I am watching a good friend deal with Parkinson's disease. Slowly he has had to give up first shooting sports, riding his Harley and soon fishing. Watching him try to fish gives me pause to think about how much I take for granted. No cure, few meds, not even any positive test to confirm you have Parkinson's. With all the new meds, all the new test or procedures you almost forget there are a lot of things the doctors still don't know and can not treat or cure. Sad to watch others get older faster than I am. Enjoy you family time is going fast.

I have a friend with PD. He rails against folks calling it a "progressive" disease. Nothing progressive about a condition that worsens on a monthly basis. He's a trooper and is doing the best he can.

Jon, I dealt with Parkinson's for 14 years. 24/7
It's a terrible disease.
It also made me a better man. But it took a while..

I hope medication helps slow the pace. But in all reality, if you are just seeing symptoms now, he's had it for quite a while already.
Just continue to be a friend. Sometimes just sitting around reminiscing is the best medicine of all.

Have a friend who is 75 who has it. Still does the field trial thing (one young pup), but his wife handles the dogs during the trials. His wife also put out the training birds, but he still does the shooting. He has a tough time of it, but he still has fun and he still tells some amazing stories.

I have a friend who's 54 year old son has Parkinsons. It was getting quite bad and he finally had to leave his position at work.
About 2 1/2 months ago he went through a procedure where they installed a battery operated pump under his skin that injects metered does of the drug throughout the day. It made an immediate positive change to his lifestyle. Supposedly a night/day difference and he has gone back to work.

Parkinson's disease symptoms can be greatly alleviated by proper nutrition. Paleodiet works, as it appears that Parkinson's is caused by Evolutionary Discordance, as far as nutritional pattern. Besides doubleguns, nutritional science is my other area of interest. I've followed Paleodiet for over 15 years, and besides losing over 200 lbs. With no regain, I totally eliminated several chronic heath conditions and am now a picture of good health.

Anyone with specific nutritional questions feel free to PM me.



http://paleoleap.com/paleo-for-seniors/

http://parkinsonslife.eu/which-specialist-diet-is-best-for-parkinsons-disease/

https://chriskresser.com/new-research-and-treatments-for-parkinsons-disease/

Regards
Ken

PM sent.

I totally agree with Ken about the importance of diet and health, and the importance of diet in regarding chronic diseases. I have followed an eating regimen for at least 15 years that stresses a balance of protein, carbs, (good carbs), and fat. The proper ratio is 7 - 9- 3 ......... protein to carbs to fat. When I began that I lost steadily but slowly to a very lean physique. I no longer get hungry between meals, because I do not eat sweet rolls, candy, cakes, pies, white bread, rice, or white potatoes (all bad carbs) on a daily basis. Do I cheat occasionally? Yep. I love pecan pie. But the important thing to remember about how you eat is that it's not what you eat every now and then that is determines your health, it is what you eat every day.

I wish I could have gotten my father-in-law on this regimen before he came down with Parkinson's and Alzheimers, and died within three years from them. There are great discoveries being made concerning Parkinson's. Watch this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDjQ7lKmH3s

SRH

Parkinson disease is indeed a progressive neurological disease in which the substantia nigra is diminished. The substantia nigra acts as a switchboard to transmit commands from the brain to other parts of the body. Thus one observes the decrease in coordination in Parkinson patients.

The loss in function of the substantia nigra is accompanied by a gradual loss of the dark color of the tissue in unstained brains. Once the substantia nigra is lost there is no way, to my knowledge, to regenerate the lost tissue.

A chemical compound from a failed designer drug synthesis, MPTP, is an agent that will cause Parkinson symptoms overnight in primates. This compound causes loss of the substantia nigra like observed in Parkinson patients but at a much more rapid rate.

Additional information about MPTP can be found on line or in the following program. I recommended this program to students when I lectured about designer drugs.

http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_474CF2C8A20B4173988486AC4C605A3C

I am unaware of any cures of this disease via diet, however a good diet could not hurt and may help alleviate the symptoms.

jlb

Yep, and some people exposed to "Crop dusting" show Parkinson-like symptoms as well.

When failure to initiate (aphasia?) sets in, Please be kind and just wait. Parkinson's proceeds by plateau, decline, plateau, decline. Ever downward, with brief periods of stability.
You learn a lot in 14 years, and for my wife, almost 20 solid.

