Sharon’s son, George: 1/1/2020……. I lost my mother, Sharon, due to Parkinson’s disease. I wanted to share my thoughts and ideas on tough topics in caregiving and send thoughts and prayers for others diagnosed and caregivers, so this BLOG was created in their memories.
The Tackling Tough Topics BLOG 12: The Cause of Disease.
1/1/2025
This blog is dedicated to all those caretakers who care for a loved one with any disease and to those who have been diagnosed. We hear you; we see you, and we will never stop fighting until there is a cure!
Environment cause of Parkinson’s Disease
Many have researched the cause of P.D., but there has yet to be one answer. Some feel it is genetics, and others strongly agree more about the environment. My mother had a beautiful home, but over 20 years, she had mold and termites at a point in time. Companies a decade ago were called in to spray and do things with harmful chemicals such as spray, which may have caused P.D. No individual is the same, or diagnoses occur, but the pinpoint reason for who can be diagnosed is unsure.
More changes have occurred to ban certain bug sprays and address environmental concerns. Our pest control company today will not spray or step inside our home and only treat it externally. There was never the case a decade ago, and who knows what poisons were let out throughout our house that affect our anils, children, and ourselves. Quite frightening.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine (2024), some environmental factors in Parkinson’s Disease include:
Pesticides/herbicides
MPTP
Agent Orange
Manganese and other metals
Solvents
Organic pollutants
Although we cannot entirely know if the environment causes P.D., we can still take significant precautions and contact legislators to protect us better through the U.S.
Camp Lejeune
Dr. Peter Stein (2023) discussed P.D. risk in Marines tied to contaminated water in Camp Lejeune and found that veterans stationed there had a 70% higher risk of P.D. than veterans stationed elsewhere. The numbers are staggering, and allowing such exposure to dangerously contaminated water should be further examined, and caring for the military and their families should be a priority. Other diseases, such as cancer and health consequences, were also significant findings. Our government should also assure us that our water is safe, and our food is consumable without fear of danger or considerable disease.
Sadly, many of these studies are relatively new, and the average citizen faces many unknown environmental exposures that could be challenging to measure.
Paraquat
Parkinson’s disease (P.D.) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that has genetic susceptibility, aging, and exposure to certain chemicals as risk factors (Vaccari, El Dib & Camargo, 2017). In recent decades, studies have investigated the role of pesticides in developing P.D., such as the herbicide paraquat. This chemical is banned in China but not in the United States, which brings signs of concern for most living in the U.S. exposed to this chemical.
There has also been an increased risk and connection to chemicals causing P.D. How we can better protect against these environmental chemicals is still challenging today. Such chemicals can be used in landscaping, treating plants, and pesticides. Numerous companies throughout the U.S. use these daily in the form of spray.
Paraquats control weeds and invasive grasses and are used on over 100 crops in the United States. The most common crops paraquat is used on include:
Alfalfa
Corn
Cotton
Grapes in vineyards
Soybeans
Research shows exposure is linked to P.D. diagnosis. Teens and younger adults are found to have higher exposure and show signs and symptoms of P.D., including tremors, rigidity, and stiffness, to name a few.
One foremost step you can take to help ban this toxic chemical in our homes and environment is to reach out to your local legislature representative and urge them to ban such toxins in our country.
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George’s Biography
Dr. George Ackerman is from Brooklyn, N.Y. He now resides in Florida and works in the fields of law, police, and education. George lost his mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman, on 1/1/2020 due to Parkinson’s Disease.
George wanted to honor his mother and continue to help in the Parkinson’s awareness cause, but he did not know how to bring about change. With my family, we started TogetherForSharon® to keep my mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman, ‘s memory alive and share the message of Parkinson’s Awareness and hope for a cure.
Today, https://www.togetherforsharon.com/ reaches thousands of individuals across the country to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease. George currently interviews individuals throughout the Parkinson’s community, including various foundations, caregivers, and Parkinson’s warriors, to help share their stories and causes.
References
John Hopkins Medicine (2024). Health: Can Environmental Toxins Cause Parkinson’s Disease? Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/parkinsons-disease/can-environmental-toxins-cause-parkinson-disease
Stein, P. (2023). Parkinson Disease Risk in Marines Tied to Contaminated Water in Camp Lejeune. Retrieved from https://www.neurologyadvisor.com/news/parkinson-disease-risk-marines-contaminated-water-camp-lejeune/
Vaccari, C., El Dib, E. & Camargo, J.L. (2017). Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review protocol according to the OHAT approach for hazard identification. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5433017/