[QUOTE=girija;627240]Thank you Andrew for suggesting to start a blog of chosen therapies of our own.

Hi All,
I have been thinking of posting this question for a while too. I would like to include this topic in our PD book (with your approval of course!). I have compiled a list of therapies/alternative treatments/dietary supplements/anything else that made life easier for PWP that have been posted here. I am sure I am missing some, feel free to add to this list if you have a new one. In addition, I would appreciate if you could share your experiences with new therapies one more time under this thread (even if everyone knows about your belief!!).

The basic information that I am interested in is as follows. However, more details and additional info is always welcome.

What are your remedies:
Basic - High dose Vit C and D

No red meat
Organic food whenever possible

What prompted you to start on these
It is more that I reduced supplements to this, prior to Pd I was taking a variety of heavy duty supplements, and found that I could not tolerate most of them alongside dopa + entacapone

How long have you been using them
what is the dose, frequency and timing (when needed or everyday)
1 daily high dosage

their effect on your physical and mental abilities
these two are the ones that I can notice a downside if I stop taking them

Do you feel that these remedies have slow down your progression
No

is the cost worth the benefit
Yes

would you recommend it to another PWP?
I would say take what you feel improves your quality of life, we are all
different

Here is a list of remedies or therapies that have been discussed in the last 2-4 years

Tai chi -
because of the very slow movement of Tai Chi, which is anyway designed for people over 50, martial arts people come to it late usually, it is fantastic at keeping all the smallest muscles working, and teaching the practitioner how to move, and how to really understand balance. A good teacher is worth a lot! I would recommend this, it can be adapted even for people with minimal mobility

acupuncture - did a year of weekly acupuncture sessions, treatment was effective for 2-3 days, was great as a maintenance treatment, but very expensive, benefits did not last once treatments stopped
massage - lovely if you can get it........

Ayurveda - Not quite the same thing, but cooking to ayurvedic principles is good, though hard to maintain in the west. Balancing the type of food to weather, temperature etc is good, but means you spend lot of time cooking.


Tibetan medicine - Helps balance the whole person, found it very valuable, it does not deal with PD itself, but does help with contributiing factors. Was advised to walk at least five miles daily as most effective treatment, needless to say am not that motivated to do so, five miles would take me most of the day to accomplish......I am very slow - treatment was very beneficial

Over the counter medicines
Ibuprofen - this and aspirin have a positive effect on my PD, am sure they act on ongoing brain inflammation.


natural herbs - Have used ginko for circulation and memory with some positive results


Dopavite - no particular benefit


Curcumin
and ginger - I regularly include both these in my diet, and have done long term. It is impossible to say what exactly they do, but I am positive they are beneficial.

Meditation is an excellent way of learning about your own responses to difficult situations, and to gain perspective, reduces anxiety

Attitude and frame of mind - having a good attitude has helped, as has acceptance. It has allowed me to value what I have, and accept any losses
with some level of grace.

Music/art therapy - This is the fun part, Music especially that I can dance to is great, I may not be able to walk well, but I can dance. Along with art it seems to engage a part of my brain that is wholly unaffected by PD, I can be absorbed in either, and PD recedes into the distance.

Family support - helps to have a supportive family though it doesn't always happen that way, one of my two sons is in denial, the other is very supportive.

support groups - online mainly, do not know what I would have done without the fantastic online support. Have only very recently encountered a 'real time' group, who also look to be exceptional.

managing stress - am quite laid back naturally, stress only if in very public position

managing depression - though I am very laid back I think there is an element of depression there, not of a misery type at all, just always functioning at a very sub optimal level, hard to describe, and have never known what to do about it.

Exercise - I really wish I had a personal trainer!! I KNOW exercise would benefit me, but it is all or nothing - the all leaves me exhausted and non functional, the nothing does the same, a personal trainer or failing that a supervised and regular routine would do me good. I used to love walking, balance is an issue now, and on my own or on a machine is not the same.

Finally, have you ever skipped/forgotten to take your meds because you were so deeply involved in a project or something like that and did not have any off-symptoms till you are done

Yes, this happens frequently if I am working on something and get really absorbed in doing something I love. Time becomes irrelevant.....

thanks
Lindy