Chris Lacey speaks!

[jeeves19]

I was doing some emailing with Chris last week. I asked him what his thoughts were on what actually changed in his brain following a couple of years of intensive and detailed woodworking, 6 hours daily, 6 days a week. I wanted to know HOW the creation of new neural pathways had encouraged his brain 🧠 to start producing dopamine again? His thoughts on this for you:

With respect to my own recovery I have no way of knowing precisely what changed within my brain that allows me to lead a totally normal life. I make no concessions to the Parkinson’s of my past. I just get on with living life to the full. I guess that either my Substantia Nigra cells regained their lost dopamine producing function or new cells formed. Whatever the process, it is clear that I have all the dopamine I need to live a full, rewarding life without any concessions to my past or to my 75 years - yes, I just reached that milestone. Over the last ten days I have spent at least 25 hours up on the roof of our house using a pressure cleaner to remove a huge build-up of lichen that made moving on the roof dangerous and was eating into it’s surface. Not bad for an old fart who is still not recognised by most medicos as being recovered. The best concession to date seems to be that I remain in remission. And that after 8 years without the disease or any need for any medication of any sort. From my perspective I am cured and really don’t care what the medical profession thinks. I and a few others have been able to show that it is possible to recover from PD.

[dadcor]

What's the proof that he's really suffered PD?

[jeeves19 in reply to dadcor]

Very little can be proven to any skeptic becaus s/he tend to adopt a dismissive stance from the outset and then move the goalposts because they are determined to maintain this stance despite reasonably rational evidence. It’s a state of mind in my experience. If I said Chris was diagnosed by a neurologist, the sceptic will always say ‘ah but maybe the he was misdiagnosed’. Offer a DAT scan and the skeptic will say ‘they’re notoriously inconclusive as evidence because…….,’.

Here’s a piece of evidence: when in the OFF state, Chris’s wife had to wipe his arse for him and brush his teeth. How many diseases do you know that disable somebody that badly?

But for the last time, two films: 18 months apart. Both off medication. Chris walking from his wood shed to his house.

healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

[Stillstandingstill in reply to jeeves19]

I would consider it an achievement to be so well with pd that people didn't believe I had it. That's the dream.

[Gioc in reply to jeeves19]

A priori skeptics have a problem with their failure, but for everyone else, a diagnosis of PD or a claimed effective DOPA prescription should suffice.

[dadcor in reply to jeeves19]

A simple answer that his DAT scan proved it would've sufficed. The other wisdoms border on stupidity and are useless to anyone..

[kevowpd in reply to dadcor]

Datscan is not approved for use/available in Australia, so it seems unlikely Lacey has had one of those, either.

[jeeves19 in reply to kevowpd]

And yet was dxed and then declared ‘recovered’ by a senior neurologist., had his drivers license revoked and then restored following Evans’ decision and in the meantime, his symptoms virtually disappeared when administered Madopar. Come on Kev, take all 3 together and it could hardly be mistaken for anything else could it? And as I said to Rich, that guy’s walking around living his life while we’re tied to use of Levadopa for the rest of our lives. One more thing that I think is worth pointing out if I may: he gains nothing from his tale of recovery. No book to sell but travel around Tasmania trying to coach other Parkies follow his example.

[kevowpd in reply to jeeves19]

No book to sell but travel around Tasmania trying to coach other Parkies follow his example.

I'll cut straight to this bit, since it is what actually matters here - how many people have even claimed that they have been able to replicate his result?

[jeeves19 in reply to kevowpd]

Well I can’t do it Kev! I probably manage 7? Hours a week but to apply yourself to neuroplasticity and change neuronal pathways requires many many hours of focused concentration. So we’re not talking ‘turn up to your crap job for 36 hours and gossip and text on your phone.’ No no. 36 hours of utter focus on something that you’ve never done before.

[Bunny622023 in reply to jeeves19]

My husband attended back in 2006 a functional neurologist in NZ . He was an amazing Dr actually. He was heavily into Neuroplasticity and re-working the brain so it could function better and to re-learn old tricks so to speak. My husband tried for months with him (he was only 44yrs old then) to do the sensory exercises, and help restore impaired functions by leveraging the brain’s ability to repair itself - WOW - they were so difficult he could not keep them up. He could not apply himself enough to gain any worth. It was a darn shame, but it leads me to saying that if Chris Lacey has been able to do that, by applying himself - well done him ! I applaud him.

