What Is Parkinson's Disease
According to The Parkinson's Foundation, "Parkinson'sdiseaseisaneurodegenerative disorderthataffectsdopamine-producing("dopaminergic")neuronspredominatelyin aspecificareaofthebraincalledsubstantianigra."
Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Symptoms start slowly. The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. After that, tremors are typical, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement.
In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, complications from Parkinson's disease are the 14th leading cause of death in the United States.
According to The Parkinson's Foundation, this disease affects 1% of people aged 60 or older, and its incidence increases with age.
Symptoms
A progressive disease, Parkinson's the motor and movement symptoms develop slowly over many years and differ from one patient to another; some of these include:
• Tremor at rest
• The slowness of movements (bradykinesia)
• Rigid limbs
• Shuffling
• Balance and gait problems
• Rigidity
Non-motor movement-related symptoms
Unfortunately, there are also non-motor and movement-related symptoms that sometimes have a more significant impact on those who have Parkinson's, including:
• Depression
• Sleep problems
• Cognitive impairment
• Apathy
• Constipation
• Loss of the sense of smell
Other Symptoms
• Difficulty swallowing
• Fainting
• Reduced arm sway
• Dysfunction in speech patterns
So far, science has not identified a cause of Parkinson's, and there is no cure. Instead, medical science offers various treatment options, which include prescription drugs and surgery.
Maintaining a high quality of life with this disease is possible, and it is key to understanding its symptoms and progression
Your doctor will help identify the best conventional medical treatments, such as dopaminergic medications that help increase levels of missing dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain that results from impairment of neurons in the substantia nigra.
While science is looking for ways to identify biomarkers for Parkinson's disease that can result in earlier diagnosis and more custom-tailored treatments to slow down progression, at this time, all available therapies treat and improve symptoms but do not slow the disease's progression.
Your doctor can help tailor a treatment plan that offers the most relief for your symptoms with the least amount of side effects. In addition, there are things you can do
Lifestyle Choices
Healthy Diet And Best Foods
According to The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson's Research, while no magic diet helps treat symptoms, maintaining a balanced and healthy eating plan does help improve the overall wellness of the body, which helps manage the disease.
Vegetables and fruits help maintain higher energy levels, and their vitamins and antioxidants support healthy immunity.
A dietician can help you plan appropriate meals and diet plan
Medication regimens can affect diet, so you may have to adjust meal times and what they include so that the medicines you take work better.
According to Mayo Clinic, nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish, walnuts, and avocados could benefit people with Parkinson's disease.
Supplements for Parkinson's disease Support
First and foremost, it is essential to try to meet your body's nutritional needs by consuming real, unprocessed food. A Mediterranean-style diet that limits refined carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, rice) while it emphasizes foods high in fiber such as leafy and cruciferous vegetables, berries high in antioxidants, good fats found in nuts and seeds, avocadoes, and olive oil, and lean, high-quality protein, especially the fatty fish help support a healthy brain. Ideally, consider eating organic because fewer pesticides and herbicides are used in the agricultural process. If you are unsure about what foods to choose from organic, helpful lists come from the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen.
If you choose to use supplements, consider talking to your doctor about having your micronutrient levels measured. While comprehensive micronutrient testing is often not covered by health insurance, the cost is relatively small, and the information gained has the potential to limit much costlier illnesses in the long run. This type of testing is typically performed by doctors and dietitians specializing in functional Medicine. Testing gives you personalized information, and, in this way, you are choosing the supplements you need to reach optimal levels.
Finally, suppose supplements are chosen without personalized testing. In that case, the following may be worth considering based on publications in the peer-reviewed scientific literature: Vitamin D3 up to 5000 IU daily, Vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols) 400 IU daily, vitamin C 1000 mg daily, alpha lipoic acid 600 mg daily, an omega three fish oil up to 1000 mg daily, and Dr. Sharlin's Neuro Det/ox product containing concentrates of plant-based antioxidants including green tea extract, pomegranate extract, resveratrol, and turmeric. If you are having trouble sorting through all the store brands and would like additional guidance, Dr. Sharlin has personally selected the best supplements for his Brain Tune Up! patients. These can be found at drsharlins.com.
