DIET AND FITNESS:
Parkinson's Disease --Top 10 Foods
That Help
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March 28, 2011, last updated
By Louise Carr, Associate Editor and Featured Columnist
Parkinson’s disease is one condition guaranteed to spark
feelings of fear and dread. The condition is also surrounded
by misinformation and confusion – does Parkinson’s disease
mean you can’t walk? Will Parkinson’s disease kill you? Is
Parkinson’s disease caused by coffee, or milk? Is there an
ideal diet to prevent Parkinson's disease or help its
symptoms?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition,
which means it affects your central nervous system, it’s a
long-term condition and it gets worse over time. More than
1.5 million people in the United States have Parkinson’s
disease (American Parkinson Disease Association) and
50,000 new diagnoses are made each year (National
Institutes of Health). According to Parkinson’s UK, one
person in every 500 in the UK has Parkinson’s disease.
If you have Parkinson’s disease you don’t have enough
dopamine – a brain chemical – a shortage which causes slow
movements. You will be less able to move spontaneously, and
you may have difficulty walking and suffer from tremors.
There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease but many experts
talk about the importance of diet for minimizing symptoms of
Parkinson’s disease. Which foods are best for managing
Parkinson’s disease? Do any foods increase your risk of
Parkinson’s disease?
What Are the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?
Dr. James Parkinson of London, England first described the
symptoms of the condition in 1817 and he called it “shaking
palsy”. Since the 1960's we have learned a lot more about
how Parkinson’s disease manifests itself in the body.
Everyone has different symptoms. This makes it difficult
sometimes to diagnose Parkinson’s disease. But the main
symptoms are striking – tremor and shaking, rigidity and
slowness of movement. The tremor associated with
Parkinson’s is a “resting tremor” – it starts when you are
relaxed. The tremor is usually in the hand at first, and can
travel to other parts of the body over time. people with
Parkinson’s may walk with a halted movement, in slow steps.
Slowness of movement can even be communicated through
the face with a mask-like appearance. The stiffness and
rigidity of muscles in Parkinson’s disease can cause cramps
and pain.
As well as symptoms relating to movement, Parkinson’s
disease also causes problems such as depression,
constipation, sweating, memory loss and anxiety. These
symptoms can cause considerable disruption and distress and
if untreated can have a bigger effect on life than the
movement-related symptoms Parkinson’s disease causes.
What Are the Causes of Parkinson’s Disease?
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease occur when the brain loses
nerve cells called dopaminergic cells. These nerve cells are
responsible for producing dopamine, a chemical
neurotransmitter that helps transmit messages from the brain
to control your body movements. If the nerve cells don’t
produce enough dopamine, the messages don’t get from
your brain to your body movements. When four-fifths of the
nerve cells are lost, Parkinson’s disease symptoms occur and
they get worse as dopamine levels continue to fall.
Unfortunately, experts don’t know for sure why the nerve
cells die or become damaged. Some scientists think
Parkinson’ disease is caused by environmental factors –
exposure to certain chemicals such as carbon monoxide,
pesticides and herbicides increases the risk, they say.
According to a 2007 study from the University of Aberdeen
and researchers in five European countries, the risk of
Parkinson’s disease is significantly higher with exposure to
pesticides. Some experts point to a genetic link to the risk of
suffering from Parkinson’s disease but this is believed to
come about through the interaction of certain genes with the
environment.
A 2008 study from the University Medical Center in Durham,
North Carolina, and the University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine, Florida showed people with Parkinson's disease
were significantly more likely to have been exposed to
pesticides than family members who didn’t have the
condition. The strongest link was between Parkinson’s
disease and exposure to herbicides and pesticides like
organochlorides and organophosphates.
Who Suffers From Parkinson’s Disease?
While Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating condition, many
people achieve a lot in their lives despite the condition. Not
least the celebrities of the big and small screen, politics and
sport who are affected by Parkinson’s disease. Michael J Fox
is perhaps the most well-known of all Parkinson’s disease
sufferers. The Back to the Future and Family Ties star was
diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 and has since
retired from acting. Late actors James Doohan (who played
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in Star Trek) and Hollywood
actress Deborah Kerr suffered from Parkinson’s disease.
