Category: Alternative therapies

Secret Code

What I don’t plan to keep secret is how I feel about LuminAloe. I believe it is improving my health and quality of life at the cellular level. Rather than writing out all the ways I see my life being impacted, I’d like to refer you to the Transparency page, at the top of each post, where I update my progress. So to see the improvements, you would need to scroll back and read it in reverse from …………….. to …………….. or look for the dates of each entry.

Opportunity to participate

I f You (or someone you know) have a speech impediment that makes it difficult to be understood, THIS is FOR YOU

Systems don’t always work as well for people with atypical speech. By personalizing its speech recognition to the individual, Project Relate seeks to improve everyday life for people with speech impairments.

Project Relate is a continuation of years of research from both Google’s Speech and Research teams, made possible by over a million speech samples recorded by over a thousand individuals. We welcome new trusted testers to experience the app and provide feedback. Express interest at g.co/ProjectRelate.

(I have cut and pasted the form, so you can seethe qualifications required to participate )

Google Project Relate Interest Form


You are signing up to be included in a beta research app release of Google’s Project Relate.

Project Relate can be trained to understand your specific speech, if you provide it with examples of you talking. Project Relate needs at least 500 phrases to be trained; most people need 1-2 hours, which can be spread over multiple sessions, to complete their 500 phrases. You will need an Android phone (e.g. Pixel, Samsung, OnePlus) running Android OS 8 or later to be able to use the app.

We value your thoughts and feedback. When you submit your feedback to Google, we will determine your eligibility (based on certain compliance and legal considerations) for either a cash or other non-cash incentive, up to $60 or local currency equivalent.

IMPORTANT: If you’re filling out this form on behalf of someone else, please ensure you have their permission to do so.

The purpose of this questionnaire is to verify your eligibility to download and use Google’s Project Relate app. The data you provide in the app and this form may be used to assist Google to design, research, develop, build, and improve the accessibility of its current and future products and services related to speech technologies. Information you provide in this questionnaire may be combined with other information and data that you chose to provide during the data collection, if you are selected to participate.

Questions? Write us anytime at project-relate@google.com

  • Strangers or people I just met find it difficult to understand my speech (and not just because of an accent).
  • I am 18 years of age or over
  • I have access to an Android mobile device, running Android OS 8 or later, to download the Relate app
  • I understand I need to record at least 500 phrases (which can take anywhere between 30 to 90 minutes) in order to train Project Relate to understand me and that new features of the app that are unlocked by these recordings may take a few days to receive.
  • I understand that even after recording 500 phrases, Project Relate may still not understand me perfectly.
  • I understand I will need to record each phrase word-for-word in order to teach Relate to understand me. If I don’t say exactly what is written, Relate may not work as well. If I make a mistake, I can re-record the prompt.
  • I understand that the phrases I record will also be used to help improve Google’s speech technologies and the products and services that use them.
  • I understand that Project Relate is for English speakers only at this time.

You must confirm agreement with all the listed criteria to participate

Mindset

I am excited about some research news that was shared at a BYU Forum yesterday. Please take time to listen to this facinating discussion about the scientific discoveries of some substances that are now going to human testing, looking very promissing for reversing the protein folding in the brains of Patients with ALS, Parkinsons and alzymers and other neurological imparements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=JkfuvwqcEcw

My researching Dr. Paul Alan Cox brought me to a Ted presentation at:

https://brainchemistrylabs.org on the ‘about’ page. Here is a quote from the page.: “We have only one wish at the Institute for Ethnomedicine: to discover new treatments for serious illnesses. This focus has led to the discovery of two promising new drugs for ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other tangle diseases.”

I am excited because of the inclusion of some of the same ingredients in our LuminAloe formula as mentioned in the Forum titled “Exploring Nature’s Curiosity Cabinet”

From the website..https://ascendsciences.net Organic Yam Powder

(Dioscorea Villosa) powder – is naturally high in the chemical diosgenin; which in a laboratory can be converted into estrogen.  Wild Yam is considered a phytoestrogen food, meaning it comes from plants used to produce estrogen therapy and relief of menstrual-related conditions.

