Causes Of Parkinsons Disease
As identified by specialists, the main cause of PD is the brains inability to produce dopamine. But, what makes the brain not able to produce dopamine? Your health is in your hands. Be educated and take charge.
Here are some of the reasons that contribute to the deterioration of not only PD but also neurological health:
- Various nutrient deficiencies
Restricting Diet May Reverse Early
A new Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center study suggests that early-stage Parkinson’s disease patients who lower their calorie intake may boost levels of an essential brain chemical lost from the neurodegenerative disorder.
The study by Charles Meshul, Ph.D., associate professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine and the VAMC’s Neurocytology Lab, shows that dietary restriction reverses a Parkinson’s-induced drop in glutamate, a brain neurotransmitter important for motor control, function and learning, in a mouse model for the disease’s early stages.
The results, presented today at the Society for Neuroscience’s 35th annual meeting in Washington, D.C., are the first to show that a restricted diet can disable neurochemical changes in the brain occurring in early-stage Parkinson’s even after those changes are observed.
“In the early stages of the disease, we see certain markers in the brain that are changing that may be indicative that dietary restriction is helpful,” Meshul said.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder affecting a region of the brain called the substantia nigra where movement is controlled. Symptoms such as tremor or shaking, muscular stiffness or rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with balance appear when about 80 percent of cells in the body that produce the neurochemical dopamine die or become impaired.
Mindfulness Meditation And Stress Reduction Reduce Parkinsons Symptoms And Boost Dopamine
If you read last weeks post, you learned why chronic stress is a risk factor for Parkinsons disease. Chronic stress causes neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and elevated cortisol levels, which lead to a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Chronic stress also decreases neurogenesis. Stressful life events, job-related stress, and stress-related personality traits all increase the risk of developing Parkinsons. Stress level also worsens motor symptoms and predicts worse disease progression.
The idea that chronic stress is a factor in developing Parkinsons has become mainstream fairly recently. Studies have shown how stress leads to the death of dopaminergic neurons, but not much research has been done yet to test how methods of stress reduction may improve symptoms, and those that have been done have been short-term. However, in personal reports of improvement of motor symptoms and recovery, nearly everyone cites mindfulness, mindful movement, meditation, and/or stress reduction as a critical part of their recoveryyoull read some of these stories in the next section.
In 2001, researchers demonstrated for the first time how a conscious experience is associated with the release of a neurotransmitter. During Yoga Nidra meditation, which reduces stress and is known as yogic sleep, participants experienced a 65% increase in endogenous dopamine release.
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Combine Exercise With Diet
Dr. Gostkowski says if you want to feel your best, combine a healthy diet with exercise. Research has shown that regular exercise can improve PD symptoms.
Do exercise that raises your heart rate, Dr. Gostkowski says. Aim for about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Dont worry about specific exercises. Do an activity you enjoy, as long as it gets your heart rate up. Try brisk walking or biking or more advanced exercise for veteran athletes. I recommend seeing an occupational therapist. They can tailor an exercise program to your needs.
Parkinsons Disease Perspectives Are Bleak
Thats because Parkinsons disease is progressive. This means that the symptoms increase in severity over time.
, as well as the difficulty in walking.)
And while there are many medications that treat Parkinsons, none actually cure it or even reverse the effects of the disease.
Loss of independence
Parkinsons disease sufferers are actually expected to not be able to walk independently any more after about 8 to 15 years.
Theyre supposed to be bedridden and highly dependent on caregivers after that period of time.
And thats even WITH medication.
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Parkinsons Disease Natural Treatment & Remedies In 5 Steps
Parkinsons disease is a degenerative illness of the nervous system that results in loss of intentional movement and impaired motor functioning. Parkinsons disease symptoms affects smooth, natural movements of the body, and can make it hard to perform everyday tasks like speaking properly, walking, swallowing and sleeping.
With Parkinsons, the area of the brain that controls muscular movements receives less dopamine than usual. Dopamine is an important chemical necessary for not only coordinating proper body movements, but also things like learning, increasing motivation and regulating moods. This is one reason why depression and other mood changes often affect those with Parkinsons.
