What To Eat - A Complete Diet Guide For Parkinsons Patients

Neuro Sciences | by CMRI | Published on 08/04/2022

Overview

If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease recently, then your doctor may suggest some changes to your diet chart. A planned diet will help you to stay healthy and manage the symptoms of Parkinson's effectively. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid will be of great help in such cases. Here we have discussed the same with the help of our best Parkinson’s doctors in Kolkata. 

Foods to eat for Parkinson’s disease:

Although there is no such specific diet for Parkinson’s disease, eating right will help you to lower the risk and slow down the rate of disease progression. Following are the foods that you need to include:
   Fish oil- According to research, omega-3 fats may help reduce nerve inflammation, improve neurotransmission and delay neurodegeneration. As a result, eating more omega-3-rich fatty fish or taking an omega-3 supplement may assist persons with Parkinson's disease.

 The following fish and seafood have high quantities of omega-3 fatty acids:

•     mackerel
•     salmon
•     herring
•     oysters
•     sardines

In addition to possibly providing immediate benefits to patients with Parkinson's disease, omega-3 fatty acids may help lessen the risk of dementia and confusion in general. It can also slow down the rate of cognitive decline. These are secondary symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Antioxidants- Free radicals are unstable molecules present in our bodies. They are required for good health. However, if there is an imbalance and there are more free radicals than needed, they can harm fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins in the body. Antioxidants keep free radicals in control, so eating a diet rich in antioxidants can aid in the prevention of oxidative stress. Thus, a person with Parkinson's disease may choose to include antioxidant-rich foods in their diet that includes- 

•     Citrus fruits
•     Walnut 
•     Broccoli
•     Green tea
•     Blackberries
•     Green tea
•     Kidney beans

Fava beans- Levodopa is the most effective Parkinson's medicine. As fava beans contain levodopa, some people believe they can help cure Parkinson's symptoms. You may find this a good reason to add up fava beans to your diet. Don’t load your plates with a lot of fava beans. 
There is still very little research that suggests having fava beans can reduce symptoms like medications. 

Foods containing various nutrients-

According to Trusted Source, people with Parkinson's disease frequently have nutrient deficiencies, including iron, vitamin B1, vitamin C, zinc, and vitamin D deficits. So they should include the -

•     Foods containing vitamin B1

-orange
-peas
-bananas
-walnut

•     Foods containing vitamin C

-Various citrous foods
-Broccoli
-Strawberry
-Potato

•     Foods containing vitamin D

-red meat
-egg yolk
-oily fish

•     Foods containing zinc

-Shellfish
-bread
-cereals

•     Food containing iron

-red meat
-beans
-liver
- red fruits like pomegranates

Foods you need to avoid:

•     Avoid  having sugary foods
•     Processed foods should be eliminated from the diet chart
•     Foods containing saturated fat 
•     Dairy products
•     Foods containing cholesterol
•     Limit salt and sodium intake
•     Restrict sugar intake
•     Avoid fad diets and make an effort to eat meals from all dietary groups

Apart from the above-mentioned diet chart, you should include the following tips to keep in mind, if you have Parkinson’s disease.

•     To stimulate the reduced bowel motions(constipation) caused by Parkinson's disease, season your food with turmeric or yellow mustard.
•     According to one study, drinking coffee may help reduce the progression of Parkinson's disease.
•     Consider drinking tonic water to increase your magnesium through diet, Epsom salt baths, or supplements for Parkinson's-related muscle cramps.
•     Many Parkinson's patients have trouble chewing and swallowing food. So they should avoid hard, dry, or chewy foods. Instead, they can have softer meals or can pair the chewy foods with sauce, gravy, or drinks to help their swallowing easier.

If you or your loved ones are suffering from Parkinson’s disease, then you can consult our experts practicing at a top neuro hospital in Kolkata to resolve any queries you have. We will help you through your journey to manage symptoms and to ease your way to recovery.