How a Neurological Disorder Changed my Life for the Better

Pre-orders for my new book will be at www.publishizer.com from August 1 to August 31 and ALL proceeds will go to charity. There will be a lot of bonuses and free offers to pre-order books. I hope to complete the book by early next year. Below is information on the book:

How a Neurological Disorder Changed my Life for the Better: The Science behind Nerve, Muscular, and Neuromuscular Disorders and their Effects on Cycling

I achieved athletic success with a debilitating neurological condition for three reasons. First, training techniques can alter muscle protein composition overcoming physical limitations. Second, training can bypass diseased cells by creating alternate neural pathways for the brain and muscles to communicate. Finally, improving personality traits such as resiliency, grit, and mental toughness can help overcome physical limitations such as pain.

Synopsis

The good news is people are living longer, the bad news is people are suffering from higher rates of morbidity. Further complicating matters is that the medical community treats the symptoms and not the illness allowing people to live longer but the quality of life is reduced. Most reasons for morbidity are because our genes are being exposed to environments that they never experienced during the evolution process such as certain prescription drugs, less sleep, alcohol uses, smoking, exposure to toxins, stress, new illnesses, and certain foods. The result is disease and, in many cases, autoimmune disorders. In fact, according to Daniel Lieberman there is a good chance you will die from a disease caused by genetic mismatches with environmental factors. To put matters in perspective, according to the CDC there are about 600 rare diseases and the prevalence rate all 600 diseases in the United States alone is over 10%. What's worse, if all diseases are taken into account about 25 to 33% of the United States is sick or will be sick in the next few years. That is extraordinary because many disorders can be avoided through a well-balanced diet and exercise. If you have been suffering from disease and illness such as chronic pain then may be interested in this book.

This book explains my story and philosophy to cope with two chronic debilitating neurological conditions while competing in cycling. What's more, after 13 years of testing and visiting 9 neurologist I have been misdiagnosed several times and they are still uncertain about my current diagnosis. Thus, it is possible that I have something that is completely unique and science has yet to catch up with my disorder. The important facets of my story are acceptance, advocacy, adaptation, and attitude (AAAA). Although Peripheral Nerve Hyper-excitation (PNH) and neuropathy disorders can be debilitating and wreak-havoc on the lives of those inflicted, it is still possible to have a productive, successful, and meaningful life. Furthermore, without practicing AAAA, instead of winning races I would be requiring assistance to walk and to do other everyday functions. Although gene expression and adaptation for exercise and diet are unique to each individual, 99.9% of all people obtain some benefits. This novel book educates the public about my experiences and what I learned from my medical and cycling journey about a plethora of subjects including anatomy, epidemiology, physiology, neuromuscular disease, environmental factors, pain, fear, stress, depression, acceptance, adaptation, mental toughness, competition, diet, and endurance training to name a few. The bottom line is that not only is vigorous exercise achievable but so too is athletic improvement and success in the presence of a debilitating neurological disorder. Furthermore, athletic achievement is possible in the absence of athletic genes.

My experience and research have enlightened me to blog about peripheral nerve hyper-excitation (PNH) disorders. My blog post “The Misconceptions of Benign Fasciculation Syndrome” has produced over 150 thousand reads. Other blog posts I have written on the subject have received thousands of reads. Several years back I also participated in a forum on paresthesia symptoms on a Huffington Post webcast. I am not a doctor and do not hold a PhD in any educational field (I have a B.S. in electrical engineering). None the less, I have had several doctors stricken with PNH reach out to me asking for my advice. For instance, I sent the section on “Fear” to one doctor suffering from PNH and he wrote me back saying “The Fear component of the book is fabulous”. My communication with patients, my independent research for this text, my blogs, and my survey have provided me a clearer picture of what is going on but I am certainly no expert (I may know more than most, but no one is an expert). At the same time, I can speculate with more certainty about what is going on with me. As far as expertise in cycling is concerned, I have been competing in cycling the past 7 years and have been on the podium in over 100 races including national and state titles in time trial events. Yes, I have many cycling achievements, but what makes these accomplishments unique is that they were attained while I was battling two debilitating neurological conditions that impair both strength and power.

About the author

I authored two books, Moneysense and Defending Freedom of Contract. MoneySense is a book on personal finance and Defending Freedom of Contract is a book on Constitutional Law.

I have seen 9 neurologists over the past 13 years and my diagnosis has change 4 times. Currently my diagnosis is both cramp fasciculation syndrome (CFS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) or multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). A definitive diagnosis has been difficult to pin point because my symptoms and diagnostic testing results do not fit any one disorder. My symptoms are vast and include motor, sensory, and autonomic nerves.

My neurological condition forced me to evolve to cycling 7 years ago after other activities were deemed a safety concern (rock climbing) or too painful (running). I participated in my first race at age 50 and have since won over 70 races and been on the podium over 100 times despite significant muscle power impairment.