Step Six

The idea behind Step Six is to strengthen and enhance your midbrain by consciously altering your speech. This is a simple and powerful way to reduce the over active sympathetic nervous system and nurture your parasympathetic system. A sympathetic nervous system on over-drive is what fuels neurological symptoms.

To make the assignment fun, recruit a family member, child or friend to play a game with you every day. Here are the game rules:

• You must always respond using full sentence. A response of “yes” or “no” or “Yea” or “ah” is forbidden.
• Start the game with an imaginary amount of money – $100. Each time you “goof” and utter a single sound in response to the person you are talking with, $5 is deducted from the total. You receive the balance (in imaginary money) when the game is over (in 15 minutes).
• Practice does make perfect. Michael Lovery, author of Whole Brain Power, invented this game. He tells me that people who take it seriously experience profound results. I think his approach has applications for persons who experience neurological challenges.
• Give it a spin.
• Nothing to lose.
• Everything to gain.
• Nothing to buy.
• A new way to have fun.

Robert 

Now that you have acknowledged in Step Two the negative thoughts that are deeply embedded into your subconscious, it is now time to release them.

When I refer to a transparent ball that, in your imagination, you place on the floor right in front of you, think of the ball as have a 4 foot diameter – something like a beach ball. The surface of your imaginary ball allows any and all thoughts to enter. Once they have been placed in the ball, they cannot escape or leak out.

After you complete inserting all of the thoughts that are not in your best and highest good into the ball and raise the ball higher and higher past the stars and beyond, state out loud or to yourself the following:

Release, Remove, Detach. Eject and Shield all of these thoughts that are no longer servicing my best and highest good. Watch the ball burst in a flash of gold light as you experience a delicious bath of gold light which permeates throughout your body.

Click below now to clear all of the thoughts you have acknowledged holding that do not serve your best and highest good:

I invite you to do this same meditation for four consecutive days. The surprise to me when I do my own releases is that the thoughts are always different. This guided meditation template has served me well for many years now. I employ it often when I am troubled, worried, angry, upset or even sick. The part I enjoy the most is being soaked by golden light. It always feels as thought I have purged the bad stuff that has been hanging out inside my body. I trust you will find the meditation just as useful.

Robert

© Parkinsons Recovery

Many mobility challenges are explained by restrictions of tissues and muscles due to ongoing traumas and stresses. Muscles and tissues can be so hard and tight that they feel like concrete when touched.  This is why it is so important to adopt ongoing strategies to release tension that is buried in the body so that the muscles and tissues soften.

Step Eleven introduces two techniques that accomplish this need: Hip Swaying and Unwinding.

Hip Swaying

You are likely thinking – wait just a minute buster. You want me to sway my hips? Really?

I am a adult male, not a teenager. Only teenage girls sway their hips to be sexy.

Granted, this was my belief too and a reason why I never swayed my hips. I am a man – not a teenage girl.

There are very good reasons why you should sway your hips when you walk.

Watch people when they walk. Are they moving their hips back and forth (to the left and right) or not? If their hips are stationary when they walk – which is the case for most men – there is a very good likelihood they will need a hip replacement eventually.

One very good reason to sway your hips when you walk is that you get to avoid  hip replacement surgery. A second even more important reason is that it is a gentle way to release tension that is trapped in your hip muscles.

For the most part, trauma gets “trapped” in the hips and neck. Loosen up your hips by swaying them. The tension and tightness slowly dissolves. When your tissues become softer, ease of mobility will return.

What about the tension in my neck?

Unwinding

I also suggest that you unwinding your neck and all the tense muscles throughout your body with unwinding. The simple technique really works beautifully. The idea is simple:

Move Your Body in the Direction of Ease

Do not force any part of your body to move in any direction where you feel resistance. Below are two videos that explain unwinding.

The first video is from one of the many videos available in the Jump Start to Recovery online course. The second is a video of Deborah’s presentation of unwinding at the Vancouver Jump Start to Recovery Summit.

What is Mindfulness?

Click on the link below to download the first in a series of 8 booklets that introduce mindfulness challenges.

Exercises_for_Noticing

Icy Water Treatment

Two nervous systems keep us alive: the sympathetic and parasympathetic.

The parasympathetic nervous system controls all of the functions of the body (pulse, breathing, distribution of water, etc.) without our even knowing.

