Dirk Niedentohl stays busy. Whether he’s at work or at home, he’s always working on a project to keep himself busy.
“He comes home from work, goes out in the wood shop, and stays out until dark,” explains his wife Gale. “I have to remind him to come in to eat.”
After Dirk’s Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2011, staying busy became his way to deal with the disease. He follows Brian’s motto to power forward with Parkinson’s, which isn’t surprising for a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force.
“When I was first diagnosed, my initial thought was, ‘I’m gonna keep working, pressing on and pushing through this thing. I’m trying to stay positive.’”
With the support of his wife, Dirk continues to work at his job wiring control panels while also pursuing his woodworking. Both of these activities help him stay moving and focused. As Dirk explains, “you have to stay focused in woodworking so you don’t lose a finger.”
Dirk has always been active. In high school he ran track and field and was the anchor for the relay team that set a record that still stands today. Recently his former coach gave him the plaque from the record, which prompted a team reunion.
“After coach gave me the plaque, I contacted two of my former teammates and we got together for a visit. We started contacting other track runners from the 70s and got about 60 people together for a reunion. We were recognized during a Friday night football game.”
After high school Dirk finished his degree in physical education before signing up for the Air Force. His service took him to countries like Korea and Saudi Arabia. His service in Saudi Arabia occurred during Desert Storm. Veterans deployed to the Gulf War may be at a higher risk of Parkinson’s due to chemical and environmental exposures that occurred during the conflict.
“Looking at the contributing factors for Parkinson’s, it doesn’t surprise me that veterans may have a higher risk of the disease,” says Dirk.
Though he has a positive outlook on living with Parkinson’s, Dirk admits to getting flustered sometimes by his diagnosis. “We’re only human beings and I get pissed off. I don’t ask why because it’s irrelevant,” he says. “But even on my worst days, when my meds are doing peaks and valleys and I’m struggling to walk, I keep moving.”
“To anyone that’s been recently diagnosed my advice is to never give up. Also rely on a support group – and by that I mean spouses, family, friends and loved ones. My wife Gale is my driving force, my rock. Therefore I power forward to stay strong for her.”
And Dirk doesn’t give up. He recently reconnected with an old college friend, Kevin Record, on Facebook and learned he had finished a cross-country bike ride to raise funds for cancer research. Dirk told Kevin about his struggle with Parkinson’s and last year Kevin cycled Alaska to raise funds for PD research.
Kevin documented the journey in a book called “Frozen Coach on a Bike.” The book is available for purchase on Amazon with the funds supporting Parkinson’s research. (Purchase the book on Amazon Smile and help support Parkinson’s research. Choose the Brian Grant Foundation as your charity on Amazon Smile and a portion of your purchase will support our programs too!)
And about that motto that he follows to power forward – Dirk has always been a fan of Brian’s, even before his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
“I like the bangers – not the glory guys. Players like Brian go in and do all of the hard work,” he explains. “I followed Brian before Parkinson’s and kept a couple of his basketball cards. But I follow him a lot more now.”
“I thank Brian for doing positive things for people with Parkinson’s. He could’ve packed it in when he was diagnosed, but he didn’t. Instead he’s doing wonderful things.”
I watch my share of bad TV. Along with bad TV, however, come bad commercials. There’s one in particular that makes me sad. The ad is for the online dating service, Match.com. An attractive young woman says she’s not a game player and “likes nice guys.” She ends her ad by saying, “If you’re interested come find me.”
I’ve been divorced for nearly a dozen years. In all those years I’ve never had anyone open their arms wide and say we’ve found each other. Dating is much more difficult than a 30 second TV ad would have you believe. Add in a little Parkinson’s and you could have a challenge on your hands.
In the first few years following the divorce dates weren’t hard to get. They weren’t great dates but it got me out, it was pseudo companionship and I had new people to talk to.
Since my diagnosis the road to a relationship has been much more difficult. If my date and I decide to have dinner the shaky fork or jiggly soup spoon are my wingmen. There’s more than a little staring that takes place. Then there’s the two handed drinking because I can no longer hold a glass still with one hand. Yes, I drink like a toddler minus the sippy cup.
