Optimise Your Diet Reduce Your Toxic Load
While the cause of Parkinsons is not known, environmental toxins such as pesticides and herbicides are implicated. Researchers have found levels of these chemicals to be higher in the brains of Parkinsons sufferers and incidence of Parkinsons is higher in areas with greater use of these chemicals. It makes sense to avoid any environmental toxins that you can. Also, consider your intake of dietary toxins such as alcohol and caffeine avoiding or reducing these may reduce the load on your bodys detoxification pathways.
Treatment Of Vascular Parkinsonism
The most commonly used medications for vascular Parkinsonism are L-dopa and amantadine. However, some people with Parkinsonism do not experience significant improvement with medication. Some stroke survivors who have vascular Parkinsonism can experience better muscle control with physical therapy. Often, safety measures need to be taken to avoid falls.
If you have already had recurrent strokes resulting in vascular Parkinsonism, you may be at risk of experiencing more strokes over the coming years if no action is taken to reduce your risk. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with vascular Parkinsonism, it is particularly important to follow up with your doctor in order to prevent additional strokes. You should expect to have testing for stroke risk factors and medical treatment to reduce your risk of stroke.
There are also a number of lifestyle factors that can help reduce stroke risk, such as getting regular moderate exercise and quitting smoking if you smoke. Eating a healthy diet is also important.
History Of Parkinsons Disease
Symptoms and possible treatments for Parkinsons were discussed in texts related to;Ayurveda, an ancient Indian medical practice thats been around since as early as 5,000 B.C. A Parkinsons-like condition was also mentioned in the first Chinese medical text,;Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen,;more than 2,500 years ago.
Parkinsons disease was formally recognized in an 1817 paper, An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, by James Parkinson, MD, a London doctor and member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Dr. Parkinson observed what are now known as the classic;symptoms of Parkinsons disease, including tremors, rigidity, and postural instability. He theorized that the disease developed because of a problem in the brains medulla region.
Parkinsons essay received little attention until 1861, when French neurologist Jean-Martin;Charcot and his colleagues distinguished the disease from other neurological conditions and termed it Parkinsons disease.
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Get Enough Vitamin D And Omega 3s
Parkinsons is an inflammatory disease of the brain. Researchers have studied the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids which have shown to prevent the degeneration of brain cells. A 2008 study done in Canada shows that omega- 3 helps to protect the cognitive system from a loss of dopamine.
Vitamin D comes from the sun, it also comes from animal fat. Consuming the proper amounts of Vitamin D allows for your body to absorb calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D also helps boost the bodies immunity, increases bone health, allows for the body to absorb minerals, protects the body from dementia, boosts energy, and effects the mood and mental health. Studies have proven that consuming the proper amounts of Vitamin D can help to prevent Parkinsons Disease.
How Do You Prevent Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease or PD is a type of progressive disease of nervous system. In this case, human brain of a person stops producing dopamine i.e. a neurotransmitter gradually. With less amount of dopamine, individuals fail to regulate their body movements and emotions.
This condition also involves degeneration of basal ganglia present in the human brain and alterations in its other parts and neurotransmitters. The progression of Parkinsons disease problem takes place slowly in human beings and symptoms require many years to develop. Because of this, most of the people may live for many years even by suffering from the problem.
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Environmental And Genetic Factors
Scientists are also working to learn more about environmental factors and genetic factors that might contribute to the risk of developing Parkinsons. One recent genetic research breakthrough is the development of a DNA chip called NeuroX, which could potentially determine a persons risk, but more research is needed.
Parkinsons disease is the result of complicated combination of interconnected events, as described it. Since aging is the most common risk factor, future treatments may need to take degeneration of certain neurons into account.
Eat Organic Whenever Possible
More research needs to be done on this subject, but many experts now believe pesticides can increase the risk of Parkinsons disease. Researchers have found high levels of pesticides inside the brains of people with Parkinsons, and those chemicals can suppress the production of dopamine. Products that are certified organic arent supposed to contain any chemical pesticides or herbicides.
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What Causes Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease occurs when nerve cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra become impaired or die. These cells normally produce dopamine, a chemical that helps the cells of the brain communicate . When these nerve cells become impaired or die, they produce less dopamine. Dopamine is especially important for the operation of another area of the brain called the basal ganglia. This area of the brain is responsible for organizing the brains commands for body movement. The loss of dopamine causes the movement symptoms seen in people with Parkinsons disease.
People with Parkinsons disease also lose another neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. This chemical is needed for proper functioning of the sympathetic nervous system. This system controls some of the bodys autonomic functions such as digestion, heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. Loss of norepinephrine causes some of the non-movement-related symptoms of Parkinsons disease.
Scientists arent sure what causes the neurons that produce these neurotransmitter chemicals to die.
Parkinson’s Disease And Parkinsonism
There is also another similar disease called Parkinsonism, which is a condition in which people have some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but do not have Parkinson’s disease itself. Parkinsonism occurs when one or more of the regions of the brain that are responsible for Parkinson’s disease become damaged.
