The Parkinson's Experience podcast Sheryl Lowenhar

What stage are you in? Do people ask you that question? If so, do you tell them? Do you even know? What are the stages and what do they mean? Frankly, I have never asked my movement disorder specialist neurologist what stage I am in. I don’t know why. We have never discussed it. However, learning and knowing more about how your doctor is tracking the progression of the disease is, I think, important.
So, today we are going to speak with a movement disorder specialist. He will explain the stages of Parkinson’s disease.  What they are and what that means to individuals and their families. I think you will find this episode interesting and helpful.
https://www.honorhealth.com/physicians/daniel-savitt
https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons/stages 
https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html 

Earlier this season on episode number 088 titled “the Skinny on Skin” we learned about the various skin disorders that can manifest in people with Parkinson’s. Well, on the flip side, the skin is the largest organ in our body. It must hold all kinds of secrets to our health.  It turns out alpha-synuclein gets deposited in the skin of patients with synucleinopathies, which includes Parkinson’s and related diseases. Therefore, a skin biopsy can be used to diagnose and confirm these diseases. Not only can this advancement in the diagnosis important, the skin biopsy can also be used to speed up clinical trials. The company leading the way with this procedure and process, CND Life Sciences, has only just getting started. They continue to investigate what the skin can provide clinicians and researches to help bring new therapies to market quicker.
The director of medical affairs for CND and a person with Parkinson’s explains how this all works. Listen on…
https://cndlifesciences.com/
https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html
 

What do you know about your gut? In the last several years, research has led us to a more detailed understanding of the role of the gut – which includes the stomach, intestines, and colon. This isn’t your father’s understanding of the gut. So, what does the gut have to do with it? It being the possible cause of many diseases including Parkinson’s disease.
In this episode we will learn about how the gut has a direct communication with the brain. We all know the saying, “follow your gut”. The direct connection explains why this saying is meaningful. In addition, we will learn the importance of a healthy microbiome - which is the bacteria living in your gut - and how we can make changes in our diet to help maintain a healthy gut. Most notably, we’ll learn what this all has to do with living our best life with Parkinson’s.
I hope you take the time to listen to this episode. It could improve your journey with PD.
https://foothillsneurology.com/staff/maria-ospina-m-d/
https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html 
https://www.parkinson.org/blog/awareness/gut-brain-connection 

The topic today is one of those difficult to discuss symptoms that most of us try to avoid and deal with it on our own. Not a great idea. So, let’s learn about and discuss our bladders. You might have an overactive one which is also referred to as hyperactive or underactive one also referred to as hypoactive. Unfortunately, the probably of anyone having bladder problems grows as we get older. However, people with Parkinson’s have an even higher incident.
Listen on to learn why bladder problems occur in people with Parkinson’s and treatments available. I think you will find the treatment my guest, Dr. Tory McJunkin, offers is unique and, possibly, a game changer for those needing some bladder relief. You could get your life and freedom back.
https://bladdercenter.com/
https://www.axonics.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BladderWellness/
https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html
 

Welcome to the third episode in our three-episode series on exercise. During the process of researching for this episode, I have found more and more studies showing that exercise does help reduce symptoms of PD. Very exciting to be able to take control of your journey by including certain exercises in your day and week. My guest today, Dean Laws, did just that. After a period of denial and apathy, his buddies, or mates since Dean lives in Australia, urged him to take control and start running again. They went even further and formed The Dean Team to support Dean and the whole PD community.
So, this is a story about the power of exercise and the importance of friendship, family, and the wider community. Listen on for a heartwarming dialogue with Dean. Plus, you will like his accent.
Welcome to our new listeners in Australia. Our journey is the same no matter where you live. We can all use each other’s support and share our experiences to live our best lives.  Oh, and I hope you like my accent.
https://www.pitchinforparkinsons.org.au/event/dean-team/home
https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html
 

Welcome to part two in our series on exercise and how it has been proven to reduce the symptoms of PD. As one of my guests, Dr. Daniel Corcos, explains, “It is crystal clear, exercise slows the progression of Parkinson’s.” In this episode, Kristine Meldrum and Dr. Corcos, authors of the book “Parkinson’s: How to Reduce Symptoms Through Exercise,” continue to discuss the research and real life experiences of the positive effects realized from a personalized exercise “cocktail”.
What should PWP be focused on achieving with our exercise cocktail in order to maximize our time and the benefits? What are the recommended exercises, how do we measure progress, how many minutes do we spend on each part of the cocktail? I know I have been waiting for the answers to those questions. Now, I can find them in this book. And you, the listeners, can get some of the answers by listening on and the rest are in the book!
https://www.parkinsonsbook.com/
https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=29101
https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/research/podcast/can-exercise-slow-parkinsons-disease-progression-with-daniel-corcos-phd.html
https://www.dbsandme.com/en.html