One of the big advantages to being in Sarasota has been the ability to exercise. I am able to exercise at least an hour a day, 5 – 6 days a week which has helped me keep my PD symptoms in a holding pattern. We try to play tennis everyday when possible, and I continue to do Pedaling for Parkinson’s twice a week. In addition we go spend an hour a week at PD in Motion, Let Your Yoga Dance, Easy Yoga and Fundamentals of Movement classes. When time permits, we also try to spend at least one hour a week at the gym with the weight machines pumping some iron!
While all of this exercise has helped me to slow my PD progression, I started noticing that I would be walking with my arms out front and I would become more rigid about 30 – 45 minutes before my next medication dose was due. So, after slightly over two years on the same dose, I contacted my neurologist and we agreed to increase my Sinement from 1 to 1.5 tablets 4 times a day. It’s been about a week since the change and I have already noticed reduced rigidity and the arm swing is back to almost normal, and I am hopeful that I can go another 2+ years before I have to change it again.
We have really enjoyed playing tennis. I had never played before we took lessons in December and was surprised at how much I enjoy it. We took more lessons in January and Mara attends a tennis clinic put on by Barb, our superb instructor, twice a week while I am pedaling then we practice most afternoons at the courts here in the complex for up to an hour and a half. We are also part of a group that meets once a week for doubles where we rotate in and out of the games depending on how may players show up. I’m sure we will be on the ATP tour soon!
We have enjoyed our time here in Sarasota and in being able to take part in all of the opportunities being here has provided, not only for PD, but other venues such as the Selby Botanic Gardens, the various beaches, fishing in Sarasota Bay and more. At this point we are planning to renew our lease on the townhouse so we can continue to take part in all that the area offers, particularly for PwP’s.
Speaking of opportunities, next week we will attend the Davis Phinney Victory Summit event in Punta Gorda,about an hour south of Sarasota. Many of the Pedaling for Parkinson’s participants will also be going and we are looking forward to attending this great event for the second time. You can read about our first visit here.
And finally you might have noticed the Top 50 Parkinson’s Blog badge on the right which wouldn’t have been possible without you, my loyal readers and followers. Thank you!
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
We have a new President who is forming a new Cabinet and we are sure to see changes that may have significant impact not only on those of us with Parkinson’s Disease but also many others with chronic diseases or preexisting conditions. Some of these changes may be positive and others may be negative and so we must be alert and pay attention to what is happening in Washington DC.
One way to do that is to follow the Michael J Fox Foundation (MJFF) FoxFeed Blog. Friday Ted Thompson JD, former head of the Parkinson’s Action Network and now the Senior VP of Public Policy for the Foundation published an excellent blog post about possible policy changes which I have reproduced below.
Sign up here to get emails from the MJFF and stay up to date about public policies that impact the Parkinson’s community.
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
As President Donald J. Trump is sworn in and a new Congress begins its work, headlines about policy changes big and small fill the airwaves, internet and newspapers. There is uncertainty about what will happen in Washington, but with every change comes an opportunity for advancement, and we will be looking for ways to collaborate with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who are interested in supporting our community.
While we don’t have a crystal ball, we are closely monitoring activities on Capitol Hill and in the White House. We’ll update the community as we learn more about potential proposals that could impact people with Parkinson’s and the Foundation’s three policy priorities — furthering Parkinson’s research, supporting drug development and approvals, and safeguarding access to care.
Here, we’d like to share information about several policy issues that could see changes under the new Administration.
Tension over Medicare and Medicaid
Research indicates that 80 percent of people with Parkinson’s rely on Medicare, and of that population, up to one-third also are eligible for Medicaid. Both of these programs play an important role in providing our community with adequate health care coverage.
Republican lawmakers have differing opinions when it comes to changes to Medicare and Medicaid. Throughout his campaign, Trump assured Americans he wouldn’t touch these programs, but GOP leadership, including Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Tom Price, have consistently advocated for Medicare reforms.
Speaker Ryan has crafted a plan, dubbed “A Better Way,” which would slowly raise the age of eligibility for Medicare, cap federal spending for the program, increase subsidies for low-income seniors and raise out-of-pocket costs for higher-income retirees. Ryan’s plan will likely come into play in upcoming talks about Medicare and Medicaid.
As specific legislation is introduced, we’ll keep you up to date and continue to advocate for the parts of these programs that serve people with Parkinson’s.
