61: EASES SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

More than ten million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s, a disease with no known cause or cure, that leaves patients struggling to do simple tasks and often needing home care. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include the following:

• Tremors in the hands and fingers.
• Slow movement and problems walking.
• Impaired sense of balance.
• Poor posture, including hunched back.
• Rigid, painful muscles.
• Slurred or soft speech.
• Inability to write by hand.
• Mood changes, including depression.
• Cognitive impairment, including memory loss.
• Sleep issues, including insomnia.

Preventing further destruction of dopamine neurons in the brain and increasing dopamine release are keys to treating Parkinson’s disease. Many patients with Parkinson’s are not responsive to traditional medications, and their symptoms get worse with age.

While CBD oil is not a cure for Parkinson’s disease, its unique ability to balance brain neurotransmitters as well as offset the side effects of medications are essential to improving quality of life in patients with the disease. CBD oil contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that can protect dopamine cells from dying, delaying progression of the disease. Cannabinoids in CBD oil help relax rigid muscles, slow tremors, and increase appetite, while its terpenes such as pinene can fight brain fog and improve focus. Finally, the most common carrier oil used in CBD oil, coconut MCT oil, is helpful for easing the constipation that patients with Parkinson’s disease experience.

HOW TO USE

20 milligrams of CBD oil taken as a tincture 3 times a day is optimal to improve mood, sleep, and motor function in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Applying CBD oil topically is not likely to be effective, as the source of dysfunction is in the brain, not the muscle.