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno suffers from the
condition, as does former Alabama governor George Wallace
and the legendary former boxer Muhammad Ali.
You are more likely to suffer from Parkinson’s disease when
you are older, aged over 50. Although Parkinson’s disease
can affect younger people, this is rare. According to
Parkinson’s UK, one in 20 Parkinson’s disease sufferers is
under the age of 40. Suffering from the condition under the
age of 18 is extremely rare. If you’re a man, you are also
more likely to develop the condition – but only slightly more
likely.
Parkinson’s disease is treated with medication to control the
symptoms of rigidity, tremor and slowness of movement. But
is there anything else you can do to help treat Parkinson’s
disease? Can you alter your diet to give yourself a fighting
chance of controlling the condition? We’ve read through the
latest scientific research and come up with a list of foods that
can help Parkinson’s disease sufferers.
Top 10 Foods That Help Parkinson's Disease
1. Berries, Fruit Lower Parkinson’s Disease Risk
Full of flavor and with numerous reported health benefits,
berries are associated with a lower risk of developing
Parkinson’s disease.
A 2011 study from the American Academy of Neurology
supported by the National Institutes of Health found men and
women who regularly put berries on the menu were less
likely to develop the condition. The study looked at 49,281
men and 80,336 women over 20 to 22 years.
The study also found that men were less likely to develop
Parkinson’s disease if they ate apples, oranges and other
sources of flavonoids. However, when it comes to women,
the results were different. This link between overall
consumption of flavonoids with lower risk of the condition
wasn’t found in women. Flavonoids are found in berries,
fruit, chocolate, tea, red wine and citrus. Increase your
flavonoid levels for an overall body-protective effect even if
the associations with Parkinson’s disease have not yet been
fully established.
2. Curry Spice Curcumin Protects Against Cell Death in
Parkinson’s Disease
Curry helps prevent Parkinson's? This spicy substance,
derived from curry spice turmeric, has antioxidant and anti-
inflammatory properties. Due to its prowess in this area,
researchers tested to see if curcumin has an effect on cell
death as it relates to Parkinson’s disease. One 2008 study
which took place at the Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine claimed it did – curcumin does prevent cells from
dying in a laboratory model of Parkinson’s disease. Adding
turmeric to your dishes may have a protective effect relating
to Parkinson’s disease as well as other conditions.
3. Green Tea Protects Against Parkinson’s Disease
A daily cup of green tea is linked with many health benefits
and now researchers believe green tea can protect against
the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. A 2007 study
undertaken by the Institute of Biophysics, Academia Sinica,
Beijing, China found green tea polyphenols – chemical
substances in plants that also have an antioxidant effect –
have neuro-protective effects in Parkinson’s disease as they
safeguard dopamine-producing cells. If green tea continues
to prove a positive protector against Parkinson’s disease, an
oral drug using its benefits would be the next step.
Meanwhile, green tea may help sufferers.
4. Is Vitamin D Linked With Parkinson’s Disease?
Research surrounding Vitamin D and its impact on Parkinson’
s disease is interesting. Do high levels of Vitamin D help
protect against Parkinson’s disease? A 2011 study from
Emory University School of Medicine and the Atlanta Veterans
Affairs Medical Center claims newly-diagnosed Parkinson’s
disease sufferers have a high prevalence of Vitamin D
deficiency – almost 70 percent of patients in the study had
low levels of Vitamin D in their blood. A study carried out
between 1978 to 1980 by the Finnish National Institute for
Health and Welfare, Finland discovered people who got lower
levels of Vitamin D early in life were more likely to develop
Parkinson’s disease.
But not enough is known about the vitamin’s direct effect on
Parkinson’s disease. Does Vitamin D deficiency raise the risk
of Parkinson’s disease or does having a high level of Vitamin
protect against the condition? Researchers aren’t sure, and
more studies are needed. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient.
We get some of it through our diet but most of it through
exposure to sunlight. At the moment it’s not recommended to
take high levels of Vitamin D because too much of the vitamin
can be a bad thing (and too much sun bathing can also be
dangerous).
5. Is Vitamin E Beneficial For Parkinson’s Disease?
Vitamin E, found in nuts and whole grains, may help slow the
progression of Parkinson’s disease according to experts. Its
power comes from its role in fighting free radicals that have
been shown to play a part in causing Parkinson’s disease.
