Top Health Tips on Living with Parkinson's Disease

Most of us wake up to a cup of hot coffee every morning. Coffee is like an indispensable part of most of our lives. But, there has been a lot of debate regarding the effect of coffee on human health. While some believe that coffee is a performance booster and prevents against certain diseases, others express doubt on the goodness of caffeine in coffee. Rather, the presence of caffeine keeps a lot of us worried about the adverse effects of coffee.

But, one needs to keep in mind that coffee is a complex beverage. It has both its pros and cons. One needs to know all about coffee before ordering the second cup for himself or herself. Reasons for having that second cup of coffee:

Coffee activates your system: It contains caffeine that increases the level of adrenaline hormone in your body. This hormone is responsible for getting you ready for fighting against odds or physical tasks.
Coffee checks your body weight: It contains minerals like magnesium and potassium. These minerals maintain the insulin level in your body. Therefore, by drinking coffee, your appetite for quick snacks gets killed. However, the sugar levels stay intact. It also burns fat.
Protection against cancer: A recent study claimed that coffee can provide protection against cancer. It is said to have the potential to reduce the chances of having prostate cancer in men and endometrial cancer in women.
Guard against other serious diseases: Coffee is believed to provide prevention against some serious diseases Type II diabetes, Parkinson s disease, Alzheimer disease and stroke. It contains antioxidants that boost body s immune system. Caffeine can lower one s sensitivity towards insulin and provides impairment to glucose tolerance, reducing chances of developing Type II diabetes.
Reasons for not having that second cup of coffee:

Toxic: Coffee has the possibility of being toxic. It can be adulterate with a lot of harmful impurities. The cheaper and poor quality coffee can prove to be highly toxic sometimes.
Don t overdrink: Coffee can prove very harmful and even lethal, if taken in larger quantities. It has the potential to kill an individual, if 80-100 cups are consumed in a shorter session.
It gives sleeplessness: Coffee can turn you into an insomniac, if consumed in larger amounts.
Conclusion
Nothing is good, if overdone or overused. The same goes for coffee as well. It is good for your health if taken in small amounts at measured intervals. You can definitely order the second cup of coffee for yourself, provided you keep a check on the number of cups you have consumed in the entire day. A sensible individual will drink less, but drink regularly to get blessed with the goodness of coffee beans. An irresponsible drinker will just get addicted to see the worst in future.

If you cannot get an erection or if your erection isn't firm enough for sex, then you are suffering from Erectile Dysfunction(ED). If the troubles are persistent, then, it is a serious cause for concern. You can take a look at the symptoms of ED listed here:

1. Symptoms
a. You find it a real trouble getting an erection or keeping one firm enough for sex.
b. Your sexual desire is reduced and along with it, you experience other sexual problems which might include ejaculatory dysfunction.

2. Causes
a. There can be physical causes, like:
i. Involving medical conditions like Parkinson's Disease, Heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes.
ii. Involving medical treatments like treatment of prostate cancer or surgery in the pelvic region.
b. If you are a heavy drinker, then you have cause for concern.
c. There can also be psychological causes, like:
i. If you are suffering from depression or anxiety, then that is a probable cause for the disorder.
ii. Relationship problems might also lead to problems which extend into the ED.

3. Treatment
a. An efficient way of treating ED is homeopathy. This includes mainly two ways in which homeopathy can be used to address the disorder:
i. By using Agnus Castus: Agnus Castus is a top remedy for erectile dysfunction and is essential especially when the patient lacks sexual desire, or physical power required for sex.
ii. By using Lycopodim: It is especially beneficial for people with an enlarged prostate and for old and young irrespectively.
iii. By using Caladium: Caladium is the required deep-acting agent required when the condition is acute. In these cases, when erection is either not possible or not firm enough for sex, it is imperative that caladium is used as it tackles the problem at a much deeper level.

Parkinson s disease is a disorder involving the nervous system. It can start with a mere tremor of one hand and advances to slow movement and stiffness. The face might show little no symptoms in the beginning but the speech might become slurred. With every passing day, the condition worsens. This condition has no permanent cure but the symptoms can be improved with proper medication.

What are the symptoms?
Some unmistakable symptoms include the following:

A sudden shaking of the limb. A sudden tremor of the hand is a very common symptom of this disease.
Stiffness of the muscles that can limit the range of motion and sharp pain.
The posture of the body might get compromised. Often balancing problems are witnessed among many patients.
There could be problems with speech leading to soft, slurry or quick speech. The speech in some cases can become monotonous devoid of inflexions.
Parkinson s disease can lead to slow movement and makes performing of simple tasks difficult.
Patients often find writing very difficult
What are the possible causes of Parkinson s disease?

