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Progressive Symptom Reduction Strategies for Parkinson's Disease
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Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, L-Dopa, Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease

February 14, 2019

Introduction: Biochemical Disruptions

For those of us who spend a lot of time in the Dorsal Vagus Nerve activated freeze/immobilization/death feigning stress response,

THE DORSAL VAGUS NERVE AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE,

a number of otherwise vital biochemical reactions in our brains and bodies can go awry. We may stop producing healthy levels of particular enzymes, peptides, hormones and neurotransmitters, or make too much of these, or else stop being able to remove toxic by-products, that are necessarily created as part of the chemical steps in the creation and degradation of these substances, fast enough.

For example, our bodies may become depleted of specific chemicals called “co-factors”, required for proper functioning of detoxification biochemistry, lacking now perhaps due to long years of overburden exposure to ingested or internally created personal poisons. We have already explored an example of this which arises as part of Dopamine biochemistry, whereby the metabolic steps in the breakdown of this neurotransmitter creates a toxic aldehyde called DOPAL.

DOPAMINE, ALDEHYDE POISONING AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

The “cofactor” in this case is molybdenum, which is required for an enzyme to be able to break down the poisonous DOPAL fast enough. If molybdenum is depleted or exhausted in our system, Dopamine production and degradation becomes self-poisoning, and our systems response can be inherently wise: to stop producing Dopamine.

However, there are many other important biochemical steps which can get severely disrupted when we are stuck in freeze or the Fear (Withdrawal) Paraylsis Reflex for long times. This is because immobilization is mediated by Dorsal Vagus Nerve activation in the gut. This stress signal causes the digestive system to shut down, and breaks the communication between gut and brain. The Enteric Nervous System is put into a state of shock or into “survival mode”, from the ongoing threat signals coming from the Dorsal Vagus activation. In this emergency state, healthy digestive chemistry goes offline and the gut stops producing some enzymes, peptides, hormones and neurotransmitters, stops absorbing some nutrients from food, and may even stop being an environment in which good microbiota can survive. .A large portion of our biochemicals are synthesised in the gut: 50% for Dopamine, and 95% for Serotonin, for example. The digestive system also directly affects the biochemistry of the brain, which we now know relies on gut signalling to the brain or healthy functioning too.

If we are stuck in freeze for long times, self-poisoning and increasing sensitivity or reactivity to environmental chemicals and food can occur due to the disruption of the Enteric Nervous System. It can even be the case that specific "health foods" or "beneficial supplements" can become toxic to us individually, because we simply no longer have the ability to complete their chemical processing fully.

Through long years of very careful elimination and re-introduction trials of food, supplement and environmental chemical exposures, I have discovered that I have a number of seriously haywire biochemical reactions, due to my prolonged Dorsal Vagus activation/Enteric Nervous System disruptions which are part and parcel of my rigidity dominant form of Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease. Often, these have only made sense after stumbling on research on specific biochemical disruptions which can occur in chronic illnesses, with sudden "ah ha!" realizations of why specific foods and chemicals affect me so detrimentally. Exposure to these presents itself in my case as markedly increased symptoms, especially pain, rigidity, immobility, anxiety and brain fog, while avoiding these at all costs has led to progressive symptom reduction over time, presumably as this gives time for my system to detoxify.

I do seem to be more prone to these biochemical issues than most people with PD, and indeed, it seems everyone has different reactivities (highly personalized) depending on precisely which parts of their biochemistry are broken. Thus there is no one size fits all solutions to any of this, and I believe with chronic illnesses of many kinds, we need to carefully test and observe the effects of diet and environment for ourselves, to work out what increases our symptoms on an individual basis.

In this article, I cover in depth what I’ve learned along the way for one specific biochemical pathway, in particular the production of Dopamine, perhaps the most relevant consideration for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Basic Dopamine Biochemistry

Before proceeding, we need to a little of background on the biochemical pathway by which Dopamine is actually produced in our bodies and brains. The fundamental steps in this Dopamine production chain are:

PHENYLALANINE (from food) -> TYROSINE (from food or made in body from Phenylalanine) -> L-DOPA (from food or made in the body from Tyrosine, L-Dopa supplementation is also currently the mainstay medical intervention for Parkinson's Disease) -> DOPAMINE.

Any disruption at any stage of this biochemical chain, e.g. due to existing in Survival Mode or a stressed state for prolonged periods which shuts down healthy digestion, may result in a lack of Dopamine in our system.

Learnings from Black Urine Disease

I believe that some of the disruptions due to prolonged Dorsal Vagus activation may resemble or mimic genetically inherited problems, and I feel it is worth exploring what we can learn from these.

When I started using a urination bottle as a practical way to make going to the bathroom easier, less stressful and less messy while in an "off" (immoblized) state, I noticed that although my urine was quite clear at the time of passing water, frequently in the morning the little bit which was left in the bottom of the bottle would have turned dark brown or even black overnight (as exampled by the image at the top of this article). I emphasise here the changing of the color in the air-exposed bottle, some hours after passing perfectly clear wee, and not just coming out dark in the first place, which may be due to quite different reasons (e.g. dehydration, medications).

I then began to notice that I could also correlate the severity my symptoms and ineffectiveness of my PD meds during the day with the darker the urine had turned overnight - the darker, the worse I was likely to feel. So I began to investigate what this phenomena may signify in earnest. In doing so, I discovered a genetic biochemical disruption called "Alkaptonuria". This mechanism for urine to turn black when exposed to air is due to the body not being able fully break down two protein building blocks (amino acids) called Tyrosine and Phenylalanine, resulting in a build-up of a toxic chemical called Homogentisic Acid in the system. Given their central role in the Dopamine production chain outlined above, this direct link to a malfunction in the Phenylalanine and Tyrosine conversion steps set a number of light bulbs off in my head, and set me on a path of research, the outcomes of which I will attempt to cover here.

We immediately see that disruption of the Phenylalanine and Tyrosine steps can cause key steps in the biochemistry of Dopamine to be shut off, and hence the possible link to issues such as Alkpatonuria (aka "Black Urine Disease") with Parkinson's Disease: if our biochemistry is disrupted such that we can no longer convert enough Phenylalanine and/or Tyrosine to the L-Dopa stage, we cannot, in turn, synthesize enough Dopamine. Indeed, there are some significant overlaps in symptoms between the two conditions, for example, Black Urine Disease can result in lower back pain and stiffness, knee, hip and shoulder pain, and eventually, fascia may become brittle. If the bones and muscles around the lungs become stiff, it can prevent the chest expanding and lead to shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

It is also telling that the mainstay medical treatment for PD remains supplementation of high levels of L-Dopa, and not of Phenylalanine and Tyrosine. This points to the need to skip the Phenylalanine and Tyrosine steps, because their conversion to L-Dopa and then Dopamine is not working properly or disrupted in some way in people with PD, requiring direct intervention at the L-Dopa stage instead. Apart from seeing my urine having turned black, I found further evidence that the early stages of Dopamine production are broken in my own biochemistry, because I’ve tried Tyrosine supplementation several times, but it has never worked to reduce my symptoms nor to switch my movement back on. In fact, it not only always gives me a headache, but also blocks the L-Dopa supplementation from being effective too. We will return to this blocking of L-Dopa medication by amino acids later in this research trail, as I believe it is important to understand how food-medicine interactions can prevent effective treatment.

