What follows was from a post by Sarah… of Invigorated
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👨🍳 “Can I still eat healthy if I hate to cook?” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preparing a brain-boosting meal takes time and effort. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Some people enjoy it, others would rather just dial up Chinese take-out. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Even if you love cooking, stepping into the kitchen with PD can be daunting.. 🔪 Chopping can be tough because of hand weakness or tremors. 🥘 Moving things around the kitchen requires mobility in tight spaces that freezing may not allow. 💤 Being on your feet for 30+ minutes takes energy which may be lacking due to fatigue. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If this is you, know there are ways to adjust. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here are some tips to save time and energy: 🔹Use a slow cooker – Throw the ingredients in the pot, set the timer, and you have a full meal at the end of the day. 🔹Cook enough for leftovers – Choose recipes that will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days, or freeze for a quick go-to meal later. 🔹Quick snacks – Commit to having basic healthy snacks (nut-based trail mix, apple and almond butter, peeled boiled eggs, seed-crackers and hummus) on hand that you can grab and go 🔹Invest in tools – Minimize cutting and chopping with tools to conserve energy and improve safety (think: an apple slicer, Ninja blender and chopper, etc.) 🔹Embrace the smoothie – Smoothies are easy to prepare quickly and can be full of nutrients. A basic recipe = Frozen fruits + veggies + non-dairy milk + plant-based protein. 🔹Use frozen veggies – They’re already chopped and easy to throw in a skillet to sauté (Pro tip: Avoid pre-seasoned and season at home). 🔹Phone a friend – Ask a friend if they’d be interested in coming over once a week to cook a meal for you two (with enough for leftovers) and offer to buy the groceries. ⠀
I think the explanation found in “The Parkinson’s Protocol” By Jodi Knapp might give us a clue. She says “Dopamine activates five different cell receptors:” I think my dopamine loss is predominantly in the D3. I will tell you why.
The theory is, a person has lost 80% of their dopamine before they are diagnosed. I have not had normal responses to events when others found great pleasure for a long time. I had blamed my inability to laugh on my father’s strict reactions to my laughter in my youth. But when I read the islands of Valleja and nucleus accumbens reinforce the effects of pleasure, and emotions such as joy and laughter, it gave me reason to reevaluate.
D1, found in the cardiovascular system, as well as the cortex, striatum and limbic system of the brain. The actions spurred by dopamine and D1 control the growth and development of brain cells, and behavioral responses. They also modulate the actions of the D2 receptor.
D2, found in the brain but mostly in the basal ganglia, where learning and motor control take place. Together with D1, it is implicated in behavioral reinforcement.
D3, found in two areas of the limbic brain called islands of Calleja and nucleus accumbens, which are involved with reinforcing the effects of pleasure, and emotions such as joy and laughter.
D4 is involved in exploratory behavior and motor coordination. Most medications for the treatment of Parkinson’s target this receptor.
D5 is also found primarily in the limbic brain, and has a role in emotions, behavior, long term memory and smell. D5 receptors have a higher affinity for dopamine, meaning they bind to it more easily.
Going to the internet to learn more about D3 “The most important function of nucleus accumbens is to process and analyze the rewarding and reinforcing stimuli… It is also important in spatial and instrumental learning.” “The islands of Calleja are a group of neural granule cells located, where it aids in the reinforcing effects of reward-like activities.
Case in point: I allowed my son to throw me out of a perfectly good airplane attached to him for a skydiving experience as a reward for his successfully ceasing smoking.
If you watch the video, you will perhaps note I am so relaxed as we exit the plane.. like a rag doll. I had no fear or high expectations, and although I tried to smile for my sons, I felt no joy or excitement. Just a little confusion, about what I should do with my hands.
By way of explanation, there are a couple blank spaces on the video. All the divers had cameras on their heads and the dive was photographed from different angles. When he pulls the first chute it is to slow us down so we are falling the same rate as the photographers. When he pulls the second chute and it looks like it jerks us up, it is because the cameras continue falling at the faster rate, creating the illusion.
