What is Parkinson Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain. It is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease that affects aging individuals.

It is characterized by abnormal movement, slowness, muscle rigidity, and involuntary shaking when sitting or standing still (tremors). It destroys dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain. 

Dopamine is responsible for controlling cognitive processes in the brain particularly those that deal with executive functions such as planning and attaining goals. It also controls the body movement. Damage to these nerve cells can result in poor coordination and muscle tremors. 

People who have a family history of Parkinson’s disease are more likely to develop early-onset Parkinson’s. Exposure to environmental toxins can also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. 

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, about 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease every year. Currently, it affects more than 10 million people worldwide. It typically affects men more than women. 

The disease is progressive. Over time, it affects a person’s ability to move around and conduct daily tasks independently. Depending on how the disease is managed it can severely affect a person’s quality of life.

As Parkinson’s disease progresses, some of these complications can affect other physical functions in the body, such as swallowing, bladder control, and digestion. 

It can also cause serious health problems such as dementia and paralysis and other secondary problems like dehydration and malnutrition that can lead to death.

Parkinson Disease Causes

The main causes of Parkinson's are mainly genetic and environmental. These are believed to play a critical role in disease etiology and development.

Some of these are believed to be related to some malfunctions in the endocannabinoid system, hence affecting body movements and functions. Other reasons are related to the exposure to chemicals and pesticides which can also alter many of the brain functions.

- Inflammation: inflammation in the brain can damage the neurons and cause brain cell degeneration. This leads to the development of Parkinson’s disease.

- Neuron hyperexcitability: some patients with Parkinson’s show increased neuronal activity in the brain. This increased activity could be responsible for damaging the neurons that produce dopamine. 

- Altered endocannabinoid system: the endocannabinoid system regulates several cellular functions in the body. It is part of the central nervous system.  In the brain, the body produces natural chemicals called endocannabinoids. These bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system, to activate neurons in the brain.

Some of these neurons produce dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for the proper neuron signaling throughout the brain. It is involved in many functions, including attention, motivation, and the regulation of bodily movements. 

In Parkinson’s disease, the endocannabinoid system’s processes do not properly function. As a result, the endocannabinoids cannot bind to their receptors properly. This causes the neurons that produce dopamine to either die or stop functioning. Damage to the dopamine-producing neurons disrupts signaling throughout the brain and alters various bodily functions such as motor control.

- Pesticides and chemicals: the usage of pesticides and herbicides has detrimental effects on brain health. Exposure to the chemicals in these pesticides may lead to the development of neurodegenerative disorders. Consuming chemicals in food can also negatively affect the brain, causing Parkinson’s disease and other brain disorders. 

Parkinson Disease Risk Factors

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Parkinson Disease Symptoms

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Parkinson Disease Diagnosis

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Natural Treatments for Parkinson Disease

Parkinson disease is a disease that is believed to be curable and even prevented by applying proper natural solutions. Accordingly, there’s a variety of natural solutions provided to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms and allow patients to overcome the daily challenges of this disease.

Click on natural treatments for Parkinson to find a detailed list of all the natural solutions to treat Parkinson and relieve its symptoms, including various natural therapies, diet programs, alternative medicine, vitamins, supplements, herbal medicine, and home remedies. You can also use AposBook.com to find all natural treatments for any medical condition.

Meanwhile, most Parkinson natural solutions focus on improving the function of the endocannabinoid system which helps in reducing the Parkinson’s disease symptoms. These solutions help in reducing inflammation which is a contributing factor that aggravates the neurons damage.

Other natural solutions presented in the forms of diets, are believed to work on reducing neurons excitability and hence fighting neurons degeneration. These diets, if applied at early stages, are believed to be effective even for prevention. 

Below is a list of various natural solutions types that can be used:

- Herbs and plants: using herbs and plants could overcome some causes of Parkinson’s such as improving the function of the endocannabinoid system.

It is believed that plants such as cannabis could provide cannabinoids into the body that are used in the endocannabinoid system to improve Parkinson’s symptoms.

In addition, cannabis use could also relieve inflammation in the brain and reduce neuron excitability. This results in less damage to the neurons that are responsible for producing dopamine, hence reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

- Diet: some diets are believed to work as antioxidants and can bypass the defected parts of the brain and support the body's energy production.

Medical Treatments for Parkinson Disease

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Parkinson Disease Dos and Don'ts: Prevention

Visit the Parkinson Prevention Center to check all the information on how to prevent Parkinson disease or deal with it, including the different recommendations to follow and what you should avoid.

These suggestions include, among many others:

- Eat organic foods

- Manage stress

- Do progressive resistance exercise

- Avoid processed foods

- Sleep well, etc...

Click the link to find a complete list of the Parkinson Dos and Don'ts with a detailed explanation about each to better understand why it can help manage Parkinson and how it should be done.