[Bunny622023 in reply to kevowpd]

Kevowpd, why does it matter how many people have claimed that they have been able to replicate it. Why not just be happy for someone that is actually able to function better by applying 'something' that works for him. I don't understand the negativity on this posting. What works for him, works for him, why boohoo it.. It's actually quite sad to read some of the negativity on here.

[CaseyInsights in reply to Bunny622023]

Don’t want to be kevowpd defense attorney here but if a treatment cannot be replicated, what good is it for the rest of the community?

So, some bloke did so and so. Well, you can be happy for him, but how does it help us!

The optimist would say, I guess, it gives us hope.

That may be good enough for some but it does not advance the cause: stabilize, reverse, cure Parkinson.

There is nothing negative in comments that ask for replication - it is the basis of scientific discovery 🌹

[Bunny622023 in reply to CaseyInsights]

Except he wasn't asking for replication. He was just telling his story. Sometimes people just like to see some 'good' for another person and not always have it be something for themselves.

[kevowpd in reply to Bunny622023]

Jeeves said Lacey is trying to get fellow PWPs to follow his example. Inquiring as to whether any of them have been successful is a perfectly rational and polite response to that statement and is in no way 'negative'.

[Bunny622023 in reply to kevowpd]

Fair enough. I was meaning though the many postings on the whole subject here, I fail to see many postings about being happy for him.

[Bunny622023 in reply to CaseyInsights]

Sorry, CaseyInsights, I meant to say also, I understand why you are saying from a scientific point of view, sure that it would be absolutely necessary to advance a cause, I just don't think that is what this post was all about. I am happy for him and it doesn't always have to help me what someone else does.

[CaseyInsights in reply to Bunny622023]

I am happy for him and it doesn't always have to help me what someone else does.

Very well then!

But you will soon come to realize, if you have not already, this is not just an emotional support site. And you will find lots of what you call ‘negativity’ in the commentary.

Here is another from WinnieThePoo in the same vein:

But the test of whether it's a "happy , lucky guy" story, or an explanation of a viable resolution for the disease, is replicability. And this one fails that test.

This is the way this site runs. Those who cannot put up with such hard nose stuff, quickly drop off - which is a pity.

Hope you come to appreciate these so called ‘negative comments’ and maybe even benefit from them 🤯

[Bunny622023 in reply to CaseyInsights]

Thanks CaseyInsights. It's not about needing emotional support or not being able to put up with the hard nose stuff. I've been dealing with PD for nearly 25 years with my husband being Young Onset since the age of 38 yrs. I think there are ways to appreciate peoples postings and ways not to. I'm not sure if you are a babe in the woods with the PD, it doesn't matter actually. I wish you all the best.

[WinnieThePoo in reply to jeeves19]

I think the issues are more to do with n=1 and casual assumptions of causal relationships

"it always rains when the pavements are wet"

(For example - "I guess that either my Substantia Nigra cells regained their lost dopamine producing function or new cells formed."

And that is no doubt the explanation for the benefits you will experience from your DBS, Marc gets from his FUS, or I and others get from the Stanford gloves. Obvious really

Also, never mind the 12th apostle, where is the 2nd? Why does this extremely well documented therapy not work for a large group of people? Yourself for example? There are plenty of reported case histories on Google of n=1 recoveries.

But the test of whether it's a "happy , lucky guy" story, or an explanation of a viable resolution for the disease, is replicability. And this one fails that test.

[jeeves19 in reply to WinnieThePoo]

Not really Rich. I remember asking myself years ago ‘am I able to engage in a mindful focused task, 6 hours a day, 6 days a week? Even though I genuinely believe it would/will lead to a cure……….. the answers gotta be …..no😮. Are you? 🤔

[WinnieThePoo in reply to jeeves19]

In part that would depend on my expectation of success. If my PD were more advanced and I were able to, or had to stop work, I might. But out of 10 million PWP I'd hope to find a dozen who were prepared to easily enoughAnd if nobody on the planet is prepared to try it, it remains that it fails the test of replicability albeit due to lack of participation.

