Shared from myparkinsonsteam.com.
Nutrition can be a powerful tool in managing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Whole, nutrient-dense foods provide your body with the best building blocks for peak function, maintenance and repair. Every positive food choice is a step towards optimizing health.
The following article is based on a Parkinson’s Foundation Expert Briefing about the connection between nutrition and Parkinson’s, hosted by functional nutritionist and health coach Carolee Horner, MS, NBC-HWC.
The Relationship Between Food and PD
Food is more than just fuel for the body; it can act as medicine. Your body breaks down everything you eat — proteins into amino acids, carbohydrates into sugars and fats into fatty acids — then reassembles these components into whatever it needs, whether new cell membranes, neurotransmitters or energy. The better your fuel, the better you will feel.
Gut and brain health are strongly connected. Diet helps shape the gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria living in the digestive system. These bacteria produce neurotransmitters, influence inflammation and affect medication absorption. Good gut health relies on a diet of whole and fermented foods, colorful vegetables and fruits, healthy fats and herbs and spices. These foods are also rich in antioxidants, substances that protect the body.
The standard American diet is centered on processed foods, refined sugars and unhealthy fats. These foods are linked to:
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Chronic disease, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity, along with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
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Inflammation, which is the body’s response to harm. This response is crucial for healing. However, chronic, systemic inflammation can potentially damage healthy tissue.
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Oxidative stress, which leads to cell damage.
Inflammation and oxidative stress play significant roles in the progression of Parkinson’s disease.