-696-09067

Anxiety and Depression Relief through Natural Interventions

Click on the link below to claim Dr. Kristen Allott’s handout for how to achieve depression relief by optimizing your brain health. The handout provides excellent guidelines that make it possible to achieve depression relief and reduce anxiety by eating small amounts of protein throughout the day.

Dr. Allott will be a guest on the Parkinsons Recovery Radio Show Halloween. Call into the show and ask her your questions! I have copied below Dr. Allott’s overview of how the right nutrition can reduce anxiety and offer relef from depression.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery
http://www.parkinsonsrecovery.com

 

Optimize Your Brain

Copyright © 2012 Kristen Allott, ND, L.Ac.

www.dynamicpaths.com

Please consult with your doctor before changing your diet.

Healthy Protein Sources

Legumes Nuts

Firm Tofu 1/2 c 20 g Nuts 1/4 c 8 g

Tofu 1/2 c 10 g Seeds 2 T 3 g

Tempeh 1/2 c 16 g Nut butter 2 T 8 g

Lentils 1/2 c 9 g Seed butter 2 T 5 g

Refried beans 1/2 c 8 g Milk Products

Whole beans 1/2 c 7 g Cottage cheese (LF) 1/2 c 12 g

Gardenburger 1 patty 11 g High Protein Yogurt 1/2 c 8-9 g

Seed Grains Not Milk or cheese

Quinea 1/2 c 11 g Eggs

Barley 1/2 c 10 g Egg, whole 1 7 g

Dark rye flour 1/2 c 9 g

Millet 1/2 c 4 g

Oats 1/2 c 3 g Note: Egg yolks contain nutrients that

are excellent for mental health.

Brown rice 1/2 c 3 g

White rice 1/2 c 3 g

Dairy Substitutes Protein powder 1 T 9-15 g

Soy milk 1 c 6 g Yogurt (LF) 1 c 8-14 g

Soy cheese 1 oz 4-7 g Wild fish 3 oz 21 g

Soy yogurt 1 c 6 g Chicken, Turkey,

Beef, Pork

3 oz 21 g

Other

 

Protein for Mental Health

Small frequent meals with protein help the brain synthesize dopamine and serotonin and stabilize blood glucose to help you feel better. Be sure to also eat vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

How much protein should I eat?

The quick calculation for your target protein intake is 8 grams of protein for every 20 lbs of body weight, or one-third of your caloric intake is protein. Most people feel  better when they eat at least 20 grams in the morning, 20 grams in the afternoon and 20 grams in the evening. The maximum  amount of protein per day is 120 grams.

Your Weight

(lbs)

Target

(g protein)

Acceptable Range

(g protein)

100 40 36-45

120 48 43-54

140 56 50-63

160 64 57-72

180 72 64-81

200 80 71-90

 

Portion control

Here are some visual clues to help you keep servings to the proper size:

 3 oz of any meat= a deck of playing cards

 ½ c cooked grain = a small fist

 1 oz cheese = a thumb

 1 oz nuts = a golf ball

 1 T nut butter or nuts = a silver dollar or a walnut

 

Benefits of eating enough protein

 Less fatigue, particularly in the afternoons

 Better sleep

 More energy

 Hungry less often

 Better and more stable moods

 Higher metabolism from having more muscle mass

 

Lizard Brain Treat

 1/4 cup of fruit juice or a ‘tot box’ of

juice

 1/4 cup of nuts (almonds, cashews,

hazelnuts)

Use the Lizard Brain Treat when you are:

 anxious, irritated, or agitated.

 anticipating something that makes you anxious, irritated and/

or agitated.

 not hungry after waking in the morning. Try having nuts and

juice on your bed stand and consume the treat prior to getting

out of bed.

 hungry, having gone too long (more than 4 hours) without

eating.

 having 3 AM “committee meetings”: waking at 3 AM and being

sure that sleep won’t come for 2 hours.

 

Optimize Your Brain

Copyright © 2012 Kristen Allott, ND, L.Ac.

www.dynamicpaths.com

Please consult with your doctor before

changing your diet.

 

Three Day of Ridiculous Amounts of Protein: Protein Every Three Hours

7 AM Breakfast: (14 grams of protein) within an hour of waking

Two eggs, 1 piece of toast, one apple or pear

10AM Snack: (6-7 grams of protein)

1/4 cup of nuts: almonds, peanuts, cashews, and hazelnuts

Or 1/4 cup cottage cheese

Or 2 TBS of nut butter-peanut, almond, and/or cashew

12 to 1PM Lunch: (21 grams of protein) meat the size of a deck of cards

This can be a sandwich, wrap, salad, or soup.

