I started using AtremoPlus as an additional way to support my routine. It is a natural dietary supplement made from Vicia faba, or broad bean, and is intended to provide a natural source of L-dopa, along with naturally occurring carbidopa and support for norepinephrine activity. I use it with yoghurt but you can also mix it with oil and like many things it’s usually best taken on an empty stomach.
For me, the effects have been noticeable. Physically, I have found that my movement can feel a bit easier and less rigid, particularly when I am starting to walk or changing direction. Mentally, I generally feel clearer and a little less slowed down, with better focus and steadier energy through the day. It has not changed everything, but it has made some everyday activities feel more manageable.
The main difference for me is that things often feel a little smoother overall. I feel less rigid when I start walking, more steady in my gait, and a bit more confident with balance and hand control in day-to-day tasks. I also find that the cognitive side of Parkinson’s can feel less pronounced, with better mental clarity, improved concentration, and more consistent motivation. That makes it easier to stay engaged in conversations, deal with routine decisions, and get on with the day. I see AtremoPlus as one part of a wider approach to managing Parkinson’s. In my experience, it has been a useful addition that seems to support both motor and cognitive well-being without my needing to describe it in dramatic terms.
You can find out more here: https://atremoplus.com/en/
If Parkinson’s Makes You Freeze or Start to Fall you want to read this
This is something I have not had to face so far thankfully – falling and the fear of falling. But I know it is something many living with Parkinson’s do have to face and manage. I attended a very helpful training course run by the NHS in Lymington Hospital Foundation over 12 weeks, and I thought it might be useful to share some of the findings.
For many, it can start with freezing, a turn that goes wrong, steps suddenly becoming too small and quick, or that feeling that your body is moving but the feet are not. Sometimes rigidity makes Parkinson’s sufferers stiffen, and sometimes it happens when people are distracted or when medication feels as though it is wearing off. In those moments, the training says that it is best not to fight what is happening, and to try to think in Parkinson’s terms: stop, steady yourself if you can, and protect yourself as best as possible.
- If you freeze, the guidance say try not to force the next step. Pushing harder when your feet feel glued to the floor can throw people further off balance. What helps more is to pause, reset, and try to make the next movement deliberate.
- If a turn is going wrong, avoid twisting suddenly. Turning is one of the moments people are said to feel most vulnerable with Parkinson’s. If you can, try to widen the turn or step to the side rather than twisting sharply.
- Remind yourself to think “big” when steps start to shrink. When Parkinson’s makes steps small and hurried, you can feel much less stable. Mentally cueing yourself to take one bigger, slower step can sometimes stop things from getting worse.
- If you know rigidity is taking over, try not to stiffen even more. Our instinct can be to tense the whole body, but that usually makes the fall heavier and less controlled.
- Think about protecting your head and landing as safely as you can. If there is time, try to tuck your chin, avoid grabbing at anything unstable, and come down on your side or bottom rather than crashing awkwardly.
- Once down, the training said it is important to pause and work out why it happened. With Parkinson’s, that might mean asking ourselves whether we froze, rushed, turned too quickly, or was due medication. That helps us recover more safely and learn from it afterwards.
Another key takeway from the NHS training was that reducing falls comes down to noticing patterns, making adjustments, and not ignoring the times when your body feels less reliable. The more honest we are about what trips us up — freezing, rushing, turning badly, or trying to do too much at once — the easier it is to respond earlier. If you are living with Parkinson’s too, I hope some of this feels familiar and useful. And if falls are happening more often, it is worth speaking to your Parkinson’s nurse, physiotherapist, or doctor about what might help in your situation.
Why Reiki Is A Gamechanger
I live in Hampshire and, alongside the usual medical care and exercise that come with managing Parkinson’s, I’ve found real benefit in visiting a local Reiki practitioner. For me, Reiki is not a cure and it does not replace treatment, but it has become an important part of how I look after my wellbeing.
One of the hardest parts of Parkinson’s is how stress and tension can make everything feel worse. When I am tired or anxious, my symptoms can feel more noticeable and the day becomes harder to manage. One of the biggest benefits of Reiki for me is the deep sense of calm it brings. After a session, I often feel more relaxed, less tense, and better able to cope with the day.