I’m never sure when it’s time to address the moose in the room. I’ve had a few women watch my shaky left hand and tell me that I don’t need to be nervous around them. If only it were that simple.
In some instances I’ve disclosed my illness right off the bat – here it is, take it or leave it. My candor has always been met with, “that doesn’t bother me.” However, the bravery rarely lasts. Once I asked for a butter knife to scoop ice cream onto a spoon. That combined with my two fisted drinking and shaky fork did me in.
Sometimes a date’s courage lasts until it’s time to leave the restaurant/movies/you name it. Probably like most Parkies, when I stand up I have to wait a minute to get my sea legs. I’ve come to discover that watching your date wobble is, perhaps, keeping it a little too real.
As spring turned to summer this year I met a very nice woman. I chose not to disclose my illness right away, deciding instead to let nature take its course. On our third date I knew it was time to disclose.
I will never forget her response: “It ends here. I know what will happen if we start dating. You will get worse and then you will leave me. I could never do that to anyone and I can’t believe you did that to me.”
And with that she dropped $40 on the table and walked off never to be seen or heard from again.
When I’ve disclosed my illness I’ve been asked horrifyingly personal questions. How much time do you have? Will you shake like Muhammad Ali? Does this mean you have ED?
Seriously?
For me, Parkinson’s has been very isolating. I work out of my home, I swim and I think it’s fair to say that dating has become a spectator sport.
If I could put a billboard on my forehead it would say: My mind still works, just overlook the shaky hand, the occasional water dribble down the front of my shirt and the use of a knife to scoop ice cream. Those things aren’t who I am, they’re a by-product of a disease that I didn’t ask for.
That’s a big billboard.
So what’s next? Well, a few weeks ago, I had a conversation with the woman who cuts my hair. Her grandmother has Parkinson’s. She said, “Just face it, it’s over. No one wants your baggage.”
For all of my pessimism, I get up every day thinking that somehow today will be different than yesterday. I guess that either makes me an optimist or proof of idiocy. I honestly think the right person is out there, it’s just going to take me down the road less traveled.
I want to know who made the rule that you can’t use a knife to eat ice cream. I think it’s endearing.
Keep moving.
Kevin Woo is a freelance writer from San Francisco. He writes about business, health, science, parenting and travel. You can read more by visiting www.kevinjwoo.com.
I attended my first baseball game on May 24, 1971. During the middle of the fifth inning there was a message on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard – Happy 8th Birthday Kevin Woo.
Holy cow.
I got to go to a baseball game with my dad, stay out late on a school night and eat junk food. I’ve been a Dodgers fan ever since.
When I graduated from college, I was lucky enough to land a position with the Dodgers. I got the chance to work in sales and marketing which meant that every night I was on the field for pre-game activities.
There’s a famous story about Marilyn Monroe saying to her husband, Joe Dimaggio, “You have no idea what it’s like to have 60,000 people cheer for you.”
“Yes I do,” he replied.
I know what it’s like to be on the field when 56,000 fans go crazy. The earth shakes. I know what it’s like to stand on the same pitching mound where Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs in 1965.
That’s why I love baseball.
One night, in May 1988, I was in the Dodger dugout watching the Los Angeles Lakers play the Detroit Pistons in the NBA finals. Kirk Gibson, the Dodgers right fielder grabbed my shoulders and asked, “Who’s winning?”
If there was one rule you learned early in your Dodgers career it was: don’t talk to Kirk before a game.
I told Gibson that Detroit was leading the Lakers at halftime. We stood by the bat rack chit chatting about his wife, kids and the rumor that he wasn’t to be spoken to before a game.
“You didn’t talk to me. I talked to you which is ok.”
Kirk personified courage and desire. In that year he played with a groin muscle that had nearly torn away from the bone. In game one of the 1988 World Series Kirk hit one of the most historic home runs ever.
