I began my last four posts with this: Is Parkinson’s curable? My answer is Yes, Parkinson’s is curable! This is what you need to know in your heart. In part 4, I said I would discuss alleged weakness in my next post. That is today’s topic.
On the day of my diagnosis, when I explained to my neurologist the history of what had been going wrong with me physically, three of the things I mentioned were these: 1. When I went to squeeze the pump at the gas station, I had no strength to squeeze the pump with my left hand; 2. After picking up the dog food bowl from the kitchen counter using my left hand to move the bowl to the floor, I dropped the bowl three days in a row; and 3. After grabbing the water pitcher handle with my left hand, I could only lift the water pitcher off of the counter with great difficulty and much pain. (By the way, when these things had occurred months earlier, I was in such denial that anything was wrong with me that I simply started using my right hand and arm for these tasks).
My neurologist explained to me that the cause of this apparent weakness was not weakness of the muscles. He said that, in part, what gives the muscle you are trying to use strength is that the opposite side muscle relaxes. With Parkinson’s, oftentimes, the opposite side muscle gets an incorrect message from the brain and it tightens. As a result of this tightening of the opposite side muscle, the muscle you are trying to use appears weak. And, the harder you try, the tighter and “weaker” the muscle gets.
Also, my neurologist explained that there was confusion in the cross-over with the left side of the brain working the right side of the body and the right side of the brain working the left side of the body.
I pretty much knew I had Parkinson’s in September of 2009, so while I was awaiting my November 4, 2009 neurologist appointment, I already had begun doing the Recipe. Armed with this new information, I decided I needed to make a couple of adjustments in my strategy.
Click here to read about my adjustment in strategy, or what I called my “less is more” theory of Parkinson’s movement.
Also, with myself, I noticed that if I tried to walk to quickly or take long strides, my legs would tighten, my posture would become very stooped, and my strides would become tiny. As a result, I practiced shuffling with small shuffles, slowly lengthening them, and then learning from the experience how far I could stretch my distance until the back of my leg would begin to tight (rigidity setting it). I would then ease up on my stride and the rigidity in the back of my leg would disappear.
This caused me to pay attention to my walking and shuffling with two important rules: 1. No fast walking; and 2. Never push my Parkinson’s movement to the limits of it would allow and the rigidity would never set in and freeze my walking. IT WORKED! When I walked, which was primarily shuffling, I always got where I was going. Yes, I was very, very slow, but who cares? I did not freeze, I had no fear, and I always got from point A to point B with complete confidence.
If you look at the dynamics of walking, it is actually your knee that lifts up to take a step. This is why you get stuck or you freeze. As you are attempting to use the front of your thigh to lift your knee and take a step, the back of the thigh tightens and results in a situation people have described to me as “my feet get stuck to the floor.” This is why shuffling works…your feet do not leave the floor and you are not creating a back-of-your-thigh tightening problem.
I decided that it was more important to get where I was going fearlessly than to be concerned about how I looked, so I opted for shuffling. If you focus on what is the purpose of your walking instead of “what do I look like to the other people,” then you can do this too.
As far as arm strength, I paid careful attention to what I was trying to lift and trying to carry. I realized that if I reached out and grabbed something to pick up (see above issue with water picture), I had pushed my Parkinson’s to the limits and the rigidity would prevent me from lifting the thing.
For example, getting a dinner plate from the table to the kitchen sink. If I grabbed the plate and squeezed it to lift it, lifting it became a near-impossible task. Instead, I would slowly lift the plate with both hands and then slide them underneath to allow it to rest on my open palms. By not squeezing the plate, I had ample strength in my arms to carry the plate.
Click here to read more on my “less is more” theory of Parkinson’s movement.
As you can see, the more you pay attention to what you are doing and what you are trying to accomplish, and the less you pay attention to what other people might be thinking about how you are moving, the MORE you can do with LESS effort. And then, you will realize, “Oh, I am not getting weak. I have rigidity that I can control.”
By utilizing the “less is more” theory of Parkinson’s movement, you not only gain the ability to do more things with less effort, but you will suffer less fatigue because every movement will not be a fight against yourself and your rigidity. I say “fight against yourself” because when people freeze they become angry, frustrated, and fearful…and this leads to more freezing. A rigid mind feeds a rigid body. A fearful mind is paralyzing to the body.