It will make you a better man if you let it.

I have a good friend who also has Parkinsons. He fights it really hard. He takes boxing lessons, dances, hunts both birds and big game. He also works very harden his memory.
None-the-less at this time it is progressive.

I was reading some literature a few months ago and they have discovered a very important break through. They now believe Parkinsons is caused by a bacteria in the gut. Hopefully new medicines will be on the market shortly.

This nutritional pattern is appropriate once you're in a "maintenance" phase. It's not as effective initially, as detrimental conditions are cause by chronic, long-term nutritional patterns that cause resistance issues at the cellular level. Diabetes, and weight gain leading to obesity are just a few examples. Initially, it's important to enable a dietary hormonal pattern that reverses these detrimental conditions. The 7-9-3 pattern is still an insulin based one, but due to it's reduced carb intake it prevents rises in insulin and leptin resistance which lead to the development of the aforementioned detrimental conditions.

The most effective way to reverse detrimental conditions initially is to enable a lipolytic, or fat-burning hormonal secretion pattern. This lipolytic pattern is usually referred to as a "Ketogenic" diet, but the term is somewhat of a misnomer, as ketosis is merely one of four major energy pathways used during the overall state of lipolysis. It is also the most effective way to lose fat if overweight. Here's a link with basic info:

https://authoritynutrition.com/ketogenic-diet-101/

Regards
Ken

Thanks, Ken. Very interesting. My son, who is here visiting from AZ for a few days, is on such a diet also. He was already pretty lean, at 12% body fat, but after a few months has improved to 10%. He weighs somewhere around 145 #, I'd guess. He climbs mountains and hikes long trails periodically, and wants to keep in trim for that. He has been "badgering" me for the last couple years to consider going with him to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro. I'm no climber, but he says it is really an easy one that I could do, though it is a pretty high rock. Baldy Mtn., on Philmont Scout Ranch in NM is the highest I've done, at 12,441'.

When my wife and I began the 7 -9 -3 regimen, many years ago, I was at 173# (I'm 6' 2") and was healthy already, but recognized the importance for our long term health. She weighed about 140#, roughly. First thing we did was had bloodwork done. Mine came back pretty good ...... HDL, LDL, etc. My TGs were around 140, AIR. Scary thing was that hers was over 500! We ate the same, but her's was much more elevated. We had bloodwork done every six months for several years after beginning the regimen, and our LDL levels dropped rapidly, the HDL levels increased much more slowly, and the TGs dropped consistently, too. I actually dropped so much weight that my friends began thinking I had a debilitating illness. I did get pretty gaunt looking, and learned to temper my diet with just enough carbs to maintain myself at about 160-165#. My TGs dropped and my HDL rose to the point that they were exactly equal, on one blood test. Her TGs fell back to completely healthy levels, and she maintains now at about 120#, a very petite lady.

Bottom line, it changed our lives. I've been blessed to have never been hospitalized but once in my life, that to have tonsils removed at age 10. She has only been hospitalized for childbirth, twice. We count our blessings, and do what we can to maintain. I STILL have a struggle with the temptation of fresh-made pecan pie, tho' !!

SRH

Stan,

At this stage you're probably over concerned with your carb intake. Development of detrimental conditions such as fat regain is a very adaptive process, requiring a chronic nutritional pattern. It's actually very difficult to gain fat, if you're aware of the specific biochemical processes required, which are easily avoided. Let's explore what is required, in the biochemical sense.

Heavy carb-based patterns cause the creation of glycogen. Glycogen is the complex carb created by the body to store glucose on a short term basis. It is stored in the muscles and liver, and each molecule of glycogen contains three molecules of water. Once you fill up these stores, you have the conversion of glucose to triglyceride, the first step in the conversion to body fat. So, body fat gain requires a chronic overcompensation of glycogen, all due to excessive carb intake. Now, if your weight is stable, (Lipostasis) you're not overcompensating glycogen. So, if you decide to eat a lot of carbs, such as pecan pie, it's no big deal, as long as it doesn't become part of a chronic, high carb pattern. I myself have chowed down on carbs for a 10 day period, switched back To a lipolytic pattern, and after a couple of days of glycogen depletion found my weight right back to normal. Glycogen creation and depletion is the explanation for much of people's weight flux, (water weight) as it's impossible to gain and lose fat at such a high rate. My real point is that periodic, massive intake of carbs is beneficial, in a metabolic sense. I also suggest periodically being lipolytic, as it enables reduction of detrimental conditions that develop during a carb based (lipogenic) pattern, even though these conditions may not be noticeable when your weight is stable. Chronic, carb based patterns are notorious for immunosuppression, so breaking your pattern both ways is very beneficial.

