The Impact of Diet and Exercise on Parkinson's Disease

Although there is no known cure for Parkinson's Disease, there are a number of changes patients can make to their everyday lifestyles to help with their condition, and possibly alleviate a degree of the symptoms they will be experiencing.  Through simple changes in diet and exercise, patients can go some way to help themselves, and promote a longer, more sustainable period or relative normality before the further onset and development of the condition, as well as ensure the medication they are taking is working to its fullest potential.

A healthy balanced diet is a good idea for everyone, not just patients with Parkinson's disease.  Unfortunately, promising clinical studies into the beneficial effects of vitamin E on Parkinson's patients yielded no positive results, and to date there is no know vitamin or food that can help patients to relieve their symptoms, other than the maintenance of a healthy, balanced diet.  It is advisable, when using the drug levodopa to maintain dopamin levels in the brain, to eat a diet consisting of less protein, as this is proven to limit the responsiveness of patients to the drug, and ultimately its effectiveness in the long run.  Nevertheless, studies are ongoing into different foods, vitamins and minerals which may impact upon the development of the disease, a may even halt the progression of symptoms for a substantial period of time.

Because of the movement altering properties of  Parkinson's Disease, it is beneficial for patients to adopt a course of regular exercise and physical activity.  This may help to improve patients mobility in the short term, and may be a motivating and worthwhile activity for many patients who feel in despair as to the progressive nature of the disease.  It is not uncommon for doctors to prescribe a programme of muscular activity and movement to use weaker muscles and promote a fuller range of motion to improve body strength.  Although exercise cannot halt the progression of the condition, it may mean the patient is more physically able for longer.  A course of exercise can also help with balance problems, and strengthen the muscles which allow patients to speak more clearly.  The main reason for exercise is the feeling of achievement that many sufferers realise when achieving physical goals.  As well as the prescribed course of exercise, patients are recommended to also maintain leisure activities of a physical nature such as gardening, walking or swimming.

Although neither altering diet or increasing exercise is going to solve the problem, they will certainly help patients live an active and happy life for as long as possible, and will ensure a comfortable existence during the development of the condition.  They will also go some way towards helping morale which would otherwise be low as patients feel their gradual or rapid descent into the disease's later stages.  These practices are also beneficial in giving patients targets and goals to achieve in their daily lives; something to work on and take their mind off the symptoms they will be experiencing.

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