Learnings from Phenylketonuria

More clues pointing to possible roles of disruption of proper biochemical processing of Phenylalanine, the building block of Tyrosine, and hence of L-Dopa and Dopamine too, arise from exploring another [mainly genetic] issue: Phenylketonuria or "PKU". People with PKU can't break down the amino acid Phenylalanine, which then builds up to toxic levels in the blood and brain. This can lead to brain damage.

Again, interesting overlaps exist between the symptoms of PKU and Parkinson's Disease, including: behavioural difficulties, mental health issues, skin problems, jerking movements in arms and legs, tremors. Also associated with PKU is a musty smell on the breath, skin and urine, which is intriguing given that is known that PD has its own musky smell, detectable by both humans and dogs. Also interesting is the fact that people with PKU have to avoid food products that contain aspartame, because this is converted to Phenylalanine in the body, and there are also strong associations with aspartame and PD made in the science literature.

The main version of Phenylketonuria is an inherited genetic disorder, due to mutations in which results in low levels of the enzyme "Phenylalanine Hydroxylase" (PH), the chemical catalyst required to remove the amino acid by converting it into the next step of the Dopamine production chemical train, Tyrosine. Without sufficient PH, this enzymatic conversion step cannot take place fast enough, resulting in the systematic build up of by-products of dietary Phenylalanine to potentially toxic levels.

Moreover, like most biochemical enzyme reactions, the PH enzyme also requires the presence of special chemicals itself, called “co-factors”, to work, and without which the enzyme still cannot do its detoxification job even if present in sufficient quantities. Indeed, another form of PKU is known, and this is due to "Tetrahydrobiopterin Deficiency" which occurs even when the Phenylalanine Hydroxylase enzyme levels are actually normal, because Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is the co-factor which is required for the PH enzyme to work. Low levels of Dopamine are associated with this type of PKU, but not with the genetic version of PKU. This is because Tertrahydrobiopterin also turns out to be the co-factor for the next step in the Dopamine production chain, converting Tyrosine into L-Dopa, made viable by the enzyme “Tyrosine Hydroxylase”. A lack of BH4 is thus a “double whammy” which results in the disruption of both the Phenylanaline and Tyrosine conversion steps, blocking both as useful chemical building blocks of Dopamine. Indeed, one of the primary conditions that can result from BH4 deficiency is known to be Dopamine-responsive Dystonia.

One answer would be to supplement with BH4 when deficiency of this co-factor is the main issue. However, there seems to be serious problems with the production of BH4 as a supplement. First, it appears that it is already patented as a drug:

"Tetrahydrobiopterin is available as a tablet for oral administration in the form of Tetrahydrobiopterin Dihydrochloride, which is FDA approved under the trade name Kuvan. The typical cost of treating a patient with Kuvan is $100,000 per year. BioMarin holds the patent for Kuvan until at least 2024, but Par Pharmaceutical has a right to produce a generic version by 2020".

However, Life Extension, a company which supplies supplements, also state

"Seven years ago, Life Extension researchers identified a critical compound (Tetrahydrobiopterin) that is an essential cofactor. We spent several hundred thousand dollars trying to develop an affordable way to manufacture this compound as it offered tremendous promise. We failed to find an affordable way to make Tetrahydrobiopterin".

Thus the main way to manage BH4 deficiency and PKU-like biochemical disruption is through a special diet that avoids ingestion of Phenylalanine (and potentially Tyrosine), namely a low-protein diet that completely avoids foods such as meat, eggs and dairy products, and controls the intake of many other foods, such as potatoes and cereals. In addition, people with PKU issues may need take supplements of other specific amino acids to ensure they are getting all of the nutrients required for normal growth and good health.

Tyrosine Hydroxylase

Tyrosine can also be obtained from certain foods, especially meat and diary (in fact the word Tyrosine is derived from the Greek for cheese), or produced internally though biochemical conversion of Phenylalanine. If the Tyrosine conversion step into L-Dopa is blocked in some way, then the body and brain can only normally create enough Dopamine through ingested L-Dopa, allowing the Tyrosine step to be bypassed. L-Dopa is contained in specific foods too, famously high in a certain type of bean called mucuna pruriens, for example. Many people with PD have found benefit through ingesting mucuna pruriens. Meanwhile, synthetic L-Dopa supplementation is still the mainstay pharmaceutical intervention for Parkinson's Disease. Tyrosine supplementation doesn't appear to benefit many people with PD in the same way, and again this points to the Tyrosine biochemistry being disrupted in some way in some forms of PD and Dystonias.

The conversion of Tyrosine to L-Dopa is a relatively slow chemical reaction, and limits the rate at which Dopamine can be produced even in healthy people. It requires the presence of the enzyme Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH) for it to occur fast enough at all, and TH in turn requires the "co-factor" chemical BH4 to work, as explained above. So two possible ways in which Tyrosine conversion towards Dopamine might get blocked are insufficient quantities of the TH enzyme in the body or insufficient availability of its co-factor BH4.

Interestingly, "Tyrosine Hydroxylase Staining" is a technique used on biological laboratory samples which shows up whether TH was present when the sample was part of a living animal . When a lack of TH is apparent in regions where it was expected, this has been used to infer that the dopamine producing cells there were dead when the animal was alive. In particular, TH Staining has been used in post-mortem brains of people with PD to infer that Dopamine producing cells in a region of the brain die off in people with PD. However, for me this is a leap too far: while such experiments on dead tissue show that TH levels are low in the PD brain, this does not necessarily mean that the Dopamine producing cells themselves were already dead, and it could be that they were simply not getting the TH supplies needed to create Dopamine. Indeed, according to the scientific journal article

Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Regulation of Dopamine Synthesis,

“Tyrosine Hydroxylase activity and Dopamine levels are decreased in the Parkinson brain more than would be expected simply from the loss of the Dopaminergic neurons. Therefore, chemical modifications to TH consistent with etiology of Parkinson Disease are of great interest".

A very recent piece of science,

Nigrostriatal dopamine transporter availability in early Parkinson's disease,

also confirms my perspective that PD does not necessarily mean cell death:

“ ‘These results suggest that in the early stages of the disease dopamine cells are still viable and that, given the correct treatment, it should be possible to restore their function,’ says Andrea Varrone, senior lecturer in nuclear medicine at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Clinical Neuroscience who led the study. “

Also, several other papers in the scientific literature, such as

Overview of tyrosine hydroxylase in Parkinson's disease,

Tyrosine hydroxylase and Parkinson's disease.

have even ascribed depletion of TH as causal in PD,

"Reduction of TH expression results in diminished Dopamine synthesis and leads to PD; thus TH is essential in the pathogenesy of PD."

Interactions with Medication

More learnings can be gleaned by considering how the chemical building blocks of Dopamine, which are mainly sourced through ingesting food, actually get out of the gut [small intestine], into the blood stream, and from the blood into the brain through the blood-brain-barrier. Indeed, researching PKU disease further, I discovered:

"Phenylalanine is a large, neutral amino acid (LNAA). Other LNAA's compete with it for specific carrier proteins that transport LNAAs across the intestinal mucosa into the blood and across the blood–brain barrier into the brain. If Phenylalanine is in excess in the blood, it will saturate the transporter. Excessive levels of Phenylalanine therefore tend to decrease the levels of other LNAAs in the brain. As these amino acids are necessary for protein and neurotransmitter synthesis, Phenylalanine buildup hinders the development of the brain, causing intellectual disability."

and

"It was recently suggested that PKU may resemble amyloid diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, due to the formation of toxic amyloid-like assemblies of Phenylalanine."

