Last week, I posted “Fighting Parkinson’s, and drinking more water.” In that post, I discussed how an increase in water helps resolve two major issues with Parkinson’s, urgent urination and constipation. Today, I feel it is necessary to add one more topic to this discussion.
Evacuation. Evacuation of the bladder and bowels is a topic normally not discussed in polite company, but one that is important to discuss in Parkinson’s recovery. I have communicated with many people since last week’s “drinking more water” post, and what has been a common theme, an issue I suffered from, was the need for pressing, pushing, and bearing down to get urine evacuation started and to get bowel evacuation to take place at all. I researched this extensively when I had Parkinson’s, and I learned that the pressing, pushing, and bearing down was creating a bigger problem than the two I already had.
That is as graphic as we need to get. Here is what I learned is occurring. The pressing, pushing, and bearing down causes the evacuation release valves to tighten inward, thus blocking easy evacuation from taking place, and sometimes preventing any evacuation from taking place. Those release valves need to relax and open outward, thus allowing for the evacuation to flow normally. We can turn this process around by deep breathing. That’s right, deep diaphragm (deep belly) breathing.
With deep diaphragm (deep belly) breathing, the diaphragm lightly presses down on the large intestine and the bladder and helps the evacuation process in two ways: 1. By lightly pressing against the large intestine and bladder, the deep inhale/exhale creates a massage-like process that “moves” things along; and 2. the relaxing nature of the deep breathing and that things are naturally moving along allows the evacuation release valves to relax and open in the correct direction for easy evacuation of the bladder and large intestine.
That’s it.
Give it a try. You will be surprised with the results.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Note: If you do not know how to do deep diaphragm (deep belly) breathing, here is a method to help you practice:
Lay on the floor on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. This should have lowered the small of your back to the floor. Place one hand on your chest and one on your navel. Inhale slowly and see which hand rises. If it is your navel hand, you are breathing into your diaphragm and you are in good shape for deep breathing exercises. If it is your chest hand, you need to practice. When I first learned diaphragm breathing, I would push out my stomach prior to the inhale and try to direct the airflow down to my expanded stomach.
thanks howard.
tried and the result is good.
I have seen, I have heard and I have met Howard Shifke. I have been convinced that I can believe my deep-seated notion that I will recover. Howard is giving me the tools.
Thank you, Howard, for moving me along the road to recovery, which began with Noel Batten (seed of the possibility), John Coleman (further evidence of recovery), and Robert Rodgers (continual encouragement that there is a road)!
When I saw this quote, I thought of you, immediately.
“The sweetest satisfaction lies not in climbing your own Everest, but in helping others climb theirs” 🙂 Max Lucado
I am just starting, but I have the desire to make the changes I’ve known all along need to be made, which will allow me to implement your recipe for recovery. I truly appreciate your help in this!
buna dragii mei. scriu astazi cu multa durere in suflet din cauza ca m=a vizitat un coleg care are si el aceasta boala de 5 ani . era foarte agitat avea o papusa in mana .gesticula haotic si ce spunea nu avea nici un sens.Am inteles de la sotia sa ca medicamentele ce le lua , 2000 mg levodopa pe zi , l=au adus in asa stare,iar medicii i-au marit doza.E greu sa reduci pastilele dar e ingrozitor sa ajungi dement.Eu multumesc lui Dumnezeu ca l-am descoperit pe Howard care mi-a deschis mintea sa inteleg ce este esential in lupta grea ce o ducem cu aceasta perfida boala.esentialul pentru mine este reducerea sau renuntarea la medicamente.acum iau 260 mg levodopa la 2 zile .Scriu toate acestea pentru cei care cred ca e important sa ia medicamente multe pentru moment se vor simti bine dar in timp efectele sunt devastatoare.Imbratisari calde LEO.
Translation:
Well my dear. I write today with much pain in my soul because I visited a friend who also has this disease for 5 years, was very excited to have a hand puppet, gesturing erratically and he said he had no sense. I understood from his wife to take their medication, levodopa 2000 mg per day, it brought in such condition, and doctors have increased the dose. It’s hard to cut the pills but it’s awful to go crazy. I thank God that I found Howard and opened my mind to understand what is essential in a tough fight that go with this insidious disease. Essential for me is the reduction or withdrawal of drugs, now taking 260 mg levodopa in two days. I write all this for those who think it’s important to take medication for now many will feel good but while the effects are devastating. Warm hugs, LEO.
Thank you, Howard, for explaining how drinking lots of water can help PD patients! I, too, have found water to be helpful, and for yet another PD symptom. Muscle rigidity caused by dystonia caused my back to frequently spasm in a most painful way. Upon doing research several years ago, I found a column by a chiropractor. In it he wrote that most back pain is caused by low level dehydration! I began adding extra water to my diet– lots of extra water when I have back pain– and it works like a charm! So simple and so inexpensive. (No wonder most chiropractors don’t mention this!)
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