There is no one recommended way to eat with Parkinson’s disease, but a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables promotes health and well-being for everyone.
No one diet can treat Parkinson’s disease, but The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research notes that medication might require mealtime considerations, and dietary changes may help ease certain symptoms. Your physician or a dietitian can design a healthy, balanced diet to fit your needs and improve well-being.
Learn how and get tips, recipes, community member hints, and more in our new, free guide, Brain Food: Eating Well if You Have Parkinson’s (or Worry You Might Get It).
Whether you live with Parkinson’s, care about someone who does, worry about the possibility of PD, or simply want to care for your brain as best you can — the guide has something for you.
There is no one recommended way to eat with Parkinson’s disease, but a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables promotes health and well-being for everyone. There is no current research that supports particulary dietary restrictions.
One part of a healthy diet is eating foods with antioxidants. These “good for you” molecules help protect cells from stresses such as air pollution, cigarette smoke and even the process of converting food to energy. Antioxidants are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, dark chocolate and some beverages, such as red wine, coffee and tea.
Nutrition is particularly important in Parkinson’s for many reasons; the disorder itself often slows transition through the gut and affecting the absorption of medications and nutrients. Patients with PD may have other medical conditions that further put them at risk of malnutrition. Poor nutrition can worsen other conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, which in turn can worsen function in PD. In addition, good nutrition promotes overall brain health and may have some protective benefit with regard to conditions such as strokes and Alzheimer’s disease.
As is true for many aspects of Parkinson’s disease, each person is a little different. You may need to experiment to see what is most effective for you.
Fight Parkinson’s notes that “the nutritional issues faced by people with Parkinson’s are complex and diverse and therefore need to be reviewed by an accredited practising dietician on a case-by-case basis. Given that Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition, nutrient requirements may change through the journey with the condition.”
For some Parkinson’s symptoms, The Michael J. Fox Foundation highlights that the first step in treatment is to adjust your diet.
Our partner The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) shares these other important notes on diet and nutrition in Parkinson’s.
Protein Consumption
The medication levodopa is a protein building block, so it competes for absorption with other proteins. Taking levodopa with high-protein meals, such as meat and fish, may reduce how much of the drug gets into your system and how well a dose works. Iron supplements can also decrease absorption of levodopa.
Constipation
Constipation can significantly impact quality of life, causing bloating, discomfort and nausea. It is one of the most persistent symptoms of Parkinson’s disease , arising often years before the motor symptoms and affecting people throughout their disease course. Constipation also can slow absorption and lower the effectiveness of Parkinson’s medications, such as levodopa. Current medical therapies are limited, but researchers are urgently working toward treatments for constipation in Parkinson’s.
Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure when changing positions, such as standing from sitting, can be part of Parkinson’s or a side effect of Parkinson’s medications. Recognising and treating low blood pressure can help prevent complications, such as fainting or falling. Treatment of low blood pressure consists of adjustments to diet and lifestyle, and sometimes medication changes as well. Review your medications with your doctor.
Swallowing Problems
Difficulty swallowing, called dysphagia, can happen at any stage of Parkinson’s disease. Signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include: difficulty swallowing certain foods or liquids, coughing or throat clearing during or after eating/drinking, and feeling as if food is getting stuck. As the disease progresses, swallowing can become severely compromised and food/liquid can get into the lungs, causing aspiration pneumonia. To evaluate swallowing problems, doctors may order a test that takes x-rays while you swallow foods and liquids of different consistencies. This test shows where the swallowing problems are (the mouth or throat) and whether foods and liquids are going into the airway instead of the stomach. The way you sit, the foods you eat, and how you eat can affect your ability to swallow.
Gut Health
Did you know that what happens in your gut can have an impact on your brain health? Some experts even call the gut “the second brain” because of its huge community of microbes and large nerve network that links the gut to brain disease, like Parkinson’s. Many of the most bothersome symptoms related to daily life with Parkinson’s are those related to eating and digestion: constipation, bloating and nausea being the most commonly reported. But there are ways you can manage these symptoms, and expert advice can give you practical tips to take action. You can view a webinar from MJFF to hear about the latest research as well as GI symptoms common in PD.
In this webinar from MJFF, expert panellists discuss ways to live well. They share practical tips for eating healthy, exercising, building a care team and boosting brain health.
Search
Contact