I ‘fibbed’ when I said it was fun… because I didn’t want to dampen their excitement. I feel more pleasure in watching the video than I did the day it was taken.
At the end My son, Stephen, who took me (because Tom and I didn’t have enough combined weight) made a comment about my calm.
Ponderings… (I found this in my drafts and decided it was time to share it now.) When I could see a diagnosis of Parkinson’s was coming, I did a little soul searching. What is it I am to learn from such a diagnosis? Two conclusions came to mind.
1.) I need to express more gratitude… giving credit where credit is due. I am so grateful for the inspiration and guidance that led us to make diet changes, do cleanses and utilize a variety of modalities and supplements that led, in part…to John’s improved health. But more than that, I confess there was a long period of time, during John’s illness when I questioned; When he was told, when given a priesthood blessing, that his health would be restored. (‘How can that be possible?’) … (I was fearful that I would be widowed, being left to raise the children without a father.) It brings to mind the pleading of a father in Mark 9:24 “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief”. I am so very grateful that the promised blessing came.
2.) Physician, Heal thyself. (a concept taken from Luke 4:23 … that I intend to take to heart.)
We already learned to think out of the box when considering our health, so armed with knowledge gained from earlier quests, and faith that as we read in Mark 9:23 ‘all things are possible to him that believeth.” I said “Let’s do this.”
I began to journal things I learned:
There is a reason people are always telling me I look tired… It has to do with the inability of my face to move to show excitement, joy, etc.
I blink slowly and less frequently… which causes dry eyes… but the good news is… my feelings are dulled, so I don’t feel it.
I can’t make almond flour with my wheat grinder. It would take one almond at a time and spit out almond butter.🤔 But I used my blender to process the almonds adding eggs…and was very pleased with the bread my adaption produced.
etc…
addendum: So, of course, remembering God has given man wisdom and insight into dealing with many medical conditions… And fully believing He expects us to build on each other’s knowledge and not feel a need to reinvent the wheel, with each new situation… we first sought advice from the medical profession. I am able to report after consulting with five neurologists, I have received the medications that enable me to keep functioning.
I have been able to pull together some useful information putting it into a different format from any I have found. I hope my efforts help some of you feel informed instead of feeling a need to reinvent the wheel.
Have you ever wondered if unhealthy food remains inside your body? We have used the Burroughs Cleanse aka ‘The Master Cleanse’ to detoxify the body. It consists of freshly squeezed lemon juice, organic maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and hot water combined to ease digestion, jumpstart circulation, and support toxin removal. Lemon juice boosts the immune system and supports digestive function, the maple syrup scores low on the glycemic index while cayenne heats the body and stimulates your metabolism. Burroughs proclaimed that the liquid cleanse was a healthy and natural way to flush the body of deadly toxins, pesticides, and other impurities. Stating, “A purified colon revitalizes the body as well as the skin.” The cleanse lasted for ten days. The cleanse is not for the faint of heart.
So I thought today is a good time to tell you about a less drastic approach to detoxifying your body because they are having a 25% off sale right now at: DiatomaceousEarth.com
No, they are NOT putting soil or dirt into capsules and selling it as a supplement. The word “diatomaceous” comes from the root word “diatom”, which is a single-celled organism found in freshwater lakes and riverbeds. Diatomaceous earth is a chalk-like powder that is made up entirely of these diatoms that have fossilized over thousands of years. Depending on the grade of diatomaceous earth, these diatoms can be used to promote health, preserve food, and even control many common household pests & insects.
Just so you know, there are a plethora of ways to use the product: one example is protecting your Jack o lantern masterpiece from an early demise due to mold. My sweetheart and I consume a little each day, for the benefit of lowering our cholesterol. But I wanted to share the link where you can learn about the detoxing benefits.
Standing up to Parkinson's 