Calcium and Vitamin D
The body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium properly. People with Parkinson's disease experience a higher frequency of vitamin D deficiency than control groups. Current recommendations for vitamin D are; 400 IUs for ages 50 and older and 600 IUs daily for ages 70 and older
Frequent blood testing at Sharlin Health and HNeurology and the Brain Tune-Up Program has determined most patients need 5000 IUs to maintain optimal daily levels.
While correct getting one hour per week of the sun on the face, hands, and arms naturally generate vitamin D in the body, and since the body stores vitamin D, getting enough sunlight in the summer months provides a store for the winter months.
Food Sources of Vitamin D
• Fatty fish, including salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.
• Eggs
• Liver
Foods And Diet Strategies That May Ease Symptoms
Constipation
Foods rich in fiber help ease constipation, which is often one of the most debilitating symptoms of Parkinson's.
• Vegetables
• High fiber fruit, such as berries and apples
• Legumes
• Whole grains, preferably gluten-free such as oats, buckwheat, and quinoa
• Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water every day helps to stimulate the bowels
• Warm drinks, especially in the morning, help to stimulate the bowels
Low Blood Pressure
• Raise fluids and salt intake, but always ask your doctor first
• Compression Stockings
• Note: coffee and caffeinated beverages have protective properties for Parkinson's disease.
•
Muscle Cramps
• Yellow mustard that contains turmeric and tonic water that contains quinine can help with painful muscle cramps symptoms of Parkinson's
• Staying hydrated can ease and prevent cramps
• Magnesium supplementation such as lotion or Epson salt baths may help.
Swallowing problems
A speech therapist can offer dietary modifications and individualized strategies to deal with choking, coughing, or swallowing problems seen with the disease. Some of these include foods that present increased "sensory input," such as cold or sour foods, or altering the consistency of a liquid or solid food.
Preventing Oxidative Stress
Unchecked free radicals in the body cause oxidative stress, associated with accelerated and premature aging and Parkinson's diseases. Foods, which are high in antioxidants, help fight these free radicals to offset the cellular damage that results from oxidative stress. The Mediterranean diet is a good option. The food in the diet contains antioxidants and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. For example, olive oil, avocados, and fatty fish, The Mediterranean diet is also moderate in protein but high in antioxidants. Ask your doctor.
Foods High In Antioxidants:
• Bell peppers, kale, spinach, and other colorful vegetables
• Berries, pomegranates, and dark cherries
• Whole grains
• Eggs
• Edamame
• Nuts
• Kidney beans
• Dark chocolate
• Red wine, coffee, and green tea
• Exercise Exercise can help increase muscle strength and boost balance and flexibility. Regular exercise also helps improve mood and well-being, staving off depression and anxiety, higher risk in Parkinson's patients.
If your doctor approves, swimming, walking, stretching, water aerobics, and other aerobic exercises can help.
Ask your doctor if a physical therapist who can design the perfect workout program for you can be of benefit.
Movement Strategies
Parkinson's disease causes sufferers to lose their sense of balance, which disturbs the ability to walk with a normal gait, and there are other things you can do besides exercise to address this issue.
• Try for your heel to hit the floor first when walking
• Move slower without quick sudden movements
• Avoid shuffling, and check to be sure you have a straight posture at all times
• When walking, look straight ahead instead of down
Avoiding falls
As the disease progress and is in its later stages, the risk of falls increases However, Here are some tips that may help.
• Instead of pivoting your body over the feet, make a U-turn
• Don't lean, instead distribute your weight evenly between both feet
• Don't carry things while walking
• Do not walk backward
Occupational Therapy
One of the hallmarks of Parkinson's is its effect on regular everyday activities of life, including eating, bathing, dressing, and even writing.
