There is a big concern with Parkinson’s about dopamine…is it there? is it depleted? is is flowing? This concern about dopamine brings many people to a place of fear and doubt. When doing the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, if symptoms seems a bit worse, fear creeps in and brings its friend, doubt…is this really working for me? is my dopamine really there? Simple answers: Yes. Yes.
To assist all of you with the simple “Yes, Yes,” answers, I am going to re-post a post I did one year ago today about a study in Denmark that says that the brain cells are not dead and the dopamine is not depleted. Here is it is:
“As you know, it is the position of Western Medicine that the substantia nigra, basal ganglia, in the brain are dying or already dead leading to a depletion of dopamine in the brain. They say they do not know the cause of this nor can they cure it, so they seek to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s with dopamine enhancement and dopamine replacement medications. A recent study entitled, “Myth about Parkinson’s disease debunked,” found that “Scanning the brain of a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease reveals that in spite of dopamine cell death, there are no signs of a lack of dopamine — even at a comparatively late stage in the process.”
For those of you who have been following this blog for a while or have spent any time with the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, you know I always have taken the position that the dopamine is not depleted, only blocked, and that the dopamine faucet is turned down low.
In the introduction to the Recipe, I say:
“I do not believe that the dopamine is depleted or gone. I believe that the body has been working in adrenaline mode and dopamine has taken a back seat, essentially, it has mostly closed the faucet and is not flowing at full capacity. It is why I believe the medications cause Dyskinesia – the body is being given artificial dopamine replacements that are not able to fully assimilate into the system and thus cause uncontrollable movement as opposed to controlled movement.
By listening to my body, talking to my body and examining my electrical impulses, I was able to re-open the dopamine faucet. The result was full recovery with 100% pre-Parkinson’s controlled movement.”
In the Affirmations/Meditations/Prayers section of the Recipe, I say:
“The medical profession says that with Parkinson’s, dopamine is depleted in one’s brain and the basal ganglia controlling movement are 60-80% dead. Having lived in a Parkinson’s body and thought with a Parkinson’s mind, and held my firm faith with a Parkinson’s soul, I can tell you they are incorrect. It is why after nearly 200 years, they are no closer to a cure than when they started. Parkinson’s is an electrical problem and they are trying to fix it with chemicals. The dopamine is there, but the flow is interrupted. Adrenaline has taken over, which ultimately leads to dopamine taking a back seat. Just like anything else, after years of operating in adrenaline mode, the dopamine just turns off the faucet.”
Well, last week, our friend Laura in Canada sent me the article I reference above. Thank you Laura for sharing this wonderful news. It is from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
In the section of the article entitled “A thorn in the side” the author points out that not only was there no lack of dopamine, but that the theory of “lack of dopamine” has not been established:
“A thorn in the side
Scanning the brain of a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease reveals that in spite of dopamine cell death, there are no signs of a lack of dopamine — even at a comparatively late stage in the process.
‘The inability to establish a lack of dopamine until advanced cases of Parkinson’s disease has been a thorn in the side of researchers for many years. On the one hand, the symptoms indicate that the stop signal is over-activated, and patients are treated accordingly with a fair degree of success. On the other hand, data prove that they are not lacking dopamine,’ says Postdoc Jakob Kisbye Dreyer.”
Click here to read the entire article yourself.
A few things I would like to mention at this point.
1. This report comes as no surprise as I, and so many of you, are living proof that our dopamine is not depleted. However, it is very exciting that there is now is scientific proof that we have been correct all along.
2. If you are taking medications, please keep taking them. If you stop taking them cold turkey, nothing good will come from that. Click here to read more.
3. To enhance the hope and faith of people with Parkinson’s around the world, I ask that you please send a link to this blog post to everybody who you know and encourage them to send it to others. It is important that people who are filled with fear that their dopamine is depleted and their prognosis is hopeless see this blog post and article. The reason I ask that you send a link to this post instead of just the article is that if people read the article only, it gives them hope but it does not tell them what they can do to recover. If you provide a link to this post, then they will come to the blog and site, see the Recipe, see this wonderful community made up of all of you, and they will realize that a road map to their recovery and other travelers on the path to recovery already exist and have existed for years. Imagine how that will enhance their faith and hope.
“I have the power to heal myself.” And I did.
“You have the power to heal yourself.” Marie did. Pratima did. Betty did. And you are.
“Together we have the power to heal the world.” And we are. Please send a link to this post to everybody who you know and encourage them to read the post and send it to others.”
It is a year after this study was published, and nothing has surfaced to challenge its accuracy. When fear brings it’s friend doubt to the party, have your bouncers, Faith and Hope, show fear and doubt to the exit. They need not ruin the party.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
I had a bad car accident years ago, never could get myself back good. I went to the Doctor the other day, found out I had Parkinson. I say, thats probably why I could never get much better, then recently I went to the Doctor. Now that I know what it is, I can fight this better. The chant has helped already and the exercises are going to help. You said look forward when you walk, I’m trying. I just found your page the other day and I want to thank you for putting yourself out here.
Welcome, Jane. I’ve been following the blog for only a couple of months myself but I’m finding Howard’s guidance and the group’s support incredibly helpful.
Welcome Jane, always nice to have new personalities to the community. 🙂
Karen xx
Yes welcome Jane to the natural way of healing the whole self from Helen inAustralia ITS SO GOOD Howard set up this blog for all of us to share and be a support and be inspired.
Thanks Karen and Helen, and yes I’m glad this group is here.
