Since the middle of January, I have started eating more foods that were unusual for me ....I strongly believe that our food is our medicine and what we eat affects our whole body function.* I ordered raw Brazil Nuts/ raw cashews/ dried apricots*and* bitter apricot kernels after reading about things that help cancer. Started soaking about 10 apricot kernels in water for*about 12 hours , then rinsing and drying them well and putting them in a tiny glass container in the refrigerator.* In the morning, as a supplement to my normal diet , I eat*one brazil nut, 2 of the bitter apricot kernels and one dried apricot all together and try to chew them a long time.( The brazil nut is big , so I start with it first, breaking it a little in my teeth before adding the apricot and kernels) I am also eating a handful of raw cashew nuts and a handful of pistachio nuts daily. An apple a day and when possible , an avocado , also (price goes from .69 to $1.50 each on these, so I will buy them when they are under a $1.00 each). We are also buying kiwi fruit and enjoying them often. They are*so good for you! I also added over a teaspoon of chia seeds a day and my bowels are moving better.
After a couple of weeks doing this. I started noticing that I wasn't taking my homemade L-dopa tincture from fava beans as often. After a month, some days I only needed it one time (some days I don't need any) It really varies a lot depending on the other foods I have eaten (especially, whether I have had egg plant and*peppers sautéed with onions and garlic cooked up with morning eggs)* DIET DOES AFFECT US SO MUCH. I wasn't sure why my new additions to my diet were affecting my PD symptoms so much. Then, a precious friend sent me this link to a Dr. in Italy using Thiamine (B1) for PD treatment...

Parkinsons vs thiamine*

Easy Health Options(R) - Nature & Wellness Made Simple italian-doctor-curing- parkinsons-disease-with- thiamine/

and it explained why I was so much better. Another friend found the link*on thiamine and diabetes (I am also type 2 diabetic)**
a study about thiamine and diabetes - most diabetics are thiamine deficient.
************** Thiamine Deficiency and Diabetes - Jeffrey Dach MD

Anyway, my mandolin playing has improved so much, my ability to talk to strangers , and children. I am working on*Bible based puppet shows and making puppets again (hadn't done needlework, besides mending, for a very long time). I really didn't think I could feel any better than I had been. Thought things were going*very well....BUT, I am functioning much better now on much* less L-dopa supplementation.** So, I just wanted to encourage my brothers and sisters with PD to try these food sources of thiamine.
FARM NEWS: Managed to get a small area of the lower garden tilled before heavy rains and made into raised beds. After the rains, we easily planted 430 fava beans into these very soft raised beds on March the 2nd (first above ground planting day in March)* First time I've been on schedule in years. Still need to get another area tilled and planted in between rains this week. It's hard work, and we stay so busy . God is good. Life is good.* Eat good organic food and exercise in the sunshine.* God bless you all.** Love,* Aunt Bean