Alexander Tressor was 47 and living in Manhattan when a neurologist gave him what he stoically calls “The Bad News.” A Russian-born ballet master, Tressor says hearing the word “Parkinson’s” was like getting hit by a lightning bolt. Then hearing “No cure” was like getting hit again. But Tressor is a resilient kind of guy. And an optimist. So he set about figuring out how he could sidestep the worst of what Parkinson’s could throw at him. And he wanted to do it without going on the usual cocktail of meds. He learned that exercise and diet were game-changers with this disease. Would it be possible for him to take the self-discipline and insights he gained from ballet and use them in his battle against Parkinson’s?

Now 58, Tressor remains largely asymptomatic! He credits his daily stretching with keeping his pain down to the level of ache and discomfort.

Today, we talk with Tressor about his decade-long medical challenge, how he figured out the exercise, diet and stress-reduction regimen that’s successfully kept most of the disease’s symptoms at bay, and how he’s learned to live with Parkinson’s without it dominating him.

Check out this episode’s show notes at https://painopolis.com/exercise-diet-parkinsons/ for links to Tressor’s films and a sample workout. We’ve also included links to compelling research about the benefits of exercise for people with Parkinson’s.