Importantly, Tyrosine is itself one of these other large, neutral amino acids, and hence too much Phenylalnine build up can block it getting to the brain, yet another mechanism by which the production of Dopamine through conversion of Tyrosine to L-Dopa in the brain could be disrupted, even if Tyrosine chemistry itself is healthy in this case.

Interestingly, it also appears that L-Dopa is transported across these membranes via the same type of proteins. Importantly, this means that getting supplemental L-Dopa from the gut into the brain could also be a competitive process with other amino acids, e.g.

High- and low-affinity transport of L-leucine and L-DOPA by the hetero amino acid exchangers,

complex transports L-DOPA across the blood-brain barrier,

and the chemicals which may compete with L-Dopa for transport include both Phenylalanine and Tyrosine. This would match my own experience mentioned above that, for myself, supplementation by Tyrosine not only wasn’t helpful, but also significantly blocked the effectiveness of my L-Dopa based PD meds. Thus a further complication is that, if either Phenylalanine or Tyrosine conversion towards Dopamine are disrupted in some way, such that these become saturated in the body, this could have significant impact on the effectiveness of PD drugs, blocking their uptake.

Another important drug interaction may occur with Tyrosine and the so-called Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) class of pharmaceutical interventions. MAOIs slow the breakdown of Dopamine in the body and brain, which can help make L-Dopa supplementation work for longer periods or more effectively.

The link to Tyrosine arises, because not only can Tyrosine be biochemically converted to L-Dopa, but also to a chemical called Tyramine, in the gut via a different chemical pathway. If Tyrosine conversion to L-Dopa is disrupted, therefore, this alternative pathway may become over-activated, resulting in excessive levels of Tyramine. This seems important, because

"Tyramine is an amino acid that helps regulate blood pressure. It occurs naturally in the body [through conversion of Tyrosine], and it's found in certain foods. MAOIs block monoamine oxidase, which is an enzyme that breaks down excess Tyramine in the body, helps relieve depression. If taking an MAOI and eating high-Tyramine foods [or presumably are converting a build up of Tyrosine to Tyramine], Tyramine can quickly reach dangerous levels. This can cause a serious spike in blood pressure and require emergency treatment. Avoid consuming foods that are high in Tyramine if you take an MAOI. You may need to continue following a low-Tyramine diet for a few weeks after you stop the medication."

MAOIs themselves can be naturally found in some foods. Life Extension supplies a natural MAOI as a supplement called "Dopa-Mind“ based on Wild Green Oat extract.

Interactions with Gut Bacteria

While I was researching this area, a very timely article appeared in "Nature":

Gut bacterial tyrosine decarboxylases restrict levels of levodopa in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Interestingly, the paper highlights a phenomenon in which bacteria in our small intestines may produce, as by-products of their life cycles, very similar chemicals as those involved in the innate bio-chemical production of neurotransmitters. In particular, the researchers discovered how specific types of bacteria in the gut create chemicals called Tyrosine Decarboxylases (TD). TD is actually the enzyme which catalyses the conversion of Tyrosine in to Tyramine, but it can also catalyses the conversion of L-Dopa into Dopamine.

The outcome of this is that the high levels of these bacteria in the gut, found in people with PD who rely on L-Dopa supplementation, can cause significant amounts of the L-Dopa to be converted directly to Dopamine in the small intestine, before it is absorbed into the blood stream and can get across the blood-brain-barrier. This results in not enough of the L-Dopa reaching the brain, requiring ever increasing dosages.

Actually, this conversion of L-Dopa in the gut to Dopamine due to the presence of the natural TD enzyme, was a problem known from the early days of L-Dopa supplementation for PD. This is why the PD medications are not just straight L-Dopa supplements, but also contain another chemical: a TD inhibitor, which stops the enzyme working on the L-Dopa component before it escapes the gut, increasing the chances that more of the drug gets to the brain. In Sinemet, the TD inhibitor is called Cardidopa, and in Madopar it is Benserazide. Intriguingly, however, the above article also finds that these inhibitor chemicals additives in PD drugs, while blocking the action of natural (human) TD, are highly ineffective at inhibiting the action of the bacterially generated forms of TD!

Another issue with excessive TD in the gut is then that Tyrosine will also be effectively converted to Tyramine more competitively with the conversion of Tyrsosine to naturally (bio-chemically) produced L-Dopa. This could be another way that the Tyrosine pathway to Dopamine is effectively cut off, and another reason why Tyrosine supplementation doesn't appear to provide the same benefits as L-Dopa for some people with PD, because then the Tyrosine is preferentially feeding the production of Tyramine rather than that of L-Dopa.

Interactions with Fungi

In sharing this series, fellow persons with Parkinson's Disease, David Spry and Glen Petitbone, pointed out some important and profound information about how fungal factors could interfere with the Dopamine biochemical production pathway, too. For example, according to the Wikipedia article on a fungal toxin called “Ochratoxin A”:

"Ochratoxin is a toxin produced by different Aspergillus and Penicillium species, one of the most-abundant food-contaminating mycotoxins. It is also a frequent contaminant of water-damaged houses and of heating ducts. Human exposure can occur through consumption of contaminated food products, particularly contaminated grain and pork products, as well as coffee, wine grapes, and dried grapes. The toxin has been found in the tissues and organs of animals, including human blood and breast milk."

Furthermore,

"Ochratoxin A has a strong affinity for the brain, especially the cerebellum. Ochratoxin causes acute depletion of striatal dopamine, [as in] Parkinson's disease, but it did not cause cell death in any of brain regions examined."

The impact of the fungal toxin on Dopamine appears to occur by once more disrupting the biochemical reaction pathway of the neurotransmitter. In particular, it inhibits the enzyme Phenylalanine Hydroxylase, the chemical catalyst required for fast enough conversion of Phenylalanine into Tyrosine, creating PKU-like effects,

Studies of ochratoxin A-induced inhibition of phenylalanine hydroxylase and its reversal by phenylalanine.

David then suggested I looked up “Malassezia” and L-Dopa.

"Malassezia is a genus of fungi, naturally found on the skin surfaces of many animals, including humans. Allergy tests for this fungus are available."

Moreover,

"Investigations show that the Malassezia species causing most skin disease in humans, including the most common cause of dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. As the fungus requires fat to grow, it is most common in areas with many sebaceous glands: on the scalp, face, and upper part of the body. When the fungus grows too rapidly, the natural renewal of cells is disturbed, and dandruff appears with itching (a similar process may also occur with other fungi or bacteria)."

This is interesting, because such skin issues are very prevalent in Parkinson's Disease. Indeed, David makes one more extremely important connection. Malassezia feeds on L-Dopa,

The Role of L-DOPA on Melanization and Mycelial Production in Malassezia Furfur,

which infers overgrowth of this fungus may deplete natural or supplemental sources of L-Dopa in the body, preventing enough getting into the brain, and hence this could presumably contribute to PD symptoms, as well as impact on the effectiveness of L-Dopa supplementation.

