Anti-Inflammatory Diet (AID) for Parkinson's

Anti-Inflammatory Diet (AID) for Parkinson's

Updated 2022-08-18

One thing we read a lot about is healing the gut to heal our health. Can we fix our microbiome? This led me to The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). This diet was designed to fix IBS by lowering inflammation.  You can read all about it here: http://pecanbread.com/p/index.html

I've been following the SCD (combined with the Wahl's Protocol and Gluten Free) for about a year.  Not full on following them, just trying to stick to the gluten free foods that are allowed on SCD or Wahl's.  This gives me a little more choice.

There is some evidence that the SCD can normalize your microbiome if you still have all the needed bacteria: The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD): The SCD has been shown to normalize the microbiome in people with Crohn's https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7762109/ and UC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5890963/

Today I stumbled upon another Anti-Inflammatory diet called the "Anti-Inflammatory Diet for IBD (IBD-AID)".  If I may steal from their web site:

The IBD-AID was derived (and updated) from the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), and is a nutritional regimen that is based on:

1.     Promoting the beneficial, anti-inflammatory intestinal bacteria with:
○   Vegetables & Fruit
○   Soluble Fiber (steel-cut oats, ground flax seed, lentils, beans)
○   Good protein & fats (beans, nuts, olive oil, avocado, ground flaxseed, fish, soy)
○   Probiotics (yogurt, kefir, miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, local honey)
○   Prebiotics (artichokes, leeks, asparagus)

2.   And decreasing the pro-inflammatory intestinal bacteria by eliminating certain carbohydrates, such as:
○   Refined sugars and certain starches
○   Grains (steel-cut and rolled oats are allowed)
○   Lactose (anything containing milk or cream)
These carbohydrates are thought to provide a food for pro-inflammatory bacteria.

3.     Together, the foods in this diet decrease bowel inflammation, aid in the repair of the gut, and help to restore balance to the immune system.

I like about this IBD-AID is that this is an update to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet intended to treat the same condition as the SCD was designed to treat (IBD). Pediatrician Sydney Haas, MD, created the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in the 1920s to treat celiac disease. Elaine Gottschall, a biochemist and the mother of one of Haas's patients, made the diet more widely known in 1987 when she treated her daughter's IBD using the SCD and then published Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health through Diet. There has been a lot of research done in the last 35 years. It is time for an update. This updated diet came from the UMASS Chan Medical School.  They are well respected.

One other thing I like about this IBD-AID is that it includes oats. Oats are gluten free and I like them.

So here is the UMass Chan Medical School Center for Applied Nutrition Anti-Inflammatory Diet for IBD (IBD-AID): https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/ibd/ibdaid/

And here is a link to the IBD-AID Allowable Food List: https://www.umassmed.edu/globalassets/nutrition/documents/foods-list-updated-september-2021-converted.pdf

I am going to try this diet.  I may start at phase 3 as I am already doing well on the Bristol Scale AND you need to be at phase 3 to have broccoli sprouts.  I have to have my sprouts.

I am making one tweak to this diet. Sour cream is not allowed. Aged cheeses and yogurt and kefir are allowed. Well... I found this study: Intake of Fermented Dairy Products Induces a Less
Pro-Inflammatory Postprandial Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Gene Expression Response than Non-Fermented Dairy Products: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial: https://sci-hub.se/10.1002/mnfr.202000319

According to this trial, fermented dairy products are less pro-inflammatory than non-fermented dairy products. They compared fermented products (cheese and sour cream) with non-fermented products (butter and whipped cream). "In this study, we have shown that intake of a high-fat meal composed of fermented dairy products, and especially cheese, has a less pro-inflammatory effect than intake of the non-fermented butter and whipped cream". It's not a slam dunk, but it is enough for me to cut out butter (which is allowed on the SCD) and keep my sour cream.

Dave

 My Stack

Updated 2022-09-14

This is my latest stack. I have not been diagnosed with PD. I have REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, a sore left shoulder, sore left leg, not the best balance in the world (it never was great) and some involuntary muscle movements (nothing big or repetitive. A few times a day).

1. I am gluten and lectin free now (except I do probably eat corn fed beef. Can't afford grass fed). 

2. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) has been shown to normalize the microbiome.

3. One cup of broccoli sprouts every morning and another cups of broccoli sprouts at night. I usually microwave a meatball and an onion with some hamburger grease, break up the meatball, and mix it in with the sprouts for breakfast.

4. lactobacillus Casei Shirota (Yakult): Anti-bacterial, anti-fungus, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, reduces cortisol levels.

5. Dr. Matthew Best Prebiotics and Probiotics for Women. It has (among other things):

- Lactobacillus acidophilus

- Lactobacillus reuteri

- Bifidobacterium bifidum

- Lactobacillus fermentum

6. Vinpocetine: 30 mg once a day (with food or your body absorbs nearly none of it). Supposed to increase blood flow to the brain.

7: Berberine 1200 mg a day divided between meals.

8. Niacin Rapid Release 1000 mg twice a day (this may be a bad idea).

9. Lithium Orotate 15 mg. This is for depression AND it may be neuroprotective. They are doing a trial on Lithium for PD in Buffalo.

10. Magnolia Bark Extract 400 mg (90% Honokiol and Magnolol) at night. This is supposed to help with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and be neuroprotective. I get this from Swanson cheap.

11. Mixture of 2.5 grams ground Nigella Sativa, and 2.2 grams Ceylon Cinnamon, and 600 mg of Organic Licorice Root Extract 20:1 Powder and 600 mg of UM Palmitoylethanolamide. I mix this in a glass of tea with honey. These are all antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory. I'm trying to treat my microbiome from mouth to gut.

12. 600 mg Palmitoylethanolamide before bed.

13. I also listen to Binaural Beats for about an hour a day: https://rbd-pd-protocols.blogspot.com/p/binaural-beats.html