To Beat Parkinson’s, You Must Stand on Your Head

By WOJCIECH WASILEWSKI

Dear Reader, if you’re looking for something soft and easy, please buy a different book. This one isn’t here to comfort you — it’s here to shake your lazy world, to shock you, to drag you out of the same lethargy I was trapped in for years after being diagnosed. If you feel anger, rebellion, or even a surge of motivation while reading, then it was worth writing this book, each and every hour. Parkinson’s isn’t polite — and I won’t be either. This is my war manifesto against Parkinson’s.

Throughout this book, I use the word “Parkinson” as shorthand for Parkinson’s disease, not as a reference to James Parkinson, the doctor who first described it. If that feels like an oversimplification — I apologize. But trust me, it’s the least important thing here.

People today are searching for real stories — not textbook definitions, sterile medical jargon, or sugar-coated tales of suffering. You won’t find any of that here. What you’ll find instead is something far more valuable: the truth. Raw, unfiltered, sometimes brutal, sometimes even vulgar. Why? Because that’s what this disease really is. That’s the kind of relentless fight you’ll need if you don’t want Parkinson’s to steal your life, piece by piece. I’m not afraid of that fight — and this is exactly what this book is about. I want you to stop being afraid and to believe you can get into this fight too.

This is not a scientific book. I’m not a doctor. I don’t have a PhD. I’m not an “expert” who appears on morning TV. I’m just a patient — like you. Someone who heard the diagnosis and, instead of quietly accepting it and waiting for the end, chose to fight back. And the most important part? After years of struggle, I’m living proof that it can be done. This isn’t theory — it’s my sweat, my pain, my setbacks, and my comebacks. If you want to read the story of someone who curses Parkinson’s out loud every day and refuses to let it win — you’re in the right place.

If you want to hear the voice of someone who tests every possible method to claw back one more day of normal life from this disease, someone who isn’t afraid to speak the truth and take risks — this book is for you. This is my declaration of war on Parkinson’s. And if you’re ready to join me in this fight — come on board. Because to live well with Parkinson’s, you have to completely change your lifestyle. That’s exactly what this book is about.

PARKINSON’S AFFECTS THE YOUNG

I’m talking to you — the person who typed into Google: “Parkinson’s and physical activity,” “diet and Parkinson’s,” “how to stop Parkinson’s,” “can you recover from Parkinson’s,” or “can young people get Parkinson’s.” If you’ve landed here, you’re searching for answers. I’m no miracle worker. I don’t have magic pills or secret formulas. I do have something better though — real strategies that work for me. Not just for me.

This isn’t an academic thesis. This is a battle guide. A survival manual. It’s about resisting this disease, outsmarting it, slowing it down, exhausting it. It’s about clawing back one more day of normal life — and doing it all over again tomorrow.

You know what annoys me the most? That the majority of people still think Parkinson’s is a disease of old men sitting on benches outside their apartment buildings. That’s just not true. More and more young people — people who should have their whole lives ahead of them — are being diagnosed. And then what? Fear. Panic. The crushing feeling that everything is over. Doctors rarely have time to explain what’s really going on. And the internet? It hits you with nightmare scenarios — videos of people shaking so violently they can’t even lift a spoon. Nevertheless, that’s not the full truth about Parkinson’s.

For younger people, Parkinson’s is a completely different fight — a different tempo, a different pressure, a different kind of war. They are the ones who this book is for. For people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, with families, careers, dreams, and plans — all of which Parkinson’s is trying to rip away. We don’t have to let it happen. We can fight back.

WORDS OF CRITICISM FOR THE CRITICS

I can already hear the noise — the mocking, the scoffing, the eye-rolling. Critics saying there’s no scientific proof, that maybe something did work for me but won’t work for anyone else, that it’s all clichés and empty words. Maybe my Parkinson’s is ‘defective,’ they’ll say. Or maybe I don’t even have it. Or I just got lucky and ended up with the soft version — you know, Parkinson’s Lite.

To all the critics who will claim that nothing in this book works, I have only one thing to say: Keep on clucking.

When I first decided to fight Parkinson’s, my condition was declining fast. I had muscle rigidity. I could barely walk. My left arm didn’t swing. I felt that heavy-leg fatigue, and my tremors were intense. I passed out twice — both times collapsing in the bathroom. Then I underwent the FUS procedure, and it significantly reduced the tremor in my left hand. That was the moment I realized I had to change my life. And so began a slow but powerful transformation.

I HAVEN’T WON THE WAR

Let’s be clear, dear Reader: I haven’t won the war against Parkinson’s — not even close. Writing this book, after working full-time as an analyst for eight hours a day, takes a toll on me. Sitting at the computer for hours temporarily worsens my symptoms. Just this morning, I woke up in pain — arms, legs, back, everything.

And what did I do? First I went for a light three-kilometer run. Next I took a freezing cold shower. Then I had a healthy breakfast. These simple steps and just like that — my body came back to life.

