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Lisa Crumrine asked about alternative treatments. I am not yet on any medications myself, and am doing pretty well so far on: - Antioxidants: lots of vitamin E and C, but also selenium etc. Antioxidants are one of the few vitamin/nutritional factors which get approval from the conventional medical community (though I understand their neuroprotective effects are still not beyond doubt) - Ginkgo Biloba: this was recommended to me by Beth Leslie (of this list) and is a good source of flavenoids (??are these related to your proflavenols?? - I'm not a pharmacologist!) Ginkgo has been shown in clinical trials to improve circulation in the extremities (hands and feet) and also the brain. Hence its use for PD. The other alternative treatments I use are aromatherapy massage - I think it's the massage, not the aroma that does the real good, especially foot and hand massage - and conductive education (see my earlier posting back in January, or ask me for more details). As to fava beans - I think this is a red herring. They are certainly a source of L-dopa, and certainly work, but no-one has yet explained to me why this should be a better or safer source of L-dopa than sinemet. Fava beans used in the long term will presumably lead to dyskinesia etc. just like pills do. Any other views out there? Best wishes. Tim ([log in to unmask]) 42/1