A joyful heart opens your dopamine flow.
Less thinking.
More feeling.
You can do this!
Is Parkinson’s Curable? Yes!
They say incurable. We say, “YES, IN CURABLE!”
They say impossible. We say, “YES, I’M POSSIBLE!”
So, embrace the Recipe and chant with me:
“Parkinson’s is curable.
I am my own Parkinson’s cure.
I am halting, slowing, and reversing the progression of my Parkinson’s.
I am extraordinary.
I am recovery.
AND, I AM WORTH IT!!!”
All my best,
Howard
Hi Howard and fellow Warriors.
Great explanation my friend, very thorough as usual.
I am in a really good headspace with good old parky, my new chant is ” SLOW is HOW it’s gotta be right NOW” and I carry on. It’s all part of the journey and I discipline my thoughts as often as it takes to have compassion with my body. It ROCKS and knows what it is doing, I’ve said it before. I think the Fear has nearly gone :-). Yes my mobility is so bad that I don’t go far, but truly I am honouring my body by not putting it under pressure when it is challenged so much. It won’t be forever, I’m so grateful for what my body can still do AND my sense of humour is more apparent more often, which helps. 🙂 I hope all my fellow warriors doing well, as Sally says there is nothing to be gained with Fear. Us bulls ( she’s a Taurus same as me) are very wise. 😉
Big Love to you Howard.
Karen xx
Thanks Karen. Yes going slow is the way. I forget sometimes being a Gemini ! But slowness helps me feel the peace and joy
Thanks Karen… thanks Howard…such helpful words… your support and your sharings illuminate my day….love the community we’re building…
Perfect! Wonderful! Perfectly wonderful! Thanx, Howard
thank you, always, Howard!! thank you Karen and all our fellow warriors!
ROCK ON, slowly and surely !! we ARE worth it, every minute of every day!
love & blessings
hola Karen, Judy, luke y penny y toda la comunidad .
Gracias Howard por tu apoyo es aire fresco, aqui les dejo este video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeJafk56rBI ….los amo.
Translation:
Hi Karen, Judy, luke and penny and the entire community.
Thank you for your support Howard, it is fresh air, here I leave this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeJafk56rBI … .the master.
Jimmy, We create a new environment for our cells by doing the Recipe and connecting to the Universe in our meditations. Howard has shared all the reciprocal love of the Universe by creating and sharing the Recipe and the blog. His words inspire us all to surround our cells daily with positivity.
Gracias Jimmy. This video is so informative!
My friend just told me about Epigenetics last week and here the Universe by way of you brought this film to all of us to grow and change and love ourselves. Bruce Lipton is saying exactly what Howard is telling us.
We can change our environments consciously and subconsciously and we heal ourselves.
Blessings and love to all of you,
Susana
Thanks Sussana
gracias a ti Susan por esas palabras ,
y asi es , ese conocimiento se siembra en la tierra fertil de la esperanza y certeza en nuestra recuperacion, es escencial aferrarse a esa idea en el corazon, en nuestro interior no hay limites.
ahora es tiempo de desechar el viejo sistema de creencias, apartandolas de nuestra conciencia , sobretodo creencias que nos aparten de la paz, y sustituirlas por las que nos brindan el jubilo de ser. una vida simplificada es una vida santificada.
amor
Translation:
Susan thank you for those words, and so is that knowledge is planted in the fertile land of hope and certainty in our recovery, it is essential to hold on to that idea in the heart, within us there are no limits.
Now it is time to discard the old belief system, tearing them apart from our consciousness, especially beliefs that separate us peace, and replace those that give us the joy of being. a simplified life is a sanctified life.
love
Jimmy,
“Creencias que nos brindan el jubilo de ser, una vida simplificada es una vida sanctificada.” Son palabras muy profundas. These are very profound words you have written. Exchange our old beliefs for Beliefs that toast the joy of being. A simplified life is a sanctified life.
Howard is telling us our success is our journey and our self love. We eschew our old belief system as you say. We delight in the joy of being. We elegantly simplify and bless ourselves by loving ourselves and everyone is graced by our luminance on the journey. And we by them.
Love to each of you today.
Thanks Howard for your wonderful explanations about the Parkinson’s body. I wanted to add some of the helpful things I have been doing which is particularly for those who are able and want to do more exercise. The local YMCA’s may have a class called “Moving for Better Balance.”
