Even slight damage or stiffening up of the neck can cause constrictions or interruptions of important electrical and chemical flows. For oxygen and nutrients that enter through the mouth or nose, it is double jeopardy, as they have to pass through the bottle-neck twice, down into the lungs or to the gut, and back up again to get the brain. The neck is therefore a primary attention site for progressive symptom reduction strategies. In this article, we look at aspects of the neck and consider what we can do to improve our lot.
Read More
Diaphragmatic Breathing and Parkinson's Disease
In this article, I will make the case that patterns of unhealthy breathing are among the most vital target areas for progressive reduction of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Breathing dysfunctions are prevalent in people with PD, such as chronic mouth breathing, but, in particular, shallow breathing from the chest and neck, with very little movement of the diaphragm, which has become spasmodic, rigid and stiff. These breathing patterns often precede diagnosis by years or may even be life-long habits, and therefore could have a more causal role, rather than just being an effect of developing the disease. Conversely, if a chemical cure was invented tomorrow, which alleviated the main symptoms, it is very unlikely to fix the unhealthy breathing habits, and so associated chronic health issues are likely to re-emerge. The positive message is that this can be worked on and repaired over time even with PD, and that long term strategies to improve the situation could help reduce symptoms and disease progression, and improve quality of life.
Read More
The Divided Brain and Parkinson's Disease, Part 1
I have since been considering what Iain McGilchrist’s “Divided Brain” work has to teach us, in the context of trauma and chronic illness, and seeking to employ both hemispheres of my brain in thinking about this. I began to see how Iain’s work provides us with a vital missing part of the puzzle. Indeed, his concept of the "Divided Brain", I now feel, connects so very many of the pieces, and I will endeavour to contexualize and map out my thinking on this here.