Even more intriguing, as mentioned above, PD is now known to have a musky specific smell, which both dogs and humans can detect, and this smell has been linked directly to Malassezia:

"The change of neurotransmitters secreted by the neurons affected by PD could stimulate sebum production by exocrine glands. This change in sebum could be the perfect media for certain lipophilic bacteria and yeast (Malassezia yeasts for example) to thrive, changing the person’s skin microbiome. Changes in the microbiome, in turn, create the unique smell of PD and explain why the smell gets stronger each year, as microbial colonies proliferate with the worsening of the disease.”

This may help explain why people with PD need more and L-Dopa as time goes on, because the L-Dopa is feeding the fungus, and as it proliferates it consumes more and more of the L-Dopa supplement before it can reach the brain.

Links between Malassezia infections and PD have also been directly, e.g.

A laboratory-based study on patients with Parkinson’s disease and seborrheic dermatitis: the presence and density of Malassezia yeasts, their different species and enzymes production.

Pragmatic Conclusions

It is difficult to make any generic, one-size fits all recommendations for the short or medium term steps which people with PD can take, because, as the above outlines, there are a myriad of ways and complex interactions by which Dopamine biochemistry can be disrupted, and the problems, and hence solutions, are likely to be very individualistic. Certainly, the above highlights the role of food and supplements in addressing these disruptions. It would certainly be worth monitoring any changes in urine samples overnight, especially if it turns from clear to black. Indeed, addressing this observation in myself, mainly through cutting down on Phenlyalanine and Tyrosine containing foods (a low meat and cow’s dairy diet), has cleared it up in my case (apart from when I eat too much protein), and I definitely feel better for it. I continue to monitor my urine.

It is also clear to me from all the research presented in this article that the solutions depend on whether we are already habitualized on L-Dopa supplementation. There seems little benefit in ingesting Phenylalanine or Tyrosine in this case, because this natural biochemical pathway to L-Dopa will not only be redundant (too slow and limited in comparison to the action of the supplemental L-Dopa), but these amino acids may interfere with the L-Dopa medication effectiveness in several ways. For those at early stages of PD, however, and/or not yet reliant on L-Dopa supplements, it might be worth seeking carefully to re-establish the Tyrosine pathway. In either case, I feel it may be worth very carefully undertaking trials of eliminating and re-introducing high Phenlyalanine, and/or Tyrosine containing foods and supplements, to assess if avoiding or increasing ingesting these might help.

In terms of the potential interactions with bacteria and fungi, this provides another reason for people to PD to stick to an anti-inflammatory or anti-fungal diet, such as that recommended in

Role of Diet and Nutritional Supplements in Parkinson’s Disease Progression.

However, my experience and research points to a long term solution: seek to decrease the disruptive effect on digestion and the Enteric Nervous System due to over-activation of the Dorsal Vagus Nerve, by regulating and calming the Nervous System, and increase Ventral Vagal and Parasympathetic Nervous System tone. This includes learning to how relax, reconnecting body and mind and establishing healthy sleep cycles. The many other articles on this website document the practical steps I have been undertaking towards this goal. Interestingly, I am currently experiencing a phase in which the effectiveness of my L-Dopa supplementation is becoming more effective again, such that it is much more likely that a dose will actually switch my movement back on, with significantly more “on” time, and less severe side-effects, such as Dyskinesia, overall.

In Brain Science, Diet & Supplements, Therapies Tags Phenylketonuria, Alkaptonuria, Tyrosine Hydroxylase, Gut, Bacteria, Fungal Infection
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Sleep and Parkinson's Disease, Part 2
July 24, 2023

At that time, I had not quite perfected my routine or sleep quality. I am now doing quite well with it, and my sleep is much better than it has probably ever been. So in this second part, I will just do a show and tell about the things I ended up implementing that actually worked for me, in case this is helpful for anyone else to follow.

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July 24, 2023
Emotional Armouring and Parkinson's Disease
June 4, 2023
Emotional Armouring and Parkinson's Disease
June 4, 2023

I am working with folks with movement disorders to explore the use of neurofeedback and photobiomodulation to aid them in their recovery. In this article, I cover my background, and how I arrived at these as a solution.

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June 4, 2023
Histamine, Allergies and Parkinson's Disease
April 2, 2023
Histamine, Allergies and Parkinson's Disease
April 2, 2023

I began following this line of research, and I discovered very many curious inter-relationships and joined up a number of seemingly disparate dots.... dots which would never have been connected by the specialist-centric nature of our healthcare systems!

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April 2, 2023
Fascia Decompression and Parkinson's Disease
February 8, 2023
Fascia Decompression and Parkinson's Disease
February 8, 2023

I have been working in the fascia system for twenty three years and have come to understand this system intimately. Spending over 60,000 hours working on both patients, and myself, the changes I have seen from Fascia Decompression, is helping people all over the world.

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February 8, 2023
Lack of Oxygen to the Brain in Parkinson's Disease
December 30, 2022
Lack of Oxygen to the Brain in Parkinson's Disease
December 30, 2022

If I had been seen by the neurologist only, then I simply would never have received the intensive physiotherapy for thoracic outlet - which did relieve the very worst of the pains, numbness and pins and needles sensations. However, I know from networking extensively with other people diagnosed with PD, many neurologists routinely discount injuries and body traumas as contributing factors and ascribe virtually all symptoms, including those more normally associated with nerve damage, to the Parkinson's.

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December 30, 2022
Constipation and Parkinson's Disease
December 13, 2022
Constipation and Parkinson's Disease
December 13, 2022

I will cover below how I managed to resolve this for myself, and then we will look at the potential mechanisms of why constipation and PD symptoms are linked, I will first explain my self-observations which lead me to this conclusion.

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December 13, 2022
The Endocannabinoid System and Parkinson's Disease
October 19, 2022
The Endocannabinoid System and Parkinson's Disease
October 19, 2022

The Endocannabinoid System (eCBS) runs throughout our bodies and brains, and, as we will see, seems to have many of the functions we currently ascribe to the Autonomic Nervous System and the Vagus Nerve, or at least is a parallel system for these functions. This includes having a vital role in regulating stress and dopamine, indicating this system is likely to be highly relevant to Parkinson’s Disease.

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October 19, 2022
Tremors and Parkinson's Disease
August 21, 2022
Tremors and Parkinson's Disease
August 21, 2022

Fortunately, from the perspective that tremors are a manifestation of a stuck stress response, this type of symptom can be progressively alleviated through stress reduction techniques and therapy, by learning how to calm the nervous system, and by spending more time in totally relaxed states. Indeed, this is demonstrated in videos of people’s tremors disappearing when they are put into a trance state by a hypnotherapist, as in the video below, or by common anecdotal reports that when meditating, the tremors are not present.

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August 21, 2022
The Neck and Parkinson's Disease, Part 2
June 29, 2022
The Neck and Parkinson's Disease, Part 2
June 29, 2022

This is a follow on from previous articles on the subjects of the roles of lack of oxygen to the brain, the neck and breathing problems in Parkinson’s Disease. Here, we focus on the potentially profound role of special chemical sensors in our necks, which most people affected by PD will never have heard of, called “carotid bodies”.

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June 29, 2022
Reducing Stress and Parkinson's Disease
May 17, 2022
Reducing Stress and Parkinson's Disease
May 17, 2022

I have used three hours a day for three years (more than three thousand hours) searching the internet for videos and studies that could give me answers. When I made my small test experiment with people with different diseases, I found that I could help them all with stress reduction. Regardless of diagnosis, I could help them reduce symptoms.

