The Parkinson's Podcast

Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org
In part one of this two-part conversation from our Live Well Today webinar series, Davis Phinney Foundation's Chris Krueger sits down with Richelle Flanagan, a registered dietitian living with young onset Parkinson's, to discuss how protein interacts with levodopa and why meal timing affects how well your medication works, which key nutrients people with Parkinson's are most commonly deficient in, and why getting your levels checked matters. The conversation also covers iron and magnesium timing, protein redistribution, intermittent fasting, and fueling for exercise and fatigue.
Richelle Flanagan is a registered dietitian with over 20 years' experience. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017, when she was 46, after noticing symptoms while 3 months pregnant with her daughter. In addition to her interest in diet and nutrition, she is passionate about the unmet needs of women with Parkinson's. She is a co-founder of the Women's Parkinson's Project and My Moves Matter, a digital health app to meet the specific needs of women living with Parkinson's.

Second episode: Coming soon!!
Learn more about Richelle's work at https://www.mymovesmatter.com
Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup

Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org
Although a tremor is the most well-known symptom of Parkinson's, a tremor may not be the earliest symptom. Symptoms like loss of smell, constipation, acting out dreams, anxiety, and changes in handwriting can show up years before a diagnosis. Cognitive neurologist Dr. Jeffrey Maneval joins Chris Krueger to walk through the most common early signs, why Parkinson's is so often confused with conditions that mimic it, and the tests that can bring clarity, from sleep studies and DaTscans to skin biopsy and genetic testing.
You don't have to wait for a formal diagnosis to start treating symptoms. Dr. Maneval discusses how early interventions, including physical therapy, Parkinson's boxing, voice therapy, and mental health support, can help you live well today, even before you have a diagnosis.
Dr. Jeffrey Maneval is a board-certified neurologist at MaineHealth specializing in cognitive disorders, including dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. As Director of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, he is dedicated to advancing patient care, education, and research to improve the lives of people living with neurological conditions.
Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup
This episode is sponsored by CND Life Sciences, the developer and provider of the Syn-One skin biopsy test.

Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org 

In this episode of the Parkinson's Podcast, we welcome Dr. Abhi Mahajan and two retired physicians living with Parkinson's, Doug Redosh and Stan Livingston, for a discussion about what's missing in current Parkinson's treatments, how the next generation of treatments may help, and how people with Parkinson's might approach emerging treatments as they become available.  

This episode is sponsored by AskBio. 

Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup

Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org 
Intimacy, in all its forms, doesn't disappear with a Parkinson's diagnosis, but it does change. In this episode, Dr. Kelly Rees joins Chris Krueger for a candid conversation about staying close when Parkinson's changes your body, your self-image, and your relationship. They talk through what to do when touch becomes unpleasant, how to navigate mismatched desire without pressuring each other, impulse control changes related to dopamine agonists, and how couples stay connected when symptoms mean sleeping in separate beds. Whether you live with Parkinson's or care for someone who does, Dr. Rees's closing advice holds the whole conversation: don't give up on yourself.
Kelly Rees, PhD is a board-certified therapist who specializes in intimacy, relationships, and sexual wellbeing in the context of Parkinson's. Dr. Rees has 15 years of clinical experience working with adults and couples, and she co-developed a program offering free intimacy and relationship classes to the Parkinson's community. Her work focuses on how Parkinson's symptoms, medications, body changes, and shifting roles can affect desire, connection, and communication, and on helping individuals and care partners adapt in ways that support quality of life and emotional closeness.
This conversation comes from the Davis Phinney Foundation's June 2026 Live Well Today webinar. Watch the full webinar video here: https://youtu.be/G6c7SQnHrLs
Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter

Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org 

For many people with Parkinson's, speech and swallowing issues are among the more difficult symptoms of Parkinson's. Having speech and swallowing challenges can be isolating and lead to complications like aspiration.
In this episode of The Parkinson's Podcast, listen in as Kevin Lockette, Neal Tomita, and Cheryl Lippman describe their experience with the Harmonica Parkinson's Project and how playing the harmonica can help people with Parkinson's improve their speech and swallowing while also connecting with their community.

For more about the Harmonica Parkinson's Project visit https://www.harmonicaparkinsonsproject.com/ 

Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup