Sometimes sickness is less a verdict than a chance at vindication. Sometimes it is an opportunity to convert a condition into a career, where the therapies of a great nation complement the technologies of a great idea, where one person's struggles with Parkinson's disease (PD) evolve into a series of travels and techniques, where an entrepreneur regains his energy and applies his enthusiasm for practical purposes, where a prognosis becomes an invitation for progress among patients worldwide.
Such is the story of Manoj Agarwala, Founder and CEO of 9zest: A personalized app for individuals with PD, in addition to those undergoing physical therapy after having suffered a stroke or seeking a superior form of pain management.
It is this tale, with Mr. Agarwala's journeys to India - with his exposure to therapies that combine the best traditions of the Old World with the New, with his reversal of his symptoms and his improvement of his motor skills, with his commitment to his online therapy regimen and his conquest of a 30-mile hike in Yellowstone National Park - it is this narrative of success that is responsible for the success of 9zest.
Hence the app's emphasis on personalization, in which users may improve movement, gait, balance, posture and vocal abilities. Hence, too, the advantages of better sleep, enhanced mood and an increased sense of social activity. These strengths also include two distinctive features:
9zest Smart
Intelligent Self-Learning Software that analyzes assessments, evidence and feedback to evolve with the needs of each user; and
Audio-Video Play-Along Sessions
A synchronized module that plays recommended sessions from 9zest. The app further provides the option to work with live coaches, practice meditation and specialize a program for a user's needs or schedule. I encourage readers to download this app because, since I have a parent with PD and since I know how technology can (and does) play a revolutionary role in science and medicine, it would be wrong for me not to invite people to try this recourse.
The best example of this point is, of course, Mr. Agarwala's recovery. By his own initiative, and through the services 9zest makes available to people worldwide, Mr. Agarwala proves that he is a man of his word. Rather, he is a man of action: He gives us the rewards of his many months of labor, of his many meetings at home and abroad, of his many hours of tears and sweat, of his many mornings - and nights - of rehabilitation, of his many trials at creating (and then perfecting) an app as comprehensive as it is customizable; as thorough as it is therapeutic; as intelligent as it is intuitive; as wise as it is welcoming; as inspiring as it is inviting.
These facts speak to leadership and individual initiative. They speak to the will of the human spirit and the spiritedness of a singular human being. With a zest for life, 9zest gives users hope - a huge gift, indeed.
About the Author
Lewis Fein writes about a variety of health and wellness issues, in addition to pieces about technology, business, and management. Based in Southern California, you may email him at feinlewis@gmail.com.
