Kim Cornilles is a Portland Rock Steady Boxing fighter and dancer who has had young onset Parkinson’s disease for 8 years. She recently completed her first tandem bike rally, and I asked her to share her experience. Continue reading “A Bicycle Built For Two: Tandem Rally”
The Oregonian recently published an article concerning a promising new drug to treat Parkinson’s Disease!
The drug, PRX002, is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets alpha-synuclein and prevents neuron-to-neuron transfer of toxic aggregates. In other words; These proteins, known as alpha-synuclein, clump into formations called Lewy bodies, which kill neurons in the brain. The new drug builds on research in mice that show it is possible to reduce the presence of alpha-synuclein proteins, which in turn reduces Parkinson’s Disease symptoms. Continue reading “Could a New Drug Unlock the Mystery of Parkinson’s Disease?”
One of my fighters with Parkinson’s said she caught herself saying, “back when I was healthy…” She asked me, “Am I healthy? I feel healthy, but I have Parkinson’s, does that make me unhealthy?”
What a great question. It started an important conversation about who are we after PD. Here is Merriam-Webster’s definition of healthy: free from disease or pain : enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit : well.
So according to this definition, no one is healthy, as humans we are always fighting an infection, disease or pain at different times in our lives. But then it goes on to say “enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit.” Continue reading “Can You Have Parkinson’s and Still Be Healthy?”
This great dish is modified from a yummy recipe I saw online from Alyssa Rivers the blogger behind The Recipe Critic. It’s a tasty dish for anyone but also packed with great spices to add flavor (in case your sniffer is not smelling as well as it used to), colorful vegetables and healthy fats. Best of all you don’t have to eat different than your guests because this is wonderfully healthy for everyone.
Continue reading “Tasty Shrimp Fajitas for the Parkinson’s Palate”
Researchers are actively looking into a link between traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and Parkinson’s. They have been studying veteran’s health histories and noticed those who have had TBI, had a 71% increased risk of Parkinson’s. This increased risk is observed among veterans with TBI, mild TBI, and moderate-severe TBI.
According to the article “Is Traumatic Brain Injury Linked to Parkinson’s Disease?” in Consumer Health Digest, the research shows that people who sustain TBI and lose their consciousness for more than an hour, are at a higher risk of developing late-life neurodegeneration; however, TBI wasn’t linked with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Continue reading “Have You Ever Had a Concussion?: The Link Between Traumatic Brain Injuries and Parkinson’s”