Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and motor skills. While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, there are ways to manage symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, symptoms are usually mild and do not interfere significantly with daily activities. As the disease progresses, people may experience tremors, slowness of movement, limb rigidity, gait and balance problems, speech changes, writing changes, and more. By making lifestyle adjustments and following the doctor’s recommendations, people with Parkinson’s can continue to enjoy a high quality of life for many years after diagnosis.
Exercise and Physical Activity
Exercise is one of the most important things a person can do to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Regular exercise helps maintain mobility, flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination. It also leads to improved mood, sleep, constipation, and overall quality of life. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. Walking, swimming, cycling, dance classes, yoga, and Tai Chi are excellent choices. Focus on exercises that challenge your balance and build leg strength. Consult your doctor or physical therapist for personalized exercise recommendations.
Benefits of Exercise for Parkinson’s
- Improves mobility and balance
- Maintains strength and flexibility
- Reduces stiffness
- Boosts energy and sleep quality
- Elevates mood
- Helps manage weight
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet can help you maintain strength, energy levels, and a healthy weight. Here are some dietary recommendations for people with Parkinson’s disease:
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They provide antioxidants, fiber, and nutrients.
- Choose lean protein sources like fish, skinless poultry, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy.
- Limit processed foods, salty snacks, sweets, and saturated fats.
- Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Consider taking Vitamin D and calcium supplements.
- Eat small, frequent meals to prevent low blood sugar.
- Allow plenty of time to chew thoroughly.
A balanced diet provides energy, protects brain health, and prevents problematic weight loss. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for a customized eating plan.
Parkinson’s Diet Tips
| Tip | Reason |
|---|---|
| Eat more fiber | Improves digestion and constipation |
| Avoid large meals | Can cause fatigue after eating |
| Focus on finger foods | Easier to handle tremors |
| Use weighted utensils | Makes eating easier |
| Drink protein shakes | Provides nutrition when chewing and swallowing is difficult |
Get Plenty of Restful Sleep
Good sleep is vital for controlling Parkinson’s symptoms and improving quality of life. Unfortunately, Parkinson’s often causes sleep problems like insomnia, restless legs, vivid dreaming, sleep apnea, and daytime fatigue. Follow good sleep hygiene habits:
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.
- Make sure the sleep environment is cool, comfortable and quiet.
- Limit daytime napping.
- Avoid electronics and screens before bedtime.
- Cut back on caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals and fluids before bed.
- Relax and unwind with a pre-bedtime routine.
- Use a white noise machine or earplugs if needed.
- Try natural sleep aids like chamomile tea, meditation, gentle stretches.
Consult your doctor if you consistently have trouble sleeping. Sleep medications or treatment for conditions like sleep apnea may help.
Consider Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy
Consulting physical, occupational and speech therapists can help you maintain independence and quality of life. These specialists provide exercises, mobility aids, home modifications and strategies tailored to your individual symptoms and challenges.
Physical therapy improves mobility, balance, flexibility, gait, coordination, strength and posture through customized exercise programs. Physical therapists teach you how to prevent falls, properly use assistive devices, and adjust movements to compensate for Parkinson’s symptoms.
Occupational therapy helps you successfully perform daily activities through exercise, adaptive devices, home modifications and changes to your environment. They can teach you strategies for handwriting, dressing, bathing, eating, household tasks and hobbies.
Speech therapy treats speech and swallowing difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease. Therapists provide exercises for improved vocal strength, range of motion and clarity of speech. They can also help with drooling and teach swallowing techniques to prevent choking on food and liquids.
Benefits of Therapy for Parkinson’s Patients
- Improved mobility and balance
- Increased strength, coordination and flexibility
- Better posture, gait and motor function
- Strategies for dressing, bathing, household tasks
- Exercises for improved speech and swallowing
- Better fine motor skills for writing, hobbies, hygiene
- Adaptive devices like walkers, mirrors, weighted utensils
Consider Deep Brain Stimulation
For people with advanced Parkinson’s disease who can no longer control symptoms with medication, deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be an option. DBS is a surgical procedure that implants electrodes in the brain that are connected to a small pacemaker-like device. Electrical pulses help normalize brain signaling and significantly improve symptoms like tremors, stiffness, movement, walking, and motor fluctuations.
DBS can provide dramatic improvements in symptoms and quality of life. However, it does have risks associated with brain surgery. It also requires meticulous adjustments of stimulation settings and extensive programming. DBS is reversible since the devices can be turned off or removed. Talk to your neurologist to see if DBS may be appropriate for your Parkinson’s disease.
