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SJS-OnTheNet wrote: > > Dear PD Digest Members: > > For those of you who are searching for HOLISTIC (as opposed to purely > pharmaceutical) approaches to dealing with PD, perhaps the following will > be of interest: > > I just attended an exceptional symposium -- the First Global Conference on > Nutritional & Vitamin Therapy -- here in NYC. Many experts, from across the > US & elsewhere, spoke. Many were MDs, NDs, nutritionists, and complementary > medicine/nutrition/health researchers. In all, they had a lot to say about > the holistic versus the allopathic medicine approaches to health. They covered > a lot of ground -- and that included throwing the spotlight on new approaches > toward dealing with neurodegenerative diseases. > > Parkinson's and Alzheimer's were part of that focus. > > Among the key suggestions offered were that PD (and memory-loss and Alzheimers) > can often be slowed or, in some cases, *possibly* even be reversed, by giving > various specific nutrients and antioxidants. > > Among the recommendations was, at the top of the list, PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE > (possibly along with phosphatidylcholine): > > It was claimed that studies have shown that phosphatidylserine, which is a > natural biochemical and is *not* a drug -- and is available over-the-counter > at most healthfood stores & possibly pharmacies -- can actually stimulate > the regrowth and rejuvenation of brain-cells, and that it can also spark the > growth of new brain-cells as well, in effect going a long way (though "how > long a way" may vary) to restore a better functioning of the brain. This > translates, it was claimed, into improved memory, improved motor skills, > and in some cases even a reversal of a given level of PD to a more healthy, > "younger" state: PD and Sinemet gradually cause damage, while in contrast > phosphatidylserine was said to apparently be able to bring the brain to a > healthier and more youthful condition. > > The key speaker on this particular nutrient, Dr. Parris Kidd (PhD) of PMK > Biochemical-Nutritional Research (Albany, CA) -- he consults for a > leading nutrient manufacturer for the industry -- even gave some specific > case examples, in which he described how the apparent reversal of PD > symptoms in those particular individuals was dramatic. He also clarified > that phosphatidylserine has, he said, no adverse side-effects. I spoke > with him at length later and was quite impressed and will investigate > further. > > (Perhaps other CARE or PD Digest members have used phosphatidylserine > and can contribute data as to their experiences with it, or can research > it further and report their findings here.) > > Some other important recommendations that various of the lecturers (and > others with whom I spoke) suggested regarding good ways to keep the > braincells healthy and/or protect & revitalize them -- and thus to slow or > reduce PD -- included NADH; DHEA; Vitamin C (preferably a nonacidic form > such as Esther C With Bioflavinoids); Vitamin E; Selenium; Melatonin; > Acetyl-L-Carnitine; Gingko Biloba; Alpha Lipoic Acid (which is a powder, > usually available in capsules); NAC (n-acetyl cysteine); Zinc; Evening > Primrose Oil; Flaxseed Oil. (*** NOTE: One nutritionist there told me that > there was a report indicating that it is not safe to take both Gingko > Biloba & Melatonin together; I need more info about this.) > > Additional recommendations thaI I heard there (and in speaking elsewhere > with other nutritionists) include DMAE; SOD (superoxide dismutase); DMG > (dimethyly glycine); Glutathione; and Milk Thistle (Silymarin) Extract. > > Additionally, various MDs or NDs there told me that GABA (gamma-amino butyric > acid, which is a neutrotransmitter that comes in powdered form and is > administered under the tongue) can often be very good to administer in PD > -- and that is has no adverse effects. My own experience (with my mother, > who has PD) is that the GABA is indeed effective (usually) in slowing/stopping > her tremors. > > It was also suggested that a B-50 complex (as well as multivitamins > generally) would be helpful. I asked about the view that Vitamin B6 -- > which would be in the B-50 complex -- is supposed *not* to be advisable > for a PD person who takes Levodopa or Sinemet; the response was that while > that may be the case if the individual is taking Levodopa (i.e., no > carbidopa with it), the small amount of B6 in a B-50 complex tablet ought > to be okay for someone who's on Sinemet -- and that the B6 can be very > helpful to the brain. > > Various of the experts there also said that PD appears (according to their > research) to in significant measure stem from TOXINS (usually in the > form of heavy metals) that have collected in the liver (and perhaps, as in > the case of mercury & thallium from "silver amalgam" dental fillings, in > the brain). > > Consequently, various of these people also recommended that a person with PD > (or various of the other neurodegenrative illnesses) go through a proper > "detoxification regimen" -- of which it seems there are many -- to get these > toxins out of the body. There were so many people & companies there in this > field that I can barely remember them all. I do recall that I was impressed > by the regimens offered by, for example, REXALL SUNDOWN (mail-order nutrients > etc.; affiliated with the Rexall Drugstore chain; they have an 800-number), > and the GERSON INSTITUTE in Arizona & Mexico. > > (You might want to do an internet-search, via an engine such as yahoo.com, on > the word "detoxify" or "detoxification" or "gerson" or "rexall", etcetera, for > more specifics.) > > Along those lines, one of the speakers, a Dr. Catherine Picoulin -- she's an > ND and "holistic nutritional consultant" (based in Colfax, CA) -- also urged > that anyone with "silver amalgam" fillings have them removed and replaced by > the more body-friendly substances that most holistic dentists use. She said > that there seems to be a real correlation between neurodegenerative disorders > and mercury/thallium toxicity resulting from those elements leeching out of > "silver amalgam" fillings. > > (***A NOTE OF CAUTION: She also clarified that it is vital that anyone planning > to have those fillings removed also start taking a special "protection" regimen > -- she suggested a product called (I think) "Rosemary TF" available from a > company called DynaPro -- to protect the body from the burst of mercury-toxins > that she explained would be released into the mouth by the filling-removal > process itself. The time-frame required for following this protection-regimen > was a little unclear to me, but I think that she said that this regimen should > start a week before the removal and run through to a week after the removal. > > Dr. Picoulin, in her presentation (which mainly focused on Alzheimers & > looked somewhat at neurodegenerative illnesses in general), also was emphatic > about the importance of clearing our bodies of toxic influences, all of which > are assaulting the brain and the neural system. Polluted water, polluted foods, > polluted air -- the list went on & on. But even aside from pollution, she said, > there are the additives in foods -- and this we can to some extent control. > For example, she said, it is important to stay away from any product that > contains MSG (monosodium glutamate), or aluminum (which, for example, is in a > compound that is a key ingredient in most of the commonly-available breads & > baked goods & cake mixes). > > By the way, regarding Alzheimers, Dr. Picoulin also recommended: B1, B5, > B6, B12, Choline, Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium, and various amino > acids. It appeared that many of these items (in proper measure) might also > be helpful in other neurodegenrative diseases, such as PD -- but I'm not > sure that she addressed these items *specifically* to PD. > > Lastly: Specific regimens were suggested to me, by 2 separate experts at > this conference, to consider for my mother; perhaps these regimens -- > which I list below -- may offer some guidance of use to some of you. But again, > I would just personally add the caveat that although I do hope that the above > suggestions and the regimens noted below can be of help, I am presenting this > material here *not* as a "medical prescription" (which I am not qualified > to give) but as important information which I believe is worth considering. > > ***** REGIMEN #1 (Offered by a holistic MD): ***** > > Multivitamins (especially including a B-Complex containing B-6; > the B-6 is okay, I was told, so long as the PD-drug > is not Levodopa; Sinemet would be okay, I wass told -- > the B-6 wouldn't interfere with it.) > > C (Especially Esther-C) 1000 mg 3 times a day (IF it can be tolerated) > > DHEA 10 mg/day (but do a DHEA-sulfite test, for safety's sake) > > Selenium 200 mg/day > > Melatonin 3-5 mg/day > > E 200 IU/day > > NAC (n-acetyl cysteine) 600 mg 3 times a day > > Magnesium in organic form (lactate or maleate) (I didn't get the amount.) > > Try to switch off of Sinemet and onto Selegiline > > Do a hair-analysis and also check levels of B12 & Folic Acid > (Keep the levels of B12 & Folic Acid substantial; I didn't get the amount.) > > Possibly do an oral chelation (to remove toxins.) > > Check the whole-blood serotonin level > (Serotonin is also important; I didn't get the amount.) > > ***** REGIMEN # 2 (offered by a nutrition expert): ***** > > Phosphatidylserine -- 400-500 mg/day > > Phosphatidylcholine -- 1400 mg/day > > Acetyl-L-Carnitine -- 2 grams/day, divided into a morning-dose and a > pre-4pm dose > > NADH -- (The nutrition expert who recommended this "Regimen #2", as I call it, > did not specify a dosage; but Dr. Birkmayer had already told me that it > would be wise to start with a 2.5mg NADH tablet in the morning > for several days, see what effect it had, and then perhaps switch > [if necessary] to a 5 mg tablet in the mornings for awhile, and > then [if necessary] add on a 2.5 mg or a 5 mg tablet in afternoons, > and then finally, if needed, add on a 2.5 mg or a 5 mg in the > early evening [preferably not later than 8pm].) > > B-50 complex (which would also contain a modest amount of B6) > (A modest amount of B6 such as this, I was told, would be very > helpful, and even if it did interfere with Sinemet, which it > probably wouldn't, the interference would be minimal and it > would be outweighed by the b6's benefit to the brain.) > > C (especially Ester C with Bioflavinoids) -- 2000 mg/day > > Co-Enzyme Q-10 -- 100-200 mg/day > > Ginkgo Biloba > > Check and possibly increase the levels of Magnesium & Calcium > (Mg & Ca, if in proper balance and at sufficient levels, > can be very important to diminishing tremors -- not to mention > the critical importance of these elements to the cardiac & > circulatory system.) > > --- So there you have it: My "brief" overview of what I've gathered as to > recommendations for more holistically-based approaches to dealing with PD. > I hope that this information is useful to you. > > -- SJS > 10/19/97 > ****************************************************************** SJS, THANKS FOR THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH INFO. I HAVEBEEN FOLLOWING THIS APPROACH SINCE DIAGNOSED.