The past July and August show an unexpected very strong improvement in my PD symptoms, without any changes in my supplement list. Meanwhile, my CD-LD dosage did reduce significantly. Probably due to a confluence of circumstances, such as the warm weather, diet, anti-stress, sunlight. We are more or less forced to rent out our house. That means we bivouac in our old Eriba caravan and tent in our orchard, next to the workshop with summer kitchen, vegetable garden and herb garden. From the first day of this “experiment”, there has been a holiday feeling as we are cut off from our normal busy pursuits. Apart from garden maintenance and cleaning work when changing holiday guests, there is just nothing to do. No travel stress in traffic jams. Just enjoying that beautiful place on top of the hill. Ok, no pool with the current heat wave, but coolness from the fruit trees and the sun shower. You guys don't care about this kind of feel-good experience and on HU they do ask for substantiation:
First the holiday feeling. Led by Prof Bas Bloem and Dr Marjan Meinders, physician-researcher Jules Janssen Daalen of the Expertise Centre for Parkinson's and Movement Disorders in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, investigated with an international team how holidays can change Parkinson's symptoms. It found that almost half of the participants (44.9%) experienced an improvement in their symptoms while on holiday, an above-expected high percentage. Only 12.9% experienced a worsening of symptoms. In particular, people who moved more reported improvements: they walked better and experienced less pain, cramping and sluggishness. People who slept better on holiday had improvements in both motor and non-motor symptoms, such as better mood. Interestingly, it did not matter whether the holiday was shorter or longer than a week, whether a person had the disease for a long or short time, and there was no difference between men and women.
We have always been outside a lot, in the garden, walking the dog, but without a house, you really are outdoors all day. You get up earlier and go to sleep earlier without a television. After my post on the NIR project, I delved further into what impact sunlight, which is 50% infrared, has on PD. That turns out to be considerable as shown in an article by the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s. Sunlight can transform our moods, focus, sleep, energy levels, immune systems, bone density, and mental health
PD is mentioned in particular by Russian scientist Tiina Karu in an article that raises the question of whether red light therapy should not become part of treatments of sick people. Karu cites some examples that show that treating with NIR worked well for PWP
But an absolute eye opener is this recent video by Dr. Seheult who explains in a very clear way the latest studies on the importance of sunlight, in particular infrared NIR in combination with outdoor life.
We live closer to nature and take advantage of the abundant fruit harvest. When I get out of the tent, though, I have to pick a handful of mirabelles first. This year a bountiful harvest of up to 200 kilos. After cherries, followed by strawberries, rhubarb, red and white currants, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, jostaberry, chokeberries, blueberries, blackberries, the damsons and apples are almost ripe. When we start cooking we walk into the garden to see which of the 10 kinds of tomatoes are ripe, you pick your beans, courgettes and cucumbers. 5 kinds of broccoli etc. No supplement can stand up to so many nutrients. According PMD alliance there is no better season than the summertime to take advantage of all of those fresh, brain–healthy foods
I couldn't find any research on the positive effect of heat. Most of us seem to suffer from that. I myself only experience more and more problems with cold and enjoy the solar heat.
You can only guess what is the most important factor for the improvement, but the ultimate PD drug seems: Summertime, easy living like God in France, homeless in paradise. 🍀
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Nice picture. We certainly miss camping (did tent camping for many years then purchased a small pull along RV).
Sunshine and fresh air, nature, fresh fruit and vegetables - all good things for the mind and soul. Good stuff. Heat would drain both myself and HWP. Cold, usually can add more clothing.
Hoping you don't have to rent out your house forever, in the meantime, sounds as though you are enjoying your Paradise in France. Best to you.
We certainly enjoy it! We are already making plans to rent out the house every summer. Only November to April is not certain. Then we must be allowed to permanently build a small (adapted) house here. We live in one of France’s most wooded depopulated areas, virtually no tourism, no water problems due to climate change. During COVID, people discovered the value of this area, but that has already been forgotten. Absolute tranquillity and nature literally works wonders.
I love being out late at night and looking at the stars more bright, after a quarter of an hour it gives me a perception of enormous space and consequent relaxation and peace.
