For patients with Parkinson’s disease, there is no medically proven singular food/diet that treats the symptoms of the disease. However, a patient is always recommended to have healthy & balanced diet in order to improve the general health. Intake of right amount of fruits and vegetables help patient to stay hydrated and energetic. It may happen so that food rich in fiber may help ease out the symptoms of low (B.P) blood pressure and constipation. The Parkinson’s disease medication regime impacts the diet too. It is essentially important to adjust the timings & composition of the meal, so that the medications may work better. The doctor may ask the patient to avoid specific food in order to eliminate side-effects.
Which Foods To Avoid In Parkinson’s Disease?
The doctor may ask the patient with Parkinson’s disease to avoid certain food because they may interfere with the working of the medication, so prescribed and form side-effects-
- Fermented, cured/air dried meat and fish.
- Aged varieties of cheese like aged cheddar/Swiss, Camembert and blue cheese.
- Fermented form of cabbage like kimchi.
- Products of soybean including soya sauce.
- Tap beer and red wine.
Some form of supplements of iron can also cause side effects due to the medication. In case of intake of such supplements, they should be separated from the medicines by at least 2 hours.
How to Eat Well In Parkinson’s Disease?
Healthy Diet: The main idea is to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Consumption of fruits, nuts, vegetables and lean meat in small proportion may be beneficial.
Maintaining Weight- It should be taken care that the patient should not gain a lot of weight and become obese.
Fiber: Fiber rich food like broccoli, peas, apples, cooked beans, whole-grain bread and cereals are seen to be a part of a good diet.
Fats: Sugar and salt consumption must be cut down along with saturated fats from meat and dairy.
What are the Ways To Prevent Parkinson’s Disease In A Patient?
According to the research done so far, doctors and scientists believe that Parkinson’s disease is triggered through a combination of genetic factors and exposure to factors like trauma and certain kinds of toxins and illness. Thus, the Parkinson’s disease cannot be prevented as of now since proper etiology is yet to be discovered.
How to Care For A Patient With Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease that demands proper care of the patient. Since it adversely affects the motor abilities of the patient, a caregiver is extremely important who can take care of the patient. The major aim of the caregiver should involve-
Quality of Life: The caregiver plays an important role in maintaining the quality of life of the patient with Parkinson’s disease.
Appointments: The caregiver should be responsible for keeping a track of all the appointments with the doctor.
Medications on Time: The caregiver has to make a note of all the medications prescribed to the patient by the doctor and give him those medicines time to time.
Exercise: The caregiver should be aware of the general health of the patient. The patient should have a balanced and healthy diet and exercise regularly. This should be checked by the person who takes care of the patient.
Education: The caregiver should make attempts to educate themselves about the signs and symptoms of the Parkinson’s disease along with the treatment protocol and the progression of the disease.
Emotional Support: The love and care offered to the patient by the caregiver can help him deal better with the mental turmoil accompanying the disease.
Also Read:
- Parkinson’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Investigations, Treatment
- What Are The Early Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease?
- What Are The Five Stages Of Parkinson’s Disease?
- How Long Does It Take For Parkinson’s Disease To Progress?
- What is the Hoehn and Yahr Scale in Parkinson’s?
- How Do People Die Of Parkinson’s?
- Who May Be Trapped with Parkinson’s Disease?