Occupational therapists are experts trained in teaching people new techniques that make such daily life activities easier to manage.
Patients with Gait Training to Improve Balance
Parkinson's can enhance their treatment by doing "gait training" at home. They can practice new ways to stand, walk, and turn. People undergoing gait training should try to:
1. Take more significant steps when walking straight ahead, focusing on proper heel-toe form.
2. Keep the legs at least 10 inches apart while turning or walking to provide more support and reduce the risk of falls.
3. Avoid shoes with rubber soles, as they can stick to the floor and increase the risk of falls.
4. Walk to a steady rhythm.
BalanceWear®
BalanceWear® technology may help patients with mobility difficulties associated with loss of balance and postural control. BalanceWear® was developed to help patients suffering losses of three-dimensional balance, postural control, and alignment, which may be a side effect of many neurologic and orthopedic disorders, including Parkinson's Disease Contact Sharlin Health and Neurology for more information.
Alternative And Complementary Medicine Options
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese exercise that uses slow, meditative, flowing movements that helps to improve flexibility, balance, and muscle strength regularly practicing Tai Chi can improve movement and help prevent falls.
The Mayo Clinic reports a study showed Tai Chi improves balance in sufferers of mind to moderate Parkinson's more than resistance training or stretching.
Another great benefit to this type of mind-body exercise is that it is very calming for the mind, which helps alleviate the stress that can increase the risks of anxiety and depression.
HeartMath biofeedback with Inner Balance
The HeartMath system empowers people to self-regulate their emotions and behaviors to reduce stress, increase resilience, and unlock their natural intuitive guidance for making more effective choices. HeartMath training enables people to break through to greater levels of personal balance, creat6ivity, insight, and health.
Yoga
Yoga, like Tai Chi and other mind-body exercises, has numerous positive effects on the mind, body, and spirit. Furthermore, yoga poses use gentle stretching movements that help increase balance and flexibility. It is also a very flexible exercise as poses are modified to suit individual physical abilities.
Sleep
People with Parkinson's appear to be more susceptible to sleep problems, with nearly twothirds reporting that they struggle with sleep.7
• Sleep problems in Parkinson's can negatively impact daytime alertness and quality of life for both people with Parkinson's and care partners8
• Disturbances in dopamine regulation and the presence of mood symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, may be contributing factors6,7 Specifically, people with Parkinson's are more susceptible to:
• Circadian rhythm disruptions
• Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Nocturia (frequent nighttime urination)
In addition to treating underlying sleep disorders, the simplest way to start sleeping better with Parkinson's is to practice good sleep hygiene10:
• Keep a regular schedule
• Create a bedtime routine
• Limit naps
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol later in the day
• Exercise earlier in the day
Rock Steady Boxing® is the first exercise initiative specifically designed for people with Parkinson's. Exercises adapted from boxing drills combine a noncontact fitness curriculum focusing on endurance, core strength, and coordination. Meditation
Meditation can easily be considered a miracle practice as it has endless benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. Meditation calms the mind, refocuses away from stress and negative situations in life, and is an ideal practice for those with Parkinson's disease.
It helps with pain management and can significantly alleviate stress, improving overall well-being, reducing stress levels, improving mental, physical and emotional health, and reducing risks for anxiety and depression.
Music or art therapy
The Mayo Clinic reports that both art and music therapy help Parkinson's. Music therapy helps improve walking and speech, while art therapy helps manage stress as a relaxing activity.
Pets
Owning a pet can help patients improve their physical abilities and flexibility. Owning a cat or dog is also associated with improved emotional health and lower stress levels. In addition, since they are a source of comfort and companionship, they can help improve the mindset and mental health of those with Parkinson's disease.
Pet therapy
Pet therapy is a guided interaction between a person and a trained animal. It also involves the animal's handler. Pet therapy aims to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental disorder.