We activate the sympathetic nervous system when we need to be in full control (when, for example, confronting a bear when hiking in the forest or managing 20 people).

When you are anxious or have anxiety attacks, your sympathetic nervous system is running full steam ahead and the parasympathetic has been shut down for all practical purposes. The sympathetic system is in control with anxiety and is so dominant that you rarely have the mental brakes that are needed to disengage it. The fuel of anxiety is adrenaline and cortisol and other hormones.

A balance of hormones is needed for the body to generate dopamine and the other “chill out” hormones. Of the two nervous systems, the sympathetic will always overpower and overwhelm the parasympathetic which is the henpecked companion. When it comes to symptoms of Parkinson’s, the sympathetic nervous system is the bad guy and the parasympathetic is the good guy

Anxiety has to be calmed to disengage the full throttle of the sympathetic nervous system and re-activate the dormant parasympathetic nervous system (though of course is still continues to regulate our primary life functions).

How in the world do you get the attention of the sympathetic nervous system to slow down and rest? You do not do this by persuasion or “hope”. It seems so very complicated, eh?

Not really! You do it instantly with the icy water treatment. After all, if you want to turn someone off, don’t you give them the Icy Water Treatment?

Here is how to set it up so that it is available when needed.

1. Find a bowl large enough for your two hands to fit inside. 

2. Grab an Ice Cube Tray or collect water from the fridge

3. Fill the bowl half way up or so with water. 

4. Put some ice cubes in the water (or keep the bowl in the fridge).

5. When feeling anxious, immerse your two hands into the icy cold water for 10-15 seconds (or longer if you can tolerate it). 

It is as easy as that!

Keep the bowl of cold water handy and readily available at home when you need it. Why not just put it in the fridge? You can use this as many times a day as needed.

When you leave home, bring a small wash rag with you.  Why? You will obviously not have ready access to your bowl of icy cold water. When you need to calm down anxiety that begins to sizzle inside, just wet the wash rag in cold water (available in any bathroom) and wipe your face with it.

That will reduce your anxiety level too.

Robert

BBA Clin. 2016 Oct 1;6:113-124. eCollection 2016 Dec.Shining light on the Head: Photobiomodulation for brain disorders. Hamblin MR.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) describes the use of red or near-infrared light to stimulate, heal, regenerate, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying. One of the organ systems of the human body that is most necessary to life, and whose optimum functioning is most worried about by humankind in general, is the brain. The brain suffers from many different disorders that can be classified into three broad groupings: traumatic events (stroke, traumatic brain injury, and global ischemia), degenerative diseases (dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), and psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder). There is some evidence that all these seemingly diverse conditions can be beneficially affected by applying light to the head. There is even the possibility that PBM could be used for cognitive enhancement in normal healthy people. In this transcranial PBM (tPBM) application, near-infrared (NIR) light is often applied to the forehead because of the better penetration (no hair, longer wavelength). Some workers have used lasers, but recently the introduction of inexpensive light emitting diode (LED) arrays has allowed the development of light emitting helmets or “brain caps”. This review will cover the mechanisms of action of photobiomodulation to the brain, and summarize some of the key pre-clinical studies and clinical trials that have been undertaken for diverse brain disorders.

Study of Vielight Using Subjects with Dementia Saltmarche A.E., Naeser M.A., Ho K.F., Hamblin M.R., Lim L. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Toronto, Canada. 2016. Significant Improvement in Cognition after Transcranial and Intranasal Photobiomodulation: A Controlled, Single-Blind Pilot Study in Participants with Dementia

A study with 19 subjects that took the form of a randomized placebo-controlled trial investigated the effect of the Vielight Neuro system (a combination of tPBM and intranasal PBM) on patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. This was a controlled single blind pilot study in humans to investigate the effects of PBM on memory and cognition. The 19 participants with impaired memory and/or cognition were randomized into active and sham treatments over 12 weeks with a 4-week no-treatment follow-up period.