What causes Parkinsons, and is it curable? There is no specific known cause, but some aggravating factors include exposure to certain chemicals and toxic water, plus inflammation of the brain. While there is no cure for Parkinsons , there are medications available to boost dopamine in the brain and help manage symptoms.
A 2016 study by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan also found a possible way to stop the progression of Parkinsons. Researchers created caffeine-based chemical compounds which also contained nicotine, metformin and aminoindan that prevented the misfolding of alpha-synuclein, a protein necessary for dopamine regulation.
Naturaltreatment For Parkinsons #9 Exercise And Other Alternative Therapies:
Regular exercise has been shown to help Parkinsonssufferers by reducing muscle stiffness, increasing mobility, and enhancing postureand balance. Exercise also increases oxygen levels and neurotransmitters, alongwith releasing potent mood elevating chemicals called endorphins.
The type of exercise performed for PD is crucial. Aqua orwater aerobics can be particularly useful as traditional exercise is usuallyquite difficult for many Parkinsons sufferers. Muscle decline, loss of strength,stiffness and loss of balance can make conventional exercises difficult toperform. The great thing about aqua aerobics is it still has the same benefits as other exercise regimens,but the risk of falling is eliminated.
Other types of exercises that can be beneficial for PDsufferers include Tai Chi, Yoga, dancing, walking, aerobic/jazzercise classes,and general stretching.
For more information on the different exercise programsavailable for Parkinsons patients, you can check out this website Exercise and Physical Therapy for ParkinsonsDisease
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Beat Parkinsons Disease Naturally
The key to preventing and reversing Parkinsons disease is to begin with an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle.
Dr. David Jockers
Natural News
2011 December 1
Parkinsons disease is the second most common degenerative disorder of the central nervous system after Alzheimers disease. It is estimated that 1% of individuals over the age of 65 are diagnosed with this disorder. Natural lifestyle interventions can prevent and reverse Parkinsons disease.
Parkinsons particularly affects a region of the basal ganglia called the substantia nigra. The basal ganglia are a group of brain structures that utilize dopamine as their primary neurotransmitter. Neuronal loss in these regions is associated with brain cell inflammation and the formation of cross-linked proteins called Lewy bodies in the remaining nerve cells. Lewy bodies are protein aggregates that form and block normal cellular activity.
The most common symptoms of Parkinsons include movement related disorders such as shaking, rigidity, difficulty walking and slowness of movement. As the disease progresses, it leads to cognitive and behavioral problems such as dementia, insomnia and irritability.
Type II Diabetes Dramatically Increases Parkinson Disease Risk
Could You Possibly Do The Same And Reverse Your Parkinson’s Disease
I am not a doctor, nor have I ever had any medical training!I am merely a Parkinson’s Patient, who has had the good fortune to have been able to reverse many of his movement symptoms!
YES! You possibly can… and I urge you to follow this path!
- The unique lifestyle modification protocol I use.
- The unique Brain exercises I use.
- The exact physical exercises I use, to reverse my Parkinson’s.
- How you will see life, when you start to feel better, and why it is important to exercise.
- The special dietary advice I follow .
- The knowledge of the silent killer, that you might not even be aware of.
- How to improve your sleep, and in the process, have more energy.
- How to focus your mind, and take back control of your movements.
- What type of Parkinson’s medication is capable of slowing down the progression of your PD, and what types aren’t.
I am going to urge you again. These are the exact steps that I, John Pepper, and countless others, have followed to successfully reverse Parkinson’s disease.In all my research, which spans well over the last 20 years, and hundreds of hours of my own time – not even mentioning the countless hours other experts have put in – I have found this to be the only way I know of to successfully reverse Parkinson’s disease.
I offer every one of you the exact Blueprint, that I have followed, for Reversing my Parkinson’s disease.
