"Parkinson’s is a Man Made Disease, But Reversal is Possible" - with Dr. Ray Dorsey | EP 204
The Empowering Neurologist PodcastShow Notes
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In this compelling episode of The Empowering Neurologist, I sit down with Dr. Ray Dorsey, a leading voice in the world of neurology and author of the important new book, The Parkinson’s Plan. Dr. Dorsey is a passionate advocate for changing how we view and address Parkinson’s disease. His message is bold—and urgently needed: Parkinson’s is not simply a disease of aging or bad luck. It is, in his words, “a man-made disease,” driven by preventable environmental exposures. Dr. Dorsey’s work shines a much-needed spotlight on the role of toxins in triggering Parkinson’s. In his new book, he lays out a comprehensive framework for understanding and reversing the rising tide of Parkinson’s cases, which have more than doubled in recent decades. He argues that this surge is no coincidence—it correlates with increased exposure to industrial chemicals, pesticides, and air pollutants that interfere with the brain’s delicate dopamine system. One of the most striking recent contributions from Dr. Dorsey’s research is a JAMA-published study linking Parkinson’s risk to proximity to golf courses—locations that are frequently treated with high volumes of chemical herbicides and pesticides. The study found a significantly increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in individuals living near these manicured greens. This adds to a growing body of evidence that toxic environmental exposures play a key role in the development of this neurodegenerative condition. In our conversation, Dr. Dorsey discusses how Parkinson’s (once a rare disease) has become the world’s fastest-growing brain disorder, and why its rise can’t be explained by aging populations alone. He shares practical strategies for individuals and families looking to reduce their toxic burden and offers hope for a new paradigm. One in which we actively prevent, treat, and ultimately aim to eliminate Parkinson’s.
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0:00 Intro 2:40 Living Near to a Golf course Raises Parkinson’s Risk 4:58 How Pollutants Lead to Parkinson’s 7:12 Danger of Dry cleaning Chemicals 11:45 Parkinson’s is not just about Genetics 14:15 Why aren't these chemicals illegal? 17:07 Toxicity of Weed Killer 21:00 Chemicals that Damage Mitochondria 26:39 Why Diabetes Increases Parkinson’s Risk 29:38Air Pollution & WildFires 34:04 The Air Purifier We Recommend 34:49 Dealing with Indoor Air Pollution 37:02 Wash All Produce (Even Organic) 38:12 Best Diet for Parkinson’s Prevention 41:26 Safe Practices for Farming & Dry Cleaning 45:23 Benefits of Exercise 48:01 Public Figures Who Faced Parkinson's Disease 49:58 Why Men are More Likely to Get It 51:21 An Empowering Message for Us 54:27 Conclusion
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Dr. Ray Dorsey is the director of the Center for the Brain & the Environment at the Atria Health and Research Institute. The center’s mission is to identify the root causes of brain diseases from autism to Alzheimer’s so that we can prevent them. With his colleagues, he wrote Ending Parkinson’s Disease and the forthcoming The Parkinson’s Plan, which details a new path to preventing and treating this terrible disease. Ray previously directed the Center for Health + Technology at the University of Rochester, chaired the international Huntington Study Group, led the movement disorders division at Johns Hopkins, and consulted for McKinsey & Company.
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🧠 Stay ahead with the latest in science, nutrition, and wellness by subscribing to Dr. Perlmutter's newsletter at: https://www.drperlmutter.com Sponsors & Special Offers EVY – Go to https://www.optoceutics.com/perlmutter to get 10% off & free shipping (90 days risk-free). Memory Air – Go to https://www.memoryair.com and use code PERLMUTTER for 15% off, free shipping and a 60-day money back guarantee. Brain Defenders – Dr. Perlmutter's groundbreaking new book is now available! Discover how to protect your brain and future health: https://www.braindefenders.com About This Episode You can be successful, respected, and highly productive while still feeling invisible. In this episode of The Empowering Neurologist, Dr. David Perlmutter sits down with John R. Miles, bestselling author, behavioral change expert, and host of Passion Struck, to explore why achievement, recognition, and external success do not always create a lasting sense of self-worth. Drawing from his childhood brain injury, military service, and executive career, John explains the concept of human mattering: the fundamental need to feel seen, valued, and significant. They discuss the “mattering gap,” the “slow fade” that can happen when people become disconnected from themselves, and why belonging and mattering are not the same. John also introduces the MATTER framework, built around six conditions that help people feel valued and connected: meaning, autonomy, trust, time, energy, and reciprocity. They explore how parents, leaders, physicians, and communities can help others feel that they matter, and why separating personal worth from productivity and external approval can lead to more meaningful relationships and intentional living. You can continue pursuing success without making it the measure of your worth. Your value is not something you have to earn. Timestamps 00:00 – John Miles’ Childhood Brain Injury and Defining Moment 06:16 – What It Means to Matter vs. Belong 07:32 – The Slow Fade: When Success Makes You Feel Invisible 14:43 – Understanding the Mattering Gap 19:34 – Why Children Need to Feel Seen and Valued 27:20 – The MATTER Framework: Six