Minomonta’s Reflection on Illness: Sustained Wellness Despite Parkinson’s With Gratitude to Dom Pérignon
Three years have passed since the "world's number one presenter" retired from the front lines, and "I still go to Ginza once a week.
“My doctor once said, ‘Minosan, you picked a good time to get Parkinson’s.’ When I asked why, he said it’s because there’s a great new medicine out, and it’s perfect for me. Guess what the name of the medicine is? ‘Dom Pérignon’ (Note: The formal name is Domperidone). You might think it’s a joke, right? But it’s truly perfect for me. That’s why I happily keep drinking it. Maybe Dom Pérignon is also the reason why the progression is slow.”
Minomonta (79) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019. He was pointed out for staggering at a friend’s funeral and later diagnosed at a university hospital. Subsequently, he resigned from all the shows he was appearing in, such as “Himitsu no Kenmin SHOW” and “Asa Kara Minomonta” (both on Yomiuri TV), by March 2021.
“Many people with Parkinson’s have tremors throughout their bodies, right? Like Muhammad Ali. It was shocking to see his condition. So when I found out I had the same illness, I was depressed. I thought I wouldn’t be able to go to Ginza anymore.“
However, it’s been four and a half years since the onset, and fortunately, there hasn’t been significant deterioration in his condition. He needs to be a bit careful on stairs, but walking on flat ground poses no problem. When he’s just sitting and talking, you wouldn’t know he’s battling an illness.
Currently, his treatment consists only of medication. Rehabilitation is also ongoing concurrently. He purchased a cycling training machine, installed it at both his home and at the water meter company “Nikkoku,” where he commutes five days a week, and cycles for an hour every day without fail.
“I used to walk 3000 steps every day, but I stopped. At first, I was doing it desperately, but then I got tired of it. You know how some people walk back and forth in the pool? Apparently, many Parkinson’s patients do that too. I probably should do it too, but I think it’s okay not to go that far. It’s not a disease that can be completely cured, so there’s no point in pushing too hard.”