Twenty seven years later he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. When I heard the news I wanted to throw up. How could the fiercest competitor I’ve ever known have Parkinson’s?
A year later I was diagnosed. From my DX date until this past summer I didn’t go to a single baseball game. I was afraid.
This summer I convinced my three daughters to go see the Oakland A’s vs. Seattle Mariners. I don’t think they were terribly enthused to go but they faked their indifference well.
About a week before the game I started to panic – where are our seats in relation to the aisle? What if I have to take a potty break and I can’t walk sideways to get out of the row? What if someone in our row orders coffee and I have to pass it down? Legitimate questions all.
My oldest daughter sensed my anxiety and did some research. She found that there were 17 seats in our row. We would be smack in the middle. She also discovered that there are handrails in the aisle to help with stability. She asked how I’d be after sitting for a few hours. “Wobbly at best, “ I said.
To manage my fears we ate our collection of junk food before the game standing up. When we sat down i noticed that the row wasn’t very wide and that it might be challenging to get out. Note to bladder: you’re not going anywhere so sit back and enjoy the game.
We decided to leave in the middle of the seventh affording me the opportunity to avoid the crowds on the ramps and stairs. As we passed through our row on our way out I said to a man who chose to move his legs rather than stand up, “I have Parkinson’s. I might fall on you because I don’t have much foot room here so I apologize in advance.”
“If you fall we’ll push you back up. No worries.”
We left on the wrong side of the stadium so we had to walk around it to get to our car. As we circled the stadium I heard the crowd cheer. The ground shook. You never forget the feel of a cheering crowd.
Kirk is now a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers, his hometown team. I watch YouTube videos of his pregame analysis because he still has that grit and determination. He has the signs of a PWP – mask face and shaky hands. He started the Kirk Gibson Foundation to help find a cure for the disease.
He doesn’t look like the Kirk Gibson I knew. He’s noticeably thinner and he no longer walks with the grace of an athlete. But based on what I’ve seen, Parkinson’s has a fight on its hands to beat Kirk.
My kids think that baseball is boring because it’s too slow. If I remember correctly one of them mentioned “paint” and “dry” in the same sentence. In time I hope they’ll come to appreciate that baseball is a metaphor for life. You never know who you’re going to meet and you never know when your paths may cross again.
Keep moving.
Kevin Woo is a freelance writer from San Francisco. You can read more articles by visiting www.kevinjwoo.com.
We already know that what we put into our bodies can have a direct effect on our overall health and well-being. But how does eating a plant-based diet help Parkinson’s disease?
A plant-based diet fuels the body with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and strong. As the name suggests, it’s primarily focused on plants. That means eating more fruits and veggies, along with whole grains, nuts and beans.
You can also incorporate monounsaturated or “healthier” fats, i.e., choosing olive oil over butter, and consume smaller amounts of protein—preferably fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon.
“The evidence is pretty overwhelming that a plant-based, whole food diet is the foundation of healthy nutrition,” says Dr. John Duda, director of the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center (PADRECC) of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and associate professor of neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
What’s more, eating a plant-based diet can improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. If you don’t believe us, here are five reasons that will change your mind. In fact, they may even inspire a mad dash to the produce section the next time you’re in the grocery store.
1. It could give you stronger bones, so take that, falls!
Mobility challenges are more common as Parkinson’s disease progresses, and for many, there will likely be an increased risk for falls. According to some research, having PD can also increase the risk for bone thinning. Strong bones are what people with Parkinson’s need to stay safe in the event of a fall.
That’s why it’s crucial to eat plant-based meals rich in bone-strengthening nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and vitamins D and K. In addition to consuming the right kind of foods, exercising on a regular basis—including weight-bearing exercises and strength training—will keep those bones nice and strong, making fractures or breaks less likely.
2. It helps you fight malnourishment and weight loss.
Since Parkinson’s can affect digestive function, people living with PD may notice symptoms such as early satiety (the sensation of feeling full after consuming a small amount of food), difficulty swallowing, or food tasting bland or different from what you’re used to.
