News Flash about Photobiomodulation as a Treatment for Parkinson’s Symptoms

Another Report Today on the Photobiomodulation device from Vielight

During several recent consultations I have heard this past week still more encouraging reports about the Vielight Neuro device described in this post. Improvement has been reported for gait, handwriting and tremors after 2-3 weeks of use. These symptoms did not vanish, but users reported noticeable improvements.  I am more and more confident that this therapy is helping
address problematic symptoms.

Click on the link below to hear my interview on Parkinsons Recovery Radio with Dr. Lew Lim, inventor of this new photobiomodulation therapy.

I predict the future of medicine rests with innovative therapies that utilize light and sound to bring the body back into balance and harmony. Neurons are cells that contain mitochondria. Photobiomodulation energizes neuronal mitochondria, triggering a cascade of beneficial cellular functions. Potential benefits are neuroprotective effects, self-repair mechanisms and enhanced functionality.

I predict Dr. Lim’s new invention promises to set health care in new and exciting directions and has the potential to offer far reaching benefits to persons experiencing Parkinson’s symptoms.

After listening to this interview, I am even more optimistic about this therapy for Parkinson’s and other conditions including mental fog and dementia. Be sure to listen to my interview with Dr. Lim posted at the top of this post. I believe Dr. Lim is a true pioneer who has invented medicine of the future which uses light.

Intranasal photobiomodulation is the most efficient method for light energy to reach the brain. Different from electrical and magnetic stimulation, photobiomodulation uses light energy (or photons) of specific wave lengths and power density to simulate cellular function.

Dr. Lim is an engineer and a Doctor of Natural Medicine with additional diplomas in Medical Neuroscience and Business and Accountancy. He obtained his degrees and diplomas from the University of California at Berkeley, University of Sheffield, Duke University, Quantum University and The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK.

Photobiomodulation Research

A 2017 study examined the effects of photobiomodulation  (PBM),  a light therapy that uses red or near-infrared light to heal and protect tissues, in five older adults with dementia, one of the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

After 12 weeks of treatment subjects showed significant improvements on the Cognitive Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale. With only five subjects, the effect sizes had to be huge for significance to  be shown.

Caregivers who kept daily journals tracking experiences of the research subjects reported participants had:

  • Better sleep
  • Fewer angry outbursts
  • Decreased anxiety

Did Positive Results for Subjects Continue After Treatment was Suspended?

No. Precipitous declines were observed during the follow-up 4 week no-treatment period. Results suggest treatments need to continue for results to be sustained.

Saltmarche et al.(2017) Photomed Laser Surg. 2017 Aug;35(8)

About the Vielight Photobiomodulation Device

The company, Vielight, has generously offered followers of Parkinsons Recovery a 10% discount off orders of the the Vielight Neuro Gamma device which retails for $1749. Enter the coupon code healing4me on the shopping cart. The website: www.vielight.com

Warranty

Vielight is so confident in its new product that you get six (6) months to try out their newly invented  photobiomodulation therapy. If for any reason you are not satisfied, you can return it for a 80% refund. I have never heard of a company that is so confident in their product that such a generous warranty can be extended. They obviously have high confidence in their new invention. While there is scant evidence about its effectiveness for people who experience symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, the opportunity to try it out for minimal risk is currently available.

Act Now or Wait for More Evidence?

If you prefer to wait for clear and convincing evidence that this or any light therapy will help with symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, be on the lookout for research findings that will be completed and released 5-10 years from now. Designing and implementing studies takes time and of course big bucks. I would personally like to see many people with the symptoms start getting photobiomodulation therapy now. Early users are giving us rich indications about its usefulness as a treatment for Parkinson’s symptoms,. I do not hesitate to suggest this as a treatment option to take seriously.

Early Evidence on Vielight’s Photobiomodulation Device as a Treatment for Parkinson’s Symptoms

As a brand new invention. there is no systematic published research on the use of the Vielight Gamma Photobiomoduatlion device as a therapy to specifically address Parkinson’s symptoms. I have heard informal feedback from users that the therapy has resulted in relief of some symptoms and report below my summary observations:

  1. One common report from users is that the therapy does not show quick results. You apparently have to apply the therapy over a period of several weeks to a month or longer to celebrate a positive shift in symptoms.
  2. I have heard several specific reports on tremors that were calmed.
  3. It is unclear at this point to what degree the therapy will address balance issues.
  4. Evidence does suggest that this therapy can potentially help with dementia.

