[Aunt Bean]

Originally Posted by kimmydawn

This thread is here for all to add useful sites and/or resources which have helped them and that they want to share.

KD

Hi I am a new member and not sure how this conversing on line works. I raised a crop of fava beans this year for my friend with parkinsons to try. We wanted to know if this could possibly be a replacement for extracts that she has been used to taking. And, yes, she has done very well on them. We have just planted a fall crop and hope that here in TN they will grow and supply more beans for the winter. Has anyone out there used favas for dopamine supplementation? Also has anyone used bean sprouts or the leaves for this purpose? Ay input would be very helpful Thanks

[Chemar]

hi and welcome

I moved your post here so that more members would see it

[pegleg]

Glad you made it here. You will find a wealth of iinformation.

Sleep well tonight
Peg

[rose of his heart]

I take Neuroscience Balance D with Fava Bean Extract and have been for months. I just took a 2 week supplement holiday and clearly feel some unwanted change, though other variables are also in play.

I looked into eating the fresh beans daily in hopes of keeping my PD meds to a minimum, but found it neither practical (due to the impossibility of knowing how much levodopa a given crop contains) nor enjoyable enough to eat daily. Trader Joe's carried them frozen. Some supermarkets will order upon request.

Katrynne Holden, who has been writing about PD and nutrition for a really long time, has an article on the subject at: http://www.scienzavegetariana.it/nut...favabeans.html

Here's an outline:
Fava Beans, Levodopa, and Parkinson's Disease

by Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD

Ms. Holden is a registered dietitian specializing in Parkinson's disease. She has published research, books, articles, and manuals on nutrition and PD, including "Eat well, stay well with PD." For more information you may call (USA) 877-565-2665, or 970-224-5066; or visit her website: http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/
Beans and Parkinson's disease

How are fava beans related to PD?

What effect do fava beans have on PD?

Are there any problems associated with eating fava beans?

Yes, there a number of concerns to be aware of:
Variable levodopa amounts. ...Allergies....Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) use.... Favism (G6PD deficiency)....

Should you eat fava beans if you have Parkinson's disease?

How often should I eat fava beans?

Where can I get fava beans?

Nutrient information for fava beans

How do I prepare fava beans?

RESOURCES

[Max19BC]

You might want to check out Ken Allan's website. He grows his own fava beans for his pd. Go to: http://home.cogeco.ca/~allan/medicinal_beans.html
I've been taking the powder form (mucuna) for the past 3 years now and still happy with the results.

Enjoy life,
Max

[rose of his heart]

Hey Max: Mucuna pruriens is NOT fava. Mucuna pruriens has a bunch of common names, such as cowhage and velvet bean. Fava beans (vicia faba) are also known as broad beans; different plant. What I've been hearing is that fava is easier to reliably source. Perhaps as some verification of that, Neuroscience recently switched from mucuna to fava in its Balance D neurotransmitter support product, which I take. -Rose

Originally Posted by Max19BC

You might want to check out Ken Allan's website. He grows his own fava beans for his pd. Go to: http://home.cogeco.ca/~allan/medicinal_beans.html
I've been taking the powder form (mucuna) for the past 3 years now and still happy with the results.

Enjoy life,
Max

[Aunt Bean]

Thank you rose for your comments. Someone had mentioned the pill with favas to my friend, but she had not tried it yet, because we had our own favas right now....but are looking for other means of supplement in the event that we run out (if fall planted favas do not mature before the weather gets too cool for bean production. We are looking for ways to use the leaves also ,if anyone has any ideas for that form of dopamine. We are in contact with Ken Allan and he has been a great resource from afar. Friend had a good day today...I stay with her Tuesday night thru Saturday morning & then go home to my dad over the weekend His 84th birthday is Saturday..he does really well & is my very best friend. Have a great evening Sandra PS I attended my first parkinson's support group last night & was encouraged by the people attending and the need for a support system...I feel they try to be there for each other. I started a journel last night too, when I couldn't fall asleep to track my symptoms/ foods consumed /how I feel/ how my face is (me or not me in the mirror) & if I had to take a mucuna cookie...if it helped / etc Mucuna seems to be enough extra dopamine to keep me going if I am low for some reason....now I just have to figure out the reason I get too low...it's a puzzel I hope to solve with my journel Aunt Bean

[Aunt Bean]

[
Hi Max...we have already found Ken Allan & he has been a great source of encouragement & support & info. My friend & I also are using Mucuna from Garry& sun and with my early symptoms, this seems to be sufficient for me and I don't need dopamine supplement all the time. I have just started a journel to try to pin point Why I need it at times...diet/ too much exercize or what . I am also diabetic..so it could have something to do with low or high sugar at the time, I hope to solve the mystery with a journel , Thanks for your input. Aunt Bean

[Aunt Bean]

Well, there is excitement in the fall air. The planting of fava beans started August 14th has produced it's first noticed bean (approximately 7 weeks after soaking the bean for sprouting before planting into the garden) We planted several rows / waited a week and planted several more rows (succession planting it is called ,for those of you who are not gardeners) that one little bean..(who probably has cousins lurking in the leaves) will be ready to harvest next week at a young stage, which has more dopamine. I just had the G6pd blood test done and it came back with normal levels of the enzyme to metabolize the bean/ so I'm ready to be another "white rat" , perhaps we shall write a book someday. There is a grad student here from Africa that will help us by testing beans/products in the college lab for dopamine,,,research is addictive! (Almost as good as peanut butter). Will let you all know how things are going in this part of the woods. Aunt Bean

[Aunt Bean]

Well, it is amazing. ..the fava beans are still doing beautifully. They are in rows/ staked and tied florida weave style (like tomato growers use for large plantings) They are supposed to be ok down to 24 degrees....we shall see! I made leaf/ flower tincture. ..and have had amazing results so far . I have been using 1 drop before bed & one drop in the morning. The evening drop seems to keep my leg from unwanted movement so that I can sleep. The morning dose seems to alleiviate my PD symptoms for which I am grateful. It also helps my friend who was diagnosed 20 yrs ago. So far, she is very comfortable eating the young beans with a very low dose of sinemet ( she takes one 10/100 tablet daily ..split into four doses) & is doing very well. I just wish there was a medical scientist that was interested enough to test what I have made. If it is an illusion, I hope it lasts forever. Just wish everyone could see our bean patch. Hopefully , we will have pictures to share soon. For now, our non-clinical study goes on and I will keep you all posted .