This can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, muscle loss, depletion of vital nutrients, a weakened immune system, risk for other diseases or even death.
Eating smaller portions of food more frequently can help increase your appetite. To make food more appealing so that you feel like eating more, try experimenting with new recipes and seasoning your meals with more nutrient-dense herbs and spices.
If you continue to struggle with significant weight loss, consult your doctor or nutritionist. They can offer new strategies for putting on/keeping on weigh, while factoring in your symptoms and personal needs.
3. When you’ve got to go to the bathroom, you actually go.
Parkinson’s disease can slow the movement of the colon, causing constipation. Unresolved constipation can lead to bowel impaction. This is when a mass of dry, hard feces becomes impossible to pass normally. Bowel impaction can require hospitalization and even surgery.
People with PD need at least 20-40 grams of daily fiber in their diet each day. You can get fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. “One small change, like adding 1-2 tablespoons of ground flax seed to your diet, can be very beneficial, especially for symptoms like constipation,” Duda says.
Choose foods that have five or more grams of fiber per serving. Then flush it down with at least six to eight cups of water. If you have less than one bowel movement per day, you probably need to drink more fluids.
4. It could help reduce medication fluctuations.
Carbidopa-levodopa is a common medicine used to treat Parkinson’s disease. However, if you take it too soon before or after eating, the protein in your diet might interfere with medication absorption. That’s because carbidopa-levodopa is absorbed into the digestive system through the same route as protein. When taken together, they will compete to be absorbed into the body. This makes the medication less effective at fighting symptoms.
People with PD find that eating most of their protein during the last meal of the day better controls their symptoms. Most medical providers recommend taking carbidopa-levodopa 30 to 60 minutes before eating a meal. This allows the medication to be quickly absorbed into the body before the food can interfere.
In research studies, fluctuations improved in about 80 percent of people who made this dietary change. Another thing to note is that iron can also prevent your body from absorbing certain medications. It is recommended not to take iron supplements within two hours of carbidopa-levodopa.
5. It could slow down disease progression.
“Most current theories regarding the cause of PD include chronic inflammation and oxidative injury,” Duda says. “Therefore, it makes sense to me that a plant-based diet, loaded with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative compounds could slow disease progression.”
The best way to increase anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in your blood and brain is by eating plants. Choose fresh or frozen whole foods. Avoid boxed or canned items as much as possible. Aim for a variety of fruits and veggies every day, and be sure to include nuts and seeds into your meals. After all, they are plants too.
“If you’ve been eating a certain way for a long time, it might be really hard to make all the changes we’re talking about for a whole food, plant-based diet at once,” Duda says. “I advise people to do their best to minimize processed foods, dairy and meat, and to make healthy replacements for some meals during the week.”
Packed with nutrients from turmeric, ginger, sweet potatoes, broccoli and chickpeas, the Superfood Buddha Bowl lives up to its name. You can purchase pre-chopped vegetables to make the recipe easier to prepare. Add your favorite veggies and mix it up too!
Instructions
Turmeric Tri-Color Quinoa
Combine quinoa, water, turmeric, curry powder and salt and bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 15 min until liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and let rest 5 min before serving.
Toasted Chickpeas
Combine chickpeas, olive oil, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Spread on sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 min, toss and continue baking until crisp, approx. 5 min more.
Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and more salt/pepper/cayenne/cumin to reach desired taste.
Serve warm.
Maple Tahini Sauce
Combine tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne.
Add water a little at a time until a pourable consistency is reached.
Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Roasted Vegetables
Toss broccoli, sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper to combine.
Spread potatoes on parchment-lined sheet pan and roast at 350 degrees until softened, approx. 20 min.
Simple yet flavorful recipe for southwestern tacos. The recipe uses a mandolin to safely and easily slice cabbage and onions. The other ingredients are simply smashed or torn to reduce the need to chop or dice. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup cabbage sliced on a mandolin
1/4 cup onion sliced on a mandolin
1 garlic clove smashed
10 button mushrooms smashed
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp torn basil
1 Tbsp torn cilantro
1 package corn tortillas
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a pan.
Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until brown.
Add the chili, cumin, cinnamon and mushrooms to the pan and sauté for three minutes.
Add the cabbage and corn and cook until soft.
Heat corn tortillas in a microwave or in a pan.
Add the veggie filling to the corn tortillas and serve!
Recipe provided by Chef Kenny James
The benefits of mindfulness are plentiful for people with Parkinson’s.
It can boost feelings of control and resilience, reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep and increase grey matter in the brain.
By now, you know that exercise is one of the cheapest, most effective medicines for slowing down the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Well, think of mindfulness meditation as exercise for the brain.
It helps the mind shed unhealthy thought patterns and builds mental muscle that can make it easier to cope with the unpredictability of life with PD. And, like regular physical activity, mindfulness meditation can serve as the cornerstone for self-care that people with PD can use to manage their symptoms.
The practice involves using breathing or other techniques to bring deliberate (but nonjudgmental) attention to the thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations of the present moment.
With regular practice, people become more aware of the human tendency to quickly judge our everyday experiences and respond with negative, unhelpful patterns of thinking. Combining awareness with acceptance of experiences provides a wider, calmer perspective on stressful situations and helps squash negative emotions before they can take hold.
Studies have shown that meditation can help improve anxiety, stress, fatigue and sleep disturbances. It lowers heart rate and levels of cortisol (a hormone released during stress) and ups sensations of relaxation and well-being.
Scientists have observed so many benefits of mindfulness meditation that it’s being used for everything from boosting employee performance to improving the “military resilience” of soldiers in the U.S. Army. Research has also found some specific, significant benefits of the practice for people with Parkinson’s.
What the science says about meditation and Parkinson’s
Several randomized controlled trials of mindfulness meditation programs for people with PD show instruction in the practice can lower anxiety and depression, as well as improve motor symptoms of the disease.
In a 2015 trial published in the journal Parkinson’s Disease, an eight-week mindfulness meditation program improved both motor and non-motor motor activities of daily living; patients also reported less pain.
Similarly, a 2016 investigation of six sessions of mindfulness training for people with PD found significant reductions in anxiety, depression and distress about symptoms, along with improvements in memory and verbal fluency.
The effects seem long-lasting. A trial published in 2016 in BMC Neurology showed that people with PD who participated in once-weekly sessions of mindfulness meditation for at least six weeks were still having an easier time managing their stress and going about their daily activities six months after the program ended.
What’s behind the benefits? Scientists don’t yet have a complete answer, but they believe the practice changes the structure of the brain itself, according to a study that used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to look at the brains of people with PD before and after an eight-week mindfulness meditation program.
The investigators, who published their findings in Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery in 2013, saw an increase in grey matter density in the area of the brain thought to play an important role in the motor symptoms of PD.
Ready to try? We’ll show you how
Mindfulness meditation plays a major role in self-care for people with chronic medical conditions like PD, as well as those who want to live and age more healthfully. High demand means there are almost endless options for learning the practice.
You can start by trying a simple practice at home, following these steps:
1. Take a seat in a comfortable position in a place that is quiet and calm.
2. Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes if you’re new to the practice.
3. Begin to notice your body and make sure you’re in a comfortable position that you can stay in for awhile.
4. Feel your breath and follow the sensation of breathing in and out.
5. Notice when your mind wanders and bring it back to focusing on the movement of your breath.
Remember that the goal isn’t to clear your mind but rather to notice when your mind wanders and without judgment, bring it back to the breath.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Stress is common in Parkinson’s. If you’re experiencing stress, you may benefit from our Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. This course is based on the national model developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Decades of published research shows that those who complete the course report reductions in pain, fatigue, anxiety and sleep disturbance and an overall increase in quality of life.