Plus 1 cup of veggies or 1 cup of whole real grain-brown rice, quinoa, and bulgur

Be sure that there is a little veggie fat– avocado, nut oil and/or olive oil.

3 pm Snack: (6-7 grams of protein)

1/4 cup of nuts-almonds, peanuts, cashews, and hazelnuts

Or 1/4 cup cottage cheese

Or 2 TBS of nut butter-peanut, almond, and/or cashew

6 PM Dinner: (21 grams of protein) meat the size of a deck of cards

This can be a sandwich, wrap, salad, or soup.

Plus 1 cup of veggies or 1 cup of whole real grain-brown rice, quinoa, and/or bulgur

Be sure that there is a little veggie fat– avocado, nut oil and/or olive oil.

Before Bed: 1-2 slices of turkey or meat

On Top of PD – Cancer – What Now?

Question:

I have been quite silent………….diagnosis breast cancer in June and debilitating backward on PD recovery…….

HOW DOES ONE WHO WAS WELL ON ROAD TO RECOVERY ABOUT 75% THERE DO IT WHEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER WHICH TAKES THE IMMEDIATE TIME AND ATTENTION AWAY FROM PD RECOVERY?

Joan

Response:

I am so sorry to hear the bad news. Sometimes our bodies keep giving us signals that something is seriously out of balance.

The question really does turn on where you place your attention and your thoughts moment to moment. If the attention is placed on what is broken in your body, you will be in fear most of the time, or at least – that would certainly be the case for me. If you find yourself in a suspended state of fear, it will be most difficult to heal.

I think there is a different response – one that leads you into a sustained state that promotes recovery. This response focuses on the truth that your body knows how to heal itself. This response focuses on what you need to do for your body to help it heal. In other words, this is likely the same path you were on as you have already recovered  75% from the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

What in particular does this mean for you in terms of taking action?  There are certainly many answers to this question. There are of course excellent medical doctors who are experts at treating cancers. Other options are also available to you.

I would recommend you listen to my radio show from last week when I interviewed Dr. Ivy Faber. She is a naturopath doctor who offers her perspective on healing and wellness which focuses on what is needed to help the body heal itself.

Of course, there is always Jump Start to Wellness where you can get help with  helping yourself heal. We will be in San Diego this year in October.

The radio show link is here:
www.blogtalkradio.com/parkinsons-recovery

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

Resources
Dehydration Therapy: Aquas
Parkinsons Recovery Membership
Parkinsons Eye Problems
Vibroacoustic Therapy
Jump Start to Wellness
Parkinsons Recovery Chat Room
Symptom Tracker

Books
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
Pioneers of Recovery
Five Steps to Recovery
Meditations for Parkinsons

12 Steps to Recovery

On my radio program this week I interview John Coleman, ND. John is a naturopath doctor from Australia who was diagnosed with an advanced stage of Parkinson’s in 1995, but is symptom free today.  John sponsors a 12 step recovery program for people interested in finding ways to get relief from their symptoms.

Below are the eight questions that I will ask John during the interview Thursday.

1. I live in Brazil and my mother, 81 years old, was recently diagnosed with Parkinson´s Disease. She has Polycythemia Vera too. I would like to know if I can give her B2 Vitamin (riboflavin), 20mg/three times daily,
with no risk of increase her hematocrit (actual level is 46).

2. My wife has been slightly anemic for over 5 years, just after she was afflicted with PD. Her hemoglobin, iron content and  % saturation have been all below the minimum recommended range, despite valiant efforts to increase it, like taking iron pills and eating iron rich foods. Her Dr says that taking FE pills is not efficient, as it is poorly absorbed. Apparently, a lot of PD patients have this problem.  What steps should she take?

3. How do you deal with the orthostatic hypotension?  I take florineff and midodrine. I hate them – side effects arr horrendous.

4. I have tried almost every therapy and treatment over the past five years, but that darn PD still seems to progress. This included two stem cell treatments, UCB by IV out of the country…. Improved over the first six months, but them benefits faded away! What supplements have you fond help the most?

