Sandra has been growing her own fava beans. They give her wonderfulrelief from the symptoms of Parkinsons. We asked Sandra a series ofquestions about fave beans. Here are her answers:

1. How did you come to try fava beans as therapy for Parkinsons disease?

Istarted searching books for possible natural treatments for Parkinsonsdisease in January 2009. Came across a book Green Pharmacy by JamesA. Duke PhD. He spoke of favas for Parkinsons disease & thatstarted the ball rollinglots of research and a search for seeds toplant. I am an organic gardener and am fascinated with herbs andnatural medicine so this was a new challenge for me.

2. Why are fava beans supposed to give relief from PD symptoms?

Thewhole aerial plant contains l-dopa. Especially, the immature greenpods. Since it is a natural form of l-dopa, the body recognizes &utilizes it very efficiently. Part of this is because it is a wholefood, not a synthetic, man made form just God given.

3. How have fava beans helped you and your friend?

Myfriend takes a small amount of sinemet and a couple of beans atmedication times. The favas are supplying most of her l-dopa. Thisseems to be giving her longer on times. Taking less sinemet seems tomean less withdrawal time from sinemet. She tries to take all of hersinemet before lunch time and then supplement in the afternoon withbean products dries bean chips/bean cookies/tincture, etc.

Personally,I am not on any pharmaceuticals for PD, and just taking a few drops oftincture when I feel PD symptoms coming on, is enough to let me getthrough the day symptom free.

4. Can everyone use fava beans?

No.Some people have a genetic condition called favism. People with favismhave an deficiency that makes it very dangerous to usefavasconsumption can be fatal. There is a simple blood test called aG6PD which detects if you have this condition and should not use favabeans. The test cost me $65. and was well worth it.

By Carolyn Butler

Of all the relationships in my life, by farthe most on-again, off-again has been with coffee: From that initial,tentative dalliance in college to a serious commitment during my firstreal reporting job to breaking up altogether when I got pregnant, onlyto fail miserably at quitting my daily latte the second time I wasexpecting. More recently the relationship has turned into full-blownobsession and, ironically, I often fall asleep at night dreaming of thedelicious, satisfying cup of joe that awaits, come morning.

WhileI love the mere ritual of drinking coffee, I have definitely come torely on the caffeine to make me feel more alert, energetic and oftenjust plain better, every single day. And yet because I don't likefeeling dependent on anything, I occasionally wonder whether I shouldgive it up for good, especially when I have a particularly jitteryafternoon. Can something that tastes and feels this good not be bad foryou?

Rest assured: Not only has current research shown thatmoderate coffee consumption isn't likely to hurt you, it may actuallyhave significant health benefits. "Coffee is generally associated witha less health-conscious lifestyle -- people who don't sleep much, drinkcoffee, smoke, drink alcohol," explains Rob van Dam, an assistantprofessor in the departments of nutrition and epidemiology at theHarvard School of Public Health. He points out that early studiesfailed to account for such issues and thus found a link betweendrinking coffee and such conditions as heart disease and cancer, a linkthat has contributed to java's lingering bad rep. "But as more studieshave been conducted -- larger and better studies that controlled forhealthy lifestyle issues -- the totality of efforts suggests thatcoffee is a good beverage choice."

Van Dam's research, forexample, found no evidence that coffee consumption had any effect onmortality from any cause, including cardiovascular disease or cancer,even for people who drink up to six cups a day. He and his colleagueshave also found that drinking coffee is associated with a reduced riskof liver disease and Type 2 diabetes. The latter is backed up by astudy published this month in the Archives of Internal Medicine; itsuggested that three to four cups of joe a day might reduce chances ofdeveloping Type 2 diabetes by roughly 25 percent.

And that'snot all. Also this month, Harvard researchers unveiled new datasuggesting that drinking coffee might lower men's chances of developingaggressive prostate cancer by up to 60 percent, with the highestbenefits for those who down the most java.

Other studies haveshown that coffee consumption reduces the risk of a laundry list ofailments: stroke, Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, endometrialcancer, colon cancer and gallstones, for starters.

