Have Parkinson’s? Eat Fava Beans

If you have Parkinson’s, the cells in your brain that make dopamine have been damaged or destroyed. And as dopamine levels decline, the simplest movements become increasingly more difficult.

The good news is that there is a natural way to boost your dopamine: Eat fava beans.

A recent study conducted at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago found that Parkinson’s patients who ate large quantities of fava beans (10 ounces a day!) got the same benefits as they did when taking medication. That’s because fava beans contain levodopa - the same active component in medications like Sinemet, Madopar, Dopar, and Larodopa.

You don’t have to eat a bushel of favas to get the benefits. Three ounces (canned and drained) contains between 50 and 100 mg of levodopa. One note of caution: These healthful legumes can create problems for people who have a rare genetic defect. So check with your doctor before you load up.

[Ed. Note: Long before pharamaceutical companies started trying to make a buck, Mother Nature was serving up her own medications. Fava beans are just one type of food that can help you feel better. For more on the foods you should be eating to feel healthier and live longer, sign up for ETR's natural health e-letter. Get your free subscription here.

And for an all-natural dessert that tastes devilishly delicious, try nutrition expert Kelley Herring's special chocolate cake. Find out how to get a slice right here.]

Similar Articles:

• Drink This to Protect Against Parkinson’s - Current treatments for Parkinson’s disease, like most pharmaceuticals, are associated with serious …
• Mussels for Your Joints - Achy joints? Eat more mussels! Recent research shows that green-lipped mussels from New Zealand cont…
• Don’t Can the Beans - Last week, I was talking with a diabetic friend. During her latest weight-loss effort (and there hav…
• The Power of the Pomegranate - A glass of pomegranate juice a day may keep prostate cancer at bay. The first clinical trial of pome…
• Salba: Tiny Seed, Big Benefit - Should you be concerned about diabetes? Consider this: 23.6 million people in the U.S. have diabetes…
• Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is - How much is your health worth to you? For most people, the answer is quite simple: Everything. But i…
• Is This the World’s Silliest Festival? - Question: Where do you go to help gobble down 1,500 pounds of beans - and then watch outhouses race?…