Conditions for Feeling Valued 31:13 – Why Patients Need to Be Seen Beyond Their Diagnosis 36:11 – Creating a Workplace Where Employees Feel Valued 44:31 – Why Your Worth Is Already a Completed Fact 48:32 – The Difference Between Proving Yourself and Accomplishing Goals About John R. Miles John R. Miles is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, behavioral change expert, and host of the award-winning, top-ranked podcast Passion Struck®. A former U.S. Navy officer and Fortune 50 C-suite executive, John combines military discipline, corporate strategy, neuroscience, and psychology to help people and organizations reduce isolation, strengthen self-worth, and live with greater intention. He is the author of Passion Struck and The Mattering Effect. His work explores how people can separate their inherent worth from external achievement, build deeper relationships, and create a meaningful impact without losing themselves in the process. Through his books, podcast, speaking, and global community, John leads a growing movement centered on one essential message: every person deserves to feel seen, valued, and significant. Connect with John Website: https://johnrmiles.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_r_miles LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmileshumanperformanceexpert Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnrmiles.c0m Podcast: https://passionstruck.com/passion-struck-podcast Connect with Dr. Perlmutter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlmutter/ Website: https://www.drperlmutter.com/ Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDRl_UAXxbHyOOjklnA0dxQ This podcast is produced by DrTalks.com http://drtalks.com/channel-growth
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🧠 Stay ahead with the latest in science, nutrition, and wellness by subscribing to Dr. Perlmutter’s newsletter at: www.drperlmutter.com. ✉ 🌱 Thank you to our sponsors: EVY - https://www.optoceutics.com/perlmutter and the code perlmutter26 will be auto-applied to your order to get 10% off & free shipping (90 days risk-free). 3X4 Genetics - https://3X4genetics.com/DrPerlmutter for a special offer when you sign up to decode your genetics and get personalized, science-backed health recommendations. ==== Dr. Perlmutter’s groundbreaking new book, Brain Defenders, is now available! Discover how to protect your brain and future health - grab your copy today at https:/www.braindefenders.com. ==== Why do some people feel exhausted, mentally foggy, metabolically unwell, or simply older than they should even when their routine laboratory results are considered “normal”? That question is at the heart of this episode of The Empowering Neurologist, featuring functional medicine practitioner Dr. Will Cole, coauthor with Dr. Josh Axe of Heal Your Cells: Reversing the Irreversible. Dr. Cole and Dr. Perlmutter explore the idea that long before disease becomes obvious, dysfunction may already be developing at the cellular level. This concept takes on particular importance when we consider the brain, which accounts for only about 2% of body weight but consumes roughly 20% of the body's energy at rest. The conversation examines how seemingly separate factors including metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, poor sleep, environmental exposures, physical inactivity, and prolonged psychological stress can converge on the same cellular systems and ultimately influence brain health. 00:00 — Why Your Cells May Be Aging Before You Feel It 03:44 — Meet Dr. Will Cole 04:50 — What Is Cellular Dysfunction? 09:25 — Why Healthy People Can Still Develop Disease10:32 — The Environmental Factors Affecting Cellular Health 15:47 — Why Mitochondria Are Central to Health 16:37 — How Mitochondrial Dysfunction Drives Inflammation 19:57 — How Much of Aging Can We Actually Change? 20:47 — The Connection Between Mitochondria and Insulin Resistance 25:43 — Mitochondria, Microglia, and Brain Inflammation 29:28 — Why There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Diet 32:03 — Training Your Cells to Become More Resilient 32:46 — What Are “Adversity Mimetics”? 35:51 — Why Intracellular Health Matters 36:32 — Why Conventional Medicine May Be Missing Cellular Dysfunction 37:58 — What Do We Really Know About Peptides? 40:16 — Is Ozone Therapy Worth Considering? 42:30 — Ozone and the Science of Cellular Resilience 43:41 — What Is Therapeutic Plasma Exchange? 45:38 — Who Might Benefit From Plasma Exchange? 46:45 — The Everyday Habits That Support Cellular Health 51:35 — Your Cells Are Responding to the Choices You Make Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional medicine expert specializing in thyroid health, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain health. He is the host of The Art of Being Well podcast and a New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum, and Gut Feelings. - - - - - Connect with Dr. Will Cole Website: https://drwillcole.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drwillcole LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drwillcole Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorwillcole Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6z1lJ5dfKNHwGGQPOFTc7E Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-being-well/id1539535133 - - - - - Connect with Dr. David Perlmutter, MD Website: https://www.drperlmutter.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlmutter/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidPerlmutterMD/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerlmutterMD X (Twitter): https://x.com/DavidPerlmutter - - - - - PODCAST Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and share. This podcast is produced by DrTalks.com https://drtalks.com/podcast-service/