Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative condition that leads to reduced facial expressions, stiffness, rigid muscles, tremor, and balance and walking concerns. There are many conventional medications and surgical options that can improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. However, many people with the condition wonder “Is there a natural cure for Parkinson’s Disease?” This article is going to shed light on the answer to that question.
How do you get Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative condition that causes a decline to certain parts of the brain that are responsible for making the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for many functions in the body, including control of movement and emotional facial expressions. When dopamine levels are too low, Parkinson’s symptoms begin to present. The exact cause of Parkinson’s Disease is yet unclear. There has been a lot of research and theories that suggest that Parkinson’s Disease is a result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In essence, this theory suggests that if a person with a genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s has high exposures to environmental toxins, they may develop Parkinson’s Disease.
Is There a Natural Cure for Parkinson’s?
The short answer to the question “Is there a natural cure for Parkinson’s Disease” is no. There currently is not a natural, or conventional, cure for Parkinson’s Disease. Even though there is no cure, there are still treatments that can improve Parkinson’s symptoms. Main-stream medicine offers medication and surgical options to improve dopamine levels in the brain. Natural medicine offers nutrition, herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other natural therapies. These different approaches can improve dopamine levels in the brain and also improve overall brain health. Although no natural cure for Parkinson’s Disease exists, much can be done to improve the health and quality of life of someone with Parkinson’s disease.
What Natural Treatments are Available for Parkinson’s Disease?
As with any type of treatment, it is important to talk with your doctor about which natural treatments might be right for you. Although there are many natural treatments that can improve symptoms, it is important to make sure they are safe in your particular health condition.
Lifestyle
Having good healthy lifestyle habits can improve the overall health of an individual with Parkinson’s Disease.
- Good Nutrition
- Consuming a well-balanced diet of good fats and proteins, veggies, and some starch is a good foundation for nutritional health. Eliminating high inflammatory foods and consuming high anti-inflammatory foods can improve the health of the body.
- Quality Sleep
- Sleep is when the body heals. Getting good quality sleep and enough sleep helps the body to rest and repair.
- Regular Exercise
- Regular exercise improves the function of the muscles and improves dopamine levels.
Detoxification Treatments
Many believe that Parkinson’s Disease develops after the body has been exposed to environmental toxins. Removing those toxins can reduce the toxin load on the body and improve health.
- Chelation Therapy
- Chelation therapy is a treatment that will help remove heavy metals from the body.
- Sweat Therapies
- Sweat therapies, like FIR sauna, can heat bodily tissue and cause the body to sweat. Toxins can be removed through sweat.
- Liver and Colon Cleanses
- The liver cleanses the blood and the colon eliminates waste and toxins through the stool. Cleansing both the liver and colon can help eliminate toxins from the body.
Herbs
- Mucuna Pruriens
- Mucuna Pruriens is a natural plant that contains L-Dopa, the precursor to dopamine. L-dopa crosses the blood-brain barrier and turns into dopamine in the brain. Increasing dopamine levels can improve Parkinson’s symptoms.
- Curcumin
- Curcumin is the main polyphenol found in turmeric. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can improve overall brain health.
Nutrients
- B vitamins
- B vitamins are essential for the function of certain enzymes in the body. The enzyme that converts L-Dopa to Dopamine requires B6. Certain Parkinson’s medications can deplete the body of B vitamins. B vitamin deficiency can worsen Parkinson’s symptoms.
- CoQ10
- CoQ10 is a natural substance that is made by the body. It is needed for the cells to make energy. Research has been done on CoQ10 and Parkinson’s Disease. The results show that there was no noticeable difference in Parkinson’s motor symptoms in the group taking CoQ10 vs placebo.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can be very beneficial for Parkinson’s patients. Physical therapy can help to maintain muscle strength, good posture, good balance, and good walking abilities.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a treatment of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture can help improve Parkinson’s symptoms and also nonspecific Parkinson’s symptoms like insomnia or mental/emotional symptoms.
Do Natural Treatments Work?
Natural treatments for Parkinson’s disease have not been as extensively studied as conventional Parkinson’s treatments have. However, there have been many studies conducted on natural treatments and Parkinson’s Disease. There have been studies that research the effectiveness of certain lifestyle changes, herbs, vitamins, amino acids, and other natural therapies. Some research studies do show some positive results.
Although there is not a natural cure for Parkinson’s Disease, natural medicine can offer hope for an improved quality of life. If you would like more information on how natural medicine can help, please contact The Parkinson’s Plan at 603-677-1484.
Author
Dr. Darlyn Dragg, ND