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An eight-year journey that started in 2010, when Red Beach retirement home resident Peter McLeod was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, is the subject of a free online book published last month.
Peter’s story, written by his wife Beverley, is entitled Beverley McLeod’s ‘Parkinson Self Help’.
The couple hopes the book will help others who are facing the same challenges. As well as chapters on self-help remedies, there is also information on understanding the progression of Parkinson’s and relevant medical research on the disease.
They will discuss what they have learned at a public meeting at the Orewa Presbyterian Church, at 107 Centreway Road, on November 6, starting at 10am.
An active life
Before his diagnosis in 2010, Peter, a former property valuer who is now 85, had enjoyed an active life. But by 2014, he was totally crippled by the disease and so weakened he lost all independence.
Beverley says dopamine supplements were being regularly increased to replace this chemical in Peter’s brain, which is depleted as the disease progresses.
“Dopamine is the essential neurotransmitter, which sends messages from and to the brain via the central nervous system, to enable flexibility and physical movement of the body and limbs,” she says.
“Dopamine medication gradually restored Peter’s energy and flexibility, and stimulated by physiotherapy and exercise routines, his muscles were strengthened sufficiently to regain his independence.”
Over the past three years, Peter’s miraculous recovery has inspired Beverley to ask why and how has this been achieved. He now walks one-kilometre twice daily, plays club table tennis on Saturday and has regular exercise routines. These appear to stimulate his brain to naturally make some dopamine and this has replaced his need for regular increases in medication.
“His double vision has gone, he is no longer dependent on prednisone to relieve mucous in the lungs, asthma and sleep problems are cured, and his balance issues, tremors, slow shuffling gait, stooped back, rigid body and limbs are no longer Parkinson problems.”
Beverley believes the cure started with Peter eating a kiwifruit each morning to relieve bowel and bladder problems.
“We researched the health benefits of the fruit and, because of its serotonin content, we added one at night and found the fruit did increase sleep time and sleep efficiency by 13 per cent. It also improved memory and mood.
“We added another kiwifruit at lunch with a spoonful of lemon yoghurt and observed Peter’s organ functions all improved and the rigidity left his body.
“Research indicates kiwifruit has immune boosting power and it decreases internal oxidative damage. We presume Peter’s immune system may now be constantly attacking the Lewy bodies in his gut and preventing them from travelling to his brain and destroying his dopamine producing brain cells.”
Peter’s daily routine of dopamine fixes and kiwifruit every six hours with his meals, interspersed with regular fluid intakes to maintain hydration, have prevented his falls and reduced his Parkinson symptoms dramatically.
Beverley hopes neurological researchers will do a proper study on the benefits of a kiwifruit rich diet on Parkinson’s so more people can benefit.
Beverley’s book is available free online at smashwords.com/books/view/892387
