Ayurveda & Parkinson
Why Ayurveda, in which nutrition & digestion are the irrefutable main pillars, is so successful:
Summary
The gut is the second largest collection of nerve cells after the brain & not only does the brain influence gut activity via the vagus nerve, the “brain-gut axis” also works vice versa. The gut produces dopamine, serotonin and other substances that act as neurotransmitters in the brain.
Scientists now assume that there is a connection between Parkinson’s and intestinal inflammation.
Parkinson’s, dopamine, α-synuclein
The gut is the second largest collection of nerve cells after the brain and it is clear that the two organs are linked. Not only does the brain influence intestinal activity via the vagus nerve, but the “brain-gut axis” obviously also works in the other direction. The gut produces dopamine, serotonin and other substances that act as hormones in the gut but as neurotransmitters in the brain.
Parkinson’s disease:
It is also striking that many diseases of the brain are associated with intestinal complaints. People with Parkinson’s disease often suffer from constipation, which precedes the brain disease by years[1]. link
In addition, the protein
α-synuclein, which first clumps together through aggregation and is then deposited in the brain and, according to current knowledge, is the cause of the disease, has also been detected in the gut and vagus nerve. Some neuroanatomists even suspect that Parkinson’s disease is a prion disease in which proteins ingested with food, as in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, are transported via nerves to the brain, where they trigger a fatal chain reaction.
The detection of alpha-synuclein in the brain and intestine says nothing about the transmission pathway; the afferent pathway from the intestine to the brain is conceivable, or conversely the efferent pathway from the brain to the intestine.
– α-Synuclein is a very common presynaptic protein that makes up about 1 % of the total soluble brain protein
-Parkinson’s symptoms occur with more than 60 % dopamine failure
[1] Parkinson’s expert
Prof Dr Heinz Reichmann, Director of Neurology at Dresden University Hospital
The science behind Ekadashi:
Today is “Ekadashi”, a Sanskrit word and according to Ayurvedic knowledge the best day for fasting. There are a lot of new researchs supporting the health benefits of intermittent fasting etc.
The moon controls the water on earth, we notice this in the periodic movement of water at high and low tides and the moon’s influence on the waves. The strongest overall force of the moon on the earth occurs when the sun, earth and moon are in line, which happens at full moon and new moon with a period of about 14¾ days.
It has therefore long been assumed in Ayrveda that the moon also controls the water in our body, which surprisingly consists of 80-70% water in approximately the same proportion as on earth.
Interestingly, the word “menstruation” is related to the word “moon”. The word “menstruation” and “menses” is derived from the Latin word mensis, meaning month, and is related to the Greek word mene, meaning moon.
The Ekadashi day is considered the best of all fasting days because the athmosperic pressure is lower on Ekadashi days compared to the full/new moon, as fasting for 3 days before the full/new moon relieves the body and we therefore have fewer problems on the full moon days.
Due to the complex interplay between the hormone balance and the fluid and electrolyte balance, women are more susceptible to hormonal imbalances at certain times of the moon.
During premenstruation, many women suffer from bloating, tension and irritability. There is temporary fluid retention and an electrolyte imbalance. The added physiological stress of a biological flood in the body during premenstruation can lead to physiological and/or psychological consequences.
Therefore, the Ekadashi days are the best time to fast and cleanse the intestinal system.
The next Ekadashi is on 22 november. (every 11th day after full-, and new moon)
You can skip lunch and dinner on Ekadashi days and start the next day with breakfast, or eat only fruits like grapes today. You could also just skip dinner tonight and eat grapes tomorrow morning; this way you also have 24 hours to rest your metabolism.
This is the beta version of Ayurveda & vedic wisdom and is constantly being developed further. contact; info@rasayana.academy