One of the early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is a loss of the sense of smell, which can happen years before other symptoms appear. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Parkinsonism also include a fine tremor, which is very noticeable in the hands and arms and happens when the hands and arms are at rest.
Beyond loss of sense of smell and tremor, Parkinson’s is associated with several other physical symptoms, including slowness of movement , rigidity and postural instability. These symptoms can make walking or generally moving around extremely difficult and can lead to abnormal body posture. Additionally, people who have Parkinson’s disease or Parkinsonism often have very little facial expression, which is typically called a “masked face.”
The areas of the brain involved in Parkinson’s disease and Parkinsonism are called the substantia nigra and the basal ganglia. Parkinson’s disease is normally caused by slowly progressive degeneration of these two areas, which control the rhythm and smoothness of our movements and the tone of our muscles. As the substantia nigra and the basal ganglia degenerate, the typical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease begin to emerge.
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Eat Wisely And Choose Whole Foods
A diet based on whole, nutrient-dense foods is an excellent first step for reducing your risk of Parkinsons disease. A high intake of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, fish, olive oil, coconut oil, fresh herbs, and spices is associated with a reduced risk of PD development and slower disease progression. Eating plenty of vegetables and fiber boosts levels of an anti-inflammatory group of gut bacteria that are inversely associated with Parkinsons disease and may play a protective role against neurodegenerative processes in the brain.
Choose organic foods over conventionally grown foods as much as possible. Eating organic reduces your exposure to neurotoxic pesticides and herbicides. If you cant buy all organic food, refer to the Environmental Working Groups Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists to determine which types of conventional produce are lowest in pesticide residues and are safe to buy non-organic.
Reduce Stress At Work
Studies show that chronic psychological stress increases the risk of Parkinsons disease. Chronic stress can cause inflammation of the brain which kills dopamine-producing neurons.
We spend most of our lives at work or working in an office space. We take our stress from work and bring it home with us. One of the most important things a person can do for his or her overall health is to reduce stress. Physical and emotional stress can lead to many diseases and issues with the brain. Focusing on ways of alleviating daily stress will is a key habit to prevent Parkinsons Disease.
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Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease
The symptoms and rate of progression of Parkinsons are different among individuals. Effects of normal aging are sometimes confused for Parkinsons. It is difficult to accurately diagnose this disease because there is not a test that can accurately do it.
There are physical and non-physical symptoms that could indicate someone has Parkinsons disease:
Physical symptoms
Early stage symptoms
Parkinson’s disease occurs gradually. At first, the symptoms might not even be noticeable. Early symptoms can include feeling mild tremors or having difficulty getting out of bed or a chair. The person might start to notice that they are speaking softer than usual, or that their handwriting looks different.
Usually, it is friends or family members who are the first to notice changes in someone with early Parkinson’s. For example, they may notice that the person’s face lacks expression and animation, or that the person does not move an arm or leg normally.
For People Living With Parkinsons Disease Exercise May Be One Of The Most Powerful Tools To Fight Some Symptoms And To Slow The Diseases Degenerative Nature
In addition to maintaining overall physical and emotional health and well being, exercise tends to minimize some of the primary and secondary symptoms of early onset Parkinsons. Though exercise is not a cure, it can help people living with Parkinsons disease maintain muscle tone and function, remain flexible, and improve overall mobility.
While the precise role exercise plays in delaying the progression of the disease is still being researched, studies consistently report that those with Parkinsons Disease who exercise regularly tend to do better than those who do not. When it comes to exercise, being younger has its advantages. Younger people are usually stronger and better able to maintain a regular exercise program over time.
Many young people with Parkinsons Disease have found that they are able to combine their exercise with grass roots fundraising efforts. From the well-known walk-a-thons held across the country to the young men and women who have walked marathons to raise funds, finding sponsors who will cheer you on every step or mile can help you remain committed to an exercise plan.
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Early Signs Of Parkinsons Disease
If you have a family history of Parkinsons disease, its a good idea to keep an eye on symptoms. Early signs manifest differently in different people so being aware of all the possible symptoms can help. Heres are some signs to look out for:
- Muscle and body rigidity
- Trembling hands, legs, and body
- Poor posture or postural instability
- Bradykinesia, which is the slowness of movement
- Pausing or freezing during walking
- Digestive issues
- Urinary problems, especially when it comes to controlling urination
- Speaking and carrying out complex conversations
- Trouble eating
- Depression
- Changes in tone and cadence of voice
- Skin issues
These are just some of the many problems that indicate the onset of Parkinsons disease. If you experience or see a loved one experience any of these issues, contact a professional neurologist immediately. They will provide advice and recommend effective ways to manage the symptoms.