And that raises a more important issue. Your post isn't being read as

"Chris Lacey did something amazing that nobody else has done or could do cos it takes up too much time to be viable"

It's being read as "this guy cured his PD and you can too if you whittle a few chess pieces every day."

And as for "I must have grown new dopamine neurons"

Just as an aside, cos I've just mentioned it to my wife, I have just been cured of an incurable shoulder pain.

No really.

For about 2 weeks I have had a problem from thumb through wrist forearm bicep shoulder and neck. It varied a bit. Sometimes quite mild. Sometimes near suicidal agony. The worst was completely numb wrist and thumb and a rock hard forearm muscle which was screaming pain. Invariably aggravated by computer mouse work.

I have a prescription renewal gp appointment on Tuesday and was hanging on until then to get a referral to a specialist (in France GP's refer everything immediately to a specialist.

This morning it has completely gone. Seriously. Honestly.

[jeeves19 in reply to WinnieThePoo]

All I know Rich is that you and I have still got PD, and he hasn’t anymore. And there are no prizes for second place. 😣

[kevowpd in reply to jeeves19]

36 hours a week? So basically a fulltime job? So you'd prefer to have a progressive condition that will probably result in quite a prolonged and uncomfortable death/decline than simply have a job? A job for which you don't need to travel anywhere and for which you answer to no one?

Really?

[pdpatient]

who is Chris Lacey?

[jeeves19 in reply to pdpatient]

Friend of mine who cured himself using long periods of mindfulness

[pdpatient in reply to jeeves19]

Thanks

[Hmop in reply to jeeves19]

Hi Could you tell me please what did hi do to recover from this terrible disease?

[Hmop in reply to jeeves19]

Hi Could you tell me please what did hi do to recover from this terrible disease?

[jeeves19 in reply to Hmop]

Read the posts above!

[pdpatient in reply to Hmop]

Hmop, here's the answer. I will also post it to the group

Chris Lacey says that he cured himself of Parkinson's disease:

About Chris Lacey:

- Chris Lacey is a health journalist, blogger and author from the UK. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2005 at the age of 44.

- Dissatisfied with the limited treatment options from doctors, Chris took it upon himself to research alternative diets and lifestyle changes that could help improve his condition.

- Through a combination of diet, supplements and exercise, Chris was able to dramatically reduce and eventually eliminate his Parkinson's symptoms. He claims to have cured himself of Parkinson's through this holistic approach.

- Chris has shared his journey and what worked for him in blog posts, articles, interviews and a 2016 book titled "The Parkinson's Disease Handbook: Regain Health Naturally by Correcting Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies."

- According to Chris, the key factors that helped him cure his Parkinson's were: a ketogenic diet, high dose vitamin supplements (B12 injections, creatine, CoQ10, etc.), dental work to remove mercury fillings, and regular exercise.

- While Chris' story is inspiring, experts caution that what works for one person may not work for others. Typical treatment for Parkinson's still focuses on medications and therapy.

- Nonetheless, Chris' story highlights the potential of diet and lifestyle modifications to improve Parkinson's symptoms and overall health. His experience has given hope to many Parkinson's patients seeking alternative solutions.

So in summary, Chris Lacey claims that he cured his own Parkinson's disease through a combination of dietary changes, supplements and exercise. While his case is not typical, it shows the potential for non-drug interventions to help manage symptoms and improve quality of life for Parkinson's patients.

[kevowpd in reply to pdpatient]

Is this ChatGPT output? It does not appear to be correct. Even the basic biographical details are wrong.

[pdpatient in reply to kevowpd]

No. Claude. I cross verified through Google.

[kevowpd in reply to pdpatient]

He's from Tasmania, he wasn't 44 and it wasn't in 2005. And his claim is that he recovered via mindful woodworking, not what you posted.

[Gioc in reply to kevowpd]

LoL are you now reduced to denying the hallucinations of the AI? Stay with humans.😀

[jeeves19 in reply to pdpatient]

Doh! Wrong guy😫😵‍💫

[pdpatient in reply to jeeves19]

So two different people are cured of the same disease with the same name?

[jeeves19 in reply to pdpatient]

It would seem so unless someone has heard that Chris got cured and then made soon unwise assumptions on how it was achieved.

