Vulture Mode…
One of the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson’s is the “stooped shoulders” mode. You sort of look like a vulture waiting for something to die. David Zid in his DVD series “Delay the Disease” has a number of stretches and exercises to alleviate this. Then I remember my PT at West Cal Cam telling me to “throw those shoulders back, Mr. Marty!”
Smoking Turkey
I have noticed that stiffness and spasms make drawing difficult early in the day. But by evening things have warmed up and loosened up. The cross hatching works much more smoothly. I also think the drugs have leveled off in my system. So I draw at night!
The Rats Got It Good!
In a discussion I had with my neuro, he told me there’s bunch of new meds on the horizon for Parkinson’s but they’ve only tested them on rats. I said “The rats got it good!” So I thought about how they might test the “caffeine/nicotine” idea that coffee and nicotine staves off Parkinson’s. Did they give the mice tiny cups of coffee and teeny weeny cigarettes?
The Old Caffeine/Nicotine Connection
Those brainy research scientists have found that BOTH nicotine and caffeine may help slow the progression of Parkinson’s. I don’t smoke (anymore) so I will have to make up for it with large doses of coffee.
Garbage Brain
Scientists think that a lot of neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc., are caused by the waste removal system in the brain not working properly.
Guacamole Death Wish!!!
Combine Parkinson’s constipation, hemorrhoids, and Mexican food and you get what I mean!
GO DEEP!
One of the things I noticed about my symptoms is that they disappear when I get into my art (NON-commercial projects work best!) Separated from the house, no computers or interruptions, in my studio, I drop into the “zone”. No tremors, it’s all as if it didn’t exist!
So I HAD to get this book when I read about it: DEEP WORK!
It chronicles what is going on when you intensely concentrate on a project for an uninterrupted period of time. Cal Newport calls this “Deep Work.”
My takeaway so far is that you have to find something you are interested in and really get “lost” in it. The thing is it doesn’t HAVE to be creative (which is what I thought initially.) It should push your boundaries.