Another benefit is how gentle and restorative it feels. Living with Parkinson’s can be physically and emotionally draining, and Reiki gives me time to slow down and reset. I find it helps with relaxation, emotional steadiness, and a greater sense of overall wellbeing. Even small improvements in comfort and calm can make a real difference.
For me, the value of Reiki is in those clear but gentle benefits: less stress, reduced tension, more emotional balance, and a stronger sense of resilience. It helps me feel more grounded, more comfortable in myself, and better able to deal with the ups and downs of Parkinson’s. That is why it has become such a valuable part of my routine.
I have now for the past 12 years practiced Reiki on myself (30 minutes a day works best), as well as my family and friends. I have also attuned to level 1 teaching in 2012 and level 2 in 2016 by a grand master in the Southampton area. My two daughters in law are also regularly treated with Reiki in Woking and Farnham. I am convinced of its benefits holistically, even for people living without Parkinson’s.
You can find out more here: https://www.reikifed.co.uk/reiki-info/your-reiki-journey/
The Power Of Spermidine and How It Helps Me Live Better
Living with Parkinson’s disease means I am always looking for ways to support my health, protect my mobility and maintain as much independence as possible. Alongside other treatments and strategies, spermidine has become something I am interested in because of its potential to support brain health and healthy ageing. For me, it represents hope as part of a wider effort to live as well as I can with Parkinson’s. I regularly buy supplements from Youth and Earth to support me: it is always best to take them at night I have learned (one).
What makes spermidine especially interesting is the growing research around its role in autophagy, the body’s natural process for clearing out damaged cells and recycling them. Because Parkinson’s is linked to the build-up of abnormal proteins and stress on brain cells, this feels especially relevant. Researchers are exploring whether spermidine may help protect nerve cells, reduce inflammation and support cellular health in ways that could be beneficial for people living with neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s.
From my point of view, anything that may help support my brain and body in a gentle, natural way is worth paying attention to. The potential benefits of spermidine may include helping the body remove damaged cells more efficiently, supporting cellular health and offering another supportive tool within a broader Parkinson’s management plan. While the science is still developing and more human studies are needed, I find it encouraging that this is an area of growing interest and one that gives me another reason to stay hopeful and proactive.
In summary, spermidine feels like a positive and promising part of how I approach life with Parkinson’s disease. It offers potential benefits for brain and cellular health, and although it is not a cure, it gives me hope that small supportive steps can still make a meaningful difference to my wellbeing and quality of life.
Reflections On Life
If you do not like something, change it.
If you cannot change it, change your attitude to it.
It is hard to beat someone who never gives up.
Motivation helps you start whilst determination keeps you going.
The happiest people do not have the best of everything they just make the best of everything.
The time to relax is when you do not have the time for it.
Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow: it only saps todays of its joy.
Supportive Words On My Journey From Diana Drayton (Emmett, Reiki, Lymph Drainage therapy)
Hi David,
Since I started treating you in November 2023 you have made significant progress.
Physical – you are much less ‘pulled forward’ . Released abdominal muscles has changed your way of walking and you are more aligned which will affect your internal organs as well as posture.
I have noticed that your digestion has improved. It is now much quieter and must be more comfortable for you.
You are much more in control of your body/movement and this will help with your confidence. Your tremors have almost gone and only noticeable when you are under stress.
More recently you have been able to lay face down on the couch enabling me to work on your back muscles working towards getting these stronger so you can get out of bed without help.
It has also been easier to get you on and off the couch in recent weeks.
Emotionally – you seem much happier and looking forward to your future.
You are now very motivated in researching new technology/treatments/supplements that may help not only you and other PD sufferers but also anyone else who may benefit and this seems to have given you more purpose.
Your confidence has really increased and you are much more relaxed, normally falling asleep during the treatment (which is a compliment to me).
You often talk proudly about your family and seem to be enjoying more time with them.
It is a pleasure to be able to work with you.