Living with Parkinson’s: Jess’s Story

A story close to home for the Mitchells team this month. To mark World Parkinson’s Day tomorrow, we’re proud to introduce Jess — our incredible Operations Manager and one of the youngest people in New Zealand to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

A mum of three and a fiercely loyal supporter of the people she loves, Jess’s story is one of resilience, identity, and inspiration. Read on to hear her story, how she’s benefiting from creatine, and her message for others living with neurological conditions.

We'll be donating 10% of all sales today to The New Zealand Brain Research Institute.

Can you share a little about your journey - when you first noticed something wasn’t quite right and how you eventually received your diagnosis?

My tremor started on the 29th December 2009, I was 21. It didn’t go away which alarmed me. I was living in Australia at the time, I saw multiple GP’s there with no outcome. We moved home to NZ when I was pregnant with our second baby, I was on a mission to sort this “shaking” out. More doctors, I asked them if I could have a referral for a neurologist, they told me it was a benign or essential tremor and I would have to live with it. I knew it was something different. In 2019, I was broken, I tried one more doctor and she referred me straight away. Within 4 months of seeing her I had my diagnosis, a huge weight lifted, I had a path. It took me 10 years.

How did your diagnosis change the way you think about your health, your brain, and the way you take care of yourself day-to-day?

I am so much more aware of how hormones play a huge part in how you feel. Figuring out how to find balance is something I work on. I am conscious of what I am supplementing with and the role it plays in my body. My mental health is something I actively work on. I surround myself with people who fill my cup and try to let go of things that drain me. Energy is like the tide, when I’m in an ebb I’m conscious to do things and see people who give me flow and fill where I am lacking.  

Many people associate Parkinson’s with tremors, but there are so many other symptoms that aren’t as visible. What are some of the challenges people might not realise come with Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s is a lack of Dopamine. The Dopamine producing cells in my brain are dying. Dopamine is associated with happiness, there is so much more to this hormone and neurotransmitter. It gives you fluid movements, reduces muscle stiffness, and of course the mental benefits of reducing depression and anxiety and helps you sleep. The only way I can explain what Parkinson’s feels like is your body is frustrated and restless.

You’re our Operations Manager at Mitchells - a role that requires a lot of problem solving and moving parts. What has it been like navigating work alongside your diagnosis?

It’s been a natural progression at Mitchells, I started in dispatch. There are challenges I deal with every day but I get a huge amount of satisfaction from my role which makes them fade into the background.  I quite often forget I have Parkinson’s until I notice someone looking at my hand shaking. Life is about perspective, I’m fine. If people around me are going through something and not coping their stuff is bigger than mine.

What are some of the key things you focus on now to support your brain health and nervous system?

There are lots of promising studies on Parkinson’s. I take a strain of probiotic which disperses protein build up on the brain, Liver and Spleen Capsules, Bone Broth Protein and Creatine. I try to eat animal based food most of the time. I take a Dopamine agonist which increases the uptake of the Dopamine I produce by opening the receptors. I make an effort to challenge my brain. We have also put a sauna in at home which I love, it gives me the space to stop and have a moment with myself but I also get the amazing benefits of a sauna. My role is great for my brain, I work with numbers all day (which I love), it requires a good memory and problem solving. I also do a crossword most days. If I don’t use my brain I will lose it. 

Creatine is often associated with sports performance, but emerging research is exploring its role in brain health. What made you interested in trying creatine, how has it become part of your routine?

I want to give my brain the best chance and reduce neuro deterioration anywhere I can. I have been taking Creatine for a while for my brain. After listening to Stacy Sims speak at a recent event Mitchells was at, it’s a no brainer (pun intended) for me. Especially, listening to the benefits for people who have Dementia and Alzheimer’s which often go hand in hand with Parkinson’s disease. Mitchells Creatine, CreaVitalis, is by far the best Creatine I have tried. It mixes well and doesn’t really taste like anything which makes it easy to incorporate into my routine at work.

Have you noticed any changes since incorporating creatine - whether that’s in energy, mental clarity, or resilience day-to-day?

I am busy. I have 3 children and work full time. My mental clarity is the benefit I have noticed the most. The pressure we all put on ourselves trying to do all the things, the difference in my stress response is also something worth noting. 

What do you wish more people understood about Parkinson’s - especially when it affects younger people?

Everyone faces challenges. It is important to give people space to cope with what is going on in their lives and encourage them. Parkinson’s is a challenge I face, and yes most of the time my back is so sore and it is frustrating when my hormones are out of whack. But I actively choose to try and be happy. My life is sweet. 

If someone reading this is navigating a neurological condition themselves, or supporting someone who is, what would you want them to know?

It doesn’t define you. Surround yourself with people who lift you while they rise. Appreciate the time we live in with all this amazing research, the place you live, your life. Yes, it can be hard but it’s worth making the effort to give yourself the best chance at living well. You are worth it.