Talk of Repealing and Replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Among other provisions, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare:
prohibited insurance companies from discriminating against those with pre-existing conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease,
eliminated annual and lifetime caps on coverage of essential health benefits (e.g., emergency services, hospitalization, etc.), and
expanded states’ Medicaid eligibility criteria.
The ACA also increased the total number of people with health care coverage.
There is a clear desire among the majority in Congress to repeal the ACA. Earlier this month, lawmakers passed a budget blueprint that included repeal of key parts of the ACA. This budget bill doesn’t actually become law, but acts as a guide for upcoming budget negotiations and sends a very strong signal on the GOP plans for the ACA.
Despite ongoing conversations about repeal, no replacement plan has been decided upon and some GOP leaders are calling for a more deliberate approach in which a replacement plan would be simultaneously passed if and when the ACA is repealed. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the non-partisan agency that provides analyses on economic and budgetary issues, 32 million Americans could lose health coverage if a replacement plan isn’t enacted. (That’s not to mention the 52 million Americans with a pre-existing condition who also could be at risk of losing coverage.) ACA repeal could also have implications for those on Medicare, as provisions in the ACA looked to eliminate the Medicare Part D ‘Donut Hole’ by 2020 and remove the cost for routine wellness visits.
Trump discussed the situation recently, saying that his replacement plan will provide health care for everyone at a lower cost. He restated his campaign stance, which included that he would allow government programs like Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies, with the goal of achieving overall savings to health care.
The Foundation was in touch with the Trump transition team in late 2016 to explain the critical role that high quality and affordable health insurance plays in helping our community access essential treatments and care. We will share updates on our blog and by email as efforts around the potential ACA repeal take shape.
Support for Medical Research Funding
The federal government is the world’s largest public funder of Parkinson’s disease research. In 2016, approximately $152 million was invested in PD breakthroughs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and another $16 million was provided to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Parkinson’s Research Program.
There is broad, bipartisan support for federal investments in medical research, as evidenced by an increase in the NIH’s total budget over the last two years. But there is concern about President Trump’s comments on medical research, as well as his nominee for the Office of Management and Budget (which develops and executes the president’s budget), who has questioned whether the federal government should spend money on medical research. Recent reports that President Trump has asked the current NIH Director Francis Collins to remain on are a positive sign for research. Collins has been director for the past eight years, was the lead scientist for the human genome project, and has had a significant role in the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) and Precision Medicine Initiatives.
Names Raised for New Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner
The FDA is responsible for approving new drugs and medical devices before they come to market. Currently, the agency will only approve a therapy or treatment once it has shown to be both safe and efficacious (meaning it actually works). Some of Trump’s potential picks for FDA commissioner (the top position at the agency) have said drugs and devices should only be proven safe, not efficacious, before they are approved. These views are based on a desire to get new treatments into patient hands more quickly, but they raise concerns that it would establish a new government approval standard that is potentially lower than the existing one. MJFF will provide more information as an official nominee for FDA commissioner is announced later in the year.
New leadership and proposals are a reality, but in our system of government very few policies change dramatically overnight. Thoughtful leaders of both parties and members of the Trump Administration will hopefully consider the full impact of new policies before they are pursued.
In this changing political climate, the Foundation will continue to advocate for the Parkinson’s community, keeping in mind our three policy priorities. We’ll work to ensure people with Parkinson’s have access to affordable health care and treatments, and to protect our country’s federal investments in medical research.
Wow, here it is almost the end another year, a time for retrospection, making resolutions and watching a lot of football. As always it has been a busy year that saw us decide to spend more time in Florida in an effort to determine if we could live here full time and take advantage of all the benefits the area offers for Parkinson’s Patients. And we spent time with friends and family in both Florida and Tennessee and during trips to Denver, San Francisco, North Carolina, and Seattle. We also attended the World Parkinson’s Congress in Portland, Oregon. (note the links throughout this post will take you to a relevant blog post or article in case you missed them the first time!)
Probably the most important thing we have been able to do is increase our exercise time while in Florida. We joined the YMCA and were attending 2 – 3 exercise classes a day there until we got hooked on tennis after taking lessons through, where else, the YMCA. We have been playing 4 or 5 times a week and we plan to sign up for more lessons next month. I find it is not only a good work out but helps alleviate the PD symptoms. Several studies were recently released showing the benefits of exercise for PD and I plan to take advantage of the opportunities we have while I still can. Now if I can stay injury free!
