Hi everyone, I have also read Dr. David Pearl Mutter’s book Grain Brain along with much research on the gut/brain connection. I really believe you have to listen to your body and be your own advocate. Both my husband and I were treated for years for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with various medications. We have both always been athletic and tried to follow a healthy lifestyle. We are now off all those medications after following a gluten free diet, much of the time, and eating Organic foods. I have my own Organic Garden which brings me a lot of pleasure. I guess it is my therapy!

I have always believed that what we consume in our diets and from the environment affects our health. So it was only natural when my husband was diagnosed with PD to research all I could find on the subject and try to find the best Specialists we could. Doing nothing is NOT an option. There is so much to know about the disease because it is so different for every individual. For us, exercise and diet makes a world of difference in our daily lives. When we miss our exercise or have to be away from home for an extended period our health suffers. Routine is important, especially with Meds, exercise and diet. I have noticed our PCP and Specialists we deal with also stress this as well. Luckily our Doctors also stay up on the lastest research and are encouraged by the results of many of the studies that are on going worldwide. I continue to be impressed with all of you who share your experiences and knowledge on this site. Thank you all. You encourage me.

It is difficult to address "gluten free" because it is the latest trendy condition du jour...I agree that many have problems with gluten, but it is hard to separate the factual information from the hype and hucksterism that obscures facts concerning the substance.

Color me skeptical about sliver bullet cures to PD - it also may be that the person in question was misdiagnosed about PD in the first place. The isolated "cures" that occur from time to time by changing diet or doing a particular type of meditation or a dozen other things - it is interesting to note they remain just that - isolated incidents.

If such a declaration as the above was the results from a systematic study and applicable to hundreds or thousands of people, I would be more inclined to take it seriously. Now, having demonstrated that I am a party pooper and negative fellow, I also will also state that I would be overjoyed if such claims were substantiated. The ball is in their court to do that.

This is Dave responding. The one thing I want to make clear, the human brain and, for that matter, the entire body, is so complex that what causes a malfunction in one person may not effect another person at all. Gluten may cause PD in one person and not effect anyone else. Aspertame may mess up one person and not another. We must experiment as individuals until we find what helps us. The one common denominator in PD is that we all must exercise more and reduce stress as much as possible and take our meds. And as we all kinow, PD meds. effect everyone one in different ways. There are no "silver bullets" in the treatment of PD. Do not give up in your individual fight against PD. God bless you all.

@A MyParkinsonsTeam Member - The following is a large IMO...

This is the sort of thing I have found so frustrating - "Possible suspects" - "could be" - "could slow down...in some people". I have no problem with speculation - it shows that people are thinking and searching for answers...as long as it is clearly indicated that this is an OPINION, not a definitive statement.

At one time or another, I have seen publications that have made veiled allegations about everything from alien visitors ("Chariots of the Gods") to psuedo science such as "An Uncomfortable Truth"...that contain a "grain of truth" ;-) and a lot of speculation...and even more innuendo, misdirection and downright inaccuracies.

It is too easy to take things like this and start a "cause".

Whole grain is a staple of human diet. So is meat - so is fruit. We are omnivores, close to unique among animal life. We are (mostly) smart enough to avoid things that cause everybody a problem.

It is equally true that because of the variety and width of our dietary options, some of these things "don't agree with everybody" - it's called allergic reaction and it can be anything from some sniffles to fatality, in a small to miniscule portion of the population. Continue this line of reasoning to reducto ad absurdum, and EVERYTHING is harmful.

Am I suggesting that we ignore something because it is speculative? NO...I do think that far too much time and resources are diverted to finding the "quick fix" that is so much a part of US culture - not everything is conducive to a "quick fix". I do feel a lot more attention should be concentrated on "asking the right question" - defining more carefully what we are trying to find out.

My issue with concentrating on these speculations is that it directs attention away from more productive and useful lines of research. And now I will speculate - what if it turns out that PD is an extreme form of the aging process? Or a malfunction of the body mechanism? The intricacies of the life process are complex and small discrepancies in the balance among them can cause severe disruption of performance.

Just creating a difference in the proportion of one enzyme to another - e.g., consider dopamine vs. acetylcholine - a demonstrated effect of PD. The result? Increased mood swings - having personally experienced these due to that imbalance I can attest to their reality.

What if there IS NO cure? Or, suppose it is beyond our capability to repair the systemic malfunction that PD seems to cause? Or is the malfunction itself the cause of PD?

Whoow! I must have been overdue for a rant! I may fall off the soap box instead of climb down if I don't stop being so righteously indignant and pay attention to my balance - I DO have PD.

I am not just trying to indulge some of my pet peeves (not completely, anyway) with this diatribe. I just think we don't always focus effectively.

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A MyParki...

Why not try. It will not hurt anything.
I have a friend whose health was at about a 2 (1 - 10 scale). She went from doctor to doctor and test to test looking for help. She just wanted to die at this point. She researched and went gluten free and organic. Her issue was not PD. She takes no Rx and her health is a 9. If I do it I will let everyone know how i am doing.