Specific genetic mutation can lead to Parkinson s disease in folks who have a family history of Parkinson s disease. Certain variations of the gene increase the risk of this disease
Exposure to certain environmental factors or certain toxins can trigger Parkinson s disease in an individual.
Certain cells in the brain known as Lewy bodies can trigger Parkinson s disease.
A certain kind of protein cells within the brain known as alpha-synuclein can trigger the Parkinson s disease in an individual
What are the risk factors?

Heredity: Having an immediate family member or close relative suffering from Parkinson s disease can increase the risk of getting this disease in an individual
Age: Although not a prime risk factor, but an individual over the age of over 60 have an increased risk of getting this disease
Toxins: Exposure to pesticide or certain herbicide increase the risk of Parkinson s
Sex: Men are more likely to get Parkinson s disease than women
What is the medication for Parkinson s disease?

Carbidopa-levodopa: This is a natural chemical that gets passed to the brain and is converted to dopamine by the body. The benefits of this medication might reduce with increased symptoms.
Carbidopa-levodopa infusion: A popular drug in this category is known as the Duopa. It is administered directly into the small intestine in the form of gel through a feeding tube.
MAO-B inhibitors: Drugs from this group include rasagiline and selegiline. This is powerful medicine. Many patient experiences hallucination during the initial days of consuming these drugs.
Anticholinergics: This medication is mainly used to counter tremors of the limbs in the early stage of Parkinson s disease.

There is a general misconception about impotence and erectile dysfunction being two separate conditions. In fact, impotence is just another term for erectile dysfunction. If you have a problem in achieving an erection more than 70% of the times when you want to have sex, you are suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Impotence is the same thing, but it also encompasses other concerns related to sexual health such as low libido and issues with ejaculation.

Causes of erectile dysfunction

Disruption of blood flow in the body or disruption in hormonal secretion and nerve supply to the body

Vascular and neurological causes

Occurrence of a disease known as atherosclerosis, which is caused due to smoking and diabetes. In this case, the arteries in the penis get narrowed and clogged.

Neuropathy, which occurs because of diabetes or diabetic neuropathy

Nerve damage because of a previous surgery around the pelvis area

High blood pressure or hypertension also result in damaged arteries throughout the vascular system. Blood flow gets impaired and proper erection is hampered.

Physical causes such as high cholesterol and obesity, Parkinson s disease and multiple cases of sclerosis

Smoking, excessive drinking and substance abuse

The reactions and side effects of certain medicines

Several psychological factors such as depression, excessive stress, tension, and performance anxiety, which reduce libido

Poor communication with the sexual partner

Intake of several medicines such as alpha adrenergic blockers, beta blockers, chemotherapy medications and central nervous system depressants

Treatment for erectile dysfunction

Different treatments may be used to treat erectile dysfunction. These include the following:

Medication: A group of drugs known as PDE-5 or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Vacuum devices: Vacuum erection devices help in providing an erection in men. A mechanical procedure is involved where the penis is made rigid using a vacuum pump sealed around it. This device draws blood and an erection becomes possible.

Surgical treatment: Penile implants can be used to treat erectile dysfunction. Mechanical implants are used, which help to keep the penis hard. A vascular surgery is another option, which incorporates the correction of blood vessels responsible for erectile dysfunction.

Natural treatment: There are a number of lifestyle changes that help a man naturally treat erectile dysfunction. Regular exercising, especially weight-bearing ones, not only aids in increasing blood flow, but also improves production of testosterone. Following a balanced diet with more intake of fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking also generate positive results.

The term impotence and erectile dysfunction are quite related as they indicate the same conditions. However, today the term erectile dysfunction is more popular over the term impotence. In case you experience any of the symptoms of this condition, you should consult a doctor immediately.

