New! Instructional DVD from Dr. Heydrick Dr. David Heydrick's empowering integrative health strategy - The Parkinson's Pyramid® - The Pyradigm of Health™ for Neurodegenerative Disease. Dr. Heydrick takes you through an in-depth, educational, inspirational -- and entertaining -- walk through the Parkinson's Pyramid®: Wise Symptom Management, Stress Management, Focused Nutrition, Variety of Exercise, and "The Little Neuron" -- an animated fable with lessons on lifestyle changes, and hope. (more...)

"Surviving Adversity -- Living with Parkinson's disease": 28 stories that will inspire you. by Gord Carley www.survivingadversity.com This new book contains 28 profiles of individuals who share their inspiring stories of how they have adjusted to Parkinson's disease.

The Theracycle is able to provide steady high cadences that I (Dr. Heydrick) advocate for Parkinson's training. Passive exercise via cycling or "forced exercise" causes surprisingly similiar sensorimotor cerebral activation as voluntary cycling, implying that motor (from the brain) and sensory pathways are being stimulated (Christensen LOD, Johannsen P, Sinkjaer T. Cerebral activation during bicycle movements in man. Ex Brain Res 2000, 135:66-72). The Theracycle offers an efficient machine which allows any combination of voluntary and forced exercise. Click on the icon for further information, including testimonials from users with progressive neurological disorders like MS and PD.

Let me share a few Theracycle highlights with you: The Theracycle is motorized (with an extremely quiet motor). This allows it to be used by the able-bodied in its "active mode" or by those who lack strength or endurance to use it in its "passive mode" (the Theracycle motor takes over and does the "pushing" for them.) The THERACYCLE exercises both the upper and lower body. It provides a full-body workout! After regular use, Theracycle users consistently report: Improved mobility and flexibility. Increased energy and endurance. Improved muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness. I have a Theracycle at home and use it in the evenings as augmentation to my usual exercise (e.g., cycling, treadmill, elliptical, etc.). You can apply as much resistance as you want for a more intense workout (upper and lower body), or let the Theracycle exercise for you. In fact, my wife and kids enjoy using it to (the seat is adjustable). It is ideal for those PWP who are less mobile but who want to fight back against bradykinesia, and for those more active person with PD who want to augment their training and even for rehabilitation after injury (as my son Scott can testify after crashing on his road bicycle!). I am impressed 1) as a former mechanical engineer with the quality of the Theracyle, 2) as a Neurologist with the nervous system "sensorimotor" pathways stimulation of passive and voluntary cycling offered by the Theracyle, and 3) as a person with PD with the empowerment the Theracyle offers in fighting back against the disease.