The protocol involved in-clinic use of a combined transcranial-intranasal PBM device; and at-home use of an intranasal-only PBM device and participants/ caregivers noted daily experiences in a journal. Active participants with moderate to severe impairment (MMSE scores 5–24) showed significant improvements (5-points MMSE score) after 12 weeks. There was also a significant improvement in ADAS-cog scores (see below). They also reported better sleep, fewer angry outbursts and decreased anxiety and wandering. Declines were noted during the 4-week no-treatment follow-up period. Participants with mild impairment to normal (MMSE scores of 25 to 30) in both the active and sham sub-groups showed improvements. No related adverse events were reported.

An interesting paper from Russia described the use of intravascular PBM to treat 89 patients with AD who received PBM (46 patients) or standard treatment with memantine and rivastigmine (43 patients). The PBM consisted of threading a fiber-optic through a cathéter in the fémoral artery and advancing it to the distal site of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries and delivering 20 mW of red laser for 20–40 min. The PBM group had improvement in cerebral microcirculation leading to permanent (from 1 to 7 years) reduction in dementia and cognitive recovery.

Maloney R., Shanks S., Maloney J. The application of low-level laser therapy for the symptomatic care of late stage Parkinson’s disease: a non-controlled, non-randomized study (abstract) Lasers Surg. Med. 2010;185

This is a clinical report of photobiomodulation for Parkinson’s disease in humans. Eight patients between 18 and 80 years with late stage PD participated in a non-controlled, non-randomized study. Participants received photobiomodulation treatments of the head designed to deliver light to the brain stem, bilateral occipital, parietal, temporal and frontal lobes, and treatment along the sagittal suture.

A Visual Analog Scale (VAS), was used to record the severity of their symptoms of balance, gait, freezing, cognitive function, rolling in bed, and difficulties with speech pre-procedure and at study endpoint with 10 being most severe and 0 as no symptom.

Compared with baseline, all participants demonstrated a numerical improvement in the VAS from baseline to study endpoint. A statistically significant reduction in VAS rating for gait and cognitive function was observed.  Further, freezing and difficulty with speech ratings were significantly better.

Phys Med Biol. 2015 Apr 7;60(7):2921-37. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/60/7/2921. Epub 2015 Mar 19.

Red and NIR light dosimetry in the human deep brain. Pitzschke A, Lovisa B, Seydoux O, Zellweger M, Pfleiderer M, Tardy Y, Wagnières G.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) appears promising to treat the hallmarks of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in cellular or animal models. We measured light propagation in different areas of PD-relevant deep brain tissue during transcranial, transsphenoidal illumination (at 671 and 808 nm) of a cadaver head and modeled optical parameters of human brain tissue using Monte-Carlo simulations. Gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, ventricles, thalamus, pons, cerebellum and skull bone were processed into a mesh of the skull (158 × 201 × 211 voxels; voxel side length: 1 mm). Optical parameters were optimized from simulated and measured fluence rate distributions. The estimated μeff for the different tissues was in all cases larger at 671 than at 808 nm, making latter a better choice for light delivery in the deep brain. Absolute values were comparable to those found in the literature or slightly smaller. The effective attenuation in the ventricles was considerably larger than literature values. Optimization yields a new set of optical parameters better reproducing the experimental data. A combination of PBM via the sphenoid sinus and oral cavity could be beneficial. A 20-fold higher efficiency of light delivery to the deep brain was achieved with ventricular instead of transcranial illumination. Our study demonstrates that it is possible to illuminate deep brain tissues transcranially, transsphenoidally and via different application routes. This opens therapeutic options for sufferers of PD or other cerebral diseases necessitating light therapy.

Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser SurgeryVol. 37, No. 3 Photobiomodulation—Original Research Effects of Home Photobiomodulation Treatments on Cognitive and Behavioral Function, Cerebral Perfusion, and Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Patients with Dementia: A Pilot Trial Linda L. Chao

Objective: To examine the effects of transcranial and intranasal photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, administered at home, in patients with dementia.

Background: This study sought to replicate and build upon a previously published case series report describing improved cognitive function in five patients with mild-to-moderate dementia after 12 weeks of transcranial and intranasal near-infrared (NIR) PBM therapy.

Materials and methods: Eight participants (mean age: 79.8 ± 5.8 years old) diagnosed with dementia by their physicians were randomized to 12 weeks of usual care (UC, n = 4) or home PBM treatments (n = 4). The NIR PBM treatments were administered by a study partner at home three times per week with the Vielight Neuro Gamma device. The participants were assessed with the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive (ADAS-cog) subscale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) at baseline and 6 and 12 weeks, and with arterial spin-labeled perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI at baseline and 12 weeks.