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May 17, 2022
Thiamine and Parkinson's Disease
April 7, 2022
Thiamine and Parkinson's Disease
April 7, 2022

What was needed was for someone to gather and review all the research done on HDT for PD so far, collect all the anecdotes of what has and hasn’t worked for individuals with PD, and to resurrect as much of Dr C.'s knowledge, experiences and wisdom as possible. Then to pull it together and come up with a working plan or a guidebook for other people with PD to follow in order to try to optimize HDT the potential benefits of for themselves.

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April 7, 2022
Stress, Situations, Symptoms and Parkinson's Disease
March 17, 2022
Stress, Situations, Symptoms and Parkinson's Disease
March 17, 2022

It is in the nature of chronic diseases that symptoms manifest most when our survival instincts (fight, flight, freeze) take over our body's function. This is why the severity and range of symptoms can vary moment to moment, hour to hour, or day by day, according to how stressed or how relaxed we are in that moment, for most chronic diseases. Here, I use the word stress in its widest possible interpretation, to denote anything which may be troubling us in the present moment, e.g. feelings, accidents, trauma, troublesome relationships, financial problems, small unresolved situations from childhood, that may seem insignificant to an adult.

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March 17, 2022
Early Retirement and Parkinson's Disease
February 18, 2022
Early Retirement and Parkinson's Disease
February 18, 2022

By Florencia Cerruti, person with Parkinson’s Disease and author of Rebirth at 50: in the end, it was not The End.

Very shortly after my diagnosis of Parkinson's disease at age forty seven, I asked a neurologist how long I should work. His answer was: "Until the last day that the disease allows it." His words echoed within me: what would happen that day? Would I be the one to decide or would it be my colleagues and bosses at work who would warn me before I had the chance to decide? What would the signal be? In any case, what would it be like to work until the last day the disorder would allow me to?

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February 18, 2022
Survival Instincts and Parkinson's Disease
February 3, 2022
Survival Instincts and Parkinson's Disease
February 3, 2022

To help shake off the gloom about this, I call our survival instincts our superpowers, because it is a more resourceful way to look at the body and the problems we might be experiencing. Try saying "thank you, body, for keeping me safe, but now it is time to bring me out of the safe survival state and back to the normal range of health and grow." This ought to give us a little more faith in the dispositions of our body.

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February 3, 2022
Feeling Trapped and Parkinson's Disease
December 13, 2021
Feeling Trapped and Parkinson's Disease
December 13, 2021

As a first step, we perhaps need to identify the places where we are stuck in our lives, those stressors which come with a sense of being trapped, the stressful things we can’t fight or flee from, and try to address these. This is because the tonic immobilization framework of PD predicts that it will be very hard to reduce symptoms in circumstances that our nervous system is constantly feeling trapped by a proximate threat. Examples include being in a toxic relationship, living in a house with neurotoxic mould infestations, workplace exposure a chemical agent, enduring a long and stressful daily commute to work.

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December 13, 2021
Motivation, Pleasure, Pain and Parkinson's Disease
November 4, 2021
Motivation, Pleasure, Pain and Parkinson's Disease
November 4, 2021

The activation of the habenula inhibits or deactivates the dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, and, conversely excites or activates them when it is deactivated. This has profound implications for PD, as this points to the possibility that it is not cell death which causes the issues in PD, but chronic activation of the habenula permanently switching off the cells in the substantia nigra from producing dopamine. This is a more hopeful hypothesis, as it means the cells are just dormant, not dead. If we can figure out how to deactivate the habenula, this could provide significant symptom reduction.

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November 4, 2021
Dopamine Cell Receptors and Parkinson's Disease
October 2, 2021
Dopamine Cell Receptors and Parkinson's Disease
October 2, 2021

Cell receptor population dynamics therefore may play a primary role in environmental interactions (nurture) and can profoundly affect biology (nature), and may be the mechanism through which history gets written into the body, such as affects of childhood trauma in later life. Cell receptor population dynamics also provide strong and significant neuroplasticity without the need for new neurons or new synaptic connections/wirings per se, by profoundly affecting the functions and sensitivities of the existing neurons themselves.

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October 2, 2021
Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
August 15, 2021
Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
August 15, 2021

The Huberman Lab podcast is a lecture series by Prof. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, on practical and free tools for optimizing health based on the very latest neuroscience and human biology research. This podcast contains vital, actionable, and need-to-know information for people with Parkinson’s Disease, in particular of the latest pragmatic research into dopamine biochemistry. Dopamine is the major neuromodulator which is most problematic in PD, and the target for the mainstay medical interventions. So here I’ve extracted from the podcast episodes the timestamps of everything Prof. Huberman has to teach us on the subject of how to optimize our dopamine biochemistry. The format is the episode title, in order of release, followed by the corresponding timestamp links and descriptions whenever dopamine is referred to.

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August 15, 2021
Visual Cues and Parkinson's Disease
July 26, 2021
Visual Cues and Parkinson's Disease
July 26, 2021

I learned about the connection between the eyes/vision and movement of the body in an online course run by my friend and "Wisdom Coach" Cheryl Townsley, where a tutorial showed how, looking up or down with the eyes (not via movement of the head) creates an immediate increase in the range of specific arm/shoulder motions. I could quickly check this was indeed true for myself. Indeed, the connection between eye and body movement is so important that professional athletes are being trained in these types of techniques, and are given specific eye exercises to improve sports performance!

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July 26, 2021

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Testimonials Carousel: What People Say
March 13, 2025
Coloring with Parkinson's
March 13, 2025

By D.M. via email

Works for me, I am coloring mandalas now and everyone tells me they are very beautiful. I find coloring helps my focus and my tremors. I fall asleep in my chair, if I start coloring I am wide awake and on the ball. I started by coloring adult swear word books, they were most amusing. Mandalas are complex sometime take four or five days to complete. By the way: I am 90 years old and have had Parkimson’s about three years.

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March 13, 2025
November 28, 2024
Very Encouraging and Refreshing
November 28, 2024

By Katrina B.

I thank Gary and Lilian for sharing their experiences, findings, and recommendations regarding Parkinson’s. I have a Parkinson’s diagnosis and also experienced the cold news of “no cure, progressively degenerative,” etc. I purchased and read Lilian’s book. Very encouraging and refreshing. I also bought a book Gary recommended called Music As Medicine (Daphne Bryan, author), which has helped me to walk without firing the dystonia in my left foot. That’s a huge win for me! I followed links in Gary’s material to videos on breathing techniques to release stress and reduce my adrenaline. That’s helped my tremoring remarkably. So… many thanks to Gary and Lilian. I will continue to follow and engage. Oh, and I have shared your names and resources with my occupational therapist, physical therapist, and speech therapist. They were very interested. I tried to share with my neurologist. He wasn’t interested. No surprise there.

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November 28, 2024
April 19, 2024
Stuck on Pause
April 19, 2024

By Dave F.

Hi Gary, I just found your Parkinson's online information a week ago or so. Your perspectives on a potential root cause of PD being related to trauma, stress, inhibited parasympathetic system, etc. seems synergistic with my path to address my PD. Although I do not call it PD anymore. I call it being "stuck on pause". I have a list of over 150 things I could be doing (does not include pharmaceuticals), and the therapy I am primarily focused on is based on the books "Recovery from Parkinson's" and " Stuck on Pause" by Janet Hadlock (available as pdf's on pdrecovery.org). While I address symptoms with 2 hrs of exercise daily, meditation, clean vegan diet, etc... my approach to recovery is getting unstuck. Unstuck from a norepinephrine/adrenaline based nervous system back to a parasympathetic/sympathetic balanced nervous system. Are you familiar with Hadlock's work? If so, what might be your perspective in relation to your findings? If not, I created a 2 page overview I can send if interested... or you can download the books for free.

