I'm really glad I purchased this book! Having attempted taking mucuna 7 years ago w/o success am getting interesting results now with combining it with yerba mate tea from projectmatebar.com . The text mentions how green tea potentiates mucuna however the caffeine (or something) iin green tea doesn't sit well with me but good mate tea...well ,now thatts a tea I can drink (promotes friendliness too ...)with same but possibly even more potent antioxidant benefits as green tea. Good quality mate (pronounced mah-tay) tea is essential imho.

I'm just a couple of days into this and am a bit fearful of the hard landing (more intense tremor) going "off" mucuna (even tho it does stretch the efficacy of sinemet by a couple of hours=double) and reduces on/off DK.

So, I will experiment wit reducing the dose to see if a lesser dose proves effective (which it did last night-taking the minimum dose has always been my strategy for sinemet as well.(1/2 tablet of mucuna worked just as well with softer landing) Personally I am finding my dosage needs fluctuate up and down with the seasons (need more in winter less in spring). This post may give some docs nightmares as consistency in dosage is the standard golden rule with ample research to support it (soccertese are you rolling your eyes now?hehe) as well as practical rationale-but I don't have health insurance so seeing neuros and MDS not an option for me- having said that I am actually doing very well (listening to my own bodys' signals as a guide) 21 years into sx having begun at age 36 (am now 57). Much of my well being I attribute to years of daily fava pod juice...and taking no agonists and keeping sinemet dosage low and only started medicating when sx became severe 7 years ago. Also, exercise, massage, chi gong, yoga, etc etc etc -still driving and am a caregiver for my housemate who is paralyzed from stroke.

This morning I awakened with greater calm and stillness-last med dose was 4 PM yesterday...makes one wonder...
Also plan to take some aloe vera. cheers everyone! and thanks Dr. M for the most informative and practical guide for understanding mucuna! Also I very much appreciatee that he gives sources for purchase of mucuna along with considerations with regards to extracts vs tablets and powder form etc etc.

Kind regards to ya'all -- MD