Excerpts

THE BRAIN-HEALTHY PANTRY

Antioxidant-Rich Spices and Herbs

When possible, try to use the widest variety of fresh herbs: rosemary, basil, parsley, marjoram, dill, French tarragon, oregano, cilantro, thyme, lovage, sage, mint, and sorrel. By all means, use dried herbs when fresh are not available. The general rule for fresh to dried herb conversion is 1 tsp dried to 1 T fresh, but use your judgment and season to taste.

Here are some other good items to have on hand:

Spices and seeds. Turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, coriander (seeds of cilantro), caraway seed, poppy seed, a variety of red pepper spices, cumin, dill seeds, and regular white and black sesame seeds

Grains. Sweet brown rice, Israeli couscous, barley, flax seed, wild rice, quinoa, and soba noodles

Dried beans. Black beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, fava beans, and cannellini beans

Nuts. Walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds

Certain culinary spices and herbs are considered a more concentrated source of dietary antioxidants than many other food groups:

Cinnamon has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any spice. One teaspoon of cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as a full cup of pomegranate juice or a half-cup of blueberries.

Carnosic acid, a component in rosemary, increases the body’s production of glutathione, one of the most important antioxidants that may help protect the brain against free radical damage.

Oregano has one of the highest antioxidant levels of all dried herbs. One teaspoon of dried oregano leaves has as many antioxidants as 3 ounces of almonds or a half-cup of chopped asparagus.

A teaspoon of thyme contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a carrot or a half-cup of chopped tomatoes. Thyme also contains a variety of flavonoids that increase its antioxidant capacity and may offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Turmeric, found in curry powder, is a concentrated source of antioxidants—on a par with strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. One teaspoon of curry powder has as many antioxidants as a half-cup of red grapes. Emerging evidence suggests that curcumin, which gives turmeric its bright yellow color, may reduce inflammation and help safeguard the brain.

EXERCISE AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Most people in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD) don’t consider how exercise might be beneficial, possibly because they have not yet realized that their function has declined, or that the effects of the disease are beginning to interfere with the activities of daily life. Regular exercise is one of the most positive steps you can take to help manage the symptoms and progression of PD. It has certainly helped Mike and me.

Many health care providers fail to address the issue of exercise until 5 or more years after diagnosis, when more serious issues begin to arise. This misses a window of opportunity during which you can optimize your health so you will be better able to cope with symptoms.

Exercise can improve both the physical and mental issues that most people encounter with PD. Physically, it improves balance, muscle strength, posture, flexibility, and mobility. It also prevents joint stiffening. Emotionally, exercise has beneficial effects on stress, mood, depression and anxiety, cognitive decline, and sleep quality.

Some of the key observations that have been made about the benefits of exercise in PD are:

•    Regular exercise appears to delay the appearance of parkinsonian features in people who have already been diagnosed.
•    Inactivity may contribute to loss of function and disease progression.
•    Certain types of frequent, intense exercise—fast moving with high repetition, for example—can alter the way the brain works and may slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of PD by promoting neuroprotection.

Low-impact exercise such as tai chi, qigong (chi-gong), yoga, and treadmill training are recommended for people with PD to help improve impaired coordination and balance.

•    Tai chi was developed in China more than 1,000 years ago, and uses slow, graceful movement to relax and strengthen muscles and joints. This form of exercise provides benefits for people in all stages of PD, including improvements in cardiovascular fitness.
•    Qigong incorporates meditation, movement, and sometimes breathing techniques.
•    Yoga uses gentle stretching and meditation to relax tense muscles and relieve mental stress.
•    Treadmill training has emerged recently as a promising investigational therapy that may improve gait speed, stride length, and walking distance.