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April 19, 2024
August 12, 2023
Photobiomodulation or Red Light Therapy
August 12, 2023

By S.S. via email

I have late onset vascular Parkinsonism-diagnosed age 83, and came across Dr Catherine Hamilton’s blog redlightsonthebrain.blog. The author is a retired general practitioner who is involved in research in Australia. I have been using transcranial and intranasal lights for 5 months and have experienced relief from symptoms that has greatly improved my quality of life and am surprised not to see many (1 only) references to the benefits of this therapy.

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August 12, 2023
July 7, 2022
Tremors Reduced
July 7, 2022

By Facebook Group Member

I have been having great success with the Hope Shortcut programme. I have both Lilian Sjøberg and Gary Sharpe courses. The material really resonates with me and this approach together with John Coleman Rethinking Parkinson’s is really helping. The tremor I have been experiencing is much reduced and often gone completely. I notice how it ramps up when I am stressed or self conscious. My mood and energy levels are much improved.

What hasn’t improved is the slowness and stiffness in my right hand and leg. It is probably not noticeable to others but I notice when using static bike and when folding washing etc. any thoughts on root causes of this slowness? Left hand side fine.

Thank you all for your work

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July 7, 2022
March 29, 2022
Accessible Knowledge
March 29, 2022

By S.A.

Thank you both for all the work you have done. Lilian Sjøberg for your knowledge and Gary for helping to make it accessible. My daughter who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and myself with PD found it so enlightening. I can also see how when my father 93, who also has PD, gets stressed his cognition deteriorates dramatically

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March 29, 2022
October 19, 2021
Staying Positive
October 19, 2021

By Brad Maybury

Gary, I mainly want to thank you for this site and for your inspiring example. I was diagnosed with PD two months ago. On top of that, I'm in my sixth week of radiation therapy for Prostate Cancer with the accompanying hormone meds (fatigue). Your attitude and example are helping me to stay positive and feel that I can beat both of these! I've been doing the fast-walking per John Pepper, plus a bunch of other things. I'll get a mini-tramp soon. I already understood the trauma link, having discovered my own about six years ago, as well as being a fan of Gabor Mate (I see his book on your site). I had not made such a precise connection with PD until reading your story (thanks!). You are a huge inspiration and have already helped to improve my life!

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October 19, 2021
July 28, 2021
Suggestions for Exploration
July 28, 2021

By Frederick Lowe

Your understanding of the many important factors that contribute to Parkinson's and the many practical suggestions on how to address them runs parallel to my learning over the last 5+ years. You are a man after my own heart. Love the Polyvagal theory knowledge. I knew somewhat of the importance of improving vagal activity, but not to the depth you have shown. Thanks. Totally agree with knowing how the Cell Danger Response is involved with being stuck in the inflammatory and alarm state. And few others besides ourselves appreciate the amazing role the fascial system plays in this, from head to toe. This is besides nutrition, movement, social interaction, meditation, breathing, eye exercises, inflammation, etc, etc. Big thanks for mentioning the Eye Guide. That looks amazing. Hope it is available in the U.S. sometime soon.


Now suggestions of a couple of things: 1). More exploration on the ramifications of mitochondrial dysfunction, all the factors that affect that, and how it can be addressed (so far, all genetic abnormalities affect mitochondrial function). 2) Learn about Stephen Kaufman's Pain Neutralization Technique work on rapidly, effectively improving vagal function. I believe it works reflexively via its effect on the fascial system primarily, but also probably the nervous system.

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July 28, 2021
June 20, 2021
Educative Posts
June 20, 2021

By Milan Hoste

Dear Gary, I really enjoy and admire your educative posts. Thanks to you my lectures at University and my private coaching are better.

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June 20, 2021
March 24, 2021
Parallels with Trauma
March 24, 2021

By Dennis S.

I am 45 years old and I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015, at an age of 39. I always thought about chronical stress as a possible reason for Parkinson’s and recently I discovered the Polyvagal Theory. I guess similar to you, the parallels between Trauma and Parkinson’s seemed to be quite obvious to me. I had the experience that Somatic Experiencing can be helpful. Later someone recommended your website to me and I feel excited that you see it like I do. Thank you for that. it is always good to know that someone is sharing your point of view. I will read through your articles.

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March 24, 2021
February 4, 2021
Correcting Dysfunctional Sleep
February 4, 2021

By Jacob Kidney, Essential Movements Yoga for Parkinson’s/movement disorders (ET/Dystonia)

I really love reading everything that Gary Sharpe has to write about his experiences with Parkinson's. He is always spot on. I know this is true from my own experience as well. My symptoms are always worse when I don’t sleep well. I love what he says here about sleep being the foundation for symptom reduction and moving in a positive direction.

So what can we do to have better sleep? I would love to hear what everyone does to help them sleep better.

For me, doing some sort of intense exercise earlier in the day and followed by a few different deep relaxation techniques/routines in the evening have dramatically changed my sleep patterns.

My sleep patterns were always very inconsistent all throughout college. Between working full time and full time school I would often go for three or four days at a time with only sleeping three to five hours per night. This pattern persisted for more than four years. It resulted in my tremors and overall health getting worse.

It has taken me two years of persistence to correct these dysfunctional sleep patterns to the point where I can manage my symptoms much more effectively and have begun to move in a positive direction.

This has been done by doing intense exercise every day. This can include biking, running,, hiking, weightlifting, yoga, etc. you need to effectively use the adrenaline in your body or else it is going to exacerbate your symptoms.

Then in the evening I will try a number of different things to help my body wind down and prepare it for sleep. This could include deep breathing, meditation, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra. I always have an air mister defusing essential oils and gentle soothing music while falling asleep.

Also, scheduling daily free time to rest and take a nap if I need it has been invaluable. Especially, right after doing intense exercise.

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February 4, 2021
October 27, 2020
REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder
October 27, 2020

By Darrell L.

REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and the onset of PD

I stumbled on your site while probing the internet for info relating to a sleep disorder known as REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD). This has been a fixture in my life since I was a child...and has continued into my middle-aged years (I'm 37 now). At times it's been a mere curiosity as it doesn't noticeably disrupt my life to any great extent; however, in the resent years I've been sharing a bed with a partner who is somewhat less of a deep sleeper...so I've been hearing more about my night-time adventures. The curiosity took a bit of a turn when my reading suggested that RBD is a very common marker for the onset of PD. Statistics range from 80-90% of those who develop RBD receiving a PD diagnosis within 10 years. Interesting. From there, I started to investigate possible therapies/treatments. Currently, the sleep disorder could be considered ideopathic. Very little is known about the origins. Aside from lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, caffiene/alcohol intake, sleep hygiene, etc.), Clonazepam is recommended. There's an aversion to this treatment for obvious reasons. Melatonin is another potential option, as is, full spectrum CBD. Beyond these suggestions, there's not much else; however, Clonazepam is used to treat anxiety, so it got me thinking about the potential emotional links that may be embedded in the disorder. This got me thinking about Gabor Mate and his book, ''When the body says No.'' So, with PD and Gabor, I found you!