Now let me ask you, dear Critics: what would you have done if you had woken up feeling the way I did this morning? Would you have popped another painkiller? Slapped on a pain patch? Maybe relied on a pump delivering dopamine straight into your intestines?

Tell me — which one of you can give me a straight answer about what my life will look like in five, ten, or twenty years? None of you can because modern medicine doesn’t think long-term. It treats symptoms — not causes — and it deals with them only now, not tomorrow. So how long will I last on this ‘dopamine from the pump’? I’ve been living with Parkinson’s for almost a decade. How quickly does my body develop tolerance to each new dose? What are the long-term side effects?

Will I end up like my friend with advanced Parkinson’s — so overmedicated he sees animals on his bed and suffers from terrifying hallucinations? What happens to me in twenty years if I follow your playbook of escalating doses and stronger meds that treat nothing but mask everything?

Some of you might say, ‘What about DBS?’ Well, here’s the truth: Deep Brain Stimulation helps some symptoms, but it worsens others. Speech? Memory? They often get worse. DBS is outdated, invasive, and — at least in Poland — poorly maintained. So no, it’s not the silver bullet either.

MY BODY AS THE PROOF

My body is the best proof I have — however unscientific — that lifestyle change can be a powerful tool in this fight. The difference between how I used to feel and how I feel now is reason enough to share my story.

Before anyone thinks about stem cell therapy or gene editing — treatments that might help but could just as easily harm — why not try something available to everyone? Physical activity. A lifestyle overhaul. Because this disease hates movement. It thrives on stillness, dependency, and inactivity.

Yes, someone might quote a study claiming physical activity doesn’t always deliver. Maybe that’s true in some cases. Even so in animal models, it helps. What about studies on humans? Let’s be real — they’re limited and not entirely reliable. Why? Because you can’t force someone who’s severely ill to follow a strict, demanding exercise regimen. But I did. And it changed everything.

THE HONEYMOON PERIOD IS OVER

Now let me say something that might surprise a few and piss off the rest: even though my so-called ‘honeymoon period’ — that golden phase when meds work like magic — ended long time ago, I’m still doing well. In fact, I’m in better shape than many newly diagnosed patients.

How is that possible?

Because instead of crying over the lost ‘honey,’ I got to work. I stopped chasing miracles and realized the only miracle I can count on is the one I create myself. No pill will ever replace a liter of sweat spilled in training, a deep breath of clean air, or a plate of real food.

The honeymoon is over — but I’m not. As long as I can move my arms, my legs, and what’s left of my dopamine system, Parkinson’s will not win. So if you think that after those early ‘golden years,’ it’s all downhill — you’re dead wrong. This is when the real battle begins. It’s up to us whether we crash or climb.

At the end of this book, I’ve included a quick and practical guide how to manage some of Parkinson’s symptoms at home — simple tools, habits, and actions that can make a real difference.

MY STORY THE WASTED EARLY PHASE

I used to weigh 130 kilograms. I lived on junk food and spent most of my time lying on the couch, glued to the TV. Then Parkinson’s came along — and flipped my world upside down.

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 36 or 37 (I’m 45 now). At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought the doctors had made a mistake. I kept hoping it was something else — anything else. But the diagnosis was confirmed by a DaTSCAN. There was no doubt.

One of Poland’s leading neurologists, Professor Andrzej Friedman — in my opinion, an outstanding expert on Parkinson’s — confirmed it: I had young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD), affecting the left side of my body.

So what did I do with that information? Nothing. For the first four years, I wasted time. I sat on the couch, I cried, I did nothing but watch TV. I let my dosage of levodopa–carbidopa increase while my health slowly declined. I was stuck — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

SEARCHING FOR INSPIRATION

Then came a moment of reflection. I had two choices — give up or fight. I chose to fight. Looking at the example of Michael J. Fox and others living with Parkinson’s, I realized something important: the road to success is long, winding, and full of obstacles. You can have all the money in the world, access to the best doctors — and still lose to this disease.

In my view, the only real way forward is to completely overhaul the harmful, self-destructive habits that are breaking down your body. That’s what I set out to do. I began searching for knowledge, for inspiration — for something to hold onto.

One of the first things I came to understand was that obesity and Parkinson’s disease are a terrible combination. I was simply eating my sadness, eating my depression. I didn’t have the knowledge or the time — or maybe just the strength — to follow a proper diet. There was always that magical phrase: ‘I’ll start tomorrow.’

THE TURNING POINT

One day, I realized I couldn’t keep postponing the hard decision to change my lifestyle. So I started — with weight loss. Because honestly, it felt like the easiest place to begin with. I kept it simple. I reduced the calorie content of my meals and introduced something called a ’feeding window’. One basic rule: eat less than 2,000 calories a day, only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. That was it. I didn’t cut out any food groups. I didn’t give up sweets — I just ate them in moderation. On top of that, I started walking and doing yoga. The results were staggering: within a year and a half, I went from 130 kg to 80 kg.