Register here for this 8-week MBSR course will meet online for two hours every Tuesday from 9:00am-11:00am PT / 12:00pm-2:00pm ET starting September 16 through November 11 (No class on September 30, 2025). Classes include meditation instruction and practice, group discussions and educational presentations on the relationships between mindfulness, stress, and wellness. Classes may include very gentle yoga postures. Participants will receive course materials via email to the email address provided at registration.
The cost to cover the fee for the course instructor is $160/person. However subsidized tuition is available in the ticket options. Please pay what you can to help us provide this course at an affordable rate to everyone in our community. If you are unable to pay a subsidized tuition amount, please email us at info@briangrant.org for scholarship opportunities.
The course will be taught by Kimberly Carson, MPH, C-IAYT, E-RYT. Learn more about Kimberly at mindfulyogaworks.com.
The hope is that participants can complete the MBSR course at a point in their life where they are supported and able to gain full benefit from the mindfulness practices. There are some conditions that participants are encouraged to be under the care of a mental health professional and potentially delay entering an MBSR program. If you are currently in therapy, we do recommend that you speak to your therapist about your intention to participate in an 8-week course.
Ask your doctor about options. Many medical centers are helping their patients calm depression and anxiety with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs. Many studies suggest group learning makes starting a meditation practice easier and more fun. The University of Massachusetts Medical School, which has been offering a MBSR program since 1979, also offers online courses.
Use google to check for local options. Meditation workshops and classes are everywhere. Yoga studios, fitness and community centers, and health food stores are just of the few of the venues where people are learning to be more mindful.
The Seven Skills You Need To Survive, Thrive and Accomplish More Than You Ever Imagined
per·se·ver·ance: To carry on in your course of action, even in the face of difficulty, with little or no evidence of success.
__________
Our North American culture often tells us that we should look, feel, and be successful. Yet any success I’ve had has come only after significant ordeals, and rarely did I ever feel successful along the way. But I’ve learned to persevere. This is an important point to hold on to: perseverance can be learned. We can grow in our ability to withstand difficult times. We can learn to push forward in the face of failure. We can develop the determination to keep slogging ahead until we reach that remarkable day when someone in our life points out how “lucky” we’ve been.
__________
Jenna was ten when her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of fifty. Unlike most ten-year-olds, she understood the gravity of the diagnosis—and set herself to doing something about this thing that had attacked her dad. When she learned that funds were needed to help people live well with the disease and to spur on research for a cure, she decided to help those who could help her dad. Five years later, “Jenna’s Toonies for Tulips” campaign is going strong; she’s raised more than $50,000 for Parkinson’s. (In Canada, a toonie is the two-dollar coin.)
Jenna is the daughter of a good friend of mine. I’m continually amazed and inspired by her work for Parkinson’s; she’s a constant reminder of the simplicity of what it is I want to do with my life. Like Jenna, I want to help. Whether it’s her dad or others like him, I want to see people lifted above the misery of their circumstances and inspired to live their best.
Hence this book. My greatest desire in writing it is to shine a light deep into people’s souls and convince them that there is a better way. Throughout the book I’ll provide practical steps, but my first goal is to help us see the bright reality of what can be. Then we can set ourselves on the course to that reality.
__________
Then there was school. I hated school. I remember heading off to kindergarten with new clothes and a new lunch pail, all excited. There I met Mrs. Popovich (along with “Soundy,” her paper-bag puppet who taught us how to spell) and encountered more rules than a five-year-old could imagine. I clearly recall thinking after a couple of days, “Okay, that was fun. Time for something new.” Sitting at a desk all day and doing this school stuff was just not working for me. There had to be more interesting things to do with one’s day. But there was something else going on as well. The first seeds of realization were being planted: these other kids were not like me. Thus began what felt like an extremely long educational career that I never grew to like and longed to be free of.
I imagine that my middle-school experience was much like that of many others—a nightmare. It was in grades five and six that I fully came to understand my differentness. I began to realize that my world was made up of white people, black people, Latinos, and me. Now, when I say “me” I really mean “us,” as in me and my adopted siblings. At the time we were an entity unto ourselves. Outside of my immediate family, I knew absolutely no other mixed-race individual.