So we have adjusted the exercise schedule to try and limit it to about 2 hours a day. I continue the Pedaling for Parkinsons class twice a week and we go to the PD in Motion class and will start our second season of Let Your Yoga Dance for Parkinsons (this is a video link) in January. We have found also found the Tai Chi classes beneficial and think we will sign up for a class at the Sarasota branch of the Tai Chi Society also starting in January. In addition to helping with movement and balance, we find it calming and centering.
On the resolution front I decided that instead of my usual resolution to post more often (which has worked so well 🙂 I would make a few updates to the blog So you will note a new tab at the top labeled My Book List and if you click on it, you will find…wait for it…. a list of books with my short review. As the page notes there are over 2,600 PD books listed on Amazon so I’ve got a lot more reading to do! Check it out when you get a chance.
I’ve also updated My Blog List, adding a few more blogs and correcting a couple of bad links. The new links are marked with (new) to make them easier to find.
I hope everyone had a great holiday and wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year! Let’s hope it is the Year of the Cure!
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
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At tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Arcu non sodales neque sodales. Tincidunt ornare massa eget egestas. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor vitae. Vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim. Donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat in. Ut ornare lectus sit amet. Hendrerit dolor magna eget est lorem. Ipsum suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla. Fermentum odio eu feugiat pretium.
Tellus in metus vulputate eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin. Eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut lectus. Enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Hac habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis purus. Justo laoreet sit amet cursus. Lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in massa tempor nec feugiat. Mauris pharetra et ultrices neque ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi. Lectus sit amet est placerat. Vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor lacus luctus accumsan. Odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Sapien eget mi proin sed libero. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque. Mi quis hendrerit dolor magna eget est. Nunc scelerisque viverra mauris in aliquam. Sapien faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit. Cras sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit. Imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel. Tempus egestas sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate dignissim suspendisse.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet mattis vulputate enim. Faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet. Neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec. Cursus metus aliquam eleifend mi. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel orci. Quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus interdum. Non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Lorem sed risus ultricies tristique nulla. Elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti. Diam in arcu cursus euismod quis viverra. Mattis vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing. Libero id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non. Libero nunc consequat interdum varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Gravida dictum fusce ut placerat. Convallis aenean et tortor at. Mauris sit amet massa vitae. A condimentum vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et. Malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus. Magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus. Volutpat sed cras ornare arcu dui vivamus arcu felis. Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus in. Elit ut aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. At volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus in metus vulputate.
Fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus. Amet dictum sit amet justo donec enim. Iaculis nunc sed augue lacus viverra vitae. Pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis hendrerit dolor magna. Vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam. Nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Vel turpis nunc eget lorem dolor. Lacinia quis vel eros donec ac odio tempor orci dapibus. Mi sit amet mauris commodo quis imperdiet. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis. Phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla.
At tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Arcu non sodales neque sodales. Tincidunt ornare massa eget egestas. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor vitae. Vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim. Donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat in. Ut ornare lectus sit amet. Hendrerit dolor magna eget est lorem. Ipsum suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla. Fermentum odio eu feugiat pretium.
Tellus in metus vulputate eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin. Eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut lectus. Enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Hac habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis purus. Justo laoreet sit amet cursus. Lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in massa tempor nec feugiat. Mauris pharetra et ultrices neque ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi. Lectus sit amet est placerat. Vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor lacus luctus accumsan. Odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Sapien eget mi proin sed libero. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque. Mi quis hendrerit dolor magna eget est. Nunc scelerisque viverra mauris in aliquam. Sapien faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit. Cras sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit. Imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel. Tempus egestas sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate dignissim suspendisse.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet mattis vulputate enim. Faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet. Neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec. Cursus metus aliquam eleifend mi. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel orci. Quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus interdum. Non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Lorem sed risus ultricies tristique nulla. Elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti. Diam in arcu cursus euismod quis viverra. Mattis vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing. Libero id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non. Libero nunc consequat interdum varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Gravida dictum fusce ut placerat. Convallis aenean et tortor at. Mauris sit amet massa vitae. A condimentum vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et. Malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus. Magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus. Volutpat sed cras ornare arcu dui vivamus arcu felis. Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus in. Elit ut aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. At volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus in metus vulputate.
Fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus. Amet dictum sit amet justo donec enim. Iaculis nunc sed augue lacus viverra vitae. Pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis hendrerit dolor magna. Vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam. Nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Vel turpis nunc eget lorem dolor. Lacinia quis vel eros donec ac odio tempor orci dapibus. Mi sit amet mauris commodo quis imperdiet. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis. Phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla.
At tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Arcu non sodales neque sodales. Tincidunt ornare massa eget egestas. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor vitae. Vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim. Donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat in. Ut ornare lectus sit amet. Hendrerit dolor magna eget est lorem. Ipsum suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla. Fermentum odio eu feugiat pretium.
Tellus in metus vulputate eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin. Eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut lectus. Enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Hac habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis purus. Justo laoreet sit amet cursus. Lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in massa tempor nec feugiat. Mauris pharetra et ultrices neque ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi. Lectus sit amet est placerat. Vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor lacus luctus accumsan. Odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Sapien eget mi proin sed libero. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque. Mi quis hendrerit dolor magna eget est. Nunc scelerisque viverra mauris in aliquam. Sapien faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit. Cras sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit. Imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel. Tempus egestas sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate dignissim suspendisse.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet mattis vulputate enim. Faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet. Neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec. Cursus metus aliquam eleifend mi. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel orci. Quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus interdum. Non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Lorem sed risus ultricies tristique nulla. Elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti. Diam in arcu cursus euismod quis viverra. Mattis vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing. Libero id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non. Libero nunc consequat interdum varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Gravida dictum fusce ut placerat. Convallis aenean et tortor at. Mauris sit amet massa vitae. A condimentum vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et. Malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus. Magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus. Volutpat sed cras ornare arcu dui vivamus arcu felis. Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus in. Elit ut aliquam purus sit amet luctus venenatis lectus. At volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus in metus vulputate.
Fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci phasellus egestas tellus. Amet dictum sit amet justo donec enim. Iaculis nunc sed augue lacus viverra vitae. Pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis hendrerit dolor magna. Vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam. Nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Vel turpis nunc eget lorem dolor. Lacinia quis vel eros donec ac odio tempor orci dapibus. Mi sit amet mauris commodo quis imperdiet. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis. Phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla.
At tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Arcu non sodales neque sodales. Tincidunt ornare massa eget egestas. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor vitae. Vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim. Donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat in. Ut ornare lectus sit amet. Hendrerit dolor magna eget est lorem. Ipsum suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce. Ultricies leo integer malesuada nunc vel risus commodo viverra. Mauris in aliquam sem fringilla. Fermentum odio eu feugiat pretium.
Tellus in metus vulputate eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin. Eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut lectus. Enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Hac habitasse platea dictumst quisque sagittis purus. Justo laoreet sit amet cursus. Lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in massa tempor nec feugiat. Mauris pharetra et ultrices neque ornare aenean euismod elementum nisi. Lectus sit amet est placerat. Vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor lacus luctus accumsan. Odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas. Sapien eget mi proin sed libero. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque. Mi quis hendrerit dolor magna eget est. Nunc scelerisque viverra mauris in aliquam. Sapien faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit. Cras sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit. Imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel. Tempus egestas sed sed risus pretium quam vulputate dignissim suspendisse.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet mattis vulputate enim. Faucibus et molestie ac feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Massa sed elementum tempus egestas sed sed. Nunc consequat interdum varius sit amet. Neque vitae tempus quam pellentesque nec. Cursus metus aliquam eleifend mi. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel orci. Quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus interdum. Non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Lorem sed risus ultricies tristique nulla. Elementum facilisis leo vel fringilla. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti. Diam in arcu cursus euismod quis viverra. Mattis vulputate enim nulla aliquet porttitor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing. Libero id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non. Libero nunc consequat interdum varius.
I know this is my second post in less than 30 days! I think I have too much free time on my hands while practicing this social distancing routine! Today I will catch up with what’s happening in PD School 2020 and talk a bit about how I have implemented what I’ve learned so far. If you aren’t aware of Dr. Mischley’s PD School 2020 you can read more about it my posts here and here. And check out the coupon offer at the end of this post!
The last lesson I covered was lesson 3 so I will quickly catch you up on lessons 4, 5, 6 & 7 just touching on highlights and things I found interesting. Lessons 4 and 5 cover the topics of food and nutrition. Lesson 4 discusses what to eat and lesson 5 discusses when and how to eat. In lesson 4 Dr Mischley covers foods that are “Good” for PwP and also foods that are “Bad” for PwP. The data to support the designation comes from the ongoing longitudinal research trial she runs at Bastyr University.
The good foods below are listed in order of decreasing impact, that is fresh vegetables had a greater impact than fresh fruit and so on.