Pecan pie is one of my favorite "glycogen recompensation" foods. Like a whole pie in one day.

Many years ago I made it up Whitney, despite the altitude sickness.

Regards
Ken

All that you've said, I can relate to. I have experienced the results you describe, but never understood why. Knowing the reasons why helps to reinforce the will to keep at it. I have a goal of killing a limit of doves on my 100th birthday. I understand fully the odds against that happening, but I intend to do all that is within my power to enable that to happen, as it pertains to my health.

Thanks, SRH

Sounds like an admirable goal, I'd like to do that as well. I have another 100 year old birthday goal in mind as well, it involves a willing 50 year old woman.

Regards
Ken

You are willing to take 50 yr. old woman with you to shoot doves?!!!

You are such a romantic, Ken.

SRH

Ive heard Parkinson's disease can also be caused by getting hit in the head too many times. The guy I used to box with came down with it and I felt he blamed me. I should have come down with it if getting hit in the head is the cause. He used to whip me like I was a red headed step child.

I used to take care of myself but now I'm 78 with a bad heart and crippled up because I came out last in a 6 car (one 18 wheeler)crash. I figure I won't live much longer cause I should have been killed already so I'm going to eat what I want.

Pooch,

Two years ago, my mother had heart surgery, including valve replacement and several bypasses. She had also function issues, with the doctors considering installation of a Pacemaker. It took her doctor telling her that my nutritional advice was correct, in terms of following the fat-based Paleodiet being the most beneficial. She changed, and has since regained complete heart function. She now goes to the gym and weight trains three times a week, lost all her excess body fat, and has excellent blood values. She is now very active with excellent health. She is 78 years old.

Regards
Ken

PD
Is hard to understand and tuff to watch a love one suffer through it. Lost my father in law this past September to PD.

One of my most heart felt memories is remembering sitting on the end of the hospital bed sharing a fish dinner from "Tony's Take-out" with my FIL Just a couple weeks before he died.

Managing Advanced PD centers around juggling a dozen differently shaped balls. Even in the best of situations, ultimately you drop some. It depends on your team, and how much you are willing to give up.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the ultimate diagnosis is made post mortem. Many afflictions have the same symptoms, but are not PD, and consequently don't respond to Dopamine therapies.

A couple of friends have had Parkenson's and there's good old Alzheimer's Disease or like my mother, senile with a generous dose of crazy before they died. I spent a few months in a nursing home because I had a scrambled brain, from being dead for 17 minutes and a busted body. Most of the folks at the nursing home were not firing on all cylinders. I ended up with an electronic heart and more metal in me then the tin man and a rebooted brain. I've been called the miracle man, even got to go on TV. I've been asked many times my secret for still being alive. Closest I can figure was God didn't want me and the Devil didn't have the room. That's the joys of old age, you're either going to end up with a dead body or a dead brain. When it happens is not our call

Enjoy what you've have got left and includes eating.

I figure I'll need her to retrieve and cook the doves!
Regards
Ken

Great come-back Ken, but now Komrade Sralin will be playing the misogyny card again.

Notice that King has once again disappeared. All it took was the Canadian mosque shooting. Using King's own logic he uses to Demonize America, it showed that Canada is obviously an oppressive, bigoted nation, full of xenophobic, racist, islamaphobic psychopaths willing to murder anyone not like themselves.

Regards
Ken

Here every day, Ken, because my work is often tied to computer and hardly ever open our marvellous forum without thinking how paradisiacal it's become without trolls who'd make mischief in a thread Parkinson's disease. Let's keep it that way.

Irrelevant comment from an obviously bigoted, psychopathic, xenophobic, islamophobic, murderer. You know, a typical Canadian.

Just funning you King, according to your own standards.

Regards
Ken