Parkinson’s first surfaced in 1817 when James Parkinson, a British physician, published a paper on what he called “the shaking palsy.” Almost 200 years later it has become an epidemic where over 1,000,000 Americans lie with Parkinson’s, making it the second most common neurodegenerative disorder (Alzheimer’s ranks first). What is even more alarming is that it seems to be striking people at a younger and younger age. Currently, 15% of those diagnosed with Parkinson’s are younger than 50.
So what are the risk factors? One culprit is pesticides. Researchers recently found that those individuals regularly exposed to pesticides had a 70 percent higher incidence of Parkinson’s. Another risk factor is heavy metals. Here our exposure comes from the dental amalgam in our mouths and the food we consume. And finally, long-tem exposure to industrial chemicals appear to play a role.
These toxins have the effect of destroying neurons in the brain, and halting production of critical dopamine.
To decrease our risk of getting Parkinson’s we need to first avoid exposure to these toxins where ever possible and secondly, ensure that our liver is functioning at it optimum.