Medical Questions » Brain Questions » Question No. 1603
| Question: | Can nutrition help Parkinson' s? |
| Answer: | Although Parkinson' s needs close medical supervision, sufferers can benefit enormously from nutritional therapy. Research has shown they are often deficient in certain nutrients, so supplements can be helpful. Digestive difficulties are also common, so identifying food sensitivities, taking enzymes and healing the gut lining are important. Many people with Parkinson' s also suffer from chronic constipa-tion, which can be alleviated by drinking 1.5 litres of water daily, taking aloe vera juice, eating foods such as prunes, cabbage and celery, and exercising (with the help of a physiotherapist).
The known cause of Parkinson' s is a difficulty with converting amino acids into dopamine, adrenalin and noradrenalin. So a nutritional approach demands a very specific type of diet that controls the amounts of the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine in the diet, and ensures an optimal intake of vitamin B6 and zinc, among other nutrients, that help to convert them into dopamine, adrenalin and noradrenalin. Many people with Parkinson' s also have high levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which indicates an inability to balance the brain' s chemistry and which can be substantially helped by taking vitamins B12, B6 and folic acid. Keeping all these nutrients in balance is quite complicated, however, and for this reason I strongly recommend you see a nutritional therapist who has experience in treatingpeople with Parkinson' s. |
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