The diosgenin in Wild Yam has been studied extensively and research suggests it supports healthy blood sugar levels.  Other respected studies further suggest it is also antiproliferative – which means it may help keep unhealthy or DNA-damaged cells in check.   Yet another study suggests diosgenin may support healthy HDL production and help stifle unhealthy LDL production.  

Traditionally, Wild Yam was used as an antispasmodic for colic in babies and some people actually call it colic root.  However, most people use it due to the DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) it contains.”

The Iceberg then Poof

I’m one of the lucky ones… I do not generally exhibit resting tremors. And although the traditional c/l doesn’t seem to help me, The agonist does…

We just got home from spending our morning at the Norman Fixel Institute for neurology, where I saw a speech therapist, occupational therapist, a physical therapist and then the Movement Disorder Specialist.

I hadn’t seen any of them for six months.. And across the board, all four of the specialists who saw me, said there was much improvement in my functioning over the last visit. The Movement Specialist went so far as to say… “There are different forms of Parkinson’s which progress at different rates. You must have a very mild case. You are looking GREAT! I don’t think we will need to see you for another year.”

I was gracious and thanked her for her time… But I was thinking, this is going to be an awesome testimony of the benefits of the ‘more comprehensive nutrition’ found in the LuminAloe. She is aware of my taking the LuminAloe, but not sold on it, yet. I figure next time I see her, in a year, I should have also had the benefits of the frequencies provided by the Currie… and I will be able to demonstrate the benefits of really good nutrition in a most convincing way. So Poof… my symptoms are going away!

CUE

This is a link to an introduction of the Cue1… a non invasive tool that I signed up to receive updates on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzxntHblG4

………………………This is a chat entry by a gentleman in the UK

“Ok… so… I went on the waiting list in September 2020 and received my CUE1 in early February just gone.”

“The first couple of days I didn’t really notice much difference, then all of a sudden it dawned on me that my balance had improved a lot and that stiffness and slowness were improved too. I don’t think it does a lot for my tremor but could be wrong. Everyone is different so don’t be put off by this.”

“If you’ve got questions, email the team at Charco, they are lovely and very approachable.”

………………………..and this posted in the chat by Deedee777

I live in the United States, and this is the response that I received today from Charco Neurotech (Team Charco ) regarding their CUE1 availability for customers in the USA:

“We are offering the CUE1 to those on our UK waiting list. As a medical device company we are unable to make the CUE1 available to those in the US until we have been approved by the FDA. ” Team Charco,

Go to their website, for detailed information on CUE1, and to sign up to their Waiting List: Their website is: charconeurotech.com/

I’ll keep you posted.

Sue

To Correct my Posture

The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education uses gentle movement and directed attention to help people learn new and more effective ways of living the life they want. You can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement. Since how you move is how you move through life, these improvements will often enhance your thinking, emotional regulation, and problem-solving capabilities…

I per chance ran across this unique form of Yoga. I have posted 4 videos showing three different presenters demonstrating exercises for posture alignment, freeing neck and shoulder pain, healing your knees & foot and ankle stability. Do your own search and see if any of their approaches work for you.

This an exercise a person can do, laying in bed.

Covering My Bases

I suspect it is too late to help the particular patient, but this perspective might be beneficial to some of my readers.

The scenario: Her husband didn’t pick his foot up high enough when approaching the curb. which resulted in a fall on cement and a broken bone. He is hospitalized. After giving him a swallowing test, the doctor recommended the feeding tube to increase his food consumption, to give him the strength needed to go through therapy

A fellow PwP posted the following in a chat with the caregiver who was seeking a second opinion about the Dr’s recommendation to give her husband a feeding tube (placed through the skin into the stomach) to prevent aspirational pneumonia.

………………………………………..

