How to Help People with Parkinsons

Parkinson's disease was first characterized extensively by an English doctor, James Parkinson, in 1817. Today, we understand Parkinson's to be a disorder of the central nervous system that results from the loss of cells in various parts of the brain, including a region called the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra cells produce dopamine, a chemical messenger responsible for transmitting signals within the brain that allow for coordination of movement. Loss of dopamine causes neurons to fire without normal control, leaving patients less able to direct or control their movement. Parkinson's is one of several diseases categorized by clinicians as movement disorders.

The exact cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, although research points to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. If a continuum existed, with exclusively genetic causes at one end and exclusively environmental causes at the other, different patients would likely fall at many different places along that continuum.

In the past 10 years, researchers have identified a number of rare instances where Parkinson's disease appears to be caused by a single genetic mutation. In these cases, the mutated gene is passed from generation to generation, resulting in a great number of Parkinson's cases within an extended family. On the opposite of end of the continuum, in the early 1980s, a group of heroin users in California took drugs from a batch contaminated with a substance called MPTP. After ingesting this chemical, the drug users were stricken with a form of Parkinson's disease that was primarily, if not exclusively, "environmental" in origin.

For most Parkinson's patients, the cause lies somewhere in the middle. While many PD patients report one or more family members with the disease, it is not always clear that one or several genes are the cause. Similarly, while some patients suspect that exposure to one or another chemical or environmental toxin caused their PD, this also cannot be conclusively proved. Scientists currently believe that, in the majority of cases, genetic and environmental factors interact to cause Parkinson's disease. Research into this subject continues aggressively every day. Unfortunately, however, it is generally impossible to determine what specifically caused an individual's PD.

There is a newly emerging train of though that suggest the problems specified above may all be linked to a miss folded glyco-protein. The exact cause of the miss folding is unclear and it may have its roots in both genetic and environmental issues.

Because the causes of PD are not known, there is currently no scientifically validated preventive course to reduce the risk of Parkinson's onset. The single biggest risk factor for PD is advancing age. Men have a somewhat higher risk compared to women.

That being said, a number of studies have highlighted factors that are associated with either greater or lesser risk of Parkinson's disease. While these studies do not definitively link these factors with Parkinson's disease one way or another, they are subjects on which further research is needed.

For example, smoking and caffeine consumption have been associated with lower rates of Parkinson's disease, while head injury and pesticide exposure have been associated with higher risk. One thing is clear: more research remains to be done.
Longer Term
While the ultimate therapeutic goal for PD is a "neuroprotective" treatment that would halt the progression of the disease or a "neuroregenerative" treatment that would rejuvenate sick nerve cells, no such treatment exists today. Available treatments offer only symptomatic relief. Nevertheless, significant research is being performed in the pursuit of "disease-modifying" therapies, and recent scientific discoveries have increased optimism that such therapies will be developed.

The following tips are the result of many years working with people with Parkinson's and other neurological issues. The essence of it all is to reduce the effects of both environmental toxins and stress raisers which in turn result in free radical damage.
The list is not exhaustive but is very much a work in progress and we can't guarantee any specific results:
Parkinsons is a complex illness and there are no cures. Making dietary changes has been shown to be beneficial and this information covers some of those changes that have been beneficial to some. Please note that there is differing opinion regarding some of the details below but for many we've seen some improvement.
1.Commit to following this regime for at least 90 days or even better 12 months
2.Avoid
a. Alcohol - creates free radicals
b. Smoking
c. Tea and Coffee
d. Wheat - contains high levels of chemical
e. Potato - contains high levels of chemical
f. Milk and dairy products - contains high levels of chemical
g. All Fish if you can - if you must eat fish ensure its is certified deep sea caught - coastal fish contain high levels of chemicals and limit consumption to once a week
h. Stress - weakens the immune and hormonal system
i. Non native and out of season fruits

Make sure you have in your regime a proven Glyconutrient, Vitamin and Minerals and the best antioxidants that improve serum ORAC ßpe levels.

- Plenty of clean Water
- Pyridoxine (P5P) B6 Vitamins may prove helpful (contact: Naturalwayhealth - Free Phone 0800 695 5295).
- Phosphatidylcholine (pronounced fos-fa-tidal-koleen) to the diet take up to 300 to 2,700 mg a day (contact: Naturalwayhealth - Free Phone 0800 695 5295). Be warned this can give you an explosive bowel so add gently and progressively to your regime.
- Octacosonal It is measured in minims ~ work up to taking 30 minims 3 times a day to enable the body to protect and restore the myelin sheath, a protective sheath around nerve fibres. (Contact: Naturalwayhealth Free Phone 0800 695 5295)

Trehalose has the potential to stabilise proteins and based upon some real experience may be part of the solution for Parkinsons.

The Possible Benefits of Phosphatidyl Choline, a Dietary Supplement
-Provides a well-delivered precursor to the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine
- Provides specific hepatoprotective and liver function support*
- Supports overall cellular membrane integrity*

As P5P, vitamin B6 is extensively involved in the metabolism of amino acids, lipids and nucleic acids. Supplementation with vitamin B6 as P5P can be helpful for those unable to produce it efficiently from pyridoxine in the liver.* Excessive protein intake, alcohol or contraceptive use also indicates a greater need for vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 plays a crucial role in the multiplication of cells.*
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, 1 capsule daily with a meal, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.
CAUTION: Large doses of vitamin B6 should not be taken exclusively. Wherever possible, B6 intake should be balanced with other B vitamins. There are some reports of adverse reactions to large doses of vitamin B6 above 300 mg daily.

Prometol® is a unique concentrate of wheat germ oil fortified with d-alpha Tocopherol (derived from natural vegetable oils). It is a source of Octacosanol as well as other policosanols. These fatty acids, which are essential to the diet, provide the building blocks for a variety of polyunsaturated acids used as energy sources for structural lipids.

Suggested Use as a Food Supplement: Take up to 3 capsules three times per day with food, or as directed by s healthcare practitioner. (start slowly)

March 7, 2007 (Houston) The Endowment for Medical Research, a 501(c)(3) public charity, announced today that it is conducting a nutritional survey with central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson, Huntington, and ALS and tracking health outcomes.
The Endowment hopes to gather data from a few thousand participants in this simple self-funding survey over a six month period to provide information toward future pilot surveys and clinical studies.

Trehalose is found in nature and has been tested to produce lower insulin and blood glucose responses than glucose. This verifies that the disaccharide bond is not broken by the digestive system. Two glucose molecules uniquely bonded together form trehalose which is about 45% as sweet as table sugar.

Laboratory animal research using trehalose has shown that it may be beneficial in some neurodegenerative diseases. Other research indicates that it may strengthen cell membrane under certain conditions.
Individuals interested in participating may obtain more information from the organization's website:

Co Enzyme Q10 - CoQ10
This CoQ10 approach has found some merit with PD and may be worth invetsigating.
Creatine
This is also having some effect and it is called called PD-02.