Are Medicines or Supplements no Longer Working for You?

If the answer is yes to this question,  what treatment options remain? There is, of course, Deep Brain Stimulation available as an option, but I am well aware many of you prefer not to pursue this treatment option. It is my hope and prayer that photobiomodulation therapy will become a natural option that supports the therapeutic effect of medicines and supplements such that the dosage does not have to be increased or even can be reduced under close supervision of your doctor.

I thus recommend that you consider this therapy so we can discover together whether my prediction of success is right or wrong. Keep in mind that while the device is relatively expensive – $1749 – you:

  1. Can claim a 10% discount if you use the Parkinsons Recovery discount code of healing4me.
  2. Get 6 months of use to see if it offers symptomatic relief or not.
  3. Risk is reduced 80% since you can return the device within the 6 month period after purchase for an 80% refund of the purchase price.
  4. Everyone in the family can use the therapy.

The Vielight company obviously has confidence in their product which is a very encouraging sign. I have never heard of any company that offered a 6 month warranty. You can purchase the Gamma Vielight device from the Vielight website:

www.vielight.com

Be sure to enter the coupon code healing4me on the Vielight shopping cart to claim your Parkinsons Recovery 10% discount. Please also email me your experience with using it after a month (or longer) of use.

Vielight Photobiomodulation Device Instructional Manual Video

Research on Light Therapy from MIT

The following video previews recent research at MIT that explains why light therapy offers a promising opportunity to reverse dementia associated with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

I hope many of you will try this therapy out and let me know the result. It is not a permanent “fix” to be sure, but neither is medicine. I am attracted to this option because it is noninvasive and inexpensive over the long term when you consider it can be used for a lifetime and by all members of the household.

Photobiomodulation Mechanism

Visible red and near infrared light energy stimulates cells to generate more energy facilitating self-repair. The healing takes place within the mitochondria through an enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase. This enzyme accepts and converts the light (or photonic) energy into cellular energy (ATP) and other gene transcription factors leading to cellular repair and regeneration.

Will Photobiomodulation Therapy Interfere with My Daily Life?

No. You are welcome to receive the therapy while working, reading or doing anything really.  Dr. Lim, the inventor, recommends that people with more serious health issues such as Alzheimers might be advised to do the therapy at night while going to sleep. The treatment duration lasts only 20 minutes.

Photobiomodluation therapy
Photobiomodulation Therapy while Working

Robert Rodgers PhD
robert@parkinsonsrecovery.com
Olympia Washington
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Disease
877-526-4646

Questions and Answers from the Q&A Today

Questions Addressed during the Q&A Today:

  • What symptoms does the supplement 5htp address?
  • Is CBD oil recommended as a therapy for neurological symptoms?
  • Is it safe to take if I am also taking Parkinson’s medications?
  • I have tightening in muscles in my arms and shoulders which
    makes it difficult to breathe while walking. Has anyone had success
    dealing with this problem?
  • I am taking mars venus superfood with minerals and detox lemonade. Has anyone had success with this protocol?
  • Had anyone ever tried near infrared saunas with any success for Parkinson’s symptoms?
  • Please explain and compare the advantages of three therapies:
    1) Electromagnetic Pulse Therapy (BEMER)
    2) Photobiomodulation (Vielight)
    3) Biontology
  • I have problems sticking with a program of recovery that is helping me
    feel better. Have you witnessed this type of cycle? Please provide insights
    in how to getting past this.
  • Why does Parkinson’s progress in many Parkinson’s patients? Is it psychological or is there an underling disease mechanism at play?

Robert

Interview with Lew Lim PhD Inventor of the New Vielight X-Plus Device

Vielight has just announced release of a new Light Therapy device – the X-Plus. I want to make sure you know about its availability in light of success with the previous Vielight  Neuro Gamma device. Here is my interview with the CEO of Vielight Lew Lim PhD who discusses in detail his new invention which is now available.