It became apparent early on that it mattered to people what category I fit into. Virtually as far back as I can remember I’d be asked “What are you?” In the early years I’d say “white” because, of course, my parents were white. But it didn’t take long for that error in thinking to be slammed to the ground. The first few times I was called a nigger I had no idea what it meant and finally had to ask Mom. I don’t recall the explanation she gave, but it did become clear in my mind that many did not consider me “white.”
__________
Then there’s that pesky little friend named Parkinson’s, which came into my life at a comparatively early age and which allows me to call myself patient, client, advocate, and fighter. I have a complex relationship with this “friend.” I love much of what Parkinson’s has brought me, while hating it and specifically its symptoms. It’s a disease that typically afflicts individuals over the age of sixty. Seldom is it a bother to those under fifty, with only about ten percent of the Parkinson’s population diagnosed before the mid-century mark. I was forty-six.
__________
Not all lottery wins are good things, and I’m not particularly happy about having won this one. But although my new best friend—whom I hate—has brought a certain level of grief into my life, it also played a direct role in my next lottery win.
__________
Perseverance. It’s not always sexy. It’s not often exciting. And it can be lonely. What does it take to keep walking forward despite all the evidence that you’re likely done? What does it take to keep moving when there’s little chance you can improve your position and a likely chance that you’ll be sent home? That day we proved that just showing up and continuing to work hard, regardless of what it looked like, was enough. Tomorrow would be another day.
We also did what we said we were going to do: we had a great time. When people ask what my favorite race destination was, I always put Carcross at the top of the list. We learned to enjoy and have fun with the race. We tackled the day to the best of our ability, and we were exceptionally content with the results.
Talk to me about Parkinson’s. Tell me what I’m not supposed to be able to do. Tell me about all the limitations that will be placed on me and I’ll tell you about a guy who beat Parkinson’s on a snow-covered sand dune in Carcross, Yukon. I’ll fight to prevent this disease from defining me, and I encourage you to live the same way. I can’t get rid of my burden outright, but in Carcross I reminded it that it wasn’t in charge.
__________
Published May 2018 by Penguin Random House Canada PERSEVERANCE can be found anywhere good books are sold. For specific details visit www.TimSr.ca.
Tim Hague Sr. is an Author / Professional Speaker / Parkinson’s Advocate / TEDx Speaker / Winner of The Amazing Race Canada season #1. Tim was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 46. He hails from Winnipeg Canada where he resides with his wife and children. For event bookings or to learn more about Tim go to www.TimSr.ca.
Across the U.S. people are firing up their grills to celebrate the Fourth of July. If you’re grilling today, check out our tips below to make it healthy, delicious, and PD-friendly!
Choose Fish
Evidence suggests that a Mediterranean diet – high in fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains – can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s. If you don’t eat fish, now is a great time to start! Choose seafood that’s high in nutrients called omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, to promote overall health.
Load Up on Antioxidants
Evidence suggests that some antioxidants may help to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s. These antioxidants include vitamin E, beta-carotene and flavonoids (especially a type of flavonoid called anthocyanins). Try a berry cobbler or fruit salad with berries, grapes, peaches, and bananas to get a dose of anthocyanins. Leafy greens are also high in anthocyanins – so try throwing some kale on the grill with this recipe from Rachel Ray.
Add Healthy Fats
Use olive oil in your salads and avocado or coconut oil on your grill to add healthy fats to the menu. Nuts are also a great source of healthy fats – try crushing them up and adding them to cobblers, pies, and salads. And avocado slices – another source of healthy fats – make a great addition to a garden burger!
Choose Whole Grains
Whole grains include the entire grain kernel, which contains dietary fiber and other nutrients that can help with symptoms such as constipation. Choose whole grain buns for your fish burgers or tofu dogs. If you’re tossing a pasta salad as a side dish, choose whole grain pasta for a dose of fiber.
Most importantly, have fun and be safe! Happy Fourth of July from BGF!
