Physical Therapy and Parkinson’s

Walter Mady discusses the importance of Physical Therapy for the Parkinson’s disease patient and the factors that have made the biggest difference in addressing his own Parkinson’s symptoms.

  • Walter Mady has been a Physical Therapist for 28 years in the private sector.  Physical Therapists are healthcare specialists utilizing their knowledge of anatomy and physiology, therapeutic exercise, and ADL modifications when treating the Parkinson’s disease patient.
  • He specializes in manual therapy, orthopedic physical therapy, and is a specialist in exercise recreationally and therapeutically
  • Walter was diagnosed in 2008 with Parkinson’s Disease..
  • He will discuss and stress the importance of nutrition and exercise.

Walter Mady [wmady@comcast.net]

Shifting the Parkinson’s Disease Mindset

Dr. Hageseth dates his first non-motor symptoms to 2004 when his sense of smell disappeared. In 2008 he developed severe constipation which he has had ever since. In 2011 he saw the emergence of a tremor in his right hand which progressed over the following year to involve his entire right side. It went on to include stooped posture, shuffling gait, and problems with balance. A neurologist confirmed his diagnosis in 2012. He tried three different medications over the next four months but discontinued each one due to side effects or lack of efficacy.

His neurologist gave him one piece of advice: EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE.

A year later many of his symptoms had regressed. He attributed his improvement to the intensity of his exercise and taking up yoga. He established his first website: Sweating Out Parkinson’s Disease. He intended to encourage other PWPs to follow his example.

By 2014 he was doing so well that he had a DAT scan to confirm the diagnosis of PD. It was positive.

Over the last year and a half, he explored why more people aren’t doing better with PD. It was then that he started to examine how the mind may influence the course of PD. Exercise is the key to living a full life with PD, But if the mind does not believe the degree of improvement that exercise can achieve. Then improvement will only go so far.

Because of the problem of dyskinesia developing after five years on levodopa, he thinks newly diagnosed should pursue a program of great intensity and focus and manage their minds, so they realize they can live with PD and not require levodopa.Visit: www.shiftpdmind.com

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Functional Medicine: a New Paradigm in Medicine

Dr. Jennifer Kessman MD discusses how to heal from disease. Functional Medicine has been around for a number of years and began with Dr. Jeffery Bland’s motivation to look at medicine in a different way. Now the field of Functional
Medicine is ever expanding and a center at the Cleveland Clinic has opened its doors for care. It is becoming more widely accepted and parts of functional medicine have been integrated into a wide variety of disciplines in medicine.

Here is a list of questions she answered during my interview with her:

1. What is Functional Medicine?
2. How did you come to get involved in Functional Medicine?
3. What are the root causes of disease?
4. So, if inflammation is the basis of disease how does functional medicine help with inflammation?
5. Tell me about your experience with Environmental Medicine?
6. Dr. Dale Bredesen and others have found ways to reverse early brain dysfunction and reverse dementia. How are they doing this?
7. Do you think this can apply to Parkinson’s?
8. The immune system is a big actor in most diseases we know- how can we calm our immune system?
9. What has been your experience with environmental impact of electromagnetic fields and brain dysfunction?
10. What is the influence of stress on disease?

Robert

 

Macrobiotics: The Natural Medicine for Parkinson’s Symptoms

My guest on Parkinsons Recovery Radio today was Warren Kramer from Macrobiotics of New England who discussed what is involved with a successful macrobiotic practice for Parkinson’s and why it is so powerful in improving one’s health. Click on the arrow below to hear this useful and amazing interview today:

Macrobiotics Natural Treatment of Parkinson’s
Warren discussed how to tailor the macrobiotic approach to address symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. He also previewed what foods are best to avoid and to incorporate. Interested in natural remedies to address your symptoms? He offers several natural home remedies and lifestyle factors to consider.
  • Do you have tremors? Warren has some awesome suggestions for  you.
  • Do you have mobility issues? Warren also has some awesome suggestions for you too.

Topics discussed during the interview included:

1) Where does macrobiotics come from?
2) What is the difference between what a dietitian would suggest and you?
3) Why is macrobiotics effective in healing?
4) How do lifestyle factors play a role in healing?
5) What are the most important foods that a person with Parkinson’s should avoid?
6) What foods to include?
7) What are natural home remedies? What can help Parkinson’s?

