Motion is Life!

I've been at Board Reviews all weekend, and I have been thinking of some topics to try and write about, and then it all started to flood- so get ready! One major theme that keeps coming up is how important Motion is and then I remembered the quote, "Motion is Life".  Seems important enough

I will try not to get too neurological on you all (or in Texas- ya'll).  I'll try to keep it as simple as I can.  The brain is a very complex, misunderstood and under appreciated organ.  But basically it is split up into 4 major parts. There is the very back and bottom part called the Cerebellum which is your unconscious function, controlling all the things you don't even think about doing.  There is the middle/back area responsible for sensory (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch).  There is the front part called the Frontal Lobe which is your Thinking and Behavior. And there is the deeper part of the brain called the "Old Brain"  or known as the Limbic System which is more responsible for Emotion and Memory.  The cool part about understanding these different parts is that they all have their checks and balances and knowing how they effect one another.

The Limbic System or "Old Brain" is our animal instincts, our primal function.  This is the "What we want to do".  The Frontal Lobe is the "What we should do".  This part of the brain is our behavior modifier, controlling our primitive impulses and creating our Right and Wrong.  This is what we witness with those who are drunk and lose all control of right and wrong.  Alcohol dampens the Frontal Lobe and their control of the Limbic System is weakened and we often see poor judgement and unchecked actions.  But what feeds and supports the Frontal Lobe?  Our sensory input supports our Frontal Lobe.  We see this often with children, usually when they sit around the house all day and they become whiny.  Their lack of sensory input weakens the Frontal Lobe which then manifests in primitive, whiny behavior = Acting out. (Sadly we act the same as adults too)

So now we begin to see the connections.  Our sensory helps with our behavior and thinking which then helps with our ability to make good decisions.  But this goes way beyond understanding the unapproved behavior of a drunk or why my kid won't stop crying.  This is the same connection in which we begin to see bigger problems manifested as ADD, ADHD, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurological degradations.  These are the same disorders we see with people who are mentally disturbed and found on the news for going on a killing spree.  As a society, we are lacking in our sensory input.  We sit at desks all day.  We sit in front of the TV.  Kids sit and play video games.  We partake in activities and tasks that require us to no longer Think (the function of our Frontal Lobe).

90% of our sensory input comes from our joint position= MOTION.  Puts a whole new emphasis on the phrase- Motion is Life.  It truly is, it truly is a matter of life and death.  If we stop moving, we die.  Motion increases our brain function and brain health.  This is why we see a child playing sports doesn't manifest ADD.    This is why a patient with Parkinson's riding a bike no longer has any symptoms.  This is why an elderly person who stays active is healthy compared to one who sits at a home all day speedily and dramatically declining in their brain function.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise.  It is essential.  But it is more than that.  It is making sure the body is capable of full motion.  It is vital to make sure the spine and joints of the body are freely moving.  Not only can a fixed and non free joint reduce motion, but can interfere with other sensory impulses to the brain.  Adding 20 jumping jacks to our daily routine can make a significant difference to our Health- to our Life.

Parkinson's Disease

I'm a little hesitant on starting this blog, but I think it is important.  There was no one lecture on this subject, but rather I have put some pieces together to try and provide some helpful information.  I have had some interest in Parkinson's disease due to that it has effected my own family, and it continues to effect many.  The unfortunate thing is that there is plenty unknown about this disease.

Parkinson's Disease is a Neurological disease that effects the motor system of the body.  It has also been called "The Shaking Palsy" due to the most common symptom of tremors that often occurs in the arm, hand, and face.  These tremors are called "Pill Rolling" or "Resting" tremors because they occur when at rest, but often disappear while active.  Other symptoms are rigidity of the trunk and extremities.  This often results in a shuffling gait.  Early signs are often subtle and get over looked, but a progressive disease can be disabling- a slow crippling death.

