What about medications?
Do you know what you're taking and why?
The American Parkinson's Disease Association has created a simple table explaining the most widely used pharmacological treatments for Parkinson's disease in the United States. Click the link to learn!
Diet modification can be easier than you think, once you know what to do!
Below are actual diets of people with Parkinson's. The fact that these 3 people have never met and live in very different areas, and yet they share similarities in food choices, suggests that these diets may have elements of a typical western diet. Are these food choices recognizable in your diet?
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Eating a nutritious diet is particularly important to a person who has a chronic disease like Parkinson's. Although diet and supplements are not a cure for the disease, they help to prevent diet related problems. Further, there is abundant research that indicates wholesome food and high quality supplements can support attenuating disease progression. In addition, a poor, bland diet will increase feelings of fatigue and lethargy, will increase your risk of developing diet-related health problems, and will exacerbate your PD symptoms.
A nutritious diet for anyone, not just people with PD includes a variety of foods daily with heavy emphasis on fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, fish, meat, poultry, legumes, and plenty of water! Consult a certified nutritionist to help you optimize your diet and stay healthy while living with Parkinson's.
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The diet of client #1 is currently very high in carbohydrates and dairy. It is also lacking in protein, currently has minimal fruit, and does not include vegetables which contain important antioxidants. Consumption of cheese and/or yogurt daily with minimal fiber intake may increase diet related health problems such as high cholesterol and constipation, and has been noted to accelerate disease progression. In a regression analysis of over 1000 study participants with PD, researchers concluded that foods such as ​canned fruits and vegetables, soda (diet and non-diet), fried foods, beef, dairy products such as ice cream, cheese and yogurt were associated with more rapid disease progression (Lange et al., 2019), (Mischley et al., 2017). On the other hand, in a recent study by a University in the Netherlands, researchers concluded "that cheese is a neutral food group that fits a healthy diet." (Dekker et al., 2019).
*click the author names to read the full articles
The diet of client #2 is currently heavy on carbohydrates, fried and saturated fat foods, and lacks adequate fresh fruits and vegetables. The red asterisks indicate when food was purchased from an outside restaurant. According to an article in HealthLine, "in general, foods that have been fried or heavily processed alter your metabolism, increase blood pressure, and impact your cholesterol. None of those things are good for your body, especially if you’re trying to treat Parkinson’s."
*click the author names to read the full articles
The diet of client #3 is heavy in simple carbohydrates, and sugar, does not include fresh fruits or vegetables, is low in fiber and high in sodium. The Parkinson's Association of San Diego recommends a diet high in whole grains which can help balance blood sugar, and improve metabolism. Whole grains will help the body to have more energy to help one maintain an active lifestyle while living with Parkinson’s disease. High sugar intake disrupts energy level leading to a constant feeling of fatigue and lethargy (Davis Phinney, 2020).
*click the author names to read the full articles
Unfortunately, all of the above diets are lacking essential fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables, and water. The good news is there is always time to make modifications to change to a healthier diet, which inevitably may ease PD symptoms and slow disease progression.
According to the Parkinson's Foundation, Diet and Parkinson’s medications can impact each other. Dopaminergic medications may work best on an empty stomach. However, this may cause other problems for some people who cannot tolerate medications on an empty stomach. Further, taking medications for PD close to or with a protein-rich meal, may interfere with the absorption and alter the level of medication in the bloodstream. Consult your doctor for the best option for you, and know that perhaps you can take your medications with a small snack, like crackers or applesauce.
*click the author names to read the full articles
How about some variety in your meals?
A few other notes about your food choices:
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You can still eat desserts! just keep them as simple as possible and watch portions
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make your snacks are as healthy and diverse as your meals
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drink water before and/or after each meal
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plan your meals so that your medications will be the most effective
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avoid eating the same thing everyday
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reach out to someone or a support group if you need help meal planning or preparing
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do not skip meals! even if you eat a little something it is better than to skip a meal
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avoid fast food, and junk food as meal replacements
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introduce 1 small change at a time, to not feel overwhelmed by all the new foods
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remember to have 1 day as your FREE for ALL Food day. It's not what you eat 20% of the time that counts, it's the 80% of consistently eating a nutritious diet!