Next I will offer a brief report on user’s experience with using the Neuro Gamma device which is why I am excited about Dr. Lim’s new invention – X-Plus.

Neuro Gamma Device

Over seventy (70) members of my Parkinsons Recovery audience purchased and used the Vielight Neuro Gamma device over the past year. The exciting news for me has been that it was one of the most frequently mentioned therapies reported to be helpful in responses to the Parkinsons Recovery 2018 Holiday Survey.

Vielight representatives tell me that only 1 out of 10 units were returned to take advantage of the 80% refund. Nine out of ten users found the device to be beneficial.

My conclusion: The Neuro Gamma has helped most – but not all users. Odds of success are clearly in your favor.

X-Plus

The just released new Vielight device (called the X-Plus) can be used with  the Neuro Gamma to irradiate the posterior brain with light. If you are already getting good results with using the Vielight Neuro Gamma device.  consider using the X-Plus along with the Neuro Gamma. It just might provide a welcome boast to symptom relief. You must place the Neuro Gamma device on your head first and then place the new X-Plus device.

The X-Plus can also be used  as an independent device. It costs considerably less than the Neuro Gamma device – so you may want to start using the X-Plus. Dr. Lim explained that you can move it to different places in the body. Applying a treatment to the digestive system promotes the production of the healthy bacteria that are essential for good digestion.

The great news of the day is that the cost of the new X-Plus device is much less than the cost of the Neuro Gamma. It is listed as $749. The company has again agreed to offer members of Parkinsons Recovery a 10% discount  on the X-Plus (as they did for the Neuro Gamma). To claim the discount enter the coupon code healing4me on the shopping cart. If you call in your order, simply tell the representative you are with Parkinsons Recovery.

I have no hesitation encouraging as many of you as possible to try the new X-Plus Device out. How come?

First, the Neuro Gamma has been a success. I am betting the X-Plus will follow suit. Dr. Lim is an amazing inventor.

Second, the company offers an 80% refund for any unit that is returned within six months of use. This gives you time to see if the X-Plus therapy  proves helpful. The financial risk of trying it out is minimal since you are assured of getting 80% of your investment back.

How sure can we be that it will provide relief from symptoms? No one has a clue at this point. It was just invented. Dr. Lim reports in my interview that it can do no harm. The expectation is improvement on some level.

More information about the new X-Plus Light Therapy device can be found on the Vielight website:

Vielight Inc – Wearable Photobiomodulation Technology

Robert

Encouraging Research for Light Therapy

Light Therapy Research Reports Encouraging Findings for Parkinson’s Patients on Medications

For the past half century the “gold standard” treatment for Parkinson’s disease has been to replace dopamine that is presumed deficient with medicines and supplements. Let’s face it. After 50 years, these treatment protocols have shown limited efficacy and, unfortunately, can be accompanied by troubling side effects. Many who have elected these such treatment strategies have experienced an impoverished quality of life in the long run.

The challenges confronted by millions of persons with neurological challenges has motivated and inspired me to pursue investigations of other approaches that fall outside traditional treatment protocols.  One such approach that shows initial promise is light (or photobiomodulation) therapy.

Researchers have recently found evidence that light therapy is a promising therapy for persons experiencing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The retina is believed to play a pivotal  role in the nigrostriatal dopamine system.  Light (obviously) passes through the eyes and shines on the retina which happens to be a close neighbor of the substantia nigra, the organ positioned in the middle of the brain.  I have drawn the logical conclusion is that – Duh – light should of course make a difference!

Light Therapy Research

A study by researchers at the Bronowski Clinic in Australia conducted a longitudinal study of 129 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Subjects who were classified as compliant – meaning they used light therapy regularly – exhibited significant improvement over subjects that were partially compliant or non-compliant.

An encouraging observation of the compliant subjects was that the drug burden was less with fewer side effects. These results suggest that light therapy shows promise as a therapy to address symptoms of Parkinson’s and a therapy which might potentially reduce the role of medications to suppress symptoms.

I interviewed the inventor of a type of light therapy called photobiomodulation. While there is little systematic evidence that specifically addresses symptoms of Parkinson’s for this particular device, it is a therapy that certainly merits further review and consideration in light of the early research evidence on the merits of light therapy.

