I’m looking into non medical ways to manage my Dad’s Parkinson’s. He’s got Tremor dominant Parkinson’s so I’m thinking that high intensity exercises will be helpful. I’ve also been looking into the relationship between the gut and Parkinson’s and have found a lot of research suggesting a plant based diet is the way forward, has anyone got any knowledge or experience of doing this?
We’re willing to try anything and as a general rule, we’re thinking of doing a toxicity cleanse, improving the immune system, reducing acidity in diet and increasing exercise.
I’m not sure this is the answer you expected but can I suggest you try to relax a little? Your dad is lucky to have you on his side and I understand you feeling desperate to do everything you can to help, but it is still early days (you mentioned in another post that he was diagnosed in September) and you all need time to adjust. Some of the things you suggest such as exercise are evidence-based (Parkinson’s Warrior and Tai Chi for example) but for others the evidence base is poor. Our liver and kidneys do a pretty efficient job of clearing toxins from the body, without the need for a “toxicity cleanse”. There is no one diet for Parkinson’s disease and you may find this information from the well-respected Michael Fox Foundation helpful in understanding the issues https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/diet-nutrition.
One thing that is very clear from this forum and elsewhere is that PD is a very individual condition and you need to allow your dad the time and space to work out what he feels is best for himself. For example, my husband is the one with PD and I feel Tai Chi would help him as I’ve enjoyed it myself for some time. But he hates it, so not the right exercise for him. He much prefers walking to relieve his symptoms so we make a point of having at least one long walk every day.
You don’t say how old your dad is or if he has any cognitive issues but try not to overwhelm your dad with too many suggestions and unproven ideas. It will benefit you all if you can slow down a bit and support him in making his own decisions about what’s best for himself if he is able. There’s no rush. And remember to look after yourself too.
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Hi my girlfriend was diagnosed only last month , which was a shock as she’s only 50 and very healthy. As eaten a good organic diet for many years. She has also been working on leaky gut .
We are thinking of trying a Keto diet along with intensive exercise ( well best that can be managed and RIck Simpson full strength cannabis oil . Hoping this will relieve the symptoms naturally.
It sounds like you’ve also done a lot of research too! I really think there’s a positive way to manage this condition and reverse a lot of symptoms. I also think there’s going to be a lot of research in the next 5 years that looks a lot at diet and Parkinson’s I hope you both find useful strategies to manage the condition. Please keep me updated with how you get on Best wishes,
Laura x
Thanks for your reply, it’s nice to speak to somebody else Who’s also positive about natural treatment. We’ve just bought a book by John Pepper
“Reverse Parkinson’s disease”
He’s about 80 years old and claims to have reversed his PD. The book provides the blue print that he followed. Maybe it’s something you’d like to read too.
Keep your chin up , and keep searching.
I also believe the cures out there somewhere.
Hi. I was not impressed with the medication offered by the NHS and chose to use Zandopa and AtremoPlus instead. these are ldopa-rich plant extracts that don’t have the side effects reported for standard medication. I have also researched very thoroughly the role of the digestive system in PD and believe that poor digestive problems are not so much symptoms of the disease but more a significant contributor to the cause and progression of it. I have taken advice from a nutritional therapist who tested me extensively and then put me on the Auto Immune Paleo diet. This has transformed my digestive system and addressed many of my symptoms to good effect… Strongly recommended along with a liberal dose of daily exercise. I have no delusions about curing the disease but feel that I now have some control over it. Hang in there! JCPB
Hi thanks for the positive input JCPB .
We’re very interested in the diet , can I ask what symptoms it helped you with and when these could be felt after starting the diet . Sorry if I’m being to direct, i feel desperate for information that you can trust in . Most articles online finish with them wanting to sell some product .
Hi,
For some years I had chronic diarrhoea alternating with constipation. My GP put it down to IBS and sent me on a course to learn how to manage my symptoms. In 2010 I started having tremor which I self diagnosed as being Essential Tremor. My GP agreed with this diagnosis and left me to sort out for myself.
When PD was confirmed in 2016 I agreed initially to try Madopa but became disillusioned when y prescription included sickness pills and I became queasy whenever I took the Madopa. I did a lot of research and decided that the NHS treatment was purely symptom based with long term disadvantages, so I opted for Mucuna pruriens as my tremor control mechanism and it has worked well for me so far.
I also asked what dietary help could be given to my by the NHS but was told “no further tests were available”. So I paid a qualified nutritional therapist to put my guts to the test and from the comprehensive result we decided on adopting the Paleo diet. I have been on it for over a year now. My gut now performs better than it had done for at least 10 years. I have stopped losing weight and have the energy to exercise comprehensively.
I haven’t found a cure for PD and don’t expect to
. But my life is much improved. My strong advice to anyone with this disease is to research it thoroughly and take prime responsibility for controlling the disease. It’s your body and your life. You can understand it better than anyone else. Until the causes of this disease are properly understood it is unlikely that any “cure” will be forthcoming. That will take more time. Hope this helps! JCPB
Hi JCPB
Thanks it did help.
My mrs has not suffered with bowel movements , but we understand why now as we’ve eaten a paleo diet for many years . She now trying a Keto diet as we believe the brain runs better of fats rather than sugars , especially for Parkinson’s patient. Thanks again for helping us confirm the importance of food.
Although there’s plenty of evidence to show that “toxicity cleanses” are nonsense, you’re absolutely right about the importance of good nutrition in keeping PD under control, as with many chronic conditions. My husband has never had bowel issues probably because we have always grown a lot of our own fruit & vegetables and eaten a diet cooked “from scratch” with few processed foods.
I share your feelings about standard medication (which had a disastrous effect on my MIL who was eventually diagnosed with DLB) and fortunately we have not had to make a decision on this as my husband’s neurologist, a movement disorders specialist, shares our views that he is best left untreated with drugs given his particular constellation of symptoms. Exercise however, especially a long walk each day, is an essential part our lives.
One has to take responsibility for oneself as far as one is able though due to cognitive issues my husband somtetmes needs my support to do so. PD impacts us both but between us we’ve learnt how to control things for my husband to the benefit of us both; we continue to live full lives. Too little is understood about the causes of the disease, including its differing manifestations, for there to be a chance of a cure anytime soon.
This is a really good book - I’ve also found the “Road to recovery from Parkinson’s disease” by Robert Rodgers really helpful and has a lot of information about alternative therapies.
I’m really pleased that there are other people who believe in keeping an open mind with treatment of PD and possible reversal of PD. I’ll be sure to update you if I see anything that might be of interest.
We’ll check that book out as well .
The way I see it , things brake naturally so logically things can also be fixed naturally. Il also drop you a message if we come across anything interesting
Stay positive
Andy
Best wishes,