” MDs never speak of potential adverse effects of proposed treatments. In the case of a feeding tube: stanfordhealthcare.org/medi…

“Possible complications associated with a feeding tube include:

• Constipation • Dehydration • Diarrhea • Skin Issues (around the site of your tube)

• Unintentional tears in your intestines (perforation)

• Infection in your abdomen (peritonitis)

• Problems with the feeding tube such as blockages (obstruction) and involuntary movement (displacement)”

incidence of complications is alleged to be low but what is reality? Here is one study of the effect of probiotics on infection. This is the first study I pulled up: mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/2/391

“Differences between the two groups in number of infections (25% intervention group vs. 44% controls), antibiotic therapies (12% vs. 37%)” This was only over a period of 60 days. The number is shockingly high. Trading aspiration pneumonia for peritonitis is not a good trade. Now let us look at prevention of aspiration pneumonia:

General search: scholar.google.com/scholar?…

Prevention of aspiration pneumonia (AP) with oral care: sciencedirect.com/science/a…

“Abstract

AP is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly patients, especially frail elderly patients. The aim of this article is to review effect of oral care, including oral hygiene and improvement of oral function, on the prevention of AP among elderly people in hospitals and nursing homes. There is now a substantial body of work studying the effect of oral care on the prevention of respiratory diseases. Oral hygiene, consisting of oral decontamination and mechanical cleaning by dental professionals, has resulted in significant clinical effects (decreased incidence of pneumonia and decreased mortality from respiratory diseases) in clinical randomized trials. Moreover, studies examining oral colonization by pneumonia pathogens have shown the effect of oral hygiene on eliminating these pathogens. In addition, swallowing training has been shown to improve the movement and function of swallowing-related muscles, also resulting in decreased incidence of pneumonia. These findings support the contention that oral care is effective in the prevention of AP.”

Increased visits to the dental hygienist sure beats a feeding tube.”

…………………………………………………………………

My understanding is, when the PwP has his/her swallowing affected, the signal to close the opening into the lungs doesn’t react fast enough to get fully closed. Usually I strangle 0n clear liquids and am able to cough it back out. Occasionally a crumb of toast or some such thing will get in the wrong place triggering a serious coughing fit. So far, I am okay.

When I learned about aspirational pneumonia I was proactive and received a pneumonia vaccination. I have become very mindful about flossing and brushing twice a day. And I get a professional cleaning twice a year.

Trying to cover all my bases.

Sue

Brain changes

I have been going to physical therapy this month. I am in a program designed to help people with Parkinson’s retrain the brain to help us with balance and prevent falls. I think I am a slow learner. There are so many different aspects to it. how to turn, how to keep the feet from crossing over… or from bringing feet too close together. My therapist is constantly reminding me: ‘shoulders back’, ‘don’t drag your foot’, ‘look straight ahead’, ‘stand up straight’, ‘think big’. ‘take bigger steps’, ‘pick up your foot higher’, etc…

Yesterday was my tenth session, so they had me retake the test that I received at intake. They said I had improved some on my times, but I have a long way to go. They showed me a before treatment and after therapy for another patient, and my honest input was “He looks like he is walking wearing a wet diaper.” I am hoping, when I see my after therapy video, my gait isn’t quite as exaggerated as his was. In my ‘before treatment’ video I was putting one foot directly in front of the other and very awkward when turning around to walk back I have five more sessions scheduled in July… which should be the end of the BIG therapy program. I do not know if they will extend it into August. They send me home with exercises to do at home as well.

I liked the explanation for our loss of balance that I copied from a blog:

Difficulties with balance and walking are linked to the brain changes that take place with PD. For people who don’t have PD, balance is automatic, a reflex. But Parkinson’s Disease affects the basal ganglia (a part of the brain essential to balance). To compensate, the brain assigns another brain area — an area used for thinking — to take over. The thinking part of the brain, mainly the frontal cortex, can’t control balance automatically. The result: for many people with PD, balance becomes less automatic.

https://www.parkinson.org/blog/research/Walking-with-Parkinsons-Freezing-Balance-and-Falls