What a beautiful image Gio. Since my introduction to P, brain and universe seem to be increasingly intertwined. You understand the choice that Albert Einstein proposes to us “There are only two ways to live your life One is living as if there are no miracles The other is living like everything is a miracle.”
Experiencing that this anti-stress outdoor life is so good for me makes it possible to base our choices on that and look to the future with confidence again.
Indeed, it seems I am on to something. After restoring the B6 balance, in addition to the PD lifestyle adjustments we all know, sunlight also seems crucial. I am not letting go of that track.
As the research shows, there is a larger part that gets no or even a worsening of its symptoms on vacation. After all, there is also such a thing as holiday stress. We are privileged with such a beautiful place that we can choose this. Try to figure out what causes your situation worsening so quickly. But certainly also look at what does have a positive effect and embrace that! 🍀
The amount of sunshine you are getting is definitely pushing your vitamin D and melatonin levels up very significantly. Unfortunately, as we age we generally spend less and less time outdoors and I don't think that is good for us.
Perhaps a sun shower is an option to experience your daily dose of sunlight and ultimate freedom without clothes. Only possible with enough privacy and not too prudish neighbours, though. 😀
perhaps being away from all the electrical wiring and wifi in a house is good too?
And yours is a less stressful holiday close to home where everything is known than say doing a lot of travellin to new locations, moving from one accomodation to another and having to catch planes etc which might be more stressful.
my husband has always felt sick and fluey on day 3 of any holidays even well before diagnosis.
We have electricity and a WiFi extender here, but we live here anyway in a very sparsely populated area with minimal electrosmog. The association has been shown with ALS and Alzheimer's, not in Parkinson's according to this german meta analysis. Perhaps you have another research that does make the connection?
Nevertheless, it is good to see what possible other factors play a role. Some research has been done to look at the differences between outdoor and indoor life. It appears that next to sunlight, vitamin D and exposure to natural environments may be protective for PD.
To avoid the holiday stress only 'holistay' or 'staycation' seems to be an option for you. But try to apply the advice of Dr. Roger Seheult from the video mentioned below. Maybe it will help you both! 🍀
Ha, we have a staycation every other day😄. We have had a few 3 day trips away in our country this year as he is feeling well and he has done better. Perhaps earlier holidays with the children were the problem as one of our sons was hard work on holiday when he as a teenager.
We have just been on the transalpine express train across from Christchurch to the west coast of the South Island through the snowy mountains. Then had 2 days over the west coast. It was lovely.
Glad you can now enjoy the short holidays after all. What a beautiful area, ideal to spend there in 'our' winter, but unfortunately just a bit too far for my budget.
The forests are of course wonderful for applying the concept of friluftsliv, or 'outdoor living', the Norwegian idea that life is best lived outdoors. If the Norwegians can do that, it must surely be achievable here in France's second largest state forest.
Absolutely so true. That is amazing. Check out Jack Cruze on Facebook he is an American neuro surgeon. Says blue light is cause of disease. He's advocating outdoor, local eating (your latitude). No suncream, no sunglasses. Morning and evening sun and day sun for red light.We're also now in the sun much more. Hwp also doing better.
Thank you for your post. Such good news.
Let me know if you are interested in renting out a space for a self-sufficient campervan for a couple of days. We hope to go to France later this year. Might go past you. 😃
This is what they write about him: “Dr. Jack Kruse is an incredible, brilliant human being. He's been known to write blog posts buck naked outside in below-freezing temperatures, pack himself on ice for hours and get banned from TED talks.”I don't know if I can make my contributions to HU like this and if it's that good for me at all... 😅 But indeed he has very interesting views. I'm going to read a little more of him.
It seems that we are continuing to rent out our house as 'Gîte', so that is at least possible. Whether the campervan can stand here, we have to take a look at it in advance. The aim is that I am alone in the orchard here, but in the cold period I may start a B&B (for PwP?) in our house. Probably the worst in all of France, although that could be very attractive commercially!
Sounds like paradise to me! I’ve never had a mirabelle plum, would love to try them. What a wonderful garden you have as well, so many vegetables and fruits!
