Pesticides could be responsible for Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disease.
Toxins from such chemicals can increase the risk by up to six times.
The seven pesticides tested include: dithiocarbamates (e.g., maneb, ziram), two imidazoles (benomyl, triflumizole), two dicarboxymides (captan, folpet), and one organochlorine (dieldrin)

This study was done at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
The study clearly revealed that these seven toxic pesticides inhibit the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzyme, which then affects the dopamine cells linked to the development of Parkinson's.
It has been well established in the medical arena that when dopamine levels decrease this results in abnormal brain activity and eventually to the signs of Parkinson's.
Of even greater concern, the scientists of this study reported that the pesticides caused an inhibition of the ALDH enzyme at far lower levels than the allowable current safety standards.
Although one of the pesticides (benomyl) has been banned, the others can still be found in everyday use. They are found in the foods we eat that have been sprayed with these toxic chemicals and found in parks and golf courses. They are also found in common pesticide control agents used in offices and homes.
As a functional medicine practitioner, I recommend that any patient suffering with Parkinson's request that their physician order the Toxic Effects Core test or the GPL-TOX Profile from Great Plains Lab
To find a healthcare professional certified in functional medicine, go to www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com.These are clinicians who have been trained at Functional Medicine University (www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com)


Written by: Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S.

Reference:
Arthur G. Fitzmaurice, PhD*, Shannon L. Rhodes, PhD*, Myles Cockburn, PhD,  Beate Ritz, MD, PhD and Jeff M. Bronstein, MD, PhD. Aldehyde dehydrogenase variation enhances effect of pesticides associated with Parkinson disease. Neurology February 4, 2014 vol. 82 no. 5 419-426
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/isee.2013.P-3-23-13
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. 

Walnuts have been shown to improve memory, cognition and neuronal effects related to oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation (INF) in animals and human trials.
Walnut looks like the brain, has a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. The folds and wrinkles of a walnut resembles to human organ: the brain. The shape of the nut even approximates the body part, looking like it has left and right hemispheres. And it's no surprise walnuts are nicknamed "brain food"—they have a very high content of omega-3 fatty acids, which help support brain function." The wrinkles and folds mimic the neo-cortex.
​Walnuts develop over three dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function. They may also help head off dementia. Recent study found that walnut extract broke down the protein-based plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease. They found walnuts reversed some signs of brain aging in rats. Walnuts also appear to enhance signaling within the brain and encourage new messaging links between brain cells
Fibrillar amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) is the principal component of amyloid plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Scientific studies suggest that walnuts may reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by maintaining Abeta in the soluble form. Basically, walnuts had inhibited Abeta fibrillization. It is proposed that polyphenolic compounds (such as flavonoids) present in walnuts may be responsible for its anti-amyloidogenic activity.
To find a healthcare professional certified in functional medicine, go to www.FunctionalMedicineDoctors.com.These are clinicians who have been trained at Functional Medicine University (www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com)

Written by: Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., MS
References:
Poulose SM1, Miller MG, Shukitt-Hale B.,Role of walnuts in maintaining brain health with age. J Nutr. 2014 Apr;144
Poulose SM1, Bielinski DF, Shukitt-Hale B. Walnut diet reduces accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and inflammation in the brain of aged rats. J Nutr Biochem. 2013 May;24(5):912-9
Chauhan N1, Wang KC, Wegiel J, Malik MN. Walnut extract inhibits the fibrillization of amyloid beta-protein, and also defibrillizes its preformed fibrils. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2004 Aug;1(3):183-8.
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. 

If you suffer from insomnia then you understand the seriousness of simply not getting a good night's sleep. Your whole world around you appears to crumble when you can't get a good 6-8 hours of quality deep REM sleep. Your work life, your family life all suffer.
Today's article will touch on a few "key" things to consider to solve insomnia.
To begin remember that the awakening after a few hours of sleep and not being able to get back to sleep is often rebound from what you ate or drank hours before. High sugar, alcohol, highly spiced foods and of course, caffeinated drinks are often the culprits.
If you are unknowingly deficient in chromium, vanadium, manganese and other nutrients you can experience hypoglycemic rebound in a few hours where you abruptly wake-up and are unable to drift back to sleep.
Let's now consider something called the “happy hormones” that lead to a restful sleep.
One of these hormones is serotonin, which anti-depressants like Prozac work on.
We make serotonin from the amino acid tryptophan.
Unfortunately as we age or faced with an overload of stress the level of serotonin suffers.
Dozens of studies show that low tryptophan levels lead to insomnia, awakening feeling unrested, inability to stay asleep after getting there, and just lying there all night watching the clock.
For over a quarter of a century literally dozens of studies have proven this amino produces a great sleep in many, and with no side effects or hangover. In fact, folks have better mental clarity during the day. Furthermore, it improves daytime depression, PMS, fibromyalgia, and anxiety as well as carbohydrate cravings, binge-eating and even alcohol recovery.
Now from a functional medicine position it is important to know that a simple B6 or zinc deficiency can contribute to insomnia. A common vitamin B6 deficiency can keep you awake all night, or low zinc causing impaired conversion of B6, which is needed to make tryptophan work.
If you have an elevated organic acid, kynurenate acid, for example, and a low tryptophan, the correction of B6 may be all you need.
Now don't forget plasticizers in our bodies lower zinc which is needed in the enzyme to convert B6 to its active form so it can then transform tryptophan to a serotonin.
I am disappointed with the number of people suffering with insomnia who could be helped if only their physician understood the significance of nutritional biochemistry.
It comes down to finding the cause of the cause.
Remember that as important as serotonin is for sleep and moods, most of serotonin is not made in the brain.
Ninety five percent of serotonin is made in the gut.
If the gut isn't healthy, then you are going nowhere. If you have gas, bloating, alternating diarrhea or constipation or other gut issues than your chances of solving your insomnia problem may be futile until you fix your gut.
The secret is to find a doctor who understands the probable underlying causes of insomnia and knows how to do the proper testing to discover what needs to be fixed.
It really can be as simple as that.

By: Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S.
​
References
Schmidt HS, L-tryptophan in the treatment of impaired respiration in sleep, Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir, 19; 6:625-9, 1983
Demisch K, et al, Treatment of severe chronic insomnia with Ltryptophan: results of a double-blind cross-over study, Pharmocopsychiatry, 20; 6:242-4, 1987
Hartmann E, Effects of L-tryptophan on sleepiness and on sleep, J Psychiatr Res, 17; 2:1-7-13, 1982
Ashley DV, et al, Evidence for diminished brain 5-hydroxytrptamine biosynthesis in obese diabetic and non-diabetic humans, Am J Clin Nutr, 42; 6:1240-5, 1985
Riemann D, et al, The tryptophan depletion test: impact on sleep in primary insomnia - a pilot study, Psychiatry Res, 109; 2:129-35, 2002
Schneider-Helmert D, et al, Evaluation of L-tryptophan for treatment of insomnia: a review, Psychopharmacol (Berl), 89; 1:1-7, 1986
 
 
The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.