THANKS TO PARKINSON’S, I HAVE NO OTHER DISEASES

Strange as it may sound — I’m grateful to Parkinson’s for this transformation. It may have saved me from diabetes, heart disease, and all the other health problems related to severe obesity. After that breakthrough, I kept going. I kept experimenting with my own body, gradually introducing more and more changes. I changed everything — my diet, my physical activity, my sleep, even my mental approach to life. Was it easy? No. It was brutally hard.

Yet today, after eight years of living with Parkinson’s, I’m in better shape than many people who were diagnosed more recently. In fact, I’m in better shape than I was years ago.

My condition hasn’t progressed. I haven’t increased my medication dosage in years. I currently take three tablets of Nakom 250 mg during the day and two tablets of Madopar HBS 100 +25 mg at night. Maybe I’ll even be able to reduce that relatively high daily dose and still feel good.

Every day, I make the same choice: it’s me — not Parkinson’s — who runs my life. And if I can do it — so can you. Everyone has their own version of ’Parkinson’s.’ It’s not just about illness. Everyone has something that holds them down — some fear, some burden, some invisible weight. If you can overcome Parkinson’s, you can overcome anything.

WHAT IS PARKINSON’S DISEASE?

Most people think Parkinson’s is simple: lack of dopamine — give dopamine — problem solved. Nonsense. That’s like looking at a burning house and saying, ‘Just pour water on it, and everything will be fine.’ However, what you don’t see is that the gas exploded in the basement, the wiring is fried, and the foundation is collapsing. Parkinson’s is not just about dopamine. It’s a full-body energy crisis that affects every cell — not just the brain. Every cell in your body — from your brain to your muscles to your heart — relies on one thing to function: mitochondria. These tiny power plants create the energy (ATP) that fuels every movement, thought, and heartbeat. The more healthy mitochondria you have, the more energy (ATP) your body can produce. And the more ATP you have, the more strength, focus, and vitality you feel.

PARKINSON’S DAMAGES MITOCHONDRIA

But then Parkinson’s creeps in like a thief and begins sabotaging these power plants. In the bodies of people with Parkinson’s, mitochondria are damaged and weakened. They produce less energy and age faster. That means your cells are running on empty. Less energy means less movement, less clarity, less life. You feel it as chronic fatigue, that lead-like heaviness, brain fog, the inability to get off the couch. It’s not laziness — it’s mitochondrial failure. And it gets worse. Damaged mitochondria also produce toxic waste: free radicals. These unstable molecules attack healthy cells like smoke flooding from a broken engine. Your body gets poisoned from within. This sets off a vicious cycle: free radicals destroy more mitochondria, which then produce even more toxic waste, accelerating cell death — especially in the brain. Parkinson’s doesn’t begin in your hands or feet. It starts deep inside your cells, where your mitochondria — the engines of life — start breaking down. That’s why dopamine medication alone isn’t enough. You can flood your system with dopamine, but if your cells don’t have the power to use it, it won’t take you far. It’s like pouring premium fuel into a car with a cracked engine block. The pistons might move a little, but you’re not going anywhere.

Scientific research backs this up. A Danish-German team found that damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) plays a key role in the development of Parkinson’s disease. They discovered deletions in the mtDNA of patients, especially in brain areas responsible for cognition. In lab experiments on mice, they confirmed that mitochondrial damage leads to the same pathological changes seen in Parkinson’s. This could lead to new diagnostic tools, biomarkers, and eventually better treatments. In short, mtDNA is the genetic blueprint of your mitochondria. When it gets damaged, everything begins to break down — and Parkinson’s is just one possible outcome. These disruptions hit nerve cells the hardest, because they need huge amounts of energy to survive. When that energy vanishes, the cells begin to die. That’s when neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s start to take hold.

These disorders are especially damaging to nerve cells, which need massive amounts of energy to function. When that energy supply breaks down, neurons begin to degenerate — and that’s what leads to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN REPAIR MITOCHONDRIA

Diet, movement, sleep, toxin elimination — all of these have a direct impact on energy production at the cellular level. Your mitochondria aren’t static. They can regenerate, multiply, and become stronger — but only if you give them a reason to. That reason is physical effort, deep breathing, clean nutrition, and intermittent fasting, which activates a powerful cellular process called autophagy (we’ll come back to that later in the book).

Parkinson’s isn’t just a brain disease — it’s a total war, fought in every single cell of your body. Every step you take, every conscious breath, every drop of sweat sends a signal to your system: “We’re still in the fight. We need energy. Start rebuilding.”

What if you sit still and complain? Your mitochondria get a very different message: ‘We’re done here. No need to produce anything. Shut it all down.’

And if there’s one thing mitochondria truly hate — it’s sugar. Sugar clogs them, weakens them, and slowly destroys their ability to function. It’s the ultimate enemy of your cellular engines.
This book is not about hope — it’s about action. If you’re tired of waiting for miracles, start making your own.

To Beat Parkinson’s, You Must Stand on Your Head is available now.

Wojciech Wasilewski is a Polish author and equity analyst living with Parkinson’s disease — and fighting it with radical lifestyle change.