Yes!!! great article Howard and very informative and the God’s honest truth Parkinson’s disease can be cured there is no doubt about it. Once you correct the problem that caused the Parkinson’s disease in the first place then your Parkinson’s recipe will heal all of us.
Thanks for this blog Howard!
It’s been almost 5 years since I was diagnosed and I have been working on
recipe for approx. 3 years. I feel that as far as the Body part of the recipe is
concerned I am doing ok. The Soul part is good too with me making peace
with God. Now if I could only get the Mind part right. Like this post says
fear and doubt need to be overcome but I have trouble keeping calm and
saying ok to all the dilemmas that seem to be part of living life. I can’t control
the anxiousness which exacerbates my condition.
I tell my wife often that I Feel Good and I do even though my symptoms may
be ridiculous. It has to be because of the Recipe and the sense of hope Howard
gives us. I Feel Good…………………..
good on you Ken
I really believes that dopamine is not depleted on PwPs as Howard explained. I can attest it on myself as I have really good days when my PD symptoms are almost non-existent. I can remembered that day, last August 4 afternoon, all my symptoms were gone until the next morning! Just yesterday, I can feel 80-90% reductions of my PD symptoms. I’m experiencing also the increase of tremors during my Qi Gong practices. So, what I’m trying to say that if dopamine is depleted/not flowing, we should not be experiencing the swings of symptoms, it’ll will be constant. Just my thought.
Great post Jimmy, that makes a lot of sense to me too ! It just confirms what Howard has been telling us all along! I too have good days and bad days but most of the time I feel healthy in spite of my outward symptoms! Recent blood test Confirms that all is functioning in the normal range. I just wish that I could get that dopamine valve to begin flowing again! I have been doing the recipe for two years ! My body is healthy, my soul is healed, still working on my mind. Not sure how to heal my electrical impulses though! Howard, could you expand on that!
Go Jimmy! Wow, sounds like you are very very close to the finish line which is so inspiring to read! Believe, believe, believe friend. 4th August must have been an amazing feeling, shows how close you are Jimmy. I keep saying it, we need a number 5 to spur us all on. I think we would all be joyous no matter who it is. Just be lovely for one of us to make it off this roller coaster. 🙂
Karen xx
Hi Karen thank you for your posts, and kindness
Cheers Helen, hope you’re doing well friend. 🙂
Karen xx
Great Jimmy
Great post. I have always thought that I had dopamine but that it wasn’t transmitting properly. I actually have felt worse whenever I have tried supplements, such as macuna. It feels like it’s putting more pressure on an already log jammed, or blocked transmission of the dopamine.
Thanks for your constant reminder that faith is what heals.
Blessings to all,
Shawna
It’s about a year now since I found Howard and this wonderful band of warriors! Thank you all so much for all the support and encouragement. The dopamine post was one of the first I read and remember quite clearly the buzz I felt when I realised Parkinson’s is not what we are led to believe. I get what I call ‘windows’ of energy which tells me things are happening, but then it’s almost like I get paid back for it and am worse, but I recognise that this is a bump in the road on my journey. I too need to work on my mind! My legs have always been my big issue, they get really heavy and it can be hard to move them especially at night, also getting up and down out of chairs. Does anyone else find this? I seem to remember it came up once before x
Hi Cynthia, I can very much relate to what you say about your legs feeling heavy – for me it’s when I’m walking. I try to remind myself there’s nothing actually wrong with my legs – it’s more a case of the instructions not getting through from my brain at the moment. I have short periods of time when I can walk almost normally and that’s a real treat. Occasionally I find it easier to walk, or even semi-run, almost on my tip toes – I don’t know whether this is a good idea or not. Does anyone else experience anything similar?
The heavy legs are to much, it’s with me all the time. I walk about a half mile every day even so. Yes my balance is a mess, but I walk any way. And do the recipe since I found it a few days ago, I never realized how bad my neck was until Howard’s exercises. I have school age children and I have to try to get better. I apparently had this for a while but it just now started making life bad, with symptoms added. I want us all to get better, thanks for this blog.
HI Cynthia Yes my legs are always heavy and stiff they feel like bags of cement to lift but I keep doing the recipie a few years now, I feel good in myself accepting my condition and working on healing on all levels . i am very grateful for this life and the joy i feel. Also for Howard and all of you Warriors. Slow and steady.
Hi Cynthia, I am exactly same as you. Doing the recipe a little over a year. My legs are the biggest challenge. I can take a lunge at a distance but because it is adreneline based, I’m shaking when I hit the wall or chair or whatever catches me and then my legs are like jelly. In and out of chairs a challenge ( would love a wee portable crane lol) I try at various intervals in the day to do ” conscious” steps. Might do 3 or 4 ( but could take 10 mins to achieve) I’m just grateful for what I can do. I was saying to my friend Rosemary, who is a fellow warrior, the biggest joy for me would be to simply walk again, arms swinging, head up. We will get there, the coach won’t rest til we do. 🙂 Bless you Howard Shifke. 🙂
Karen xx
Hi
Thank you Howard for this information.
The doctors are full of doom and gloom and it is so helpful to know the truth no matter what the doctors say.
Blessings to everyone. Don’t ever give up!
Barbara
Thank you Anita, Helen and Karen.
Sometimes I’ve wondered if it’s just been me who gets the heavy legs so it helps to know I’m not alone! Yes Anita, walking can be difficult and I never know how I’m going to be in that sometimes it’s a struggle and other times it’s easier. Quite unpredictable really x
Me too with the legs got really worse but strangely feel better. Do suffer hugely in public gaze.
I am with you Jane me too with young child it is hard but I think we age all doing really well.
Are doing really well i mean. Xxx