The symptoms are easily recognizable, however the cause remains a mystery.  In the recent years there has been some light shed on this subject that may provide hope for those that suffer from this disease.  Parkinson's is associated with a decrease in Dopamine.  Dopamine is a hormone released by the substantia nigra of the brain that has several effects on the brain.  Dopamine effects the prefrontal cortex- saying that it helps one see their future-or to look ahead with hope and ambition.  Those that lack the effects of Dopamine in this area loses motivation and it is hard for them to see beyond that moment.  Dopamine is also used to make Norepinephrine and Epinephrine- important neurotransmitters that help the nerves fire.  Obviously a lack of Dopamine would effect the nerves dramatically.

What I would like to present is information that some recent discoveries may help in figuring out the cause of this disease and what can be done to help stop this disease from advancing.

1. Neurotoxins - In an attempt to promote better food choices, especially to provide alternate sugars, we failed to see the effects of these chemicals in these products.  Synthesized sugars such as Nutrasweet and Splenda are made from chemicals that are toxic to the brain and nerves.  The most common is Aspartame which contains Aspartic Acid which is known as a Neurotoxin.  Another name is also called Excitotoxin, which gives a better description of the effects it has on the nerves.  The end effect is to make the nerves fire excessively until they give out.  I'm not sure if they have a direct effect on the Substantia Nigra and the release of Dopamine, but there may be an indirect effect.  If there's no need for Dopamine to help the nerves fire, since the excitotoxins are doing it, then it may inhibit and suppress that part of the brain- going by the term, "If you don't use it, you lose it."
2. Lack of Extensor Stimulation-  I have recently received the importance of extensors in our body.  To help illustrate this, think of the arm.  The muscle on the front of the arm, the Bicep, is a flexor, and the muscle of the back of the arm, the Tricep, is an extensor.  When people work out, they mostly work out the Bicep,  when people sit at a desk at work or home, they often have their arm flexed to write or type, and when people drive, their arms are in a flexed position.  Our extensors are often ignored and lack stimulation.  They soon become weak, and this can have dramatic results.  This can result in Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, elbow and knee injuries, and cramps in our calfs- and possibly even Parkinson's Disease.  The Bicep and Tricep work against and with each other to keep our arm stable. It seems like an equal relationship, but as a species that depends on our extensors to stand and walk, our extensors need more stimulis.   The ratio between our extensors and flexors is really 3:1.  But as our extensors weaken, the ratio soon becomes equal.  This presents a problem.  As the flexor works, it stretches the extensor, causing it to contract, in return stretching the flexor and causing that to contract. Soon, it is a battle of the two muscles going back and forth, that starts gradual at first, but soon becomes progressive and results in the Tremor we see classically in Parkinson's disease.  How is this known?  If the extensor of the tremor part is held and stimulated, the tremor ceases, as well as if there is an active movement of this part-stimulating the extensors to perform this action- the tremor as well ceases.  The weakness of our extensors systemically is a neurological defect.  I once talked with a Chiropractor who had researched certain conditions and uttered that someone with a Frozen Shoulder is more likely to have Parkinson's disease.  At the time, it didn't make sense to me that a biomechanical dysfunction can be related to a neurological disease.  Not until now.  Frozen shoulder is a shoulder that has difficult raising the arm higher than the head, as well as having difficulty extending it back.  These are roles of the extensors.  If a Frozen Shoulder is treated, but there's nothing done to strengthen the extensors- it is clear by this logic how the symptoms of Parkinson's may manifest
3. PQQ- This last item may be the most hopeful to understanding this disease.  PQQ (Pyrroloquinolone-quinon) is a Vitamin-like substance first discovered in the 1960's, but has only recently been discovered how it effects the human body. http://www.vegsource.com/pahy/pqq---an-essential-micronutrient-that-helps-you-thrive.html. This recent research has shown that all neurological disorders show a lack of or a degradation of mitochondria in certain areas of the brain associated with that disease.  The Mitochondria is the powerhouse and energy factory of the cell.  Without Mitochondria, the cell becomes defective.  One of the major roles of PQQ is to regenerate cells, more specifically the Mitochondria. PQQ as a supplement has shown to stop the progression of Parkinson's, and even possibly reverse it.

I have enjoyed this information, as it provides great hope. First, Parkinson's was just a term I had to learn for a test, but it has become more of a reality, and hopefully soon an afterthought with a possible cure.