DASH diet for TS.

[Laurensmom]

"The DASH Diet" has been found to lower blood pressure without medications, and since high blood pressure meds have been helpful in reducing tics etc... I wondered if this diet would help people with TS?

 

Has anyone tried this for help with TS symptoms?

 

In short:

 

http://heart.healthcentersonline.com/dietn...on/dashdiet.cfm

 

Diet plays an important role in general health and some factors can lower or raise a person’s risk for certain medical conditions. Studies by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) have shown that blood pressure can be lowered through dietary modification and lowering sodium (salt) intake.

 

The Dietary Approaches to Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure (the force of blood against artery walls).Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan is a diet that is based on the findings from these studies. The DASH diet increases the intake of foods high in nutrients and limits saturated fats and cholesterol. The combination of the DASH diet and reduced sodium intake has been proven to lower blood pressure, especially in those with hypertension (high blood pressure).

 

The DASH diet focuses on the following guidelines:

 

* Reduce the overall amount of fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

 

* Increase the number of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods.

 

* Increase fiber intake by including whole grain products.

 

* Reduce the amount of sodium (e.g., salt) to an upper limit of 2,400 milligrams or lowest limit of 1,500 milligrams per day.

 

* Reduce sweets and sugar-containing beverages.

 

Overall, the DASH diet is rich in minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium, as well as protein and fiber, while low in fat, cholesterol and sodium.

 

Patients in the DASH study who used the diet were able to lower their blood pressure to the same extent as other patients who took antihypertensives. Patients are encouraged to speak with their physician about whether the DASH diet might be used as a replacement for medications. However, people should not abruptly stop taking their medications or begin this diet without first consulting their physician.

 

Extensive info here >

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/hea...sh/new_dash.pdf

[kim]

Laurensmom,

 

I want to preface this by saying, that I don't really know what I'm taking about here but...

 

I had an interesting conversation with an xray tech, a while back.

 

He started telling me, that he had recently lost a lot of weight, due to a blood pressure medication that he had been taking. He said it caused symptoms of anorexia, and he was unable to eat many foods, that he had previously enjoyed. Since my youngest son, is such a limited eater, my ears perked up. Also, both boys took clonidine (typically used as a BP med) for a period of time.

 

I told him that I had no idea, a blood pressure med, could cause symptoms of anorexia. He said "oh yea, it's a calcium channel blocker."

 

My thought is....I don't believe that it is the lowering of the blood pressure, that helps with tic reduction, but I certainley could be wrong here. It may be that certain types of BP medication work, through a different mechanism. If Mrs. Doubtfyre is around, I would love to know her thoughts. Maybe Chemar or someone else, will have some idea's?

 

I thought this was particularly interesting from an article that I posted on the calcium/magnesium thread;

 

Magnesium, in conjunction with B6, is considered Nature's calcium blocker. When either nutrient is lacking, the body will deposit calcium in the soft tissues. This can lead to numerous conditions related to an imbalance or an improper utilization of calcium, some of which are described below.

[kim]

Found this

 

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3107.htm

 

Drug Name

Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) -- Calcium channel antagonist inhibits calcium transport into myocardial and vascular smooth-muscle cells, resulting in inhibition of excitation contraction coupling and subsequent contraction.

 

Clonidine (Catapres) -- Stimulates alpha2-adrenoreceptors in brain stem, activating an inhibitory neuron, which, in turn, results in reduced sympathetic outflow. These effects result in a decrease in vasomotor tone and heart rate.

[Laurensmom]

Thanks for the response Kim.

 

I agree that lowering BP has NOTHING to do with lowering tics. And, the DASH diet will not effect blood pressure if you don't have a problem with BP. However, the mechanism by which the DASH diet lowers BP is not fully understood. Some scientists believe that nitrates found in some veggies are the reason?

 

clonidine is an Adrenergic Receptor Agonist >

 

http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/BioMed/Courses/...energ_agon.html

 

I know that androgens have an impact TS and that is the reason tics effect boys more than girls? Additionally, magnesium, and other vitamins are said to be helpful with tics and they lower blood pressure. While I know that blood pressure and tics are not directly related, I can't help but ponder this?

 

http://ahavj.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/a...onaha;37/5/1199

In this review the possible mechanisms by which androgens may increase blood pressure are discussed.

 

Androgens

 

It has long been known that androgens (such as testosterone, the male sex hormone) affect Tourette syndrome. This is why Tourette syndrome affects three times more males than females. Also, Shapiro et al. (1988) and Scahill (1990) reported that anabolic steroids made Tourette syndrome symptoms worse.

The reason these androgens aggravate Tourette syndrome is probably related to serotonin. It is known that steroids lower serotonin levels, and it is probable that high levels of other androgens will as well.

 

http://au.geocities.com/jones_kacm/chem.htm#And

 

I'm probably grasping at straws but I thought I'd ask if anyone has tried anything similar.

 

I just found this tidbit too? http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/90/6/3550#SEC2

 

We conclude from our study that diet modulation from a high-fat, low-fiber typical Western diet to a low-fat, high-fiber diet significantly reduced serum androgens and some urinary androgens with a decreasing trend in PRT. We speculate that changes observed in circulating androgens with a low-fat diet may have a chronic effect on intraprostatic androgen levels or metabolism.

 

None of this probably means anything, but I'm going to continue to dig a bit.

 

Thanks again.