to what extent nutrition can help P...

to what extent nutrition can help PD symptoms

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a general yet devastating, neurological condition afflicting about 1 million the public many of whom are across age 50. The incidence of PD in younger the bulk of mankind with this disease is increasing at an alarming rate, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association.

tribe with Parkinson's typically experience tremor of the hands, rigidity, poor balance and mild intellectual deterioration. Despite remedy therapy, it remains a progressive and incurable condition.

Although Parkinson's can come to pass from viral infection or in all senses to environmental toxins, the causes of the majority of cases are not well understood. Scientists suspect that free-radical damage to neuron in the brain could well be united of the major causes of this disease, particularly becoming to the depletion of the antioxidant glutathione.

Improving the antioxidant system

Of all the nutritional strategies available, antioxidants appear to be the principally promising choices to prevent or inactive the progression of this condition. For prevention and addition to treatment, I commend the following antioxidants:

* Alpha lipoic acid 50-250 mg a day in the morning, with breakfast.

* Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) 50-100 mg each morning, with breakfast.

* Fish oil. 500-1000 mg for day, with meals.

* Ginkgo 120-160 mg (divided into three doses).

* NAC (N-acetylcysteine) 50-100 mg by day, with a B-complex, before breakfast.

* NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide H) 25 to 5 mg each other morning on an void stomach.

* Selenium. 100-200 micrograms a day can be taken with any meal.

* Vitamin C 1000-3000 mg for day.

* Vitamin E 400-600 IU a day, preferably of mixed tocopherols, taken with any meal.

A light at the expiration of the tunnel?

Now that major celebrities, like Michael J Fox are lending their star power to this inattentioned disease, innovative treatments will likely be sought after, whether treatment is diet, supplementation or sophisticated (safer). pharmaceuticals.

In the public eye: Michael J Fox brings worldwide attention to Parkinson's

Nothing appear to bes to educate the public more about health and medicine than when a celebrity is diagnosed with a disease. fit to Christopher Reeve's horseback riding accident, we now know about spinal cord injuries; President Reagan's diagnosis brought attention to Alzheimer's disease; equable MTV's Tom Green offered an eye-opening contemplate at testicular cancer after the documentary of his diagnosis and treatment. in such a manner it comes as no surprise that Parkinson's disease is now in the forefront of media attention, befitting to Michael J. Fox's announcement, and posterior call to action, in the war against the debilitating disease that also afflicts Billy Graham, Janet Reno and Muhammad Ali.

In 1998 Fox 39 publicly announced that he was battling Parkinson's, a disease that was generally considered to exclusively afflict the elderly

In the May 22 2000 issue of Newsweek, Fox shed a light on what his life has been like since leaving his hit television present to view "Spin City." He explained he decided to leave his piece of work after a vacation in the Caribbean. "I'd been finding through the whole extent of the last few years that my symptoms were milder forward vacations," he said. "Without the stres I was having an easier time of it. In order to do the point out to I have to be gussied up with medication."

Fox underwent a thalamotomy--brain surgery aimed at managing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease--and also takes the physic Sinemet to control his tremors.

In a Dec 7 1998 interview with population magazine, Fox explained how it be stirreds to have Parkinson's. "There's all kinds of ways you can examine at it, and I happen to be really positive [] If I was 70 years advanced in years I wouldn't feel like it was in such a manner weird. But I know that by dint of the time I'm 50, this will be wrapped up"

In fact, Fox has dedicated himself to Parkinson's research. In May 2000 he launched the website for the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at www.michaeljfox.org.

Ray Sahelian, MD is the author of the newly published Mind Boosters: A Guide to Natural addition s That Enhance Your Mind, Memory, and temper (St. Martin's Press, 2000). papal court www.raysahelian.com.

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