*written by Andrew Akhaphong, Mackenthun's Registered & Licensed Dietitian Parkinson’s disease is a progressing neurogenerative disease that causes nerve cells in the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination to weaken and fade away. These nerve cells known as neurons depend on dopamine produced by the substantia nigra of the brain to communicate fluid movement and coordination. The cells in the substantia nigra also wither resulting in a decrease of dopamine available to the human body. According to Harvard Medical School, more than 10 million worldwide are currently living with Parkinson’s Disease with nearly one million in the United States. If you have experienced or observed the impacts of Parkinson’s Disease on a loved-one, the journey can be a difficult one. Here are some well-being tips to optimize their journey into a good one. Preventing Weight Loss In the state of Parkinson’s Disease, following popular diets may not be as important in this stage of life. Because Parkinson’s Disease causes issues with involuntary movement, the individual is expending more energy because of these involuntary movements leading to the risk of unintentional weight loss. The primary goal to prevent weight loss is to focus on calorie-dense foods while keeping in mind of the nutritional value. Examples of calorie-dense foods include oatmeal made with heavy cream, apple crisp with whipped cream topping, mashed potatoes made with heavy cream and butter, fried chicken with potato wedges. It does not hurt to supplement with a multi-vitamin in addition to calorie-dense foods. Looking into adaptive equipment may help an individual receive independence with feeding during meals. A registered dietitian and/or occupational therapist may help provide guidance on this. Tools like divided plates, swivel silverware, and 2-handled gripped cups may work wonders in not only providing independence with eating, but also reducing the risk for unintentional weight loss. Preserving Available Mobility As humans we use movement to express our needs, wants, emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Humans also use movement to be able to get from Point A to Point B. As Parkinson’s Disease progresses, the chance of losing independence with mobility increases. A concern of limitations in body movement for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease include pressure wounds. Pressure wounds are defined as injury to the skin caused by prolong pressure to the area. An example is sitting to long in a chair for extended periods of time without changing position. This occurs more in older persons when tissue integrity becomes weaker. To preserve available mobility focus on activities that use multiple body parts while ensuring the individual is protected from injury and harm. Examples of activities one could partake in is doing puzzles, knitting, kneading bread, making circles in the air with the arms or ankle. Any kind of body that focuses on small and large movements may help preserve mobility as long as the body is able. Take a Trip to Memory Lane For some individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, they may experience memory loss. The memories are there. The problem is neurons do not have enough dopamine to send signals to the memory bank to retrieve memory. Activities that target the memory bank and ability to understand words may help preserve what is available. Activities that involve matching pairs, word finds, discussing a memory from a beloved photo, or reading a passage from a book or newspaper out loud are great options. Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-facts-about-parkinsons-disease https://www.healthline.com/health/dopamine-effects https://www.precisionnutrition.com/healthy-movement https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055 https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/memory-thinking-change
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