Advantages and Disadvantages of DBS for Parkinson’s
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Significantly improves motor symptoms | Surgical complications like infection or bleeding |
| Allows medication reduction | Does not slow disease progression |
| Reversible procedure | Requires extensive programming and adjustments |
| Improves quality of life | Does not help non-motor symptoms |
Consider Clinical Trials
Participating in a clinical trial for a new Parkinson’s treatment may give you early access to potentially beneficial experimental drugs or therapies. While there are risks associated with unproven treatments, clinical trials help researchers find better treatments and possibly a cure. Talk to your doctor about whether any clinical trial opportunities may be right for your condition.
Some examples of Parkinson’s clinical trials include:
- New medication formulations to improve effectiveness and reduce side effects
- Novel drugs and molecules to protect dopamine-producing neurons
- Gene therapies to deliver protective genes or dopamine-producing stem cells
- Novel brain stimulation targets to treat symptoms
- Vaccines or immunotherapies to slow disease progression
- Physical therapy, exercise, and rehabilitation techniques
You can search for Parkinson’s disease clinical trials in your area at websites like ClinicalTrials.gov. Ask your neurologist which trials may be suitable based on your symptoms, condition, and medical history.
Potential Benefits of Parkinson’s Clinical Trials
- Access to experimental treatments not widely available
- Closely monitored care from trial doctors and staff
- Helping advance Parkinson’s disease research
- Access to medical care related to the trial at no cost
Manage Stress and Anxiety
Having Parkinson’s disease can be emotionally stressful. Many people experience anxiety, depression, mood swings, apathy, and fatigue after diagnosis. Make sure to prioritize mental health and have appropriate support systems in place. Some tips include:
- Joining a Parkinson’s disease support group
- Practicing relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing
- Staying socially active and engaged in hobbies
- Getting counseling or therapy if needed
- Expressing feelings with friends, family members and doctors
- Taking breaks from stressful situations
- Focusing on positive thoughts and gratitude
If stress, anxiety, or depression make functioning difficult, consult your doctor about antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. With the right treatment plan, most people with Parkinson’s can maintain a positive outlook and healthy mindset.
Consider Complementary Therapies
Complementary therapies like acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care may help relieve Parkinson’s symptoms when used alongside traditional treatments. While more research is needed, some people report benefits from:
- Acupuncture – fine needles inserted in the skin at specific points stimulate nerve fibers.
- Massage – kneading and manipulating muscles and joints improves circulation and limbers stiff muscles.
- Reflexology – applying pressure to reflex points on the feet related to specific organs and glands.
- Chiropractic – spinal manipulation and mobilization helps relieve muscle tension and pain.
- Yoga and Tai Chi – combines physical postures and movement with deep breathing.
Discuss trying complementary approaches with your movement disorder specialist first. While relatively safe, they can interact with medications and other treatments.
Potential Benefits of Complementary Therapies
- Pain relief
- Reduced stiffness and spasms
- Increased flexibility
- Improved circulation
- Decreased stress and anxiety
- Elevated mood
- Better sleep
Avoid Toxins and Pollutants
Exposure to environmental toxins may increase the risk for developing Parkinson’s for some people. When possible, avoid or limit exposure to:
- Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides
- Industrial cleaning solvents and degreasers
- Certain plastics and resins
- Diesel exhaust fumes
- Heavy metals like lead, copper, mercury
- Air pollution
- Arsenic contaminated drinking water
Wear the proper protective gear when exposed to toxins through hobbies like gardening, farming, auto repair, welding, manufacturing, and certain types of construction work. Consult your doctor right away if you experience possible toxin poisoning or over-exposure.
Adopt Parkinson’s Fighting Habits
Making lifestyle adjustments and adopting “Parkinson’s fighting” habits can help slow progression of symptoms. Try incorporating as many of these daily and weekly habits as possible:
- Engage in exercise and physical activity
- Practice balance and mobility exercises
- Do exercises that challenge handwriting and fine motor skills like playing an instrument
- Sing along to music to help strengthen voice muscles
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat more fiber to prevent constipation
- Structure daily routines for taking medication, meals, exercise, hobbies
- Use memory aids like calendars, journals, sticky notes
- Limit caffeine and alcohol
- Stimulate your mind with games, puzzles, reading, socializing
- Practice meditation, yoga, Tai Chi
- Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly
- Join a Parkinson’s support group
Conclusion
While there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, adopting lifestyle modifications and proactively managing symptoms can significantly slow the condition’s progression. Focus on regular exercise, physical therapy, a healthy diet, socializing, restful sleep, stress reduction and cognitive stimulation. Staying active and engaged, monitoring for new symptoms, and adjusting treatment as needed allows many people with Parkinson’s to enjoy a high quality of life for decades after diagnosis.