I would like to introduce myself. I joined this list because my 67 year old father was just diagnosed with PD. So far he only his hands shake. Although he has excellent health care, I thought that I could learn a little bit about how he can cope with PD from others who deal with it daily better then from some book or Doctor. Has anyone heard of the use of a Nicotine Patch for dealing with early PD symptoms? Are there benefits to this as opposed to medication early on? Does how much and when one consumes protein REALLY make THAT much difference? Does exercise truly help? My father loves to eat meat and hates excursive and I think it might be a bit of a struggle to get him to eat less of the first and do more of the second! Any suggestions for someone who was just diagnosed with PD? Thanks for your help!!!