Take Steps to Prevent Parkinson’s PART 1

Take Steps to Prevent Parkinson’s
There are some important steps you can take to help minimize your chances of getting this devastating disease. Eat a healthy diet it is the most important aspect of
a health program. This also applies to preventing Parkinson’s disease. Some foods should be eaten only in limited amounts. For example, chocolate is high in copper,
a metal associated with a high risk of Parkinson’s disease. Soy foods are very high in manganese and fluoride, and some pediatricians are quite concerned
with the high amounts of these brain toxins some infants get through soy formulas. Most important is to avoid eating a high protein diet, especially people who are middle-aged and older. Studies have shown that Parkinson’s patients do much better on a low protein diet (50 grams for males and 40 grams for females). This is not related to medications, such as L-dopa, but may be related to the high iron content of red meats. Parkinson’s patients have higher iron levels than normal, and the
levels of iron in the brain rise as the disease progresses. Iron is a powerful generator of free radicals. You should eat at least five to seven servings of fruits and
vegetables, especially nutrient-dense vegetables, to gain the greatest protection. Wash all produce to remove pesticide residues. These
are particularly important:• Blueberries • Raspberries • Blackberries • Spinach All have been shown to enhance brain protection and, especially, brain healing.
Parkinson’s patients usually eat diets higher in calories and especially higher in sugars, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and in animal fats and omega-6
fats. Animal fats are high in pesticide residues, and omega-6 fats increase brain inflammation. Drink only filtered or distilled water, with
magnesium added. Fluoride in all its forms (fluoridated water, toothpaste, fluoride treatments, etc.) should be avoided at all costs. If you have
dental amalgam fillings, they should be removed by a dentist trained in their safe removal. You also should avoid eating fish high in mercury.
Remember — many fish also are high in pesticide and herbicide residues. Increase your antioxidant intake. Much of the damage done by immunoexcitotoxicity is
through massive free-radical generation and lipid peroxidation. Antioxidants, as I have emphasized many times, always work together. Orthodox
physicians just can’t seem to understand this. They treat antioxidants as drugs, and that is why so many of their studies fail.
Here are the major supplements known to reduce inflammation, increase brain energy, improve brain blood flow, reduce free radical damage, and promote
repair of the damaged brain: • A well-compounded multivitamin/mineral. I believe one of the best is Extend Core made by Vitamin Research Products. (Get it at www.vrp.com.) It does not contain iron and it comes in a powdered form. The dose is one capsule three times a day with meals.
• Natural vitamin E and tocotrienol. These are both vitamin E products, but they are in a pure form and contain all of the subtypes of vitamin E. The
best brand is Unique-E (www.vitacost.com). The dose is one capsule of each twice a day. • Vitamin C (as magnesium or calcium ascorbate).
In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C also increases brain energy and stimulates the generation of neurotransmitters. The dose is 1,000
milligrams three times a day on an empty stomach. Taking it with food dramatically increases iron absorption, something most people want to avoid.
I recommend buffered vitamin C capsules. (Get the Pure Encapsulations brand.) • Grape pip. This is from the seed of the grape (the pip) and contains anthrocyanadins, which inhibit free-radical damage and also strengthen blood vessels and suppress microglial activation.
• White tea extract. White and green teas contain a number of highly protective brain chemicals called catechins. The most important is epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG). White tea extract has a higher concentration of these protective chemicals and is free of fluoride and aluminum. The dose is 100
milligrams three times a day. • CoQ10 (ubiquinol). This natural compound is used by all cells to produce energy. Levels are
particularly low in the brains of Parkinson’s disease victims. This form of CoQ10 (the reduced form) has a higher potency than most brands and enters
the brain in higher concentrations. The dose is 50 milligrams to 100 milligrams a day. Life Extension Foundation has an excellent brand (www.lef.org).
• Phosphatidylserine. This is a brain phospholipid that has been shown to energize the brain and protect it against excitotoxic damage. The dose is
100 milligrams a day. • Acetyl-L-carnitine. This compound is found in the brain and has been shown to improve neuron
function, protect neurons against excitotoxicity, and boost dopamine neurotransmission. It alsoincreases the level of braingrowth
factors, which promote brain repair. L-carnitine, which is cheaper, also protects the brain and should be used instead of acetyl-L-carnitine by those
who already have the disease. • Nicotinamide. This is the functional form of niacin and plays a majorrole in the production of energy in the brain and
DNA repair. It has been shown to significantly protect animals from Parkinson’s disease caused by MPTP. This vitamin has also been found to improve
recovery from strokes and head injuries. One way nicotinamide (also called niacinamide) protects brain cells is by increasing SIRT1, a
protective cell-signaling molecule. The dose is 500 milligrams three times a day. (You can get it at www.vitacost.com.)
• Bioidentical hormones. Recent studies haveshown that estrogen replacement (bioidentical hormones) can protect women against Parkinson’s
disease following menopause. Many studies have shown that estrogen (estriol) is protective of brain cells, even against excitotoxicity and inflammation. • Hesperidin. This flavonoid is found in many fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits. Studies have shown that it corrects insulin resistance (Type 2
diabetes) and offers very powerful protection against
a nasty free radical called peroxynitrite. This radical
is found in very high concentrations in the brains
of people with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s
disease. The dose is 500 milligrams three times a
day. (You can find it at www.vitacost.com.)
• Curcumin and quercetin. These two flavonoids
also have been shown to reduce the damage
associated with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s
disease. Both are very powerful anti-inflammatories
and reduce microglial activation and excitotoxicity.