Experts are still not sure why people get this muscle-weakening condition. It’s possible you may inherit it, or environmental chemicals might cause it. But somehow, the brain cells that control your muscles break down, and you begin to lose control of your movements.
PD comes on slowly. In the beginning, you might feel anxious and have trouble sleeping. Trembling hands, stiff muscles, and slow movement are likely to follow. You may shuffle your feet when you walk and have trouble keeping your balance.
Nonetheless, most people with Parkinson’s disease continue to lead a productive life. More than 90 percent of those who have it live at home with their families. That says a lot when you consider it mostly occurs in older people (most likely to occur after 50). However, PD does strike younger people, as well.
There is no cure for PD as yet, but there are effective medications to help control the symptoms. In addition, your diet can influence how well the medicine works. More importantly, the foods you eat may help you avoid getting PD in the first place - read on.
Vitamin E
Researchers discovered that if you at a lot of foods containing vitamin E, you are less likely to get PD. How this vitamin protects you from PD is not yet clear. The experts think it may be that, as an antioxidant, it helps prevent the breakdown of nerve cells that affect movement.
You can get vitamin E protection by eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables like apricots, avocados, mangoes, kale and sweet potatoes. Include bran, rice, wheat germ, almonds, and peanut butter and sunflower seeds in your diet as well.
Getting the most of your vitamin E from these plant foods rather than from animal sources is a doubly good idea. That is because eating a lot of animal fat can increase your chances of getting PD. Substitute plant protein like beans and nuts for some of the meat in your diet. And when you do eat meat, stick to lean cuts.
Vegetable oil is another good source of vitamin E. Use olive oil and canola oil – two of the healthiest oils – on salads and in other uncooked dishes. Unfortunately, heat destroys vitamin E, but you can still lower the animal fat in your diet by cooking with these oils rather than butter or lard. See also: Vitamin E: Background and Basics.
Caffeine
Jump-start your morning with a cup of coffee and you may help protect yourself from Parkinson’s disease. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that men who drank no coffee were about five times more likely to get PD than those who drank four to five 6-ounce cups of coffee each day.
The researchers who did this study believe it’s most likely the caffeine, not some other ingredient, which gives coffee drinkers this edge. But you may want to wait for further research before you start drinking coffee or increase the amount you currently drink.
Other studies have found similar protection for those who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. This leads some experts to question whether any of these are really protective. They think it’s possible the brain chemistry of people who get PD makes them less likely to be heavy users of these substances.
Fiber
Constipation is a common problem for people with Parkinson’s disease. By eating a lot of fresh leafy greens, beans, apples, and other fibrous fruits and vegetables, you can help your bowels work smoothly. For additional fiber, munch on seeds and whole grain breads and cereals, or stir some unprocessed bran into casseroles or salads. Just be sure to drink plenty of water to aid digestion.
A Word of Caution
If you have Parkinson’s disease, chances are you take a medication called levodopa. Unfortunately, the protein in the foods you eat can interfere with its ability to control your symptoms.
It may help to cut back on the meat, eggs, cheese and other protein foods in your diet. But to maintain your weight, replace the lost calories by eating more carbohydrates. And you might need extra calcium if you cut out dairy products.
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