Dear Health Conscious Reader,
There’s one nutrient that has more health benefits than any other I can think of. I’ve written to you about this nutrient before. But today, I have a startling new benefit you should know. It has to do with Parkinson’s disease…
Parkinson’s disease doesn’t follow the rules. There’s no known cause. And everyone is at risk.
Including you.
This disease affects the brain and muscle control. It messes with nerve cells that produce dopamine.
Dopamine is like a messenger that runs to different parts of your body to tell it how and when to move. When your body doesn’t produce enough “messengers,” parts of your body won’t know what to do. This causes the tremors and spasms associated with Parkinson’s.1
But, there’s something you can do right now to lower your risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. It’s right outside your door.
This non-drug has no side effects. And you can get all you want for free.
I’m talking about vitamin D.
Vitamin D is the only vitamin you get from sunshine. This vitamin is well-known to dramatically reduce risks of cancer and heart disease. And a study I recently read suggests that it can also reduce the chances of Parkinson’s disease by up to 65%.2
I can think of no drug that even comes close.
You see, the part of the brain most affected by Parkinson’s is full of vitamin D receptors. And vitamin D has been shown to prevent loss of the cells that produce dopamine (dopaminergic neurons).3
In today’s world, everyone could use more vitamin D.
Our native ancestors were out in the sun for most of the day working, walking, and hunting. Today people aren’t outside as much. Many of us spend most of our day in an office, in a car, or in our homes. Some people never see daylight.
I recommend you get vitamin D from natural sources like the sun. As little as 10 minutes in the midday sun produces 10,000 units of vitamin D.
But if you can’t get outside, you can add vitamin D to your diet.
Here are some of the best options:
|
Source
|
Amount
|
IUs
|
| Cod liver oil | 1 Tbsp. | 1360 |
| Herring | 3 Oz. | 1383 |
| Catfish | 3 Oz. | 425 |
| Salmon, cooked | 3.5 Oz. | 360 |
| Mackerel, cooked | 3.5 Oz. | 345 |
| Sardines, canned in oil, drained | 1.75 Oz. | 250 |
| Tuna, canned in oil | 3 Oz. | 200 |
| Eel, cooked | 3.5 Oz. | 200 |
| Pork spare ribs | 3 Oz. | 88 |
| Beef liver, pan-fried | 3 Oz. | 42 |
| Egg, whole | One | 25 |
If you need to supplement, I recommend you aim for a minimum of 2,000 I.U. of vitamin D per day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
- Yoshihiro Sato, MD, Munetsugu Kikuyama, PhD and Kotaro Oizumi, MD. High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and reduced bone mass in Parkinson’s disease. American Academy of Neurology. 1997;49:1273-1278.
- Paul Knekt, DPH; Annamari Kilkkinen, PhD; Harri Rissanen, MSc; Jukka Marniemi, PhD; Katri Sääksjärvi, MSc; Markku Heliövaara, PhD, Serum Vitamin D and the Risk of Parkinson Disease. Archives of Neurology, 2010;67(7):808-811.
- Paul Knekt, DPH; Annamari Kilkkinen, PhD; Harri Rissanen, MSc; Jukka Marniemi, PhD; Katri Sääksjärvi, MSc; Markku Heliövaara, PhD, Serum Vitamin D and the Risk of Parkinson Disease. Archives of Neurology, 2010;67(7):808-811.