Year ten of my life with Parkinson’s has been different. I am keenly aware of more challenges and the need to adapt and adjust. I never thought about it until now. The NeuroLifeOnline Video, “Naturopathic Approach to Parkinson’s Disease,” part of the “wHolistic” series with Dr. Indu Subramanian, offered some “food for thought.”
Meet Dr. Laurie Mischley.
While Dr. Laurie Mischley is widely known in the Parkinson’s Community for her expertise in diet and nutrition, the video provides insight into an integrated approach to care plans that includes naturopathic physicians. These physicians attend medical school, complete clinical rotations as required, and become “Jacks of all trades, masters of none.” Dr. Mischley’s supplemental education focused on Neurology, and she earned an NIH grant for research.
Program slides with infographics, charts, and statistics show the association between diet, exercise, lifestyle, and symptom severity. Dr. Mischley delves into the research and provides a unique approach to essential nutrients needed for Parkinson’s patients and how a patient’s mindset plays a role in the cause and effect of progression.
Some interesting highlights…
- The summary slide shows that exercise, a healthy lifestyle, food, and diet are cause-and-effect pieces of the progression puzzle. While there isn’t a “scientific” explanation, research has shown that those who are food-conscious, cook for themselves, and buy locally tend to progress slower, bringing one’s mindset to the forefront.
- The placebo effect has skewed clinical trial outcomes because participants who do not receive the drug therapy show improvement because they BELIEVE it will help them. Trials have failed despite documented successes, raising the question: Should attitude and mindset be part of the parameters?
- Dr. Mischley emphasizes an often overlooked but crucial aspect of Parkinson’s care—social interaction. She suggests that not all nutrients are food. By making lifestyle changes such as avoiding loneliness, being kind, and helping others, we can take an active role in our care plan. Friends are not just friends; they are nutrients or perhaps we should go further and see them as medicine, emphasizing the importance of our social interactions in the overall care and management of our symptoms.
Dr. Mischley is passionate about Patient-Centered Outcome research and the resulting survey, PRO-PD. While it includes some standard questions used on other evaluations, it utilizes a different rating system. Rather than a numerical system, symptoms are ranked by the patient using a slide bar, providing an evaluation tool without an exam. I visited the website, which guided me in installing the app and completing the survey. It was user-friendly, and I instantly received my scores. I compared it to the chart corresponding to the above summary sheet. I was pleased with my results, but there is always room for improvement. The survey app and more resources can be found on her website.
My search led me to another video, “Cooking is Medicine.” It is loaded with information about foods. It will bring another date night—cooking a meal together as we learn how our food is medicine. Stay tuned for another post from Mike and me!