Such a wealth of information. I've only just scratched the surface, but feel a wellspring of gratitude that it's here. Just delving into the Polyvagal theory...and trying to put together some ideas for a course of action. I don't know that I'll develop PD, but so much of the material here rings true for me...so it's got me thinking about what I can do now.

I'm wondering if you've got any material on this link that exists (PD and RBD)...or if within your network you've encountered those who have story that's similar to mine.

Thank you so much for sharing your own journey. Such a helpful resource.

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October 27, 2020
August 11, 2020
Yoga Therapy
August 11, 2020

By Theresa Conroy, C-IAYT (certified yoga therapist by the International Association of Yoga Therapists).

Gary Sharpe's website provides something invaluable to my Yoga Therapy clients with PD: informed, personal experience. My clients are engaged and knowledgeable about their disease, but they crave real-life input on treatments and wellness. Gary does that with clarity, style and humor. That's why his site is one I often use as a resource for my students.

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August 11, 2020
November 27, 2019
Strategies of Recovery
November 27, 2019

By Babs Meade

Thank you Gary ! Your work is informing my work and life. As a healer-bodyworker, neuromuscular integrative movement therapist, Acupuncturist nerd, Esogetic Colorpuncture person with neuroimmune issues - addressing trauma awareness and recovery for people. Trauma-shock, shake, Reaction Patterns, Adaptations, Addiction. Sorting these out...sorting out strategies of recovery. Nourishment, laughter, music, art, emotions, Soul, Body, Spirit... thankyou Gary Sharpe for your excellent life’s work

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November 27, 2019
September 3, 2019
Applications of Polyvagal Theory
September 3, 2019

By Olivia Streater Lavizzari

I spent the day reading your blog and videos -- SO profoundly MOVED AND AMAZED by what you are doing! It is incredible and wonderful. I wondered if you have the new(ish) book Clinical Applications of Polyvagal Theory. In the chapter on strokes by Deb Dana there is some great stuff that I think could also be applicable to PD. A lot of which you already cover in your blog; things like frozen facial expression etc. Very glad I came across and shared with my professor, who is researching use of Flamenco and Tango in dance movement therapy PD interventions.

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September 3, 2019
May 24, 2019
Hope and Inspiration
May 24, 2019

By Rick Potvin

Your site was the very first thing I read the day I came home from the neurologist with my diagnosis of PD. It gave me so much hope and inspiration that I started the very same day on program of strenuous exercise, diet, etc. I actually picked up my guitar, my one true passion, and thought I can do this. Two years latter I'm still doing it thanks to your insight, research and sharing of knowledge.

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May 24, 2019
February 7, 2019
Headed in the Right Direction
February 7, 2019

By Cheryl Nicholson

I’ve been very inspired by these posts. I have a Parkinson’s client who was in a wheelchair and who would crawl to get places. He’s now able to get up and walk to the washroom on his own. He even went out and shoveled his driveway. We are using targeted nutrition, intentional movements, red light intranasal therapy and Natural Bioenergetics to improve his life. He still has days where he goes backwards, but overall things are headed in the right direction. Many thanks for reporting on your own progress and providing information that helps others!

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February 7, 2019
September 10, 2018
Husband Diagnosed
September 10, 2018

By Kay Pyke

Did a quick search this morning and found the website which has so much info that I’ve been looking for. My husband has just been diagnosed and I’m researching how to help him. This is so inspirational and I’ve forwarded it onto our neuro physio. Oddly enough she came today armed with hand exercises which is what led me to this website. I’m in tears. So happy to have found you.

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September 10, 2018
September 10, 2018
Making Changes
September 10, 2018

By Adam M.

Gary, I want to say a huge thank you for your website! It has been a big help. I’ve changed my diet to fit Dr. Mischley’s recommendations generated by her research. I also bought the smovey rings. Right now I’m doing a Feldenkrais style movement intensive which seems to be helping.

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September 10, 2018
June 21, 2018
Craniosacral Therapy
June 21, 2018

By Sue Watson, Sue Watson Craniosacral Therapy

Hi Gary,
I am so excited to come across such a refreshing approach/understanding of Parkinson's sisease. I am a craniosacral and physiotherapist doing a bit of digging for useful info about gut health and P.d. for a client when I came across your website. I don't know if you have had any experience of craniosacral therapy, but big into the effects of whole systems harmony, polyvagal theory and impact on neurophysiology/psychoneuroendocrinoimmunological etc.

I have recently taken a career break from the NHS to follow my passion for cranial work and develop how I integrate the understanding that comes from cranial teachings with movement based practice. Your findings sit so in harmony with my experience. I have to say that I haven't gone out of my way to look further into similar approaches to P.d. - from what I see on you website, you appear to be pioneering a way forward - is this all your own research, or can you point me to other sources too?

I have worked with a number of Parkinson's clients very effectively, but - as is often the case with 'complementary' approach, the challenge is in embracing quite a different way of thinking - and the medication/grip of disease/anxiety and stress are powerful and seductive hooks. The gentlemen I am looking into gut health for has found after a couple of our sessions, but not all the time, he is able to play piano after 9 years of his tremor being too disruptive. Our next work is with me carrying out cranial work while he is playing and exploring the sensory experience/interoceptive experience of doing so - then looking at ways he can find balance and access that 'place' for himself.

We (therapists) do a lot of work with trauma recovery, establishing resources with - building stronger neural pathways to grounded/balanced CNS states etc., as well as the benefits of the hands on work itself. Familiar with Gabor Mate/Lavine/Roschild etc, all sitting comfortably with how trauma affects movement and inhibition of such.

My experience as a physio in the community has involved lots of work with Parkinson's and increasingly I see the effects of stress and the social engagement system being critical to understanding and improving movement, and in the last 3 years have done much more work with body awareness during activity, whether it be gaining flexibility or strength or balance. The toughest part is engagement especially when the general physio community is not promoting the same message. As you're website implies, it requires such a commitment to your well-being. I totally admire your perseverance and have empathy for how challenging it must be for you at times.

Is your approach being embraced by the professionals researching the rehab/recovery work? I would be really interested to hear more. You may be interested in the work of Body Intelligence/biodynamic craniosacral therapy, Pain is Really Strange (FB and blog site) - although name implies about pain, it's that full mix of what you have been exploring yourself (Steve Haines, craniosacral therapist).

Kind regards, Sue Watson (Scotland)

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June 21, 2018
May 27, 2018
Music is Medicine
May 27, 2018

By Consuela Harper

Gary, I love your approach, and the way you describe and illustrate it so well in this article. Watching the music and dancing video was a true delight. I also read your post about digital music as medicine, and wanted to comment on that because I felt so moved by it. I love this post so much!!! I can relate fully. I've said for a long time that music is medicine for my body. And it's a delight to see the videos of the effects of your music medicine on your body and spirit! :)

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May 27, 2018
April 26, 2018
Social Isolation
April 26, 2018

By Marva Lee Weigelt

What a revolutionary week this has been for me to integrate new understanding, launched by Gary Sharpe’s post about how trauma and chronic dysregulation affects other people’s perceptions of us in social situations. I had a giant aha that helped me understand and have compassion for my own mysterious social isolation as a child and well into adulthood.