The coconut plant is an extremely versatile plant. No part of it goes waste. The whole fruit is used from its succulent flesh to its water everything is utilized. Coconut is in fact filled with various nutrients. It has many health benefits. The coconut is now seen as a superfood. The reasons behind so many health benefits of coconut have been laid down here:
1. Consuming any coconut product leads to a positive effect on weight management. It speeds up metabolism and provides instant energy. Unlike other energy sources, coconut has fewer calories than other fats. In fact, it is most likely to burn up than being stored in the body as fat.
2. Coconut has good fats. It contains medium chain fatty acids. Long chain fatty acids are responsible for high cholesterol. But medium chain fatty acids are not. Instead, they help to lower the chances of atherosclerosis and other heart diseases. Also among the coconut's several different properties, it contains lauric acid. Lauric acid is found in human breast milk.
3. Carbohydrates are of two types, digestible (soluble) and non-digestible (insoluble). Soluble carbohydrates do not leave the body and get stored as fats. Insoluble carbohydrates do the opposite. Coconuts contain insoluble carbohydrates. As the body cannot digest the fibre, it cannot retain any calories and does not affect blood sugar levels.
4. Since coconuts contain insoluble fibres, they do not raise glucose levels. Coconuts, thus have low glycaemic index.
5. Sweet cravings are lessened and insulin secretion is improved. Blood sugar has better utilization. Coconut lowers any growth in blood sugar, thus reducing cravings.
6. Coconut oil is beneficial to fight tooth decay. It fights the bacteria and the mouth bugs that give rise to dental caries.
7. Brain disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and strokes can be prevented.
8. It has no trans-fat
9. It is gluten free. Also, the flour made from dried, powdered coconut flesh can even be used in baking!
10. It is hypoallergenic
11. Boosts immune system
12. Coconut contains fatty acids that have antimicrobial properties. They kill bacteria, yeasts, fungi and viruses that cause diseases.
13. Protects body from free radicals that lead to premature aging
14. It is also good for your hair and skin

Sleeplessness and role of homeopathy in treating it.

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." Irish Proverb

Sleep has a profound effect on our physical, emotional and mental well-being. You must have realised so often that we feel very fresh and energetic after a good night's sleep. And, when we do not have a good night's sleep, we feel tired and irritable the whole day, our productivity decreases, we are feeling sleepy, and our whole schedule goes haywire. Sleep is the time when body undergoes repair and detoxification. Poor sleep patterns are linked to poor health and those who sleep less than six hours a night have a shorter life expectancy than those who sleep for longer.

When you sleep your muscles are relaxed during sleep and some blood circulation meant for the brain is diverted towards the muscles to repair them. A person is said to be suffering from sleeplessness or insomnia when he/she wakes up frequently during the night or too early in the morning or has difficulty in falling asleep.

Insomnia can be classified in the following ways

1. Primary insomnia: it refers to sleep problems which aren't directly related with any health condition.

2. Secondary insomnia: it stands for sleep problems that may be caused by health conditions, medications, pain or any other causes.

3. Acute insomnia: it is also known as short-term insomnia and usually lasts for a night or a few weeks.

4. Chronic insomnia: insomnia is described as long-term or chronic if you suffer from it for about 3 nights a week for 1 month or longer.

Common causes of sleeplessness:

When it comes to causes, there are several such as -

Anxiety
Stress
Pain or discomfort while sleeping
Use of certain medications
Interference in your normal sleep schedule
Having heavy meals or stimulants like caffeinated drinks and nicotine
In addition, there are also some medical conditions that can develop or aggravate insomnia, such as,

Asthma
Low back pain
Chronic pain
Arthritis
Neurological conditions such as parkinson's disease
How does homeopathy help in treating insomnia

Since sleep disorder is of critical concern, homeopathy treatment offers an excellent remedy as it doesn't involve any side effects. A professional homeopath first studies the symptoms of the disorder and offers remedy accordingly. These remedies go to the root cause of the problem and are not meant to just provide symptomatic relief, apart from the medicine, you will be guided about certain lifestyle changes they should make.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.

How Physiotherapy Can Help with Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders are problems with any one or a combination of the central nervous system or any of its peripheral systems such as cranial nerves, neuromuscular junctions, and the autonomic nervous systems among others.

Some extreme examples of neurological disorders are:

- Dementia
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Epilepsy
- Disorders brought on by strokes
- Multiple sclerosis and others

What is physiotherapy and how can it help?

Physiotherapy is a form of treatment where practitioners use physical forms of treatment such as massages, exercises, heat treatment and other controlled forms of external stimuli to treat physical disorders.

This method of treatment can be very effective in correcting neurological disorders.

Some of the physiotherapy techniques, which can be implemented to help patients, are as follows:

Electrical Stimulation: This method is commonly used to treat muscular problems, especially incurred after an accident or any other form of injury. In this method, controlled electric stimulation is given to specific nerve areas over the skin to stimulate them.