I have detailed this new technology on an earlier blog post with a replay of my interview with the inventor, Dr. Lew Lim.  Since diffuse light does not easily pass through the skull, Dr. Lim’s had the brilliant idea to pass the light through a device clipped to the nose. Now, in my book of creativity, that is inventiveness at its best!

Click the image below to hear the interview and learn more about Dr. Lim’s new photobiomodulation device called the Vielight Gamma.

light therapy research

 

It would seem at this early stage that you cannot go wrong to be open to allow light to shine brightly on the surface of your body and of course your retina!

 

Robert

Two Very Promising Therapies for Parkinson’s Invented in 2017

Click on the arrow below to hear the replay of my discussion on the two most promising new therapies that were invented in 2017. Notes for my presentation follow

The Two Most Exciting Developments for People with Parkinson’s Symptom During 2017

  • Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)
  • Ketone Esters (Pre-orders Now Accepted)

Light Therapy

I predict light and sound therapies are the medicine of the future!

Source of Information

Interview on Parkinsons Recovery Radio with Lew Lim from Toronto Canada – inventor of a new photobiomodulation device – Posted on the Parkinsons Recovery Blog 12-15-17.

http://www.blog.parkinsonsrecovery.com/photobiomodulation-therapy/

Research Evidence

Limited!

Anecdotal reports I have heard from 10 users with Parkinson’s symptoms

Risk to Try Out Photobiomodulation for 6 Months

80% refund if the therapy does not provide the relief you were expecting.

Ketone Esters as a Therapy for Parkinson’s Symptoms

Breaking News (as they say in the Media):

A process has been developed and refined to manufacture a concentrated source of ketones. Several companies are now accepting preorders for a boost of ketones.

Why Should Anyone with Parkinson’s Symptoms Take Notice of this Development?

Ketones are a natural food for the brain. They may offer the possibility of providing temporary relief from symptoms.

How Can I be Assured this will Help with my Symptoms? 

You can’t! There are no systematic studies that give us any evidence one way or another. Why? The concentrated ketone ester is just now being produced commercially and is only available for preorders. The production process is lengthy and still costly (although recent developments have reduced the cost significantly which is why it is now being made available commercially.

Why Hasn’t a Source of Exogenous Ketone Esters Been Manufactured Before?

The production cost has been prohibitive until now. What has changed?  NIH researcher Richard Veech, PhD has been studying the application of ketones as a brain food for decades. He joined with University of Oxford researcher Kieran Clarke in a US Army grant to develop a food that could sustain soldiers operating in a battlefield for weeks on end. Their collaboration led to the development of methods now being used by several commercial companies.

I  Want to encourage everyone to consider pre-ordering the new Ketone products so we can get an early sense of how they might help address Parkinson’s symptoms.

www.ketoneaid.com/5

You will want to order the trainer pack ($299) so that your supply does not run out before a new order can be received. There will be a huge backlog of orders. How do I know this????

BUT …

I am not a medical doctor so you must not take my encouragement as medical advice. Many people on my programs refer to me as Dr. Rodgers because I am a PhD type researcher.  Check with your doctor before deciding whether to pre-order the ketone product.

OK – Why the Interest in Ketones? 

I have been identifying natural methods that help people reverse their Parkinson’s symptoms for over a decade now. Many wonderful therapies and treatments have been identified and documented, all of which help to one degree or another for most people.

But what about those of you who have been taking medications for a number of years with good results, but time with “on periods” continue to shorten? You may be in a situation where your doctor will no longer prescribe a higher dose. OK , so what are your options?

Surgery is an option that helps some people but not others and I know many of you do not want to pursue that option.  I have not really had any viable options to suggest until this year with the invention of a new light therapy (a photobiomodulation therapy) and now the ketone ester.

It is my hope – and it is just that – that the new concentrated external source of ketones may provide the boost needed to get your life back if you are in just this situation. If you decide to give it a try – please give me feedback.

The Big Picture as I see It

Research shows that the people who live longer, healthier lives eat less. Why is this?

