Bikram Yoga for PD good or evil?
 

Hello Everyone,

I came across this forum recently and found lots of invaluable infos. Hope to get your collective wisdom on Bikram yoga. This type of yoga is practiced in a hot room with approximately 104 degrees for 90 minutes. I was practicing Bikram yoga for number of years, was diagnosed with PD in 2012 and stopped going to classes for 8 months. Bikram yoga has many benefits, it improves your balance, flexibility, strength and cardiovascular capacity. It’s also highly addictive, in a good way :) - endorphins make you fill great. Anyway, I resumed going to classes about 10 months ago. However, despite its benefits, I worry about potential increase of oxidative stress, induced by extra heat. After reading the link (can not post a link apparently) today at * website about exposures of fruit flies to extreme conditions including high temperature, I am re-thinking if I should continue Bikram. Even a thought of it makes me depressed, though :(
I wonder, if someone has an experience with it, or opinion, or came across any reference.
Finally, sorry for grammar and style - English is not my 1st language.

boy, seems like you are the worrier. there are plenty of other ways of exercising that have shown a benefit such as tai chi, tango, resistence training, spinning, treadmill, boxing, etc - long term benefit not yet established but short term for sure. i was playing soccer on a men's over 40 team when i was diagnosed - only symptom was slight reduced dexterity in right hand and slight stiffness in right leg, played for another 3 years and after playing a game it felt like i didn't have pd for a few hours, but my pd did progress albeit slower than the average, can't say it was the vigorous exercise.

i also had access to a sauna when first diagnosed and used it at least once a week for a year, stopped after i stopped my athletic club membership.

Well, Bikram yoga is a best way to get all benefits at once. I tried stationery bike, but I’m pedaling too slow and cannot get into high enough heart beat zone. In a way, Bikram is an easy solution for lazy people like me: you don’t have to push yourself, your heart beats elevates automatically due to an extra heat. Also, as I mentioned, it’s addictive because you “get high” during and after the class. That’s why, no matter how tired or busy I am, I am always willing to do it. Unfortunately, there is a potential harmful side-effect of heat. I found a study “Oxidative Stress for an Acute Bout of Bikram Yoga in Healthy, Trained Adults”. They measured number of bio-markers typical for oxidative stress, and concluded that in their study “trained participants did not undergo significant oxidative stress regardless of increased oral body temperature or heart rates from the practice of Bikram yoga in the heat. Explanation of comparable levels of oxidative stress may be due to the experience and acclimatization to the practice.”
Nevertheless, an oxidative stress defense in people with neurological problems may be diminished.

sorry, thought you wanted some opinions and experience with heat. my bad.

Soccertese,
I want to listen to people opinions and experience, and appreciate you sharing your experience. I just elaborated with more details.

I think it would be one of those try it and see how it feels for you things.
I have no idea on the possible science or Oxidative Stress aspects tho..

Hi Lana - I used to do Bikram and stopped after PD. I don't know about the oxidative stress, but it stopped feeling good for me. I used to feel great after class, then I started feeling really bad - sometimes I would have to lie down for a while after. I go to regular yoga sometimes now. Sadly, my ego gets in the way and sometimes I just do my yoga at home. My balance issue make me sad! I wish I could find a yoga for PD class.
Anyhow, I see that you are in SF - me too! :-)

Nice to e-meet you Anagirl! I am at South bay - still neighbors. I noticed your earlier message regarding starting a nicotine trial. I wonder if you did. I am going through a nicotine threads on the forum and villiers's protocol and contemplating to start asap. I know that Parkinson's institute in Sunnyvale is a clinical site for the trial, but entering the trial means you can get into placebo group. So, my inclination is just to follow villiers's notes. Would you mind sharing your experience with a nicotine trial? thanks

Hello from Palo Alto!
 

Hi Lana and welcome! You may know already - the Parkinson's Institute has a women's support group - they meet monthly for lunch http://parkinsonswomen.com/

Also there's a yogini who focuses on yoga for PD - Kaitlyn Roland - she has some interesting blogs and tweets:
http://kaitlynroland.wordpress.com/ Unfortunately for us south bay types she's in Vancouver, Canada

And you can follow me on twitter @MeAndPD

-Brian

Hi again ~ I'm in Millbrae. As Brian mentioned there is a group of PD women who meet once per month for lunch in Palo Alto. Brian introduced me and I've had lunch with the group, they are really great. I haven't gone for a while as my daughter goes to school in SF and it's a lot of driving, but I plan to go in April (spring break) and in the summer. If you'd ever like to join us let me know. Brian and I also try to meet for coffee when we can.

Anyhow, I spoke to the Parkinson's Inst in Sunnyvale about the nicotine trial and they only take people who have been diagnosed 18 months or less - so I didn't qualify. Villers has done a wonderful job of explaining the method. I've also noticed that on the MJFF clinical trial page for the nicotine trial pretty much explains the method as well. I haven't done my own experiment with nicotine yet. It's on my list, I'm sure I'll get to it eventually.

Good luck to you!