Tantalizing new studies point to a potential treatment.

Parkinson’s is a remorseless, incurable disease that causes stiffness, tremors, difficulty walking, and depression. People suffering from the disease have a loss of nerve cells (neurons) in an area of the mid-brain called the substantia nigra. Latin names always sound impressive, but this one just means “black stuff.” When you dissect it, the substantia nigra looks like an ink stain — unless there’s Parkinson’s, and then it’s as pale as the surrounding tissue. That’s due to the loss of neurons that produce dopamine. As a consequence of this die-off, Parkinson’s patients have a deficit of dopamine in the mid-brain.

Studies consistently show that the gut microbes of Parkinson’s patients are significantly altered from normal. They have higher levels of pathogenic bacteria and lower levels of beneficial bacteria — a double threat. 

Once you have already lost neurons, it is beyond the current science to fix things. But a balanced and diverse gut microbiota can help prevent the beginnings of brain disease and make you healthier overall. So how do you balance your gut microbiota? The best plan is to eat loads of veggies and fruit. But if you find it hard to get enough veggies and fruit into your diet, don’t despair. You can try prebiotic flavonoid extracts, like those in Clarity Prebiotic Blend. That can improve the resilience of your gut, and help you better deal with brain diseases like Parkinson’s.

Read more about Parkinson’s and the gut microbiota here.