Heat treatment: This method involves applying heat to parts of the body such as joints or muscles where there is nerve or muscular damage. This treatment is especially effective for muscle related problems.

Ice or cold treatment: Vertically opposite to the principle of heat treatment, ice or cold treatment is used to contract muscles within the body. This is especially effective where inflammation needs to be controlled.

Manual therapy: Possibly the most common form of physiotherapy, this method employs massages, pressure points, stretching and hands on strengthening exercises and helps regularize nerve impulses to areas where they have been affected.

Hi,

This is Doctor Ajit Shivach from Sahibabad, Ghaziabad. Today I will talk about disease Parkinson s, this is the most common neurological disorder nowadays and the causes of this disease are not yet known very much but really the genetic mutation and some toxic effects of using some toxic drugs can cause Parkinson's.

So the most common clinical features of this disease are tremors, rigidity in the movement, postural instability in which the person is not able to maintain his posture properly and freezing of the limbs, lower limbs, especially when he tries to walk, later on, it can lead to dementia, can lead to insomnia i.e. sleeping disorders and even loss of smell i.e. anosmia. So these are all the symptoms and why this disease happens?

This disease occurs because of the loss of dopamine-producing neurons, these dopamine-producing neurons are present in the substantia nigra of the brain, whenever these cells start dying the dopamine which is important in controlling the motor cortex of our brain which helps in the movement of the limbs is decreased so this state leads to Parkinson s.

Now what happens with such type of patients they start to have tremors at rest and there is a pill-rolling effect like you can see on my hand this type of movement starts occurring with these type of patients involuntarily, they cannot stop it and if you want to clinically testify it there is cogwheel rigidity of the hands if you try to unfold hand of a patient it will be cogwheel rigidity. So these are the clinical features and let us discuss about its treatment in homeopathy.

In homeopathy we have a very nice treatment of this disease, in the past, I have cured many patients of this disease like with Mag Mur. One of the patients came with this disease he was totally cured with the Mag Muriaticum 200 and within a treatment of 1 year, he was okay. He started resuming his daily routine in a very nice and smooth way, another patient was cured with Apis and 3rd one was cured with Arsenic Album and like this many patients have been cured, not fully cured but 90% of their lifestyle was restored to normal, still they are on treatment and the way of selecting the medication in homeopathy is just case taking. You have to go through a very rigorous case taking of the patient, you got to know all the mental, physical, general and all these symptoms and they are clubbed and some medication is picked out and that medications start to work in any kind of disease.

So this is all about Parkinson's and we can treat it very beautifully with homeopathy, homeopathy and do wonders in this disease.
Thank You.

Parkinsonism is often mistaken for Parkinson's Disease. Though similar in quite a few aspects, yet Parkinsonism is not the same as Parkinson's Disease. Parkinsonism is a medical condition whereby the affected individual exhibits some symptoms identical to those observed in the case of a Parkinson's disease.

Factors that lead to Parkinsonism
Parkinsonism can result from a host of factors and health condition such as

Increased and repeated exposure to toxic gases and substances, namely organic solvents, cyanide, manganese, or carbon monoxide.
People suffering from the repeated head injury (as in the case of boxing or wrestling).
The medications used in the treatment of psychiatric problems (antipsychotic medicines) or those used in treating nausea (Prochlorperazine or even Metoclopramide). Some of the antipsychotic drugs have the potential to interfere (block) with the activity of the neurotransmitter Dopamine resulting in parkinsonism.
The use of MPTP (1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine), especially the oxidized product MPP+ (1-methyl-4-Phenylpyridinium) can wreck havoc resulting in parkinsonism and the associated symptoms.
Some of the medical conditions that can contribute towards Parkinsonism include

Viral Encephalitis (resulting in acute brain inflammation).
Alzheimer's Disease (a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that triggers cognitive and behavioral problems often accompanied with dementia).
Multiple system atrophy (a progressive neurodegenerative disorder resulting in dysfunctioning of the autonomic nervous system and the voluntary movements).
Progressive supranuclear palsy or Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome (a rare disorder of the brain that interferes with the balancing, walking, and the eye movements of the affected person.
Stroke or a brain tumor.
Lewy body dementia (a condition triggered by the unusual accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein in the brain with the person exhibiting symptoms associated with both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease).
Wilson Disease (an autosomal recessive condition whereby copper starts accumulating in the vital organs including the liver and the brain).
Symptoms
In patients with parkinsonism,