Risk Factors And Protective Factors Of Parkinson’s Disease
The risk factors of pathogenicity and morbidity in PD are various. We have found that dairy consumption is positively correlated with the incidence of PD through a series of studies related to aging, cancer prevention, and nutrition . The risk of PD in the study sample from the Honolulu-Asian Ageing Study and Cancer Prevention and II Nutritional Research increased with the extension of plantation time . This result is consistent with agricultural health research, which indicates that exposure to pesticides increases the risk of PD. Pesticides could cause oxidative stress and disturb mitochondrial function . Traumatic brain injury can lead to disruption of the blood-brain barrier, impaired mitochondrial function, and accumulation of brain -syn protein, all of these may lead to an increased risk of PD after exposure to such injury . A cohort study in Finland found that overweight or obesity will bring a high-risk factor for PD .
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Stopping Parkinson’s Disease Before It Starts
- Date:
- Osaka University
- Summary:
- Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Characterized by accumulation of the protein alpha-synuclein, there is currently no cure for PD. Scientists have now developed a novel treatment effectively ameliorated disease symptoms in a mouse model of PD.
An Osaka University-led research team has recently published findings that provide a ray of hope for the millions of Parkinson’s disease sufferers worldwide. Although more common in those aged over sixty, PD can strike at any age, with an estimated prevalence of 41 per 100,000 people in their forties. And while not fatal in and of itself, the progressive neurodegeneration that is characteristic of PD can often cause secondary effects that lead to death.
The exact cause of PD is still a mystery, but researchers believe that both genetics and the environment are likely to play a part. Importantly though, all PD patients show a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain and increased levels of a protein called -synuclein, which accumulates in Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are a pathological feature of both familial and sporadic forms of the disease, as well as some types of dementia.
In the study published this month in Scientific Reports, the team led by researchers from Osaka University’s Graduate School of Medicine focused on -synuclein as a target for a novel PD treatment.
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Parkinson’s Disease Caused By Stroke: Vascular Parkinsonism
A stroke involving the substantia nigra or basal ganglia is called vascular Parkinsonism. Similar to other strokes, damage is caused primarily by a lack of blood supply to these regions of the brain. Generally, the strokes associated with Parkinsonism are termed small vessel strokes as they aren’t normally catastrophic. Diagnosis of small vessel strokes can be confirmed with diagnostic tests such as CT or MRI of the brain.
It typically takes several small strokes to produce the symptoms of vascular Parkinsonism. In some cases, small vessel strokes can also produce a type of dementia called vascular dementia. As such, it is not unusual for people who have vascular Parkinsonism to also have vascular dementia.
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Research And Statistics: Who Has Parkinsons Disease
According to the Parkinsons Foundation, nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with the disease. More than 10 million people worldwide have Parkinsons.
About 4 percent of people with Parkinsons are diagnosed before age 50.
Men are 1.5 times more likely to develop the disease than women.
Can Eating Well Alter The Course Of Pd
Scientists know a lot about the molecular changes that underlie Parkinsons. You may have heard of alpha-synuclein, the protein that forms clumps in brain cells, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation. The search is intense for therapies that can stop or reverse these processes. Can nutrition or dietary choices do anything to change them or alter the course of PD?
Some laboratory and animal research suggest that diet could have an effect, especially plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Every plant-based food contains hundreds of chemicals called phytochemicals. These are not nutrients, but substances that may, alone or in combination, affect many of the processes thought to be involved in PD including oxidation, chronic inflammation, protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Phytochemicals have not been proven to change disease progression in people with PD, but neither is there typically any harm in eating a diet that includes whole, unprocessed plants. This diet has proven benefits for preventing heart and vascular disease and can reduce PD symptoms, like constipation and risk of cognitive change.;
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How Is Parkinsons Disease Treated
There is no cure for Parkinsons disease. However, medications and other treatments can help relieve some of your symptoms. Exercise can help your Parkinsons symptoms significantly. In addition, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy can help with walking and balance problems, eating and swallowing challenges and speech problems. Surgery is an option for some patients.
Physical Exercise Can Reduce Inflammation And Oxidative Stress
Accumulation of the -syn protein in neurons leads to inflammation in the brain . Aggregation of -Syn induced the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which are toxic and thus cause cell death of dopaminergic neurons . Therefore, reducing the inflammatory response may be an effective way to deal with PD. Several studies found that physical exercise can improve the oxidative metabolism and the expression of antioxidant enzymes in the brain of mice . Tuon et al. indicated that physical exercise was beneficial in reducing the production of proinflammatory proteins and inflammation in the brain of PD mice . This result is consistent with previous studies by Sung et al. and Al-Jarrah et al., which suggested that physical exercise could decrease the level of proinflammatory proteins in the striatum and hippocampus in the PD experimental model through reducing the activity of microglia .
Based on the above studies, we speculate that multiple pathways are involved in the regulation of physical exercise in PD animal experiments, such as alleviate the production of proinflammatory factors in the musculoskeletal muscle, reduce the expression of inflammatory factors in the brain, reduce the inflammatory response, and regulate oxidative stress .
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