Can Parkinson’s Disease Be Prevented?
No one wants to hear the news that they or a loved one is suffering from Parkinson’s disease. This dreaded disease is incurable and progressively steals a person’s life. But, there is hope that new treatments and lifestyle changes will slow the progression of the disease. If a person knows they have a family history of Parkinson’s disease, they can take steps to reduce the odds of getting the disease or delay its onset.
During this delay, better treatments might be discovered.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder affecting the body and the way the body moves. The disease can start with stiffness, tremors, and balance problems that are mild at first and then get progressively worse. Both women and men can get Parkinson’s disease, but men get it more often.
Environmental conditions and heredity play a part in whether a person gets this disease.
Parkinson’s disease symptoms and resources can be found at websites online or obtained from a family’s doctor. There are retirement communities such as Wesley Ridge Retirement Community that also help people live better lives with this disease.
Some symptoms to look for include the following:
· Trembling or tremors in the hands, legs, arms, face, and jaw
· Arms and legs feel stiff
· Movement slows down
· Problems with coordination and balance
· Difficulty with speech
· Fainting or dizziness
· Masked Face syndrome
· Depression, lack of interest in the surroundings, or anxiety
· Cognition problems such as in concentration, speed of thinking, or memory loss
· Hallucinations, tiredness, constipation, etc.
How Can A Person Prevent or Delay the Onset of Parkinson’s Disease?
Though there may not be a proven way to entirely prevent Parkinson’s, there are things that may delay the onset or make a person less likely to get it. Finding promising lifestyle changes and following them is one way to fight the disease before it’s onset.
Exercise and physical activity are proven to be a good treatment for Parkinson’s disease or to help prevent or at least delay the onset of the disease.
Exercise that gets the heart rate up helps in several ways, including maintaining brain health. Exercise needs to get the blood pumping. Keeping the body moving in healthy ways helps build body strength and improves balance, coordination, and endurance. Aerobic exercise is recommended.
A healthy diet that is balanced with whole foods, vegetables and fruits, lean protein, whole grains, legumes, and more help a person stay healthier.
Staying well-hydrated is also important. Diets that reduce blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are also helpful in preventing the onset of Parkinson’s disease.
The important thing is to get rid of overly processed, unhealthy foods and replace them with a wide variety of less-processed, healthy foods.
The Mediterranean Diet is recommended by some experts.
Drinking coffee can also help prevent the onset of Parkinson’s disease because it is neuroprotective. It seems that every article on preventing Parkinson’s disease focuses on living a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercises and physical activity.
Those articles also advise people to eat a healthy diet with plenty of natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and low-fat proteins.
It is also advised that people avoid those bad habits such as drinking too much alcohol, smoking, and eating too many highly processed foods. Drinking enough water is always advised.
These same habits help us avoid many other dangerous diseases, so anyone wanting to prevent or delay the onset of Parkinson’s disease needs to eat a healthy diet and get plenty of physical activity and exercise.
