I'm not challenged with PD, but believe MOST health issues begin in the gut. And am of the thinking Grape Seed Extract can help just about every health issue to mankind. I'm headed into my 20th yr on grape seed ex and or Pycnogenol and have 20 yrs of good health....outside of advanced OA which is all worsened since hip replacment. Another story.

Grape seed extract works to reduce free radicals in our bodies... The main reason I got on Pycnogenol and then a year later got on Grape Seed Ex, we were told it "MAY" prevent cancer....I have a link on the city of hope and grape seed extract here, it's either in meds/treatments or vits/supps...

Personally I've used caprylic acid and use coconut oil daily for everything, eat it from the spoon as well..As for candida, my sister has declined with MS and one of the best things for MS people is to rid candida, she didn't work with that and ate so much of the wrong foods.

Did some searching and found this to read over from another source:


http://www.herbnet.com/.../asktheher...parkinsons.htm
QUESTION: My father-in-law has Parkinson's Disease. We are looking for any help with ... grape seed extract, 3 pills two times daily. Look at cleansing diet, and ...


I see this does not open, gets frustrating. How I found this link was to google: parkinson's disease and grape seed extract and it's the herbNET site...they talk about other supps but emphasize grape seed ex....just thinking about my decades of it's use....who knows how much it can help other issues. So much unknown.

Another link with some interesting stories on the subject ..

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/ar...-brain/395918/

Caroline, here is the link that I think that you referred to:

http://www.herbnet.com/ask%20the%20h...parkinsons.htm

I'm a big caffeine addict. I'm down to one coffee in the morning. Getting ready for a move in two weeks so I am not doing anything drastic on my Candida diet, we've got a ton going on but here is what I am doing so far:

One coffee a day (black)
No sugar
No simple carbs
No gluten
Probiotic Acidophilus after each meal
Starting to eat an anti-Candida diet
Switched from Sinemet to munuca pruriens

Over the last few months, I was also able to titrate down from 2.5 sinemet, 3xday to 1/2 sinemet 3-4 times a day to just recently ZERO and a full switch to MP. I must say, I am really feeling so much better than 6 months ago. I don't think I was able to do this without cannabis for all of my symptoms (pain, rigidity, apathy, depression, insomnia - I sleep like a baby now). The stuff flat out works. It's not a cure for PD but it sure helps. I still feel the need for dopamine but my tremor is essentially gone, my pain/rigidity is lessened. I definitely still feel no changes in the gut, that's why I have to try this path.

I used caprylic acid that was recommended by a naturopath about 30 years ago when I was getting frequent yeast infections. Haven't had a problem since.

follow up question
 

Can you tell us how long you've been dx'd with PD? And how do you use marijuana (how often, what form (oil, etc.)? I'm also wondering how you take the mucuna, do you drink it all day long as you feel the need, or dose it, so much every so many hours? One of the problems we have with mucuna is that it hits quickly and gets you moving, but it also loses its effect quickly, just does not last that long (boy, wish it did!!). Thanks:)

I was diagnosed a year ago. I had symptoms a year prior. Right side only so far; my right arm is impacted the most with what I suspect is permanent (loss of dexterity, etc). I had other symptoms; depression, apathy, pain, rigidity. By far my biggest complaint was with the pain. I was prescribed sinemet 25/100 (up to 2.5 three times per day.. I titrated up), two different anti-depressants (no longer but I do take St. John's wort) and tramadol (as needed)

Regarding the cannabis. I grew my own strains; shark shock cbd (my goto, it's only 6% THC but also 6% CBD), Blue Power (great night time meds) and a sativa/indica hybrid that really hits pain but is a bit more uplifting. Some mornings I have a small brownie that has a mix of the first two. I boiled the trim from my plants (decarboxylation) and added coconut oil. Let it cool down and the two merge (oil from the plant). I eat just enough to not really feel the cerebral effects. It feels a bit sedative/sleepy sometimes. At night I vaporize. Lately, I only need the mmj at night. Occasionally I will have to use tramadol for pain if I need to drive, etc. but for the most part I am completely functional. Sometimes at night I have side effects from MMJ , I am happy, hungry, giggly and sleepy. The body buzz from a good Indica strain is just outstanding. Anyone with sleep issues would surely benefit. :wink:

With the switch to mucuna, I feel less of a need for the mmj. I suspect that I am getting more l-dopa than the sinemet but with the sinemet I just felt like I was getting the same effect with a smaller dose than with a larger dose. Overall with the munuca, so far I don't need a lot (less than one teaspoon) and I am drinking it 3 x per day.

I can say this for sure... mmj allowed me to reduce that large dose of sinemet down because when I initially tried cutting back I was floored with depression/apathy/pain/rigidity. Sinemet alone just did not seem to reach all of the symptoms but the cannabis hits every other symptom better than anything that I have taken. I was down to 1/2 sinemet 3 x per day before switching to munuca.

I know that mmj has a huge stigma attached to it. I worked a job for 25 years that required testing. I would never jeopardize that but am no longer able to perform my work with the PD. I don't think that it's a cure for PD. I think it hits symptoms very well. It is anti-inflammatory at the cellular level, it's all natural, neuroprotective, anti-fungal, pain reliever, anti-depressant and it doesn't impact your liver like opiates. In legal states, you know what you are getting. Unfortunately in illegal states it's a bit tricky to get the strain you need. Before I grew I got a strain that made me very paranoid.. it was too potent!

I hope that helps.

I posted this on the Pedaling for Parkinson's thread, but it is more appropriate here. It is now day 3 and I haven't had any GI issues at all.

For months I've been having increasingly painful issues with IBS. Despite cycling, eating well, etc. nothing has helped. The belly pain takes out about four hours each day and precludes me from going out in the evening.

A couple of days ago a PT friend was over for dinner and I mentioned this issue. She said she had had the same problem and discovered that camomile tea with ginger solved it. I couldn't find any combo of camomile tea and ginger, so yesterday I bought fresh camomile and raw ginger. I sliced two circles from the ginger and put them in the pot with the camomile bag. When it had steeped, I poured myself a cup and carried on. Two hours later I realized I had missed my start time for the bellyache. I kept sipping and had no bloating, pain or stomach ache for the whole evening. I slept through the night and here I am this morning still smiling.

Obviously, I'll monitor this over time and report back, but if this is a game changer, I'll be a most happy camper! Please report if you try it.

Still no stomach pain.

New MJFF Webinar - Constipation, gastroparesis and the gut
 

Why Might Constipation Be a Parkinson's Symptom?

Thursday, July 16 @ 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT

Constipation and other gastrointestinal difficulties can severely affect quality of life. Parkinson’s researchers have pinpointed the gut as a place of interest because of biological changes seen there. We’ll discuss constipation and problems with stomach emptying (called gastroparesis) seen in Parkinson’s, what researchers believe is happening in the gut, and how these symptoms are treated.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/page.htm...webinar-series