Parkinson's

June 18, 2009

Any ideas for a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's? 57 year old woman? Her

right hand and arm have had pill-rolling resting tremors for 2 1/2 months,

tremors just starting in the upper thigh. Aside from the entire right hand,

the tremors happen along the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians with a

feeling of entrapment in the upper lateral arm. Hypersensitive to

neurological reflex tests on affected side. Some wrist stiffness. Worse with

stress

or inactivity, can override tremors when physically engaged. Spleen and

Kidney deficient pulses and symptoms. Tongue has shown signs of wind for a

couple of years preceding symptoms: trembling and slightly deviated,

otherwise somewhat purple and swollen with toothmarks, heart crease to

" buttocks

tongue " tip. Sublinguals dark. Runs hot. Insidious etiology, but has been

under severe pressure for the last year and was hit by a car in 1998 with

herniation to C4-5. Thought that had resolved with massage, acupuncture,

cranio-sacral and chiropractic, but is possibly involved. No family history

of Parkinson's, no recreational or psychotropic drug use. Medications

include Metformin and Armour for insulin resistance and mild hypothyroid.

Taking high fish oil, D and minerals, along with nattokinase, and high quality

multivitamin packet. Mentally active but physical activity has dropped off

in last year. Moods not depressed and balance not affected.

Are there herbs or nutrients to affect dopamine production? I have been

using a variation of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang with Tian ma, Gou teng, Bai ji li

and Dang gui added. (Initial trial with tincture of hypericum, scullcap and

datura had little effect.)

Karen S. Vaughan, L.Ac., MSTOM

Registered Herbalist (AHG)

Creationsgarden1

253 Garfield Place

Brooklyn, NY 11215

(718) 622-6755

See my Acupuncture and Herbalism website at:_www.acupuncturebrooklyn.com_

(http://ksvaughan2.byregion.net/)

Twitter: Herblady22

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June 19, 2009

Hi Karen,

In my humble opinion, though, of course, Parkinson's is clearly a manifestation

of liver wind, and the other related patterns, it would seem to me that the key

to any success you have with your patient will be based upon your ability to

resolve her diabetes. Insulin, beside its obvious relationship with blood sugar

and the balancing of glucagon in the treatment of diabetes, has an enormously

deleterious effect on the Spleen (I refer here to Chinese Spleen,

specifically). Insulin is a storage hormone, converting excess carbohydrates

into body fat, and preventing not only their release, but the release of any

other stored body fat. This obviously puts a tremendous burden

on Spleen, having its transformation and transportation function

impeded. Furthermore, insulin increases the production of arachidonic acid, a

killer which promotes heart disease. How is this insidious process halted? By

slowing down the entry of carbohydrates into

the bloodstream. This is done in three ways: 1. by avoiding carbohydrates

with a high glycemic load such as corn, potatoes, carrots and grains,

Completely cutting out sugars and white flour (I would suggest that rice, though

it does have a high glycemic index is different as it acts as a sponge to absorb

dampness, so in moderation it would be less of a problem). 2 Include a

significant amount of good fat, essential fatty acids with EVERY meal.

Remarkably, study after study has shown that eating the right fats stimulates

metabolism, inhibits platelet aggregation, promotes vasodilation, inhibits

cellular proliferation, stimulates immune response, is anti-inflammatory, and

PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS, believe it or not! Good fats include avocados, macadamias

and other nuts (assuming that one doesn't have a sensitivity to nuts), sesame

products like tehini, olives and fish. 3. Include animal protein (organically

grown if red meat or fermented

soy products such as tofu or tempeh--but never unfermented) with every meal, in

a fairly even proportion to the carbs and the fat. Protein has a yang-like

activity to counteract the Yin-like effect of the carbs and promotes weight loss

(Just ask advocates of the Atkins diet)--but the wrong kind--water weight.

I think, therefore, that your first tasks must be to control her diabetes, wean

her off of insulin through diet and lifestyle modification, acupuncture and

herbs, and nourish her severely depleted Liver blood and Kidney YIn while at the

same time gently, and not aggresively calming the wind. I have found that

severely depleted patients do not do well at all with wind-pacifying herbs,

because you might treat the root. Why is there significant liver wind? Because

the liver blood and Kidney Yin are depleted. Therefore nourish to extinguish

wind. Again, I don't think that Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang is appropriate. First

teach her how to eat properly, simultaneously using herbs that gently fortify

the spleen, while gently drying and transforming the phlegm dampness.

Respectfully,

--- On Thu, 6/18/09, creationsgarden1 <creationsgarden1 wrote:

creationsgarden1 <creationsgarden1