Most people still don't know what to do with the term Parkinson's. Hardly anyone knows which symptoms often make life very difficult for those affected. And if someone ever associates Parkinson's with a symptom, it's most likely tremor. Newly diagnosed people in particular often have major problems understanding their symptoms or their diagnosis in line with what they have learned about Parkinson's.
The Parkinson's self-help landscape in Germany is as diverse as it is impenetrable. Hundreds of small and large, regional and national associations and foundations offer their help to people suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Katrin Wersing has therefore taken the trouble to provide selected initiatives, self-help organizations and foundations that provide support for patients with Parkinson's, professionally sound information and
Offer support to put together in a manageable list.
It is important for patients to understand their illness because an informed and enlightened patient is better able to make informed decisions about their health. Here are some reasons why this is so important:
The Parkinson Journal is a unique collection of information about Parkinson's disease. With over 1200 articles (texts, videos or podcasts), written or produced by well-known authors or those affected themselves, it has become a companion for many affected people, their relatives and those seeking advice over the years.
Therapeutic fasting is absolutely trendy and I had already heard and read a lot about it. Our entire "system" has been geared towards longer phases "without food" from the very beginning. Nowadays, however, people eat almost continuously, whether because of hunger, appetite, boredom, grief or frustration, etc. The food industry does not necessarily serve us what counts as a balanced diet. Flavor enhancers, dyes, emulsifiers, preservatives, sugar, fast food and the like make us ill in the long run and we slowly develop food allergies and inflammatory processes in the body. I wanted to give my body a break from it and be surprised by the positive effects of therapeutic fasting despite or precisely because of my previous illnesses (ulcerative colitis and Parkinson's disease).
Today I, Jürgen Zender, am back in our sports hall in the east of Munich and, like every Monday and Thursday, I take part in table tennis training. Almost a dozen players meet here and together we warm up for a few rounds.
What is just a leisure sport for many has a very special meaning for all of us here. We all suffer from Parkinson's disease, a disease that prevents us from properly controlling our muscles and limbs. But that's exactly why we play table tennis. The complex and fast sport helps us to relieve the symptoms of the disease.
The influence of your eyes
The eyes are the gateway to the world and an important part of our body. They are an essential factor in how we perceive our surroundings and also affect our body in different ways. The influence is often underestimated. That is why we will deal with the topic in more detail in this newsletter and give tips on how we can take care of our eyes in everyday life and use their influence on our body in a positive way.
The self-help group Jupa-Rheinland-Pfalz together with the German Parkinson's Association has come up with something special. With the ParkinsONTOUR they want to reach as many people as possible in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland in 2023.
The aim of the series of events is to make Parkinson's self-help tangible and to show that acting together can have a positive effect. Not only those affected, but also their relatives should be addressed. Experts from Parkinson's self-help as well as from the medical and therapeutic field support the tour.
As someone who uses fascial training extensively for pain management, I was amazed at the results I was able to achieve through this training method. During my complex therapy in Bad Gögging, I received a detailed explanation of the importance of fascia and how it affects our physical performance and well-being. Since then, I have incorporated fascia training into my daily routine.
What are fascia
Fascia are connective tissue structures in the body that surround and connect our muscles, bones, organs and nerves. They are important for the stability, mobility and power transmission of the body. Fascia training is a training method that aims to strengthen and stretch these structures to improve physical performance and reduce pain.
After more and more "Parkies" joined our project PingPongParkinson-VR and we already have our own ranking list, the step to the first tournament was only logical.
In the future, the "International PingPongParkinson-VR-ChampionShip" will take place on the first Sunday of each quarter.
We start unscheduled on Sunday February 5th at 18pm. Anyone with Parkinson's disease and who has the technical requirements for the TT simulation "ELEVEN TT" (VR glasses Quest1 or 2) can take part.
The tournament will be broadcast live on twitch and youtube. Interested parties should please apply as soon as possible, since only 20 starting places can be allocated in the first tournament.