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Study: Compound In Fruit Herbs May Prevent Reverse Parkinson’s Brain Damage
July 28 — A compound found naturally in herbs, berries and other fruit prevents and reverses brain damage linked to Parkinson‘s disease in mice, a study published Wednesday by Science Translational Medicine found.
Farnesol, which also is used in flavorings and perfume, halted the loss of brain cells that produce dopamine in the brains of the rodents, the researchers said.
It did so by deactivating PARIS, a key protein involved in the progression of Parkinson’s disease, they said.
Loss of neurons, or brain cells, affects movement and function, leading to Parkinson’s disease symptoms such as tremors, muscle rigidity, confusion and dementia.
Farnesol’s ability to block PARIS could help guide the development of new treatments designed to target the protein, the researchers said.
“Our experiments showed that farnesol both significantly prevented the loss of dopamine neurons and reversed behavioral deficits in mice,” study co-author Dr. Ted Dawson said in a press release.
” its promise as a potential drug treatment to prevent Parkinson’s disease,” said Dawson, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering in Baltimore.
For this study, Dawson and his colleagues screened a large library of drugs to find those that blocked the activity of the PARIS protein.
- Topics
Natural Treatment For Parkinsons #1 Cannabis/medicalmarijuana:
Cannabis, aka medical marijuana, is an incredibletreatment for Parkinsons disease. You can have a Parkinsons patient shakingviolently and uncontrollably, and yet within 30-40 minutes of self-administering with some cannabis, their symptoms will almost completely disappear. Watch this short 2minute video from Parkinsons sufferer, Ian Frizell, who shows you what he waslike before self-medicating with cannabis and then again after. The change is truly astonishing!
Taylor French is another Parkinsons patient thatundergoes a remarkable transformation once he ingests what he calls nutritional vegetable extract . This guy has an advanced form ofParkinsons and is normally confined to a wheelchair with limited use of hisbody due to stiff and rigid muscles . But after ingestingsome cannabis hes able to walk, and incredibly, in his video he even getsinto his car and drives off down the road!
You can view it here
Elyse Del Francia also tells the story of her Parkinsonssuffering husband, and the time she decided to smother his morning pancakes withsome canabutter. She said
Within45 minutes of eating a pancake with marijuana on it, he stopped shaking. Thatwas my lightbulb moment. Thats when I knew that I was onto something thatwould relieve his pain and suffering, because its horrible, horrible, to haveParkinsons Disease and not have any relief. I feel that this is something thathelps so many people in so many ways with pain and suffering. 5
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Nanotechnology: Science Fiction Or Fact
The grand vision would be to develop a therapy that would accurately target alpha synuclein pathology, dissolve the toxic aggregates and push the equilibrium back towards normal monomeric alpha synuclein. Would this sci-fi dream ultimately be the definitive cure for PD? With the aptly named, graphene quantum dots , perhaps this dream is right in from of us. These nanoparticles have been shown to penetrate the blood brain barrier in rodents and protect dopaminergic neurons exposed to alpha synuclein preformed fibrils. In vitro data suggests these GQDs can in fact interact with alpha synuclein fibrils, blocking their formation and even promoting their disaggregation . If safe and sufficiently selective, might these GQDs be the magic bullet for PD?
What Helps Parkinsons Disease
There is no official cure for Parkinsons Disease.
As the disease progresses, patients often suffer from cognitive decline. Existing treatments can help ease symptoms, but over time, the drugs themselves can cause debilitating side effects.
Carbidopa is most commonly used for Parkinsons disease. However, there can be a number of negative side effects and problems associated with the administration of carbidopa during treatment of Parkinsons disease. This is thought to be because the administration of carbidopa will deplete the body of vitamin B-6, l-tyrosine, l-tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan , serotonin, and sulfur amino acids.
The properly balanced administration of Mucuna pruriens , and not carbidopa, in conjunction with 5-HTP, l-tyrosine, l-cysteine, and other supportive nutritional supplements can improve symptoms.