Integrating that with my increased awareness after taking a class a year and a half ago and staying in touch through groups like this, I am able to understand that honing my interoception skills allows me to recognize virtually instantly when I am in the presence of a dysregulated person. I’m sure I’ve always done this, but without the comprehension of what’s happening.

I am using this raised awareness to great advantage in my peer support practice, and also observing how I am assisting others with cor-egulation.

Then, last night, in a community ukulele group I lead, I could understand why I was reacting as I was to a young woman who is a beginning player. It is quite clear that the rest of the group is having a similar reaction to her. In fact, one player stayed afterwards to talk to me privately about how the awkward young woman made her feel unaccountably “nervous.” I was so happy to have the language and concepts to help her understand what I thought was happening at the nervous system level. Then she said, “I used to be that way myself,” and I knew I had a new ally in building compassion instead of following the natural, but heartbreaking impulse to avoid and exclude this young person."

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April 26, 2018
March 31, 2018
From Malta
March 31, 2018

By Mildred Atanasio

Hello Dr. Sharpe, I am very glad I came across your videos and messages on facebook! I just want to say a huge thanks as all your info is very useful. My mum was diagnosed last year. In Malta, even medication is limited. But anyway, I have lately also started helping out with managing the page Malta Parkinson's Disease Association, which tries to bring Maltese people with PD (and others) together. I find your articles (and especially your improvement) very admirable and much more helpful! Thank you once again.

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March 31, 2018
March 6, 2018
Impactful Discoveries
March 6, 2018

By Julie Brown Sheil

I really admire this man. Gary Sharpe is a Warrior in the fight against Parkinson’s Disease.

He has been tirelessly researching therapies and documenting their effects along the way so that others can witness how he is healing himself. He also shares them with the world so that others can benefit from them, too.

He has refused to let doctors convince him that there’s nothing that can be done to slow or reverse symptoms. He has refused to become a victim of, or defined by, his disease. The best part is, he’s winning. He’s improving his quality of life (and that of others).

I follow Gary because once I found out I had neurological disease from Post-Concussion Syndrome, I began researching ways to help myself. Even though I don’t have Parkinson’s, I do have a chronic disease and I have found all of Gary’s insights (listed below) to be true in my case as well. Doctors don’t know everything. Specialists only know their specialty. Doctors chase symptoms rather than chasing the cause of the symptoms. Patients who are intimately involved with their own healing do better. Patients who think outside the box can make some impactful discoveries, not only for themselves, but for others.

It’s a sad state of affairs that patients are left to navigate their own recovery and healing. But it can lead to some amazing discoveries.

Gary is the reason I started my Mind Matters Mondays posts. I want my journey to be able to help others, to make it a little less likely that someone will have to struggle to find answers or relief the way I have.

Thank you, Gary, for all that you do!

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March 6, 2018
March 6, 2018
Co-Regulation
March 6, 2018

By D. Hutton

I experience chronic pain on a daily basis due to chronic disease. Chronic pain is mentally and physically exhausting. Part of my self care is co- regulating my nervous system with my husband everyday. We sit quietly, calmly together and observe how our bodies feel, just breathing/existing. We are in physical contact, sitting on the couch. We practice observing how our thoughts, conversation and emotions affect our nervous systems. Sometimes I get very anxious if he shows empathy when I don't want it. Sometimes we just sit quietly. I actually resisted the co regulation aspect of the poly vagal theory, but you were so persistent with this information that I finally tried it out. Life is so much better now!! Thank you for your persistence, dedication, and information Gary Sharpe!

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March 6, 2018
February 6, 2018
Outstanding Information
February 6, 2018

By Brandon Knight

Outstanding information, you are very helpful as you explain what you are feeling in a clear way. Thanks for putting in the effort to make these. Disconnect between the brain and body feels about right to me and I will be making some devices for myself to test out. Just started with sinemet and I am 40 so far it has been a big help my right foot has been about like yours since I was 34. I am not even sure if I have Parkinson's maybe some other dopamine issue have dat scan scheduled seen multiple neurologist and they have not been able to pin it down they are going off medication response at this point thinking it might be a dopamine responsive dystonia. Any way just wanted to thank you for putting these together and explaining that the medication on its own will not be enough. The sinemet gave me to mobility to move with less pain so I can work out again as well as helped me think more clearly but I do believe that it is what you do with the room the medication buys you that will make the difference although I understand we are all different. Thank you again for posting these they do help.

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February 6, 2018
January 21, 2018
Slowing Down Progression
January 21, 2018

By Simon Clarke

I came across your website at a very opportune time - much of your research, information and experience corroborate my own. Many of the PD symptoms (before and after life hacks) you demonstrate in your videos bought a smile to my face, seeing someone else taking a proactive role and showing real progress. Thank you!

I was diagnosed with idiopathic PD at the age of 48. As you know- getting that diagnoses and prognosis ruined my day... and the rest of my life (or so I thought). I went through the various stage of grief and went on Meds with resignation to my fate.

However about 2 years after diagnoses, I had an epiphany (of sorts) and realised I no longer needed to be a victim as there must be some way of alleviating and/or slowing down progression. This led me to shiatsu, yoga, yin tuinna, mindfulness, meditation and to Zhineng QiGOng which I have been doing for the least 2.5 years with great success. During this time, I have searched the web relentlessly (PD trait!!) and come across some useful info..

However I think your website is one of the most comprehensive resources I have seen of all the information and practical, holistic guidance collated in one place. It’s a very useful place to start when looking for a way through PD that encourages the understanding and healing of the entire BodyMind system.

The last week I have been reading Norman Doige's book-the brains way of healing. Full of good information

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January 21, 2018
October 25, 2017
Exploring All the Potential Causes
October 25, 2017

By Ken Howard

May I also add my humble gratitude for all you are doing to help us tackle Parkinson’s. In a recent “Live Loud” session organised by the Cardiff branch of Parkinson’s UK, we were asked to nominate someone who has inspired us to fight against this pernicious disease. I nominate you, Gary! You have shown me that we should not give in and accept the inevitable, but should keep on fighting! Rule 1 in any battle is “know your enemy”. You have been tireless in exploring all the potential causes - physical, chemical and psychological, and sharing your findings with us. Secondly, you have amazed us with your enthusiastic approach to trying any potential treatment, no matter how obscure it may seem. I am trying out many of these, principally the exercise, diet and mindfulness related therapies. These have helped me significantly, and I’m particularly interested in your research into the Vagus nerve issues. Please keep up the good work - I shall keep on fighting with you!

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October 25, 2017
September 10, 2017
Can-Do Attitude
September 10, 2017

By Tina Gebhart:

Gary, I may have been researching before finding your page, but your consistent encouragement, posting of your supplement and exercise trials, and general can-do attitude have been super motivating for me. I would not have gone gangbusters on this fish oil and fasting thing if I had not seen your experimental models. I may not have built up the nerve to go against my first neurologist and then find a better, awesome one. Thank you a million times over. I consider you my big brother, as sappy as that may sound.

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September 10, 2017
August 28, 2017
Connecting the Dots
August 28, 2017

By Gregory Layer:

Gary, you are a gift to this world. Your effort to connect the dots of our daily life and daily choices to our long term health and how disease manifests in our bodies is making a huge difference in my life. I am inspired by your work but more importantly, I am inspired by the spirit with which you share your experience with others. Keep up the great work and know that you are loved and appreciated, just as you are!

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August 28, 2017

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