Slowing the Progression of PD (adapted from a book)

[Farooqji]

“Strength of body, strength of mind and soul is vitally important. These things are important for anyone in any situation, but especially for those of us who find ourselves fighting this weakening disease. I could give in to this tomorrow and just stop trying to live a normal life, and I would probably be dead in a very short time. But I choose to fight it and do everything in my power to stay one step ahead of it.”

—ANONYMOUS, PWP

As mentioned previously, predicting exactly how fast Parkinson’s will progress is impossible, and so far, researchers have not been able to find a way to change the ultimate course of the disease.

Because there is more and more evidence that nonmotor symptoms (e.g., sleep disorders, constipation, and loss of smell) show up years before diagnosis, researchers are focusing on these symptoms so as to detect Parkinson’s as early as possible and find ways to stop its progression. Early treatment has been shown to delay disease progression and, in some cases, prolong time to various measures of disability.

The type of treatment may vary depending on factors such as age and overall health, but several things can be done to potentially slow disease progression. This is why early diagnosis is very important. In fact, many people who get the right treatment early enough notice very little or no progression of symptoms over the first few years.

One of the most important things a person can do to help slow the progression of PD is to exercise. A recent study found that exercise turns on a protective gene, thereby preventing abnormal protein accumulation in the brain.27 And more and more doctors are seeing that this fairly simple act can make a huge difference in the life of a person with Parkinson’s. You can read more about various forms of exercise that are good for people with PD in chapter 51.

As mentioned in chapter 9, there is evidence that the progression of the disease is slower in young-onset PD. This could be because in younger people tremor is usually predominant, and its presence often means a slower progression of the disease. It may also be partly because younger people tend to have fewer health problems.

Starting MAO inhibitors early on may help slow the progression of PD. These drugs slow down the enzyme monoamine oxidase B, or MAO-B, which breaks down dopamine in the brain. Unfortunately, due to inconclusive clinical study results thus far, rasagiline (Azilect), one such MAO inhibitor, has only been shown to help treat symptoms of the disease, including tremor.28 More longterm clinical trials need to be done to find out if this drug can help slow the progression of the disease.

I know Mom sometimes felt a bit sad about the fact that it took so long (three years) for her to get diagnosed and started on treatment. She wondered if she could have delayed the progression of her PD had she known she had the disease sooner.

In addition to MAO inhibitors, researchers are looking into whether other drugs, nutrients, or vitamins may help slow the progression of the disease.

One supplement of interest is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone). A small study found that people had a slower progression of their disease when taking this antioxidant.29 Unfortunately, these results were debunked with a larger study that found no change in the rate of progression of Parkinson’s while supplementing with CoQ10.30 There is still much to learn about CoQ10 and whether it can be helpful in slowing down Parkinson’s, so the clinical studies continue.

What a person eats and drinks may also influence the progression of Parkinson’s.31 For example, researchers have found several foods that may help speed up or slow down progression. Below are some examples.

Nine foods correlated with faster Parkinson’s progression

• Canned vegetables

• Canned fruits

• Ice cream

• Cheese

• Chicken

• Beef

• Pasta

• Diet soda

• Drinks in plastic bottles

If any of these foods are in your regular daily regimen, you may want to consider replacing them with healthier alternatives like those listed below.

Eight foods associated with slower Parkinson’s progression

• Fresh vegetables

• Fresh fruit

• Nuts and seeds

• Olive oil

• Fish (non-fried)

• Coconut oil

• Red wine

• Fresh herbs and spices

Also, here’s something coffee lovers might like to hear: A study found that men who drank more coffee had a later onset of Parkinson’s than those who had never been coffee drinkers. Though more research needs to be done to prove that coffee has a direct positive effect against PD, perhaps your morning coffee fix is better for you than you thought

[Smittybear7]

Good information! Thanks for sharing!

[laglag]

Good information! What book did this come from? 🥊

[AmyLindy in reply to laglag]

Sounds like L. Mischley’s guidance

[curlscurls]

The book of the same title that you were down? It sounds like a good book.

Curiously in the months before the PD tremor showed up, I switched from eating chicken to almost exclusively eating canned mackerel in olive oil. I thought I was doing good eating fish. It could all be totally coincidental for me.

The nutritionist that my doctor's office uses said that there's a study that shows or at least implies that onset can be delayed with Mediterranean diet. And delete significantly, 17 years for women, 8 years for men. It was a retroactive reporting of what you ate studies so those tend to be less accurate. But quite interesting.

[JohnPepper]

I agree with your statement and what you suggest doing, but that does not reverse Pd symtoms, it makes them more manageable.

Why not do High Intensity Aerobic Exercise (Fast Walking) together with most of the things you recommend?

I have been Pd symptom-free for the past twenty years and at 87 I still am able to walk and enjoy my life, so, why not you?

[Boscoejean]

My husband has been fairly successful in treating the digestive issues with supplements suggested by our naturopath and acupuncture provider-- I wish we could find things that worked well for some of the other symptoms. I am concerned that some of his vision problems are somehow related to Parkinsons. He has had cataract surgery but has some other vision problems as well but at least they don't seem to be getting worse at this pointand the ophthalmologist gives him a check up regularly. He feels like his muscle strength is lacking even though he exercises and does physical work on our property. Does anyone know what can help with muscle strength especially arm strength?

[GregSurfs in reply to Boscoejean]

Hello Bosoejean - has your husband tried resistance training to address the weakness in his arms? I'm a big fan of going to the gym and lifting weights/resistance training has been extremely helpful for me in halting weakness and deteriorating muscle mass. If your husband has no experience in the gym a trainer would be a great benefit to help get him going in the right direction. Good luck!

[Boscoejean in reply to GregSurfs]

Going to a gym from our house involves a lot of driving but I did find a video showing an arm strengthening routine provided by the Parkinson's foundation

[gginto in reply to Boscoejean]

I would buy some type of machine like a Bowflex as well as free weights/dumbells and start a weightlifting/resistance training right in your home- but get a certified personal trainer to draw up a routine for each day- I do this and it REALLY helps! But John Peppers Speed Walking is really amazing,,,

[Godiv in reply to Boscoejean]

Hi BoscoejeanWell you’re thinking about weights in the gym etc. maybe try and body weight. I mean you can find exercises on YouTube and I usually specify beginner elderly etc. It’s kind of amazing what you can do. It might help him get ready for something more. And there’s also soup cans for arms. But yes definitely a trainer for free weights or maybe even soup cans. You don’t want to have him injure himself. So he should really proceed gently and carefully.

[artinson]

Thanks for sharing!