A research study, led by Dr. Marty Hinz and printed in the International Journal of Internal Medicine, was done with 254 Parkinsons patients who were newly diagnosed with no previous treatment and those who were diagnosed more than 20 years before and had tried many other medical treatment options. It showed that these supplements were helpful in the treatment of Parkinsons Disease.
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Finding May Renew Interest In Parkinson’s Drug
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative brain disorder. The disease attacks the cells that make the chemical dopamine. This leads to loss of muscle movement control and disability, as well as tremors that are associated with the disease. Other symptoms include slow movement, stiff muscles, aches, and problems with balance and coordination.
There is no cure for the disease. But medications, which boost dopamine levels, can help manage symptoms.
An improvement in symptoms was seen in a small study of people with Parkinson’s disease who received an injection of the drug into the affected brain region. There is a strong association between the level of disability from the disease and the severity of dopamine loss in the brain.
But a second study was halted after the drug’s maker Amgen withdrew GDNF in part due to safety reasons.
After a 62-year-old man who had participated in the first trial of GDNF died of an unrelated heart attack three months after the treatment stopped, researchers analyzed his brain and reported their findings in the current issue of Nature Medicine.
Because GDNF had been infused into only one side of the brain, researchers say they were able to assess the impact of treatment by comparing the two sides.
They say the findings may renew interest in GDNF as a potential therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
Show Sources
SOURCES: Love, S. Nature Medicine, July 2005 online edition vol11: pp 703-704. Press release, University of Bristol.
Home Remedyfor Parkinsons #8 Green Tea:
Green tea contains theanine, a nutrient that increasesdopamine levels in the brain, and polyphenol antioxidants that help fight free radicals. Three separate studies all found that regularlydrinking tea can either delay or prevent the development of PD. A retrospectivestudy also found that drinking three or more cups of tea a day can delay the onsetof motor symptoms. And a 2007 study found that green tea polyphenols protect braincells and dopamine neurons, and this positive effect increases with the moregreen tea consumed. 10
The minimum amount that should be drank every day is 3cups, with 6-9 cups a day being the ideal.Matcha green tea is the most potent and beneficial so try and purchase this ifyou can. A strong cup of coffee first thing in the morning is thought tobe effective for reducing the symptoms of Parkinsons disease as well, however,we recommend you stick with green tea, or even a strong cup of black tea ifyou can for the theanine and EGCGs.
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Eat More Organic Fresh Raw Fruits And Vegetables
It is a known fact that eating more fresh, raw fruits and vegetables is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Fruits and vegetables provide your body with all the nutrients that your body needs, without any side effect: Phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, amino acids, fiber and anti-inflammatory properties.
When eating processed and fast foods, they are void of these nutrients on their own, but require them for digesting the foods, thus causing nutrient deficiencies that contribute to deterioration of health.
If you dont eat much fruits and vegetables now, then you will have a lot to catch up on. Drinking freshly extracted juices will help speed up your healing. The key is to eat/drink of them raw and organic .
Green juices contain high levels of chlorophyll that is powerful in healing of the gut and to detoxify the body of heavy metals. So it makes sense to start drinking green juices in small amount, gradually building up the amount to up to 2-3 glasses of green juices a day.
If drinking green juices is a hassle for you, a good alternative is making your own moringa tea or green matcha tea that are very rich in chlorophyll and anti-cancer properties.
Symptoms And Warning Signs
Symptoms of Parkinsons fall into two major categories: those related to motor functions, and those related to changes in someones mood. The four most common signs and symptoms of Parkinsons disease include:
- Trembling: This usually presents itself in the arms, jaw, legs and face.
- Rigidity: Most patients experience stiffness of the bodys core as well as their arms and legs.
- Bradykinesia: This is the term for slowness of movement. Some patients pause or freeze when moving without being able to start again, and others begin to shuffle when trying to walk.
- Postural instability : This results in loss of strength, loss of balance and problems with moving muscles or coordinating body parts.
Other symptoms that can also occur, which often impact someones moods and other behaviors, include:
- Sexual dysfunction
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