Results: At baseline, the UC and PBM groups did not differ demographically or clinically. However, after 12 weeks, there were improvements in ADAS-cog (group × time interaction: F_1,6 = 16.35, p = 0.007) and NPI (group × time interaction: F_1,6 = 7.52, p = 0.03), increased cerebral perfusion (group × time interaction: F_1,6 = 8.46, p < 0.03), and increased connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and lateral parietal nodes within the default-mode network in the PBM group.

Conclusions: Because PBM was well tolerated and associated with no adverse side effects, these results support the potential of PBM therapy as a viable home treatment for individuals with dementia.

Mil Med. 2019 Mar 22. pii: usz037. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usz037. [Epub ahead of print] Improvements in Gulf War Illness Symptoms After Near-Infrared Transcranial and Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Two Case Reports. Chao LL.

At least one-fourth of US veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War (GW) are affected by the chronic symptomatic illness known as Gulf War illness (GWI). This condition typically includes some combination of fatigue, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatologic complaints. To date, effective treatments for GWI have been elusive. Photobiomodulation (PBM) describes the non-pharmacological, non-thermal use of light to stimulate, heal, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying. Significant benefits have been reported following application of transcranial PBM to humans with acute stoke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and dementia. This report describes the first documentation of improved GWI symptoms in two GW veterans following 12 weeks of PBM treatments.

Is It Time to Consider Photobiomodulation As a Drug Equivalent? Tiina Karu, PhD, DrSci

The question of whether photobiomodulation should be used as a drug equivalent arose in my mind after listening to presentations at the recent conference of the World Association for Laser Therapy (WALT)-2012 (Gold Cost City, Australia), and later at home when searching MEDLINE^® for the years 2009–2012. Photobiomodulation (earlier terms: low level laser therapy, LLLT, laser biostimulation) has been used in clinical practice for >40 years by now, and its action mechanisms on cellular and molecular levels have been studied for >30 years. Enthusiastic medical specialists successfully used photobiomodulation in treating healing-resistant wounds and ulcers (e.g., chronic diabetic ulcers), in pain management, and in spinal cord and nervous system injuries when other methods had had limited success. However, photobiomodulation is still not a part of mainstream medicine. The goal of the present Editorial is to highlight some important recent developments in clinical applications and in studies of cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the clinical findings.

One of the impressive and perspective challenges for photobiomodulation is its use in cases of Parkinson’s disease. Research in recent years evidenced that neuroprotective treatment with red and near infrared radiation (NIR) prevented mitochondrial dysfunction and dopamine loss in Parkinson’s disease patients.² In another set of experiments, NIR normalized mitochondrial movement and axon transport, as well as stimulating respiration in cytoplasmic hybrid (“cybrid”) neurons. It is important to recall that reduced axonal transport contributes substantially to the degeneration of neuronal processes in Parkinson’s disease.

Below is a brief clip of an interview with Compounding Pharmacist Randy Mentzer who discusses Mucuna is a “medicine” and also highlights the potential value of taking NADH as a supplement.

Below is a brief interview clip with Seven Fowkes who discusses the potential value of NADH for addressing tremors and other symptoms. He is a researcher, not a medical doctor, so be sure and check with your doctor before taking action on any of his recommendations.

Mucuna Pruriens Combined with Carbidopa in Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Report.

Mucuna Pruriens

Here is the scoop on Mucuna Pruriens for Parkinson’s and a detailed description of Michael’s experience with it. Some people use it as an adjunct to medication like Sinemet in order to reduce the amount of medication, and then there are people like Michael who either want a more natural approach or have too many side effects with sinemet that use mucuna exclusively. Michael was never able to tolerate any of the medications and all natural strategies had failed up until what I describe below.

Michael had tried mucuna pruriens years ago – we bought some on Amazon.
What we didn’t realize was that Michael needed a much higher extract of mucuna.

The extract you can get from mucuna is L Dopa. The stuff we bought on amazon was only 15% L Dopa. Eventually we befriended a woman in the Netherlands that was getting great results with a 98% L Dopa extract of Mucuna that she was buying from someone in Australia (who got his supply from China). The 2 main source countries are India and China.