Dogs and cats usually serve as pet therapy animals. However, fish, guinea pigs, horses, and other animals that meet screening criteria may be a good choice. The type of animal chosen depends on the therapeutic goals of a person's treatment plan.
Pet therapy builds on the pre-existing human-animal bond. Interacting with a friendly pet can help with many physical and mental issues.
Acupuncture
Research published in the Journal of Medicine reviewed almost 1,000 articles about acupuncture for Parkinson's disease. Of those, only 19 were considered high-quality trials. The study compared acupuncture to either conventional treatment such as medications or no therapy or a combination of acupuncture and traditional Medicine to conventional treatment alone. At the same time, the review's authors noted positive effects but that more rigorous studies are needed
Anecdotal evidence stems from patients reporting that regular and ongoing acupuncture sessions to improve their symptoms exist. Furthermore, acupuncture used for other pain conditions is a safe alternative treatment for people with Parkinson's.
Be sure to speak with your doctor about using acupuncture to be sure it is a good fit for you and your treatment plan.
Massage
Massage is one of the best ways to reduce muscle tension. It also promotes relaxation of mind, body, and spirit. Living with Parkinson's is stressful, and using massage may be beneficial.
Alexander Technique
Alexander technique is a methodology for treating chronic illness or conditions due to stress. Although it does not cure any health conditions, Alexander's technique makes the situation less taxing on the afflicted individual. In general, the technique works through psycho-sensory education; teachers of Alexander technique teach the afflicted individuals to identify habits that may cause unnecessary and extra discomfort. Interestingly, Alexander technique does not involve any exercises or forms of meditation; it is essentially a system of self-analysis and, eventually, one of selfcare. https://alexandertechnique.com
Speak With Your Doctor
Complementary and alternative medicine approaches offer various all-natural methods to address the symptoms of Parkinson's. Before trying any remedies or alternative Medicine, it is essential to check with your neurologist or primary care physician to be sure that any therapy you want to use is appropriate for you and fits well with your overall treatment plan.
Generally, it is best when the entire medical team involved in your treatment works together as much as possible. Communication with your health care team lends cohesion to the treatment plan and ensures the best possible outcomes. An integrative medicine physician or a holistic medical doctor can offer both conventional and complementary medicine options for your care.
If you are taking any herbs or supplements, you must consult with your physician, as they can interfere with medications. Most important is to realize that there is no cure for Parkinson's, and anyone or any product or practice that promises one is suspect.
Reducing Stress
One of the most critical considerations in dealing with any chronic illness, including Parkinson's, is keeping stress levels as low as possible. Chronic stress puts an enormous burden on the mind and body, making you feel worse mentally and physically, which can produce symptoms of Parkinson's worse. Chronic stress also causes muscle tension, which people with Parkinson's already experience
Stress management is vital in promoting the relaxation response in the body that makes you feel more calm, relaxed, and better overall.
There are many stress management techniques, including Yoga and Tai Chi, which, as previously mentioned, help with Parkinson's symptoms.
Enjoying your life by partaking in hobbies, social events with friends and family, taking hot baths, and enjoying all and any activities that make you relax is often the best Medicine.
Positive Attitude
A positive attitude can be complex when dealing with a debilitating disease such as Parkinson's. Still, it lowers stress levels and can change your perspective, allowing you to perceive your life in a better light.
Looking to the bright side, surrounding yourself with friends and family, and looking to do and feel things daily that bring you joy can help.
Support Groups
While friends and family can be a great source of comfort, people with the same condition can offer a unique perspective. They will understand what you may be going through, psychically, emotionally, and mentally. In addition, these people can be a great source of support. In turn, supporting and being there for others has the unique side effect of taking you out of yourself, and by giving to others, you will reap the most significant rewards for your well-being. There are support groups for Parkinson's where you can find understanding and make new friends enhance your social life, and bring comfort and support when you need it the most.