It is a (I believe) national study started by a Dr. Lee and based on Tai Chi. I can’t do all the moves but have definitely improved my balance! There is also a DVD by Gaiam called 5 Day Fit Chi which can be used at home. The movements are slow and easy for the most part.
We also have at the YMCA a class which is sponsored by the GZSPN Foundation that is specifically for Parkinsons which I attend. As usual, these are not for everyone, but if you want more exercise, I think these might help.
Blessings,
Lohren
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for your post Howard, and thanks to everyone that commented. I find I like to get a little more exercise, but I always have my commitment to the Recovery exercises come first. That way if I run out of energy, or time then I still get the Recovery Program done. I hope that everyone has a fabulous weekend while doing the recovery .
Love and Blessings
Debbie
Thank you Howard and everyone. Howard I found this very helpful again not to worry ehat I look like and go slowly. Sometimes I have so much energy I want to do things too fast! It’s a good reminder especially when I walk the dog. I seem to have one day on and need one day rest. Life is good, precious ! Thank you for the inspiration I so appreciate it. Only you Howard and this group seem to understand it so well and that we really can and are recovering. Peace be with us all and humanity!
I definitely agree that the Recipe comes first!!
Hi to all, great to see so many comments. Hi Jimmy, you always say hi to me after my comment. :-). It’s lovely to see how we all share the extra good stuff that inspires us and helps. I’ve recently being doing EFT tapping with Nick Ortner, it was the world tapping summit last week. Lohren was mentioning her Chi classes and Jimmy was talking about Bruce Lipton. The EFT and Chi and Bruce’s Biology of Belief are all, as Susana says, we are doing all of the above in The Recipe. Tapping is good to clear stuff out as it comes up but it is tapping meridian points which is what The Recipe is focused on. I get acupuncture every week, again I only get the meridians needled that we are working on in The Recipe. I’m with the Warriors who say, a The Recipe first, as most days that’s all I have energy for, and as we all know, it has 4 success stories. I think we are all hanging out for number 5 to spur us on even further. I know whoever it is, we will ALL be Joyous for them. Thanks for the share guys, I love checking back here and seing all the shares and chats. Debbie great to have you back from your Cruise, I bet you had a ball. 🙂
Big Love to everyone, I’d love to mention all who say hi to me regularly but I would hate to leave anyone out. With you all, my fellow peaceful Warriors in Spirit.
Karen xxx
Buna tuturor,multa speranta citesc in comentariile voastre si ma bucur,vreau sa va spun ca eu aveam probleme cu ridicatul din fotoliu, si am observat ca motivatia ma ajuta ,mai concret,daca ma gandesc ca nu ma pot ridica si nui nnimeni langa mine sa ma ajute;nu ma pot ridica,insa dca ma gandesc ca merg (un exemplul) la frigider sa-mi iau o prajitura ma ridic fara nici o problema.In concluzie, eu ma ridic usor de oriunde fiindca ma gandesc unde ma duc si nu cum ma ridic.Poate ajuta acest mod de gandire pe cineva. Cu drag LEO
Translation:
Hi everyone, much hope in reading your comments and I’m glad, I want to tell you that I had trouble lifting the chair, and I noticed that motivation helps me, specifically, I think that if I can not raise my side and I need someone help me, I can not pick up, but then I think they go (an example) in the fridge to get my cake. I get up with no difficulty, I get up easily anywhere because I think where I go and get up. This way of thinking can help someone. Love LEO
Hi All.
Thank you for your insightful and beautiful comments. I would like to comment on something Karen said because I have heard this more than once:
“The Recipe… it has 4 success stories. I think we are all hanging out for number 5 to spur us on even further.”
Every month over 6000 individual people come to this site. That is over 6000 success stories. Every day that you get out of bed and are alive and decide that life is worth living and you are worth healing your life and your Parkinson’s is a success story.
4 people cured is 4 people cure.
6000 people working on their life and their recovery is 6000 success stories. I am repeating myself because of the importance of this point.
The success is in the journey. Each and every one of you is a success. If you are doing the Recipe, you are a success in your life and your recovery!
And, “I think we are all hanging out for number 5 to spur us on even further.” How many include yourself in this statement. Isn’t it time to say, “why not me, why can’t I be number 5?”
