I find it interesting that at the same time today I am reading about the possible connection between Parkinson's and Celiac Disease (gluten sensitivity) I also read about a forum at which doctor's were going to be discussing the fact that people from the Midwest are 5 times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than others. While most believe this to be the result of exposure to pesticides, those exposed to pesticides only have a 3 times greater chance of getting Parkinson's than others. What is grown in the Midwest and therefore probably a greater percentage of a Midwestern's diet? Wheat, barley, rye, and dairy?

I think it's a combination, pesticide exposure has been shown to degrade the blood brain barrier which would allow gluten sensitive people to develop PD. It would also allow a greater influx of chemicals which themselves target and destroy the basal ganglia.

I live in the Midwest (near Chicago) and know our air quality is always pretty bad.

I googled "health risks midwest US" and got a few hits... who knows what our environmental exposures are:

Mercury
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/courses/geog100/ENS-Mercury.htm

Radon?
http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/radon/rnus.html

Pesticides
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...3/ai_n13807334

Just brainstorming a little about what our 'midwest' risks might be~ not so much about how they might affect us.

In case y'all are bored, I thought I'd mention I wrote up my experience and posted it on my site.

http://www.lindborglabs.com/AboutHeid.htm

My pwp has suffered from painful muscle rigidity in his back for several years, and we found nothing to give relief. It has been much worse this year. We started on a gluten-free diet about a month ago, for an unrelated reason, and found that his back isn't going into the horrific spasms it has been. It has been about a month now with little back pain... with one exception...

He ate a sandwich on regular bread one afternoon. That night the rigidity/spasms and pain were back. We are staying away from gluten now!

Thanks Leah.
I know 3 people with RLS who went into remission on a GF diet and when they cheated it came back the next day.

Heidi, that study had only 5 participants and only 3 followed the diet closely, so the results are not particularly promising to me. 90% of the calories from fat and 2% from carbs rules out alot of veggies, and certainly fruit. Sounds pretty onerous and unthinkable. Placebo effect is strong in PD. The 2 who didn't follow the diet closely had the same improvements as the ones who did.

Also, beware of unintended consequences. That diet might increase cancer.

I'm not recommending a ketogenic diet. I was on one for many years. As with the study results, it helped, but my symptoms still progressed. I believe this is because it restricts gluten but does not eliminate it.

A gluten free diet eliminates wheat, barley and rye products, not carbohydrates in general.
Fruits and veggies are totally legal. As are potatoes, corn, and rice. As a matter of fact, sugar is too!

I'm sorry if that wasn't clear.