5. Could you tell me – have you come across very many people who can link their Parkinsonism to taking Lipitor?

6. How can I get the best movement possible with the least amount of meds?

7. What will c/l dopa help and what won’t it help? What can I expect to be improved?

8. Are there any preventive measures my Mum (who has Parkinsons) should be taking with regard to the swine flu?

I hope you can join us on Thursday at 11:00 am pacific time for the radio program.

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

Sugar Cravings

So, you thought Part II of my holiday
sugar series would be posted the
next day? Afraid not my friend.

Since I decided to indulge in my
favorite sweet for the holidays –
pumpkin pie – I went into a spot of
low energy and depression.

I am back up and running, though
it always takes a few days. Sound
familiar?

How in the world do you (and I) reduce
sugar cravings that have haunted
us our entire life? We can address
nutritional deficiencies, remove
barriers to healing and strengthen
our immune systems. I will briefly
discuss each strategy.

Address Nutritional Deficiencies

First it is important to acknowledge
that sugar cravings mean that you
are not giving your body the nutrition
that is necessary for it to function
optimally. We are certified body
abusers. The abused victim in this case
just happens to be our own body.  

You can approach this challenge in
two ways. First, you can set about
to determine what nutritional deficiencies
are contributing to the imbalance. Is it
too little of Vitamin D3, or B6, or B12 or
magnesium or …?

You can ask your doctor to order an
exhaustive series of tests that evaluate
nutritional deficiencies in the body.
Specific prescriptions of vitamin and
mineral supplements will remedy the
deficiencies in time and reduce the
cravings.

This approach works well for some
people. The downside it is expensive,
time consuming and time limited. The tests
have to be repeated again and again to
maintain the balance that is needed.

Second, you can focus your intent and
energy on giving your body all the
nutrition it needs to heal. This means
eating fresh foods that are free of
pesticides and additives.

With this strategy, what does it matter
today whether you are deficient in one
vitamin or mineral or another? If you eat
nutritious, fresh food every day, you
will eventually give your body all the
nutrition it needs to come back into balance.

Assess Barriers to Healing

What are barriers to healing? Certainly,
food allergies are at the top of the
list for most people. One of my most favorite
foods is whipped cream. I love eating whipped
cream. It makes me happy.

Whipped cream makes my intestines bloat.
My entire digestive system screams out
in pain. My spleen is not a happy camper.
I pay the price for my few minutes of
pleasure for the next 48 hours. And no, I
am not out of the woods yet from eating
pumpkin pie and whipped cream several days
ago. 

My body has a strong allergic reaction to dairy.
End of story. If I eat dairy, I pay the price. 

Toxins also pose fundamental obstacles to healing.
Many people do all the right things to heal the symptoms
of Parkinsons but see little result from their efforts.
This is because their bodies are swamped with too
many heavy metals, poisons, pesticides, cleaning
chemicals or other chemicals that rip up the integrity
of their body’s organs.

The solution is to identify the toxins. Then, 
adopt a program of cleansing to get rid of them. 
The cleansing program should work at a gentle
pace that you body can tolerate. Too much
scrubbing too quickly can create other worrisome
problems.

I have invited Dr. Ivy Faber to be my guest
in a teleseminar tomorrow (Tuesday) who will discuss
approaches for identifying toxins in your body and
methods for releasing them. Click on the link
below to find out more about my interview with her.
Ask your questions at the bottom of the page.

http://www.instantteleseminar.com/?preview=1&previewbar=1&eventid=4975707

Strengthen your Immune System

Finally, it very well may be that
your immune system has crashed. You will
never be able to fight off viruses and
bacterial infections unless you can get
your immune system back on track.

There are many very effective therapies which make
use of natural herbs and medicines that can help
build your immune system back up so that your body
will have the overall strength to heal.

Your body will not begin to address neural issues
if infections or viral threats are screaming for
attention. When the body becomes overloaded with
challenges, it prioritizes what problems need to
be addressed first. Infections are at the top of
the list. Neural abnormalities are toward the bottom
of the body’s priority ranking.

In summary, pay attention to the basics and your body
will heal itself. Sugar will no longer rule your mind
or your life. The problems of fatigue, depression and
sleeplessness will become memories of the distant
past.

Write any question you have for Dr. Faber. I will be happy
to ask it tomorrow time permitting.

http://www.instantteleseminar.com/?preview=1&previewbar=1&eventid=4975707
 

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Parkinsons Recovery

© 2008 Parkinsons Recovery