Partly, they fast at least 12-18 hours a day. Fasting encourages the liver to make ketones (approximately 150 grams a day).  ketones are a “natural” brain food. It requires less energy for the body to produce.

The brain also functions on glucose. The body converts carbs and proteins into sugar/glucose which the brain uses to function.  There is a marvelous way to understand what happens when we eat carbs, proteins and fat using an analogy to the materials that can be used to build a fire (kindling, wood and charcoal).

  1. Carbs are like burning kindling – they burn up quickly.
  2. Protein is like burning sticks and small logs – they take longer to burn.
  3. Fat is like burning charcoal – ketones derived from the fat burn much longer than kindling or logs.

There is an on/off switch at play here. Either the body is using sugar to fuel the brain (from the carbs and proteins) or it is extracting ketones from stores of fat. When sugar is the primary fuel, the body is working on overtime and not getting paid for it! When ketones are the primary fuel, demands on the body are significantly less (which is why life is extended). In short –

  • Ketones are easy for the body to process
  • Sugar is not.

This is why eating sweets (that have raw sugar) is not a smart idea for persons with neurological challenges.

Choices for How to Make Ketones

  • Fasting is one way to encourage your body to produce ketones. The easiest way to fast is to eat the last meal of the day in the early evening and then do not eat anything for 12-14 hours until the following morning.
  • MCT Oil Mixed with Coffee. Medium-chain triglycerides are a concentrated source of fat source for those who are unable to digest or absorb more conventional fats. When ingesting MCT oils, you usually do not require digestive enzymes to facilitate digestion.
  • Ketone diet (high fat) Ketones can also be produced by the body when you eat a high fat diet. A cocktail in the morning consisting of a drink composed of coffee, butter, whipped cream and coconut oil (and/or MCT oil) is used by some persons with Parkinson’s who pursue a ketone diet. The body uses the fats to product ketones. Eating a fat rich diet with few carbs and little protein – known as a ketogenic diet – is the other way to encourage the body to make ketones naturally.
  • Coconut Oils and Sugars. Interveiw with Bruce Fife ND “Reversing Parkinson’s with Coconut Oil) Mary Newport MD “Ketones as Alternative Fuel for Parkinson’s” both accessible on the Radio Show page by clicking on the coconut category listing found down the right column of the page.
  • Ketone Salts. http://www.Pruvitnow.com (a MLM company): keto//OS MAX products.
  • Ketone Ester. Right now, the cost remains high, but certainly less than the cost of some alternatives. One gram costs on average $1. A single treatment for me – I weigh 155 pounds, is 35 grams or $35. People who weigh more have to take more of the external ketone. The cost of one gram a year ago was $1,000 – so you can see great strides have been made with developing a cost effective production process.Still, it does not seem reasonable for most people to expect to rely on the external ketones as a source of symptom relief every day. With a little experimentation, it may be you can take much less and get a benefit.

The ester will give a quick boost (usually of mental clarity and energy), but it is, relatively speaking, an expensive boost. Bill Curtis reports that he uses the ester in selective circumstances (such as when he is stressed, as a way of counteracting the lactic acid produced by exercise, or when he has a particularly challenging task to perform at work or play.

Best Source: www.ketoneaid.com/5

Supplies will be extremely limited because of the long production process and cost involved.

Consider developing your own approach using some combination of the above ways that all help produce ketones. The liver manufactures about on average 150 grams of ketones a day, so you can produce ketones using any of the variety of methods listed above. Set the intention to feed your brain with the natural food it needs to function at its highest capacity of clarity and focus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Trying Out Light Therapy as a Treatment?

I posted several days ago here a comparison of laser light therapy with unfocused light therapy as treatments for Parkinson’s symptoms. The former requires involvement of a medical doctor. The later does not.

I know many of you are now pursuing one or the other therapy. Please. Send me reports on your experience using either one. Speaking for myself, I do not want to wait 10 years to see what the research says about light therapies. I want to know now.

As a researcher, I learned long ago that you can tell whether something works or not from even a small group of subjects. Let me know! This is not intended to be publishable research. There is no “sample” here. And there is nothing random about this.

But look. I do not care a flip. I have published a ton of studies that did not help anyone. The idea here is to help people get well now, not 10 years from now.

Robert