Healing Ways
Relief for Parkinson’s Patients
How Traditional and Complementary
Interventions Can Help by Madiha Saeed, M.D.
that is converted to dopamine in the body. “Unfortunately, natural strategies don’t get a lot of research, so no supplement has been shown to effectively treat the disease,” he asserts. “Mucuna pruriens, a tropical legume that grows in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands, naturally contains levodopa, but studies have shown it to be unreliable.” Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays
a role in controlling memory, mood, sleep, learning, concentration and movement. “If the car doesn’t have gas, then you can’t drive it,” explains Sharlin. Once a patient is taking levodopa to bring dopamine levels up, complementary strategies can be employed to help manage PD symptoms by as much as 73 percent, according to a panel of doctors participating in Te Parkinson’s Solutions Summit. Exercise, sleep and even intimacy with a partner can all be managed well once the car has “gas” to drive it.
Exercise According to Sharlin, the number one strategy for PD patients to maintain their motor function is exercise such as bicycling, chair yoga, movement classes in warm water pools, Pilates and dance. A meta-analysis published in Gerontology and Geriatrics analyzed 15 randomized controlled trials involving 498 participants in several countries to investigate the health impacts of self-directed physical activity (SDPA) on patients with early and mid-stage PD. Te study examined the effects of moderate- intensity exercises, including aerobics, dance, strength training, flexibility exercises and Nordic walking. Te researchers found that the SDPA significantly enhanced gait function, balance, mobility, function and postural control.
nearly 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Every year, nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with this ailment, which causes the gradual loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Symptoms that develop slowly over years include tremors;
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ccording to the Parkinson’s Foundation, more than 10 million people worldwide and
stiff muscles; a slow, shuffling gait; and difficulties with movement and speech. Tere is no cure for PD, and by the
time a patient is diagnosed, they may have already lost 60 to 80 percent of their dopamine-producing cells. According to Kenneth Sharlin, a board-certified neurologist and certified functional medicine doctor, the first line of defense for PD is levodopa (L-Dopa), a pharmaceutical
Gut Health Monitoring gut function is very important for patients with PD, as constipation is very common,” states Trupti Gokani, a board-certified neurologist, health and mindset coach, and Ayurvedic expert. Improving gut function with the help of key nutrients from vegetables, fruits, clean protein, nuts and seeds, olive oil, herbs and spices has been shown to slow the progression of the disease. It is best to choose organic when possible, as that will decrease the exposure to brain-toxic
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