Could this therapy stop Parkinson’s in its tracks?
If you or a loved one are suffering from Parkinson’s disease, you know firsthand that the drugs being prescribed aren’t expected to stop — or even slow — the progression of this disabling condition.
Plus that, they come along with some nasty adverse effects… ones that can mimic the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease itself!
For example, take one of the newest ones approved by the FDA, called Xadago, which can cause “uncontrolled involuntary movement.” And falls are listed as being a “common” side effect.
Just what a Parkinson’s patient needs, right?
Recent research, however, has uncovered a much more effective approach to treatment that, amazingly, doesn’t involve any drugs at all!
Although it’s not a cure, it is something that has been proven to allow Parkinson’s patients to go on living life as normally as possible… with movements that are both voluntary and controlled.
Putting the brakes on symptoms
It’s being referred to as a way to “change the arc” of this devastating disease — a treatment that can stop its steady advance and delay the onset of its most severe symptoms, such as loss of balance, changes in speech, stiffness, and weakness
I’m talking about exercise therapy!
And while Parkinson’s may have you feeling like exercise is the last thing you want to do, it turns out that simply moving more is one of the best ways to fight back against the advancing effects of this disease.
This latest study, done by a large group of researchers from universities all over the U.S., looked at the effects of “high-intensity” exercise on a treadmill on those in the early stages of Parkinson’s. (Other findings having shown exercise to help even if you’re way past that point, so please keep reading!)
They discovered that a strenuous workout could bring the progression of symptoms to a screeching halt.
After six months, the patients who had done the most strenuous form of exercise practically hit the brakes on their Parkinson’s… all as a result of running on a treadmill just four times a week!
The strenuous exercise improved their conditions better than light exercise did for another group of Parkinson’s patients — and not exercising regularly not only didn’t improve the third group’s conditions, but those who didn’t exercise actually continued to deteriorate, experiencing more aggressive symptoms and generally getting worse.
Okay, but what if you’re not up to doing a strenuous workout several times a week?
Well, you can still benefit from moving just as much as you can.
Previous research has found that by simply doing any kind of exercise for 150 minutes a week (which boils down to just over 20 minutes a day), Parkinson’s patients were able to significantly slow the course of the disease and better maintain their degree of mobility.
In fact, the idea that people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s need to stay active is fast becoming accepted as a given with most all health professionals.
Another way to “fight back” against the disease, no matter what stage you may be in, is with a program called Rock Steady Boxing. Over 360 “training camps” for this therapy have opened up all over the country, producing some amazing results — even for those who can no longer walk on their own!
Along with exercise, another important consideration is to pay close attention to your diet.
HSI advisory panel member Dr. Glenn Rothfeld, who has been living with Parkinson’s disease for over a dozen years, is a firm believer in limiting grains, carbs, and sugar by following the Paleo (or “Caveman”) diet that focuses on fresh meats and veggies.
That helps in several ways, he says. First, it prevents insulin spikes that can harm your brain and make symptoms worse. Second, by ditching all that processed food, you’ll be avoiding ingesting the untold number of toxins that Dr. Rothfeld calls an “underappreciated cause of Parkinson’s.”
“Exercise may aid Parkinson’s disease, but make it intense” Gretchen Reynolds, December 13, 2017, The New York Times, nytimes.com
