Parkinsons diet

[Nurse7]

Does anyone with parkinsons follow a gluten free or sugar free diet? Does it seem to help your symptoms ?

[isabellasmum]

HiA couple of days ago I spent a full day without PD symptoms of any kind. I spent the whole day feeling like I did before I was diagnoses 8 years ago.

I did a 6 hour spring clean with just a small break for lunch and had unbelievable energy. I could only put it down to eating less sugar and drinking more water.

My symptoms are back but nothing like they were and I feel just generally well.

[gregorio]

I can only speak for myself but within a few months of being diagnosed I had done a huge ammount of research on line and decided to go on a Keto diet, highly recommended by many PD specialists. The effects were instant. More energy, easing of my symptoms and necessary weight loss and a big reduction in the ammount of food I used to want, even skipping lunch without realising on ocassions. It is so easy to do and I recommend it .

[jocelyng]

I took a course on reducing inflammation a couple of years ago. It was geared to PD patients. (There are six categories of inflammatory foods: sugar, gluten, dairy, soy, corn and meat.) I gave up the first three. I didn’t see a change in my symptoms but I did loss 20 pounds. (I wasn’t overweight but welcomed the weight loss.) I r heard that Dr. Wahl’s protocol can help (as well as keto), but I don’t think they are sustainable for me.

[GrandmaBug in reply to jocelyng]

I have followed Dr. Wahl's diet, level three, keto, for a year. I've been very happy with it.

[Sane1]

Over a year ago my functional medicine provider,through examination and labwork, found me full of inflammation. With her advice and my own research I opted to start a diet basically free of gluten , dairy and sugar. I have been Intermittent fasting 16/8 daily for over a year. I do feel better. More energy and not so stiff and achy. I lost 20 pounds and have kept it off without effort. It isn’t an easy diet for me but I enjoy the challenge of finding recipes that incorporate my needs. I do know that when I “fall off the wagon” My body feels sluggish and stiff and sore for several days after. I tried adding Keto but found it difficult to stick to.

[Hidden]

Yes. Gluten free, sugar free, dairy free. And no potatoes, no soy, no corn. Better mental clarity, fewer aches, improved digestion, and more energy.

[Nurse7 in reply to Hidden]

Is it hard to stay away from all those things? What kind of foods do you eat? My diet is awful and I know I need to cut that stuff out for good but I am overwhelmed with figuring out what to eat and cook that doesn’t contain those things without eating same things over and over lol

[RBan in reply to Nurse7]

Make a list of anti-inflammatory foods and work out menus with that. The Mediterranean diet goes along with this. I eat GF free homemade granola with lots of nuts and blueberries and kiefer for breakfast, vegetables and unprocessed meats for lunch and supper. There are lots of great recipes out there for cooking up yummy vegetables but my favourite way is to fry squash cubes, asparagus, cauliflower in olive oil with homemade seasoning salt. Fry on low until it caramelizes and Chrisps up. Yummy.

For me going on the sugar-free gluten-free and low dairy diet has made me much healthier and I am not getting sick! It also really helped me with my aches and pains, and my rashes and just helped me feel better overall. start off slow like make your breakfast better and then go to lunch and then go to supper and then always have healthy snacks like homemade energy bites on hand that you don’t get tempted to binge on unhealthy stuff

[gregorio in reply to Nurse7]

Hi Nurse, you remind me of a friend that says he has tried to stop smoking for the past year. If he wanted to sto, he would have and If you want to go on a Keto diet, just do it. I assume as you are on this site you can use Google and Youtube to research. The diet is hugely varied and so easy to follow so dive in and enjoy.

[laglag in reply to Hidden]

No potatoes???

[Hidden in reply to laglag]

Occasionally a few bites of sweet potatoes but many weeks without. Starchy veges like potatoes convert to sugars similar to gluten. I love potatoes so it stinks but oh well!

No fruit either due to sugar content with the only exception being dark berries and apple peels.

I am very determined.

If I get dementia young, at least I will know I have done everything possible to avoid it.

I just ran a little and I’m shaking like a leaf.

Now I’m getting on the bike for 12 miles.

Determined!!!

[Hikoi in reply to Hidden]

I can say with certainty that you are 99.9% unlikely to get dementia. I know lots of younger onset people (diagnosed before 50) but I never hear them talking about getting dementia, nor do I know of anybody and I havent even read of anybody. Young onset are much more likely to get dystonia and dyskenesia but definitely not dementia. They are also highly likely to have slower disease progression.

[Hidden in reply to Hikoi]

Thank you Hikoi. That is reassuring. I’m not very easily reassured. And I know you are well informed so I take what you say to heart. I’m very pragmatic, driven and proactive by nature. It’s just how I’m wired.

[JayPwP in reply to Hidden]

Potatoes are complex carbs, which is healthy and also feeds gut microbiota.

Sugar on the other hand is simple carbs and unhealthy

[Hidden]

I eat the same things over and over.

Seek out Dr. Perlmutter and Dr. Terry Wahls for recipes.

[alaynedellow]

I hv given up meat and processed food. I grow my own veg and use organic butter and eggs. I hv stopped drinking cows milk. I feel much better and body functions are regular too.

I am not gluten free but do keep off alot of glluten.

[PalmSprings]

I am on a gluten free, sugar free and dairy free diet; oh, I also intermittent fast. I have experienced many benefits and wouldn’t go back to my old eating habits. The first benefit I experienced was a marked improvement in my neuropathy. The second was the even energy I feel from morning to night. I am sleeping well now and I can’t say this is entirely the diet because I changed my l/c to fix that problem. But no daytime sleepiness is huge.

