Fighting Parkinson’s, and starting the Recipe in 2014

On January 5, 2011, I posted the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery^&#0174. Many people have been doing the Recipe over these last few years, and some of you are just getting started in 2014. Since many people have informed me that they would be starting the Recipe at the beginning of 2014, I feel my January 11, 2011 post, posted six days after the original Recipe post, is just as important today as it was three years ago. Also, there are some good reminders for those of you who have been doing the Recipe for a while.

Here is my January 11, 2011 post entitled, “Fighting Parkinson’s, knowing your enemy.”

“I think we all can agree that Parkinson’s is our enemy…certainly, it is not our friend! It is the type of enemy, though, that is brilliantly crafty. It is the hacker that has downloaded all of our personal information and is trying to steal our identity. We cannot see it, but we know it is there lurking in our bodies, preying on us relentlessly. So, what do we need to do? Fight back.

The way I fought back is described in detail in my previous “recipe” post. I am going to use some of the feedback I have received and my feelings about it as I believe this will be useful for all of us.

Here are the three types of feedback I have received regarding the exercise Medical Qigong for Liver:
1. Did 10 reps first time, felt great, will continue doing every day.
2. Did 10 reps first time, felt nothing, so:
a. Stopped doing it. What’s the point.
b. Will continue for a while to see if something is felt.
3. Felt pain, so stopped doing it.

None of these are right or wrong; just different. No different than the fact Parkinson’s impacts every one of us a little bit differently. Here is what I experienced when I first started Medical Qigong for Liver:
I was unable to do the part where you bend backwards because I would have fallen down as a result of my poor balance issues. When I finished the fourth set, which I only attained with great difficulty, I broke out in such a sweat that I had to lay down on the floor with lightheadedness and shortness of breath.

However, because of my previous years of studying holistic healing, I actually saw this as a good thing. I learned years ago that when the body releases toxins, it is a good thing. I just viewed this as my body releasing an overwhelmingly large amount of toxins all at once. It took me about 6 or 7 days to get up to seven sets of this exercise and another week or so to get up to ten sets.

More times than not, I would do this exercise and feel nothing in particular. For those just getting started, my rule of thumb is that when I start a new Qigong exercise, I do not see anything measurable for a few weeks. That’s where attitude and the mental part come in. It is difficult to stick with an exercise for a few weeks when you see no measurable results. Since I viewed Parkinson’s as more than just trying to work out some kinks in my body, I stuck with the exercises every day even if I did not see any measurable results. I had faith they were healing my organs deep inside and I was okay with that.

This brings me to the issue of pain. Also, what I learned is when toxins leave your body, generally they hurt and you experience pain. This is really a critical issue in recovery. We are taught that pain is not good. When we feel pain, we stop doing whatever it is that we are doing and we do not do it again. Parkinson’s knows this about us — it has hacked into our systems and it knows that if we are trying to get rid of it and it gives us pain, we will stop and it gets to stay.

Think about this: Why would a slow-moving Qigong exercise cause enough pain that it would make you want to stop and never do it again? Qigong exercises often are referred to as “soft exercises.” What I have learned over the years is that this type of pain is “good” pain because it is cleansing your body from toxins. If you are experiencing pain and are concerned, I recommend you discuss it with your doctor.

Remember, pain causes fear…oftentimes, it really is FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real). Since Parkinson’s has hacked into our psyches, whenever we try to fight it, it knows where to go…the pain bucket. Parkinson’s says, “Hey, I’ll bet if I give this person some pain in his leg it will get him thinking about a walker and wheelchair, and he will stop doing these exercises.” Or it says, “Hey, I’ll bet if this person starts to get some pain in her shoulders it will get her thinking about not being able to dress herself, and she will stop doing these exercises.” You get the point. This is Parkinson’s exploiting our FEAR. Be strong. Don’t give in.

If you view Parkinson’s as the enemy, then you have someone to fight.

Thank you for your feedback. We are all in this together, so keep it coming. Wishing you well.”

So, here we are, three years later. And, here you are deciding if you can stick with the Recipe even though it causes some discomfort. Don’t you think fighting Parkinson’s and getting on your path to your cure with the Recipe is worth a little discomfort? If you are used to avoiding conflict, it is time to stand up to your Parkinson’s and change your conflict-avoidance nature. That’s right — change your conflict-avoidance nature and tell your Parkinson’s that it is time to leave!

Think about it: when somebody steals your wallet and goes after your identity, you have two choices. 1. You can do nothing and be the victim. With this choice, the thief (Parkinson’s), has dinner on your credit cards, goes shopping with your bank card, fills the tank with your gas card, and is enjoying your life while you sit at home depressed about the whole thing and afraid…fear owns you. 2. You can be pro-active and change your nature. Instead of being afraid, you can call and cancel all of the cards. Yes, this is a major inconvenience…like doing the Recipe might seem like a major inconvenience…but look at what happens.

Parkinson’s theft of your wallet and attempted theft of your identity is squashed. You have stood up to fear and stood up to Parkinson’s and you have refused to allow your identity to be stolen. You have changed your nature and changed the entire playing field. How much power over you does the thief have when you cancel your bank card? How much power over you does the thief have when you cancel your credit cards? How much power over you does the thief have when you cancel your gas card? None. Who has the power? YOU DO!

Okay, it is an inconvenience to have to get a new driver’s license and new cards. Isn’t it worth some inconvenience to get your life back? Isn’t it worth taking a look at yourself and announcing, “I am not afraid to make the changes I need to make to be cured.” Isn’t it worth looking at your Parkinson’s with no fear in any fiber of your being…the look that makes your Parkinson’s know you are serious and it’s days are numbered?

Of course it is worth it!!! Parkinson’s knows everything there is to know about the old you, the soul, mind, and body it has invaded. It knows nothing of the new you…the confident you who is taking action and not afraid of failure. There, I said it, “NOT AFRAID OF FAILURE!” You are exposed now…your inaction in large part is because you are most afraid of failure.

It is time to change your nature and not be afraid of this question you may be asking yourself, one that some have asked me: “What if I try the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery^&#0174 and I fail?” My only response to that question is a quote I saw a long time ago that goes something to the effect of this: “The failure is not in the falling down, but in the refusal to get back up.”

As explained above, in September of 2009 when I attempted Medical Qigong for Liver for the first time, my result was this: “When I finished the fourth set, which I only attained with great difficulty, I broke out in such a sweat that I had to lay down on the floor with lightheadedness and shortness of breath.”

What if I had refused to get back up?

Let’s make 2014 a glorious year of being cured!!!

You are worth it!!!

All my best,

Howard