Robert

Unshackling the Chains of Fear

Fred Phillips offers his insights into how he gets immediate relief from a variety of his Parkinson’s symptoms. His solutions for Parkinson’s symptoms are novel and profound. Do you ever have difficulty when walking with:

  • Freezing?
  • Standing up?
  • Shuffling?
  • Slowness?
  • Leg Cramps?

If so, I strongly recommend that you listen to my interview with Fred today. He also previews his 10 step program to recovery.

Robert

 

Just Do Something Every Day

Tom House, PhD, is a former major league pitcher and currently the throwing coach to dozens of MLB pitchers and NFL quarterback, including Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s about five years ago, Tom brings all his experience as an athlete, coach, and sports physiology researcher to a daily program for Parkinson’s patients. The most important thing to Tom? Daily exercise. The name of his program? “Just Do Something Every Day.” www.justdosomethingeveryday.com

Just Do Something Every Day combines the FocusBand wearable brain frequency measuring device with a mobile app, creating a neuro-physiological daily exercise program. It’s well known that exercise is one of the best medicines for Parkinson’s. Exercise allows the remaining dopamine in the brain to be used more effectively, leading to longer “on times.” Neurofeedback allows the user to “train” the brain to be in a better state during exercise, making the exercise more effective. More effective exercise means better results, creating longer on times.

Tom’s goal: create an inexpensive, non-invasive program that can help every single person with Parkinson’s.

Wholistic or Holistic. How Different Parkinson’s People Approach Their Treatment

Since appearing on this show last fall, Dr. Hageseth has consulted with scores of what he calls Parkinson’s People (PPs).  PPs consist of Person’s with Parkinson’s (PwPs), caregivers, interested family and many different professionals.

Overall PPs are dissatisfied with allopathic medicine, but dissatisfied or not, many take medications with considerable benefit. The majority feel their neurologists do not take enough time with them or discuss other options with them.

The Internet abounds with alternative approaches, but sadly, most offer little data or studies to support their claims. I have interviewed several PPs who tried different treatments but with no success.

Holistic medicine should have a ‘W’ at the start of the word. Allopathic medicine helps, but it has its difficulties. I envision Wholistic medicine to include allopathic medicine and a healthy dose of Alternative Medicine as well.

The following quotes sum up my approach to PD

Don’t battle PD . . . challenge it – better yet, dance with it.

Do not resign yourself to PD, accept it and get on with your life.

Only you can engage your BodyMind to bring about self-directed neuroplastic change that will rewire your brain.

BUT it’s not up to your neurologist, IT’S UP TO YOU!

Five years. No medications. Parkinson’s Improving

Dr. Christian Hageseth, a 75-year-old retired psychiatrist has had PD for 5 ½ years. He tried three medications briefly early in his illness, but stopped due to side effects and expense. The day after his diagnosis he started studying yoga and now practices it daily. For exercise he does what he calls Mindful Power Walking and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT, also called Tabata). Finally, he has studied Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and meditates for 45 minutes each morning.

He has fewer motor symptoms that are less severe since the time of his diagnosis. Last year he hiked up a 14000-foot mountain peak in Colorado. When meeting people for the first time most cannot tell he has PD. He now feels it’s his mission to train other Persons with Parkinson’s (PwPs) how to reduce their medications, reduce some motor symptoms, and live a fuller life.

His program is called Integrating the BodyMind.  www.sweatingoutpd.com

John Pepper on How He Reversed His Parkinson’s Symptoms

John Pepper, author of Reverse Parkinsons Disease, is not a doctor. He is a Parkinson’s Patient with 51 years of experience. These are the actions, which have helped John reverse his symptoms.

  • Regular Energetic Exercise  
  • Learn how to Take Conscious Control of all movements
  • Manage Stress Levels
  • Adopt a Positive Attitude

John Pepper discusses his discoveries as he has journeyed down the road to recovery.  For more information visit John’s website: www.reverseparkinsons.net

Benefits of Exercise According to Lyle Gibson

The research clearly documents an endless list of benefits from exercise. Get the inside scoop on exercise from one man who has experienced relief from his own symptoms.

Lyle Gibson on Parkinsons Recovery Radio

Lyle Gibson was was a baseball player, tennis pro, a Boston Marathoner and local high school baseball and tennis coach. Lyle is better qualified than anyone I know to discuss the benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s. He was diagnosed several years ago.

Robert