"Theevidence is pretty clear," says Daniel Burnett, a preventive medicineand family physician in Bethesda, who notes that coffee intake can alsoimprove mental performance and mood, decrease depressive symptoms andincrease endurance and aerobic performance.

While caffeine isthe star ingredient for sleep-deprived students, parents and workerbees, the fact is that in many of these studies, including the researchon diabetes and prostate cancer, positive effects are similar for thosewho drink decaf as well.

"Most of the benefits associated withcoffee are not attributed to caffeine," says van Dam, who explains thatthe beverage also contains antioxidants and quite a few vitamins andminerals. "We tend to focus on coffee as just a vehicle for caffeine, .. . but now we look in more detail, without bias, and see it also hashundreds of compounds that might have beneficial effects, similar tothings we see in some vegetables, which makes all the [study results]seem more plausible."

Which is not to say the bean has nodownside. Doctors cite risks such as miscarriage, fertility problems,anxiety and sleep issues, and warn that pregnant women and those withblood pressure problems, especially, should cut back or avoid it.

Othersare more concerned about the potential for addiction. "My personalopinion on caffeine is that it's the most widely used psychoactive drugin world," says Daniel Evatt, a research fellow in the department ofpsychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He notesthat many people become tolerant to immediate perks such as alertnessand increased energy, and then go through withdrawal, with headaches,low energy and other symptoms, when they try to quit.

Inaddition, Evatt suggests that some longtime coffee drinkers mayactually be immune to benefits and not know it: The tiredness they feelin the morning is really withdrawal-related, he says, and that singleor double shot just helps them get back to normal functioning, withoutproviding a real boost. "All these things tell us that this is asubstance that people can become dependent on, in the way they becomedependent on other drugs."

In particular, researchers worryabout children and teenagers who gulp down coffee and such high-caloriecousins as frappuccinos, soda and especially the new wave of energydrinks. "They already have enough ups and downs with emotions as it is;when you add caffeine into the mix, it's a problem -- their bodiesaren't as equipped to handle it," says Evatt, who expresses concernthat energy drinks are regulated as supplements instead of soft drinks.As a result, there is no limit on how much caffeine they can contain,nor are they required to list stimulant content on their labels, eventhough it can be 300 milligrams or more in an eight-ounce can, comparedwith 80 to 100 mg or so in a cup of brewed coffee.

Given someof the downsides of caffeine, even coffee enthusiasts in the researchfield suggest that people monitor their consumption and recognize howthey react to the stimulant, looking for troublesome signs includingjitteriness, tremors and difficulty sleeping. (This is particularlyimportant because studies have shown that different people metabolizecaffeine in vastly different ways; that's why a Coke or cappuccino canleave one person bouncing off the walls while another can nap straightaway.)

But those of us who tolerate our daily brew well cancontinue to happily caffeinate, within reason. "In terms of healthrisks, up to around six cups a day or so seems to be fine," says vanDam, noting that "cup" generally means eight to 10 ounces of blackcoffee -- not a venti mochaccino or the like, with added caffeine,sugar and calories. "I think coffee is on par with tea and water, andcan be a healthy choice for most people."

(a.k.a, ascorbic acid; ascorbic is Latin for without scurvy)

VitaminC is a strong antioxidant that promotes the growth and maintenance ofbones, teeth, skin and red blood cells. It aids in the repair oftissues and the formation of collagen, plus it helps the body resiststress and infection. It increases the absorption of iron and calcium.Vitamin C is believed to prevent cardiovascular disease, lowercholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, fight allergies and asthma,aid symptoms of diabetes, prevent gallstones, prevent cancer, improvemale fertility, prevent osteoporosis, and slow down the progress of Parkinsons disease.

Natural Food Sources

Avocado,black currants, blueberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,collard greens, grapefruit, green pepper, guava, kale, lemon, lime,mango, melon, orange, papaya, pineapple, potato, rose hip, spinach,strawberry, tomato, watercress.

Recommended Daily Allowance
Men: 90 mg
Women: 75 mg