Lifestyle Changes:

Parkinson’s disease may not require a dramatic change in your lifestyle overnight, but there will need to be some adjustments made, especially as the disease progresses. For example, physical therapy may be needed in order to adjust to some of the debilitating effects of the movement difficulties that will become more apparent over time. Medication can manage some of these effects, but eventually the medications will lose their effectiveness and physical adjustments will need to be made. Physical therapy can help provide coping mechanisms for the days when your body simply will not move as you want it to.

Finding the right exercise program is important. Many people find that they are able to maintain a fairly active lifestyle, making minor accommodations in the beginning for Parkinson’s. It is important, however, to consider slowing down or limiting certain types of activities due to the disease and its progression. For example, if you and your loved one enjoy swimming, make sure you both go together. If an episode of freezing occurs in the pool, it could be dangerous. Instead of running on a regular basis, walking may become a more pleasurable alternative. There are many activities which require only minor adjustments in timing or scheduling that can keep your lifestyle active without feeling that you are missing too much of your previous activities. It is important to discuss exercise programs with your physician, and he or she may be able to suggest other activities that will keep the body active and healthy at the same time.

Diet is especially important. If your loved one is overweight, now is an excellent time to begin managing weight loss. Even though obesity itself is not a cause of Parkinson’s disease, it can be a limiting factor in how much movement is possible as the disease progresses. Losing weight can help your body adjust quicker to movement-related issues and can help muscles adjust to the extra demands of the disease. Your physician can suggest dietary changes that will provide the maximum health benefit and one that can be easily adopted by others in the household if this is a requirement.

While dietary supplements like Vitamin E do virtually nothing to help with the disease management, changes in diet may be needed over time. If problems like swallowing do occur, changing the types of food in the diet may become critical. In addition, too much saliva can hinder swallowing, so limiting the foods that aggravate salivation may be helpful as well.