Fresh vegetables
Fresh fruit
Nuts and seeds
Fish (not fried)
Wine (yessssssssssssssss!)
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Fresh herbs
The bad foods below are listed in order of greatest negative impact.
Canned fruit
Diet soda
Fried foods
Ice cream (noooooooooooo!)
Canned vegetables
Beef
Pasta
Soda
She also discusses how eating can impact medication absorption particularly when you eat protein just before or just after taking your meds. Various diets are discussed and her recommendation is go as vegan as you can and follow the Mediterranean diet.
Lesson 6 discussed the laboratory tests she requests for her patients. Several of the tests are not normally requested by your neurologist or PCP and some are not covered by insurance or Medicare. She notes at the end of the lesson that she is working on trying to set something up to provide the test to any PwP at a reduced rate (she hopes around $500 instead of $2000).
I was interested in this lesson because she pointed out that most PwP’s are low in both vitamins D and B12. A B12 deficiency can result in neuropathy, cognitive decline and loss of sense of smell. In addition tremor, trouble walking and balance may also be effected. Vitamin D deficiency can result in constipation, falls and balance issues, depression and cognitive decline.
I have been taking both B12 (120mg) and D (2000 iu) supplements for the last several years. My PCP tested me for both vitamins this year and I was within range as far as the lab was concerned. Dr Mischley provides her recommended reference range for the tests and I am below her recommended range in both. I was particularly surprised at the vitamin D result with all the sunshine I get here playing tennis, etc. Looks like I need to increase my supplement amounts of both vitamins.
She covers several other lab tests she conducts and why and I think you will find this lesson very interesting.
Lesson 7 discusses gut and intestinal health. This lesson includes a presentation by Dr Samantha Evans who practices with Dr Mischely in Seattle. Dr Mischely provides the introduction and overview pointing out that 50% of the dopamine neurons are located in your intestinal tract. She also discusses the need for gastric acid to breakdown food and medications. She points out as we get older the gastric juice becomes less acidic and recommended taking our medication with a glass of water mixed with 500 mg powered vitamin C to increase the acid level.
Dr Evans discusses how much of what happens in the intestinal tract impacts PwP’s. She discusses SIBO (Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth) and Leaky Gut and how it impacts PwP, particularly medication absorption issues.
So there are a few highlights from lessons 4,5,6, and 7. The next class is Do I need to take supplements? and will be available on the 28th of the month.
Quick timeout for some fine print! Before I discuss how I have implemented parts of these classes I just want to remind everyone I am not a medical practitioner and you shouldn’t rely on the information below as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on It Is What It Is .
And we are back.
I have enjoyed these classes and have started trying to put some of what I have learned in to practice. In lesson 2, Dr Mischley discusses the success she has had with treating dyskinesia with high doses of DHA fish oil for 30 days and then adding CDP Citicoline twice a day to improve absorption of Levadopa. Since we eat salmon 4-6 days a week, I decided to test taking the CDP Citicoline as she recommended (2 250 mg capsules twice a day).
I began the test on February 2 and tracked the effects daily through April 4. As she mentioned in the lesson, my dyskinesia actually started getting worse because the supplement was improving the uptake of the medication and after 3 weeks I started to slowly reduce the amount of Sinement,Rytary and Mirapex over the next two months. My goal was to reduce my levadopa intake, reduce dyskinesia and not increase off periods.
By April 4 I had reduced the Mirapex from 1.5 mg to .5 mg (67%) and my Sinement from 2.5 tablets 3 times a day to 2 tablets 3 times a day (20% reduction). My dyskinesia is barely noticeable and off episodes are unchanged. I believe I could stop taking the Mirapex completely except the .5 mg helps reduce my restless leg syndrome which I had before my PD diagnoses but went away with the Mirapex which is also prescribed for restless leg.
I have also tried to do a better job of not taking meds too close to mealtime particularly high protein meals. And I have reduced my dairy intake, even ice cream! I’ve ordered some powered vitamin C which should arrive next week and I will test out taking medications with water mixed with vitamin C. Now if I could just figure out how to get Dr Mischely to remove ice cream from the bad food list!!
Just In!! It’s Parkinson’s Awareness Month and Dr Mischley is offering a coupon for $50 off the PC School for this month (All 24 courses for $100). If you haven’t signed up or have friends or relatives that might find this program useful, please send them this link to the course and the coupon code: AWARENESS. http://pd-school.teachable.com/
