Okay, I know I have done yoga posts before, however this one is different. This time I want to cover how yoga aides in the fight against neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease, or PD for short. Largely, yoga is still being viewed as either a "girly thing," or just something people think they simply cannot do because of seeing very seasoned yogis performing crazy poses. That's still yoga, but I am simply speaking of hatha and flow. Personally I mix a bit of Tai Chi in mine to aide more in mobility as well. 

           Now I have talked about the benefits that yoga brings, ridding the body and soul of stress, and how it can ease the mind and adjust hormones which also aide in healthy fat loss. This post is going to focus on how yoga improves the  muscular and central nervous system. 

1.   Mobility. Mobility is a highly important function, not just for those with PD, but for everyone. Mobility has to do with how... well how mobile you are! In other words, take a look at how you walk, sit, stand, reach for you glass of water, etc. Mobility is a part of all of those things. When it comes to yoga, specific poses force the yogi to contract particular areas. In standing poses, we focus on the hip and knee extensors along with the ankle plantar flexor. Everything that supports center-of-mass in your body. Working these muscles improves overall stability, walking, posture, and balance. 
2. Balance.  Speaking of balance, this is the main reason that I personally began yoga when I was 16. I was a dancer and wanted better balance and my mum told me to do yoga, saying that it would improve it. Now, had I stuck to it consistently for the last 13 years I might be as a amazing as the yogis that frighten us away from the healing powers yoga brings. Nobody really likes to hold a pose for a minute flat, especially when you are just starting out. That minute can feel like an eternity. But never fear, start small. Starting at a lower amount of holding time allows the body to properly build. Holding poses forces the body to fire certain muscles, trust me when I say this. If you don't feel that workout burning sensation, or if you feel real pain in a way that will hurt you, you may in fact being doing your poses INCORRECTLY. There is a correct form and posture in which to conduct yoga or any form of exercise. Firing muscles when standing makes your body adapt and grow. If we do not feel pain, as in sore from working out, we will not see the change we wish to see. 
3. Strength. Oh yes, yoga builds strength. Think about this for a second - you are standing and your body automatically holds you up. Why? Your brain is communicating with your nervous system in order to get the muscle to naturally do it's thing. If you are lacking in mobility and balance, you will lack in strength. Strength comes from moving our body weight around with the poses. Forcing muscles to fire, contract and release. Breaking down the muscle fibers and ridding the body of toxins through sweat and other forms of excretion, only then do muscles properly ​grow. 

     So there are just a few great reasons that yoga aides in the fight against PD. But there are so many other reasons to do yoga! 

• Fat/weight loss management
• Stress management
• Compartmentlization 
• Proper breathing 
• Mood and sleep improve

As you can see yoga is beneficial for not only those who are battling an illness or disease, but for anyone who consistently sticks with it. 

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       Donuts. Cakes. Soda. Chips and salsa. Cookies. Crackers. Ice cream. What do they all have in common? We consider them to be junk food. Wait a minute! When did these become junk? Running a bakery based on organic and gluten free baked goods, it gets difficult explaining the difference between my baked goods and actual junk food. Let's have a comparison look shall we?

1. DONUTS, BROWNIES, COOKIES GALORE! Alright, time and time again you hear me say it, "CHECK THE INGREDIENTS NOT JUST THE NUTRITIONAL FACT PANEL." Why do I say this? Food is a fuel source and, it being so, we need many different types of fuel to run the machine that is our body. Maybe you only need plant-based, or, maybe you lean more toward needing all the animal sourced nutrition you can get. Either way everything you are eating is based on the ingredients in it and not what the name of the dish is. Donuts, brownies, cookies. I make them all, however, the difference between my donuts and say... DD/KK/insert major bakery brand here, is that mine are specifically baked with organic almond flour that keeps them not only gluten free but low carb. Most bakeries use normal bleached flour; mix that with a ton of table sugar and you have death in the form of a phallic shaped donut. OF COURSE NOBODY WANTS TO EAT SWEETS! 
2. SUGAR MATTERS! Here is something I talk about far too often, sugar. There are different types of sugar and yes your body does in fact metabolize them all differently. This includes the way the body breaks them down and how it is going to, or not, utilize it for the machine. Now table sugar is the leading cause for cavities, crazy minds, depression, and obesity. I use only organic coconut sugar in ALL of my baked goods. This keeps the flavor naturally sweet and keeps anything I make virtually diabetic friendly. Coconut sugar is very low on the GI Chart and doesn't spike insulin levels. Ergo, eating a cookie made from natural sugars rather than man made sugars allows the body to consume a carbohydrate still important for energy, but doesn't harm. 
3. FAT OVER CARBS, ANYDAY. I'm saying it because I have seen it work, and I've seen it work with many individuals. FAT OVER CARBS FOR EVERYONE. While the body may love running off of carbohydrates, they don't seem to be all that great for us. And go figure it's again, due to the ingredients and growing process. Adding EFA's like coconut oil, brownies made from avocado and coconut flour allows the body to go into a state of ketosis. Burning fat is a bit of a harder task for the body and therefore the body has to kick into overdrive to break it down and use it. Carbohydrates provide under half of what fats provide, leaving the body in hunger pangs not too long after because the body doesn't always use every calorie it gets from that piece of bread you're eating right now while reading this. The brain also prefers fat over carbohydrates to run, another reason to up your fats and lower those carbohydrates. 