The muscles appear stiff. A person experiences a resting tremor (tremor that mainly affects one hand even when the muscles are relaxed), along with difficulty while walking or balancing their body. (These symptoms are also characteristic of a Parkinson's disease).
Further, there may be early signs of dementia (loss of memory or forgetfulness). There may be Agnosia, Aphasia, or Apraxia
Constipation, a dip in the blood pressure, difficulties in eating or swallowing of food.
Hallucinations and loss of judgment (such as failing to locate the kitchen or bathroom at home).
Unusual eye movements.
Ayurvedic Treatment
According to Ayurveda, Parkinsonism is a manifestation of the vitiation of the Vata Dosha (Wind energy) that takes place in the cranial nerves. Thus, corrective measures are followed to restore the balance between the Vata, Kapha, and Pitta Dosha.

Panchakarma can bring about a visible improvement in patients with Parkinsonism. Oil massages using Ashwagandha and Bala can work wonders.
Brahmi is another wonder herb used to treat Parkinsonism.
Meditation, exercise (light to moderate), yoga can be helpful in the case of Parkinsonism.
Try and make the diet as nutritious and healthy as possible.
A Warm Ayurvedic Oil Application is very effective in relieving these kinds of aches and pain if done on regular basis.

Parkinsonism is often mistaken for Parkinson's Disease. Though similar in quite a few aspects, yet Parkinsonism is not the same as Parkinson's Disease. Parkinsonism is a medical condition whereby the affected individual exhibits some symptoms identical to those observed in the case of a Parkinson's disease.

Factors that lead to Parkinsonism
Parkinsonism can result from a host of factors and health condition such as

Increased and repeated exposure to toxic gases and substances, namely organic solvents, cyanide, manganese, or carbon monoxide.
People suffering from the repeated head injury (as in the case of boxing or wrestling).
The medications used in the treatment of psychiatric problems (antipsychotic medicines) or those used in treating nausea (Prochlorperazine or even Metoclopramide). Some of the antipsychotic drugs have the potential to interfere (block) with the activity of the neurotransmitter Dopamine resulting in parkinsonism.
The use of MPTP (1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine), especially the oxidized product MPP+ (1-methyl-4-Phenylpyridinium) can wreck havoc resulting in parkinsonism and the associated symptoms.
Some of the medical conditions that can contribute towards Parkinsonism include

Viral Encephalitis (resulting in acute brain inflammation).
Alzheimer's Disease (a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that triggers cognitive and behavioral problems often accompanied with dementia).
Multiple system atrophy (a progressive neurodegenerative disorder resulting in dysfunctioning of the autonomic nervous system and the voluntary movements).
Progressive supranuclear palsy or Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome (a rare disorder of the brain that interferes with the balancing, walking, and the eye movements of the affected person.
Stroke or a brain tumor.
Lewy body dementia (a condition triggered by the unusual accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein in the brain with the person exhibiting symptoms associated with both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease).
Wilson Disease (an autosomal recessive condition whereby copper starts accumulating in the vital organs including the liver and the brain).

Symptoms
In patients with parkinsonism,

The muscles appear stiff. A person experiences a resting tremor (tremor that mainly affects one hand even when the muscles are relaxed), along with difficulty while walking or balancing their body. (These symptoms are also characteristic of a Parkinson's disease).
Further, there may be early signs of dementia (loss of memory or forgetfulness). There may be Agnosia, Aphasia, or Apraxia
Constipation, a dip in the blood pressure, difficulties in eating or swallowing of food.
Hallucinations and loss of judgment (such as failing to locate the kitchen or bathroom at home).
Unusual eye movements.
Ayurvedic Treatment
According to Ayurveda, Parkinsonism is a manifestation of the vitiation of the Vata Dosha (Wind energy) that takes place in the cranial nerves. Thus, corrective measures are followed to restore the balance between the Vata, Kapha, and Pitta Dosha.

Panchakarma can bring about a visible improvement in patients with Parkinsonism. Oil massages using Ashwagandha and Bala can work wonders.
Brahmi is another wonder herb used to treat Parkinsonism.
Meditation, exercise (light to moderate), yoga can be helpful in the case of Parkinsonism.
Try and make the diet as nutritious and healthy as possible.
A Warm Ayurvedic Oil Application is very effective in relieving these kinds of aches and pain if done on regular basis.