Same Upbringing, Different Outcomes
Last time, in "Lack of Regular Exercise," we heard how Posy's formative years encouraged her to be active. So, why and when did Parkinson's creep in?
What is the cause?
Is it a rogue gene and out of our control? Is it a gene that is activated and exacerbated by an imperfect lifestyle?
Posy imagines a devilish Parkinson's gene, waiting in the wings for generations, hoping to catch out a member of the family.
Does Parkinson's claim the mentally or physically strong and make them weak? Or, was the weakness there all along, trying to yell, "Stop this!" Eventually, the brain just stamps its foot, spits out the last bit of dopamine, crosses its arms and refuses to re-engage without help.
Family history
Posy and her sister (the control in this experiment, if you like), had excellent genes. There were several outstanding sportsmen in the family. Both parents exercised regularly and lived long.
Posy's father was a professional soccer player (Fulham, Chelsea) and coach (Guildford City). Their mother coached netball in London. Both played tennis and golf. No one, even determinedly competitive boyfriends, could begin to keep up with their dad. No one could beat their mum at snooker.
Posy and her sister also had excellent opportunities. Their father had made sure his daughters were passably good at most sociable sports.
Are genes responsible?
Let us look at the control: Posy's sister. She had had the same genes, the same encouragement, and, like Posy, was a fair tennis player and swimmer. However, with her incredible and superior brain, she preferred winning at cards, quizzes, or any complex puzzles.
The same upbringing lead to very different outcomes from the start. Posy is intuitive and creative. Posy's sister is a mathematician who values logic above all else. Posy eats mainly carbs, but her sister eats protein too. Posy remained active until fairly recently and her sister is more sedentary.
If Posy is the only Parkie in the extended family, it seems unlikely that genes alone are responsible?
Developing Parkinson's disease
A lack of exercise cannot be the main culprit if Posy exercised more than her sister? Maybe we should conclude that diet is the answer, as Posy's sister ate a more rounded diet.
Does the difference in outcome between Posy and her sister support the notion that diet is more of an issue than exercise in developing this disease? ("Hoorah! Pass the croissants!)
Next time, we'll throw willpower into the mix!
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