[Hmop in reply to pdpatient]

Thanks for the answer

[Bolt_Upright]

Thanks Jeeves. I found this very old post from Chris from 2013/ Seems to be from before he recovered: Living with Parkinson’s Disease – my personal journey wheelnroundworkshop.blogspo...

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Bolt_Upright]

How I unfroze my Tin Man body

CHRIS Lacey has changed from a bent-over cripple with a frozen face who could not clean his own teeth to a physically active man. themercury.com.au/news/tasm...

[Gioc in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Reading the story some doubts remain, but I notice that in the videos the left side is more affected by rigidity which is typical of the monolateral onset PD, however in the story he doesn't mention it. He says he responded well to madopar so it's definitely PD but how did he get it off? Gradually?.An interesting case to study.

[Gioc in reply to Bolt_Upright]

great find Bolt_Upright, but how did you find it ? I shouldn't have to ask you and do my research, but have you read anything about how it healed, I mean it healed suddenly or gradually. I also ask jeeves19 if I may.

I'm interested in contextualizing his recovery.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Gioc]

I just Googled "Chris Lacey Parkinson's". I did not find how long it took to heal. One link I found was to a paper behind a paywall.

[Gioc in reply to Bolt_Upright]

uh! Don't fool me Bolt.😀

this is a blog and it only comes out if you look for it directly.

But maybe I should remove the filters from my Google settings.

Anyway thank you very much, I always appreciate your searches here on CPHU, they’re helpful and in the right spirit.🙏

⭐️

Gio

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Gioc]

Filters on Google settings? If I was smarter I would have them too. This is my search: google.com/search?q=Chris+L...

Chris Lacy Google Search

[Gioc in reply to Bolt_Upright]

ehm! The same for me. I did not see it!

Maybe the one who is not very smart is me. Thank you

[jeeves19 in reply to Gioc]

18 months. Send me an email gioc vie private message and send you his account which he wrote up to inspire others.

[Bolt_Upright]

Well... this is interesting: "In Tasmania, Chris Lacey read about red lights and quietly set about understanding more. He has been an impressive advocate, and has made his home available to many people to use red lights" wellred.com.au/wellredblog/...

[jeeves19 in reply to Bolt_Upright]

I think he’d already recovered when he threw his weight behind this Bolt.

[Bunny622023]

What I really like about this post Adam is that Chris doesn't claim anything that isn't just his opinion, he says it's just his perspective, he says he doesn't know how it happened, he's just sharing what has happened to him. I thought that is what this forum was about, but I'm finding it to be not so much to my taste anymore with some of the caustic remarks that other members say to each other. Thanks for some great posts.

[CuriousMe12]

I'm not sure of the purpose of this post, if you don't know the guy. Its just an update on the health of someone, apparently recovered from PD.Apart from woodworking, there doesn't appear to be a story to discuss.

I do love a good mortice and tennon joint though so if making them helps it's a win win for me😏

[jeeves19]

point of the post is this: if you’ve already made 200 mortise and tenon joints, you won’t be creating any new neurons, but on the first 20/30 you probably did. Present enough challenges to the brain and it responds. Somehow, somewhere , it appears that if you carry out this ‘creation’ long enough and intensely enough, this new network starts to produce fresh dopamine. There’s a notable example somewhere on the web of this similarly being the case with a PWP who meditated often and regularly.

[CuriousMe12]

Its probably true of any activity that is undertaken. Ì find lots of activities help me, as long as I enjoy it.In this podcast a neurologist witah pd suggests exercise creates new neurons.

[CuriousMe12 in reply to CuriousMe12]

open.spotify.com/episode/0T...

[gomelgo in reply to CuriousMe12]

I have been reading How the Brain's Way of Healing by Norman Doidge and this is a repeated motif in the book. He also talks about John Pepper at length and why his method truly works. One of the topics is the PoNS device which specifically targets creation of new pathways. Here is one simple explanation. ponstherapy.com/for-patient...

[CuriousMe12 in reply to gomelgo]

I need a new book so just ordered that one on your recommendation. I've been relatively stagnant this festive period and I've slowed and stiffened. Looking forward to getting active again these next two weeks.

[jeeves19]

I waited for years for the PONs but nothing ever came of it as far as i know.

[gomelgo in reply to jeeves19]

It sounds so very promising in the book. I see there are many sites selling some form of it. Maybe II need to find and connect with the lab where it was originally begun.