     Don't get rid of the sweeter things in life just because of a name. Allowing the name of an item to hold control over you and whether or not you are going to consume it is a life of nothing short of self-torture. Eating healthy and eating right has to do with what you are putting into your body. And keep in mind of the ever changing world around us; keep in mind that organic, gluten free or even health foods are starting to taste more like actual food and less like cardboard. Get the donut next time, enjoy and smile. You will never regret eating something that doesn't make you feel like complete shit after eating it. 

WHAT IS PARKINSON'S?

    Parkinson's disease affects roughly 200,000 people per year. Due to the loss of dopamine cell receptors in the brain, the neurodegenerative disease leads to progressive deterioration of motor function. Although most individuals are diagnosed around age 60 or above, Parkinson's targets no age. It can affect anyone, at any age. Often times it is genetic and though the full causes of Parkinson's are unknown researches and scientists still work to find how we prevent or cure this neurodegenerative disorder. 
     When PD sets in and signs begin to show this means the substantia nigra, a basal ganglia structure located in the midbrain, which plays an important role in reward and motor function, starts to lose dopamine cell receptors. 

SELF MAINTENANCE 
      Now, I haven't really talked about this much at all, but over the years of my own health and wellness journey I have come to know my own genetics very well. I have come to learn a lot about different disorders and diseases, and found ways to combat my genetic ailments with food and natural supplementation. As it turns out, everything I have been taking over the years has slowed the progression of PD. 

1. ​Nootropics- A few years ago now, I met a man who introduced me to something called nootropics. Nooptropics to put it simply are brain drugs, but not to worry, these are good "drugs." These are vitamins for your brain; the particular ones I take are from a company called ​Limited Labs. Theses particular nootropics, their neurotransmitter booster called Phoenix, was designed for extra support in the dopamine cell receptors. Designed for those who are stressed, depressed, or just need an extra pep in their mood, this particular nootropic has helped me personally overcome 6 concussions within a span of one year, along with those days where I struggle to even make my legs pull me up and out of bed. 
   1. L-dopa- L-dopa is the main ingredient in the Phoenix Neurotransmitter that is a precursor to such neurotransmitters as: dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. L-dopa is an amino acid that humans and other animals make biosynthetically from L-tyrosine. The lower the presence of these neurotransmitters, the worse the condition becomes. Same for any condition related to your dopamine cell receptors. 
2. Fish Oil- I have been taking fish oil for years, even before I started to take the nootropics. Since the body cannot make them for itself, as far as the brain is concerned it prefers fats over carbohydrates any day, hence why fish oil may be an important role in fighting PD. 
   1. EPA & DHA- EPA and DHA are the main fatty acids you may hear about often when it comes to fish oil. The important thing to remember when it comes to nutrition and supplementation is that it will change not only throughout your own life but also the lives of those around you. The requirements for what keeps your body and mind healthy and functioning is going to be different from anyone else. With that being said, this is an important supplement to add to your regimen if you don't already. 
   2. FISH OIL FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT- ​Fish oil contains a component called  DHA, a fatty acid that is abundant inside the brain and required for normal and proper functioning. Children who were given DHA throughout their life, and mothers who took fish oil during pregnancy, had higher IQ scores and were more intelligent than children without. In adults, lower DHA levels manifested in signs of the brain aging quicker. DHA is important for not only aiding in communication between brain cells but it also preserves cell membrane health overall. Since the body does not make it's own DHA, or EFA's at all, we must supplement them from food and fish oil soft gels, liquids, etc. 
3. NUTRITION- I will preach till the day that I die, NUTRITION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE. Without a proper nutrition for your body the whole system will begin to break down. While there is no one specific nutrition plan that will cure Parkinson's however, eating properly and steering clear of certain foods can aide in lessening the pain and effects that onset over time. It is suggested that those with PD should avoid these foods as much as possible in their nutrition, especially if taking an L-dopa medicine. 
   1. Red wine and beer
   2. Soy and soy products
   3. Cheeses that have been aged such as Swiss or blue cheese
   4. Fermented cabbages
   5. Fermented, dried, cured meats and fish
4. ​EXERCISE- In a previous blog post we discussed why yoga and exercise are great for those with PD. Exercise forces nerves, neurons, and synapses in your brain to communicate with your muscles. If you are on and L-dopa prescription of some kind then your best option to fight against the neuro-degenerative disease is to utilize what that L-dopa is going to do for your brain and your body. 

WHAT NOW?
While these are just a few, natural and holistic ways, of fighting PD and being able to maintain a. lifestyle that you enjoy PD is something that cannot be cured. At least not to our current knowledge. However, taking these necessary steps made it possible for an early diagnoses and exercise, nutrition, and proper supplementation has made it to where the disease will not progress unless I stop doing these things. Having a disease should never hinder you from progressing in life, as a being, or any other aspect of yourself. 

There is always a way to better your health, for everyone.