Keep you eye on the prize. Here is the secret for keeping your eye on the the prize: Look in the mirror and realize that the one in the reflection is the prize. Keep you eye on him or her and let your essence shine through. See you, the prize, in the mirror, and say, “I love you.” Now, that is success all in itself.
Love and blessings,
Howard
Dear Howard,
Thanks for that great advice of what is a success story. I couldn’t agree with you more! I consider myself a great success story right now at this time in my life. I think that the post I posted when I came back from the cruise sums just how I feel about this up and so I am posting it again. Please excuse the repeat to any who might have read it before.
Hi Howard and Everyone,
I am back from an amazing trip. I had a awesome time, did some fantastic things, met some fabulous people, and enjoyed the sunshine and the beauty of that part of the world. I was able to do my exercises right in our room and on our own balcony on the ship. I was able to continued to work on balancing my mind, body and soul. I am very grateful. I did not allow tremors to get in my way in any way. I am so ready to continue on this road to recovery!!! I am grateful to know that Parkinson’s is curable and I am my own Parkinson’s cure. I am grateful that I can see that being Parkinson’s free is a doable goal personally for me !! I am grateful to know that there is an end to this, that it is not just something that I have to learn to live with 🙂 I am “fired up” and recommitting to changing the parts of the old me that need changing….” I AM RECOVERY IN EACH MOMENT IN MY LIFE AS I OPEN MY HEART, FILLED WITH GRATITUDE , TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF EACH NEW DAY. I AM MY OWN RECOVERY IN ALL THAT I DO !”
Thank you so much Howard for giving me the tools that I need. Thank you for teaching me HOW to balance out my life.
Thanks to each of you for sharing your journey with me.
Love and Blessings to All of you,
Have the best weekend ever,
Doing the Recipe
Love Debbie
🙂 NOW THAT IS A SUCCESS STORY……..HOWARD, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!
Love and Blessings,
Debbie
Hi to you all,
I’d just like to share with everyone my success story. I tell everyone and anyone who’s willing to listen about our friend Howard and his amazing blog. In particular, I make a point of sharing with those who are dealing with PD, either themselves or their partners. I tell them that I am in recovery and that there’s a whole bunch of people out there who are doing the same. So Howard, your blog is impacting on much more than 6000 per month as I’m sure that the other warriors are doing the same. Together we’re inspiring and being successful!
I’d also like to share about another inspirational teacher by the name of Gregg Braden who links science and spirituality in a most profound way to demonstrate that our thoughts create our reality. Well worth reading or watching on youtube.
Thank you Howard for another life enhancing post.
Blessings and love to all.
Waseema
Howard,
Thankyou for another amazing blog…………I can especially relate to the bullying part. It really resonated with me as I often push myself physically to prove I can do it but it usually ends up being a real struggle and I end up being frustrated!
I turned a corner in my recovery today. I reluctantly attended a family funeral today and mingled and reacquainted myself with family members I had been avoiding for years for fear of what they might think of my condition! It was a full day event with the viewing, funeral, graveside, and lunch providing many opportunities to connect with family. While being a very diffficult situation, I came away feeling much love and joy amidst struggle and. I was so glad I pushed myself past my fear of attending and forced myself to go!
Thankyou Howard for giving me the courage to do so!
Hi all, well done Melanie, that took MASSIVE courage. You should be so very very proud of yourself! Had to say fantastic, very proud of my fellow warrior! You Rock!
Debbie, your cruise sounded wonderful, fabulous that you did The Recipe every day of your trip. I am smiling thinking of the people in the next cabin as you are doing the brain vibrating chanting! Haha. Well done Warrior, you Rock! Waseema, I love Greg Braden, great share!
Rock on fellow warriors! We ROCK, each and every one of us! 🙂
Big Love,
Karen xxx
I add my thanks along with everyone else Howard for your latest post, and my thanks too to everyone for their comments. It has all helped me to focus and I realise that slow is best and not to worry what people may think. Like Karen, I say well done Melanie, that is a big achievement – I know I would not have wanted to face a lot of people, it is something I am having to learn to get over, I don’t like appearing vulnerable. But I am learning, Parkinsons has changed a lot of my old attitudes as I now understand that I need to reverse my old way of thinking which got me to where I am. I too tell people who are interested about Howard and his ‘band of warriors’ and find people receptive which I find encouraging. So bless you all and thank you x