What area of France? Will you be able to camp there through the winter?
A dream spot indeed Victoria. For the mirabelles you have to be quick... we are in the south-west of the Vosges, the former Lorraine the mirabelles region of France. Winter camping is only possible if your name is Jack Kruse...
Such a beautiful fruit, do you have to climb the tree to get them?
You're funny! I'm going to be looking up Jack Kruse! I've read plenty about the trending activities of cold showers and sitting in ice filled bathtubs as a healing therapy, just not sure I'm tough enough for them. Winter camping with minimal clothes on at times I could do but likely won't get enough sun that way.
I do think we would all be better off living "outside" and being uncomfortable sometimes, and doing for ourselves vs the cushy, over comfortable world most of us live in.
Oh my goodness, what a lovely post. I could feel the sunbeams and see and taste all the wonderful fruits and veggies from your garden. Felt like I was on holiday for a few minutes!
It also reminded me of this video on "Sunlight as Medicine." It's all fascinating, but perhaps the part of most interest to PWP starts at 48 minutes; youtube.com/watch?v=5YV_iKn...
Thank you for your enthusiastic response. Unfortunately, the link with the video could not be opened, but it looks like I found the video on YouTube. If this is not the right one, 'Light as medecin, vit-D isn't enough' by Dr Roger Seheult is also very worth a look at. 🙂 Actually a confirmation of what I have experienced experimentally and with probably an even greater impact on our lives and undoubtedly also for PD as thought. A challenge to get the positive effect of sunlight and NIR even in winter, but with the wealth of knowledge this video contains, you can make the right choices for lifestyle adjustment. 🙏
Yes, that's the video, glad you found it. I appreciate how they convey a lot of detailed information in a very understandable way.
I'll bet sunlight exposure contributes greatly to the longevity and health effects of the world's "blue zones." They all seem to have temperate climates, which encourages year-round outdoor activity.
I hope you're able to continue your progress through the winter months.
Happens every year, summers are good , winter is a dread . Not so much the heat that helps (too hot is exhausting ) it is the sunshine that makes the differance . Vitamine D is the answer , plus sunshine is available in the winter some days if you go outside.
We had a heat wave this week and although I love warmth, I experienced that exhaustion you were talking about for the first time. I couldn't keep my eyes open even during the morning. Didn't have to because it was vacation. And otherwise I would shelter inside our cool house, now forced outside in the shade of the trees on a stretcher producing vitamin D.
Does your good summertime feeling also mean that you can adjust C/L medication?
You can indeed also regulate vitamin D well with supplements. No, I actually mean the infrared component in the video mentioned above where Dr. Roger Seheult of MedCram explains how near infrared light (NIR) reduces inflammation via sunlight. Even without aids, such as helmet, sauna, or implant, this effect appears to have up to 8 cm depth in the body.
With the beautiful Indian summer, there is no end to the "summertime" feeling. Still, early morning fog and the flare-up of my air pressure related nonallergic rhinitis is a sign that autumn is making its appearance. A good point to give an update on the latest experiences. The positive trend has continued. Once again, I have been able to further reduce my C/L medication, requiring only half a 10/100 Sinemet in the morning and afternoon. There are even days when I forget my C/L, for the first time after my diagnosis. Whatever may be the main factor of improvement as discussed here, we don't know, perhaps testing out that new supplement, very important at least seems to be the stress factor. A 2-week stay in our new pied à terre in a city 400 km from our paradise, with lots of car rides and social obligations, visiting intensive but fantastic Parkinson's weekend and interior renovation chores gave a temporary deterioration. I have since returned to our paradise, alone with my dog, as arranged for the coming winter. Being able to do my own thing completely, not having to feel shame about my forgetfulness, clumsiness and my chaotic lifestyle. The hikes with the dog in the woods, the sun shower, dreaming of an unrealistic project turning the garden into a food forest, receiving as few visitors as possible. Just enjoying my new slow life. Apparently it's doing me good...
After reading Art's (chartist) contribution on the natural production of Melatonin, I realise again that outdoor life in the countryside in particular compared to the city has an impact that cannot be underestimated.
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