At the point that we learned this information, Michael was in very dire straits.
This was the winter of 2016. He was 97% dependent- he needed help dressing, eating, turning over in bed, covering himself with the sheet, bathing and even wiping his butt. He was considered Stage IV Tremor Dominant Parkinson’s by his neurologist. He could walk a little, falling forward and grabbing the walls for support. He could barely speak at an audible level and his diction was terrible. 
He would have to whisper in my ear and I would decipher it. He also had constant tremendous pain due to muscle stiffening in his arms and legs. I had started interviewing 24/7 care because it was quickly becoming more than me and our friend who lived with us could handle.

I bought some of the 98% L Dopa and within 3 weeks of starting it Michael could go outside and walk. All pain left and all neurological symptoms improved. By 6 weeks he was 100% independent and he remained 100% independent until his death in July 2018 from a flu that progressed quickly into double pneumonia. His body had desperately needed L Dopa and this high potency mucuna gave it to him. He still had some tremor and low energy but everything was better. Even skin problems cleared up.

Eventually I found a source in the US that sells 99% extract and actually charges less than anyone else. Michael started with a dose of 300 mg just to see if he could tolerate it. He was always very sensitive. The effects initially lasted 3-4 hrs. This was January 2017.

Slowly we raised the dose to 700 mg 4-5x/day and eventually 850 mg 5x/day. Over time he did require more mucuna as well as more often – every 2-3 hours. He and got up to 1200 mg 5-6x/day this past year. Most people using mucuna don’t get the horrible side effect of dyskinesias (uncontrollable movements) that many people get from the drugs. At about 1200 mg mucuna, Michael did have some dyskinesia and he cut back to 1100 mg which reduced them. I know a woman that manages with 650 mg 4x/day for many years and a woman who uses a large dose of 5000 mg 3x/day for many years. Neither experience dyskinesias.

Everyone is different in terms of dose. You just start low and experiment.
I’ve also wondered about it being even more beneficial to add in some non-L-Dopa extract version of mucuna since the entire plant has many desirable healing properties. Places like Banyan Botanicals carry good quality organic whole plant mucuna if you want to try that along with the 98-99% L Dopa extract of Mucuna.

As a reference point – at Michael’s high dose of 1100-1200 mg 6x/day, a kg that costs $185 would last 2-3 months. 

Many people who take Parkinson’s medications have to contend with nausea from the drug. It’s the L Dopa/ levodopa causing nausea. Michael did get nausea when he started on mucuna, but eventually we discovered that taking about 1000-2000mg of straight Vitamin C from ascorbic acid at the same time as the mucuna worked perfectly and he never had nausea again.

This is also working to prevent nausea for some friends who are also taking mucuna. It can’t be buffered C- it needs to be ascorbic acid, which thankfully is very inexpensive. (You can get ascorbic acid at a great price at the same place that sells the mucuna). 

Candied ginger can also work for nausea but then you’re also getting a lot of sugar so we were really happy to discover the Vit C worked. Mucuna extract is a tasteless white to off-white powder. I mixed it along with the Vit C into some room temp herbal tea sweetened with honey (preferably raw honey that has more healing properties). Honey always helped Michael swallow.

Here is the US based company I bought mucuna from at a good price. We’ve also referred a number of people to this source and the mucuna is helping them, too.
(I’m not an affiliate and I get no financial benefit if you buy here).

https://www.nutrivitashop.com/l-dopa-100-pure-levodopa-mucuna-pruriens-dopamine/

You’ll also need a good mg scale so you can be exact in your dose. Here’s a link to a scale that has worked well for me.

Scale: there are similar ones on Amazon that have even better reviews, but this one has always worked for me and has not needed recalibration even after 18 months of frequent use. https://amzn.to/2BbNr0l

One more thing to mention that may help your readers.There is a Chinese Herbal Formula that has helped many people with tremors. A friend of Michael’s has used it for many months with great benefit. Michael had barely started it when he died so I can’t comment on his experience. 

Here’s one place that sells it. If you email me I can tell you more about dosage. This place seems to have the best price and you can get 10% off using code: Wholesale https://www.maxnature.com/plumflower-tian-ma-gou-teng-san.html

Please feel free to post my email address of dovidagoodman@gmail.com I’m happy to answer questions about anything I’ve written here.

Warmest regards,
Dovida