[lbrussell]

Dr. Mischley's recommendations on diet for PWP have resulted in significant improvements in my symptoms. You can learn more about her here: lauriemischley.com/disease-... And, you can enroll in her online PD School, where nutrition is discussed in depth, here: pd-school.teachable.com/

[DrewE]

My wife and I adopted the “Grain Brain “ diet. Promoted by Dr David Purlmutter. It is anti inflammatory, gf and simple carbs. It also recommends an assortment of supplements. There’s a cook book by the same name. I was dx nearly 8 years ago and we’ve been following it for about 6 years. We’ve been pretty faithful to BG, with occasional lapses for a good bagel.As with all programs intended to treat one person’s medical conditions it’s hard to evaluate it’s effectiveness. The Brain Grain diet, along with swimming, cycling and weightlifting are the cornerstones of my program and I have observed slow disease progression.

Living my best life without going crazy.

[LAJ12345]

Yes my husband has. No gluten, no cooking oils except olive oil and butter, very little dairy, we have vege day, meat day, vege day, fish day, vege day...... for our evening meal with as many vegetables as we can eat. No sugar. No baking.We both lost lots of weight and I feel more energetic and he is less tired.

[1rocketman]

We have been following a mostly sugar-free/no sugar added diet for at least 6 months. While I am not sure if there is improvement in symptoms for my husband with Parkinson's, I don't see how your body wouldn't benefit from avoiding eating the stuff. Sugar is one of those highly inflammatory foods that is best avoided or reduced. I know we have more energy, mental clarity, and for me (without Parkinsons), a total cessation of chronic joint pain since going sugar free. Definitely do it if you can. My favorite sugar substitute is a brand called Lakanto derived from monkfruit.

[Buckholt in reply to 1rocketman]

I use Mannitol as a sugar substitute, which could well be beneficial in its own right. !

[amykp]

I eat strict keto. I eat plenty of dairy (cream and cheese) and gluten (as an additive to zero carb flour). I don't overdo meat, avoid seed oils, don't touch sugar or starch...you probably get it :o)

I have been on this diet since I was diagnosed in 2015. As far as I can tell, my progression has been slow--my symptoms are still mild and one-sided. I still don't need to take dopamine. I do take Azilect--though it's controversial, my MDS believes it is neuroprotective.

Of course, it's always hard to know whether my slow course is due to the diet or my particular genetics, but I believe it has been helpful.

Here's an interesting webinar supporting the ketosis for neuroprotection:

[amykp]

PS. Honestly, it's not so hard! There are so many great recipes on the web. As I write this, I am drinking coffee with heavy cream and eating a piece of shortbread made with ground walnuts, macadamias, keto flour and butter, sweetened with a blend of monkfruit and erythritol.

I should open a bakery ;o)

[Hidden in reply to amykp]

Your shortbread sounds amazing. I miss dairy the most. Do you have a favorite keto info source? We bought a keto meter but have yet to use it.

[Buckholt in reply to Hidden]

Try ketofitnessclub.com for free recipes, ideas, help etc

[amykp]

Wait--why aren't you eating dairy? That's question #1, but statement #1 is that, IMHO, if anything in dairy is bad (unless you are allergic or lactose intolerant) it is the protein/lactose......and butter/heavy cream has little of that. If they have found ANY link to PD at all (and also IMO the link is associative and weak) it is with low fat dairy only.

I like dietdoctor.com. Just the open website--there's plenty of info without paying.

I'm happy to pass on recipes/keto advice etc. It's not that I want to push my diet so much as find someone else willing to try, and share their results. I can't help but feel the results for me have been so positive!

[Hidden in reply to amykp]

From my reading, I believe butter especially has benefits bc the Butyric acid in it is good for the colon. But,Dr. Mischley has been firm about no dairy and I was questioning that so I researched a bit more. Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Dale Bredeson also say no dairy bc its inflammatory.

I am thinking though that “no dairy” is a rather sweeping generalization and I should resume researching this.

I will check out diet doctor.com.

I’m definitely willing to try and share / compare results and ideas.

Your only being on Azilect after 5+ years is certainly a good endorsement of keto.

[amykp]

I know she is. I'm actually in her study and it's kind of annoying because she DOES lump all dairy together. Skim milk is the same as butter is the same as yogurt? Really?

She also lumps canned food together, all fruit (I eat only berries) and fried food. I eat homemade "fried" food, veggies mostly, sometimes seafood, without any breading, but she includes that w/ french fries, battered chicken, junk food from restaurants etc.

Mainly though, I put almost zero stock in associative studies. How can you separate the same people who drink milk from whatever else they might do? It has become an "unhealthy food", so the same folks who do may very well have other unhealthy habits.

I guess the thing is that if I'm going to believe a weak association like that I need a reasonable physiological link to explain it. "Possible toxins in fertilizer" doesn't cut it, and if it does, fine, just buy organic. (and I do)

Sorry, I'm kind of a grump over this :o)

[reedboat2]

I have been on a Keto diet for 2 years, with good results. No sugar or gluten. Very low carbs. You get your calories from high quality saturated fats and protein. I lost 16 lbs and have more energy than before. Still dealing with PD of course. But have no plans to go back to a carb based diet. Keto can be a little difficult at first for some people. I was fortunate to have a “keto coach” who helped me get started. There’s a ton of literature on it out there, and apps to help you count carbs. My coach taught me not to worry too much about counting carbs. She said just focus on getting high quality fats into your body. It’s been an interesting journey. Probably not for everyone. But for me it works.