Recovering from Parkinson’s

By Marie Regis, L.Ac.

As with any chronic degenerative disease, a diagnosis of Parkinson’s is a life-changing event. Shock, disbelief, fear or anger can set in- understandably!. The medical prognosis is not good, and treatments available with conventional medicine are palliative and do not provide a cure.

As a practitioner of Classical Chinese medicine, I believe there is no incurable disease, only incurable people. There are people who have recovered from stage four cancer, for reasons that are not yet explained by modern science and lived for years without recurrence. (Read “Radical Remission, the Nine Key Factors That Can Make a Real Difference, by Kelly A. Turner, PhD. ) Yet culturally we have come to expect these healings are impossible.

People who have recovered from Parkinson’s have committed to a comprehensive lifestyle change, which may include: dietary changes, meditation, Qi gong, Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and a commitment to changing detrimental and stressful beliefs and attitudes. Chinese medicine tells us that all chronic disease starts with a chronic emotional/spiritual imbalance. This leads to inflammation, weakness in certain organ systems, leading to loss of function in the neurological and hormonal systems.

Howard Shifke’s book “Fighting Parkinson’s and Winning” is based on his own recovery from Parkinson’s. It is a must read from anyone who has had this diagnosis or anyone with a family history of this disease.