Staying Well with Parkinson's Disease

If you have Parkinson’s, healthy living can help you manage your disease. Use these dietary and lifestyle suggestions to maintain your health and well-being.

Get Physical

Exercise is essential for people with PD, especially for maintaining your quality of life. Regular exercise helps prevent problems with:

  • Posture
  • Flexibility
  • Strength
  • Endurance
  • Balance
  • Secondary symptoms like depression and constipation

Exercise Tips

  • Be active as often as you can. Try to be active for a total of 30 to 60 minutes each day.
  • Choose activities you feel safe doing. If you’re more comfortable in a chair, try seated exercises.
  • Range-of-motion exercises like dancing, Tai Chi, yoga, walking and swimming are great ways to get moving.
  • Try the Exercises for People with Parkinson’s at www.parkinson.ca
  • A physiotherapist or trainer can create an exercise program that fits your needs.

Eat Well

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet is very important. People with PD tend to lose weight because of poor appetite and inadequate food intake. Try to consume a full diet with all the daily nutritional requirements.

Take Vitamin D

People with Parkinson’s are more likely than healthy individuals to have vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is a nutrient that
helps the body use calcium and phosphorous to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Too little vitamin D can cause osteomalacia (softening of the bones) or osteoporosis (fragile bones).

Stay Social

  • Connect with family and friends so you don’t become isolated.
  • Try volunteering to stay involved in your community.
  • Consider joining a support group for people with Parkinson’s, family members and caregivers. Look for one in your area or find
    one online.
  • Talk to your doctor if you feel depressed or anxious.

Developments in Prevention

Exercise may protect against Parkinson’s

Evidence suggests that moderate to vigorous exercise may protectagainst PD. Consistent and frequent participation in moderate to
vigorous activities during a person’s late thirties or in the past 10 years reduced the risk of PD by 40%, compared with those who were inactive.

Moderate to vigorous activities:

  • Lasts at least 20 minutes
  • Increases your breathing or heart rate
  • Causes you to sweat
  • Examples: tennis, biking, swimming, heavy housework

Caffeine may help prevent Parkinson’s

Recent studies have found moderate to high coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of PD. How many cups is enough? According to one study of men, drinking as little as 1 cup of coffee per day appeared to cut the risk of PD in half.

The beneficial effects of caffeine in women are less clear. Risk of PD appears to be lowest in women who consume 1-3 cups of coffee per day. However, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may counteract these benefits of caffeine, perhaps because estrogen therapy interferes with the body’s ability to metabolize caffeine.

There’s strong evidence that caffeine may be a promising therapeutic tool in PD. Ongoing research hopes to shed more light on the subject.

Ibuprofen may lower Parkinson’s risk

A recent study showed that men and women who used ibuprofen two or more times per week were about 38% less likely to develop PD than those who regularly used aspirin, acetaminophen or other NSAIDs.

The findings don’t mean that people who already have PD should begin taking ibuprofen for preventive purposes. Further research is needed into the role of ibuprofen and inflammation in PD.

Symptoms You Can’t See

Constipation

Constipation means having fewer bowel movements than usual for you (especially fewer than three bowel movements a week), with difficulty passing stools. To prevent constipation:

  • Make sure you’re getting enough fibre in your diet (25 to 38 grams a day). The best sources of fibre are whole grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds.
  • Drink plenty of fluids during the day.
  • Be active. Exercise promotes regularity.
  • Don’t skip meals (especially breakfast). Have meals and snacks at regular times.
  • Try drinking hot lemon water first thing in the morning. Hot liquids often stimulate bowel activity.
  • Set aside time after breakfast or dinner for undisturbed visits to the toilet.
  • Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.

If diet and lifestyle changes don’t help, medications can be used to treat constipation. Talk to your doctor about options like bulking agents, stool softeners, laxatives and enemas.

Bladder Problems

Common bladder problems in PD are urinary frequency (the need to urinate often) and urinary urgency (the sudden urgent need to urinate). If you are experiencing bladder problems, speak to your doctor. Medication may help control it. Bladder training can increase the time between bathroom visits and help you control the urge to urinate. Put yourself on a regular bathroom schedule and gradually increase the time between bathroom visits. Try to hold off even when you feel the urge to go.

Sleep Problems

Sleep problems for people with PD may include:

  • Insomnia (the inability to sleep)
  • Sleep apnea (pauses in breathing that occur during sleep)
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • REM sleep behaviour disorder (acting out dreams during sleep)
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) ranges from mild (falling asleep when inactive) to severe (falling asleep even in stimulating
    conditions like eating, walking or driving).

Get a Better Sleep

Healthy sleep habits can help with the physical and psychological symptoms of PD. Try these tips:

  • Keep a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day.
  • Get some exercise and exposure to light early in the day.
  • To help with fatigue during the day, schedule a nap at the same time every afternoon. It will rest your muscles, relieve tension and “recharge your battery”. Make sure it’s no longer than one hour so it won’t interfere with your overnight sleep.
  • Limit watching TV or reading while in bed.
  • Avoid liquids after 7 p.m. to limit nighttime bathroom trips.
  • Take a lukewarm bath instead of a hot shower before bed.
  • If you can’t sleep, go to another room. Sit quietly, eat a snack or read. Go back to bed when you start feeling tired and try to fall asleep again. If you can’t sleep after 20 minutes, repeat the process. Other symptoms that can affect your day-to-day life may also appear.