However, large studies such as 1993 research from
University of Rochester Medical Center haven’t found
statistically significant benefits from Vitamin E.
6. What About Vitamin C For Treating Parkinson’s Disease?
Vitamin C has slightly more going for it as a Parkinson’s
disease remedy. One 1983 study by Reilly, Hershey, and
Rivera-Calimlim published in Advance in Neurology tested
Vitamin C as a remedy for the so-called “freezing up” effect
of levodopa drug treatment for Parkinson’s disease. This is
when the patient moves freely for several hours until the
drug seems to switch off and rigidity returns. The study
found a minimal positive effect for Vitamin C.
7. Mucuna Pruriens as a Parkinson’s Disease Treatment
Have you heard of the herb Mucuna pruriens? This tropical
legume plant also known as velvet bean or cowitch contains
L-dopa and one small 2004 study undertaken by researchers
at National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery,
London, UK found the herb gave benefits to Parkinson’s
disease sufferers. However, don’t take it straight from the
plant – this herb causes extreme itching on contact.
8. CDP-choline Supplements For Parkinson’s Disease
The supplement CDP-choline, an element that closely
resembled choline from the Vitamin B family, may help
increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. As low levels of
dopamine contribute to Parkinson’s disease, could CDP-
choline help protect against Parkinson’s disease? A 1990
study from the Pharmacologic Institute for Clinical Research,
Munich, Germany demonstrated that oral CDP-choline was
just as effective as standard drug therapy in treating 74
people with Parkinson’s disease, and caused few side effects.
9. Coenzyme Q 10 Helps Treat Parkinson’s Disease
According to many, food supplement coenzyme Q 10 is
effective for treating Parkinson's disease. Is this true? Can
coenzyme Q 10 help slow the progression or Parkinson’s
disease or improve symptoms?
A 2003 study from St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University,
Germany found that 360mg of coenzyme Q 10 produced a
mild improvement in symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. And a
2002 study from The University of California found coenzyme
Q 10 reduced the loss of movement caused by Parkinson’s
disease by 44 percent. However, subsequent studies have
failed to find statistically significant benefits associated with
the supplement and larger studies are needed.
10. Foods to Avoid With a Negative Link To Parkinson’s
Disease
On the flip side, are there bad foods that make your
Parkinson’s disease symptoms worse, or foods that
contribute to the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease?
According to one 1999 study from University of Washington
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, animal fats
are associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.
And a 2007 study by National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
discovered men consuming high levels of dairy products have
an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. There
was a clear pattern among men, particularly related to milk,
but no such link was found for women. Men with the highest
level of dairy consumption were 60 percent more likely to
develop Parkinson’s disease than those that consumed the
least. One theory is that pesticides or toxins in milk may
contribute to a greater Parkinson’s disease risk but further
research is needed to clarify any hypotheses.
Be careful with supplements and herbs if you have Parkinson’
disease. What may start out as a help could harm your
health. Avoid the herb kava – reports suggest the herb may
counter the effects of dopamine. Iron may interfere with the
absorption of Parkinson’s disease drugs – take iron
supplements after two hours following your Parkinson’s
disease medication and only after consulting with your doctor.
You're just getting started. Learn more about the relationship
between your diet and your risk for other diseases and
conditions: Meniere's Disease-Natural Remedies / How Much
Is Too Much Salt? /Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics /
Normal Fasting Blood Sugar / Natural Insulin Foods That
Help You Control Your Blood Sugar / Smoke Gets In Your
Eyes-Lingering Health Dangers from Volcanic Ash / Vitamin
B3 (Niacin)-A Powerful Ally Against Cholesterol / Swollen
Ankles -Causes and Cures//How Much Is Too Much Salt?
/Sugar-The Disease Connection / Are Diet Sodas Bad for
Your Health? // Ideal Breakfast for Arthritis /Healing Foods
Links / Foods That Shrink Your Waist / Foods That Lower
Cholesterol/ VLDL-The Other Cholesterol/ Foods That
Reduce Blood Pressure
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| Micheal J Fox developed juvenile Parkinson's in 1991 when he was just 30. |
