There are over 40 symptoms of Parkinson’s and as with most conditions everyone is an individual and has a different journey.
The more common symptoms of Parkinson’s include:
- Tremor
- Rigidity (stiffness)
- Slowness of movement
- Mild memory and thinking problems
- Sleeping problems
- Pain
- Mental health problems, including anxiety and depression
Causes
People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine usually because some of the nerve cells that make it have died.
It is not yet known exactly why people get Parkinson’s, but researchers think it’s a combination of age, genetic and environmental factors that cause the dopamine-producing nerve cells to die.
See below for the new kid on the block – the effect of the microbiome on the development of brain conditions such as Parkinson’s.
There are 3 types of Parkinson’s:
- Idiopathic – no known cause and the most common type.
- Vascular Parkinson’s – related to restricted blood supply to parts of the brain
- Drug-induced Parkinson’s – some drugs for conditions can block the action of dopamine in the brain
Managing the symptoms and progression
Managing Parkinson’s is going to be different for everyone depending on how the condition manifests – so treatment should be unique to you.
- Take your medication – you should have the input from a specialist consultant and getting the meds right for you can take some time and will need adjustment as you get older.
- Exercise regularly – doing at least 2.5 hours of exercise a week can slow down the progression of your symptoms – talk to us at Walnut Grove, we have many patients with Parkinson’s coming to Physio led Pilates and we also have exercise classes. If you want specific help to tackle a problem talk to Tom for individual rehab and you can also contact our sister gym – Functional Fitness where resistance training, Cardio and Suspension training is part of their repertoire.
- Monitor your symptoms – many people find keeping a diary helps to manage their symptoms rather than relying on memory so that treatment can be tailored more effectively.
- Explore different therapies – Physiotherapy or osteopathy can help with movement issues and at Walnut Grove we are lucky to work with Dr Zhang-yan Tong who with his background in neurology and Parkinson’s research he really can use his skills in Chinese medicine and acupuncture to help symptoms and improve quality of life.
The new buzzword in a lot of conditions is the microbiome, coined to describe the colony of literally trillions of bacteria that are the semipermanent residents of our gut. Why semipermanent? Because we ourselves can at least partly control what types of bacteria live there, simply by deciding what to put in our mouths.
At one extreme, the bacteria can be exterminated by oral antibiotics, and at the other, encouraged to proliferate in a healthy diversity by consuming fermented foods or probiotics.
There are an estimated 5,000 strains of gut bacteria—some beneficial but many not. In practice it’s impossible to have a microbiome that is completely free of harmful bacteria, and it’s the beneficial bacteria’s job to keep the harmful ones in check by what is called competitive inhibition—in other words, crowding them out. If they fail, pathogenic bacteria can gain the upper hand, causing gut “dysbiosis” or imbalance.
Neurological diseases are being increasingly linked to the microbiome. Parkinson’s is now thought to be at least partly related to gut health. In one series of experiments, mice treated with faecal samples from Parkinson’s patients went on to develop “motor dysfunction,” i.e., Parkinson’s-like symptoms.
The reason appears to be that when the health of the gut bacteria is compromised, body-wide inflammatory reactions occur; these penetrate the blood-brain barrier, promoting “neuroinflammation and ultimately neurodegeneration,” says a recent review of the animal evidence.
Recent evidence from Aarhus University in Denmark shows that Parkinson’s can start in the intestines and travel to the brain. There are similar studies examining Alzheimer’s disease with changing the microbiome balance in mice have improved cognitive function. There are now worldwide research projects looking at human gut bacteria with a possible neuroprotective effect that might be effective at a very early stage of the disease but could also help alter the progression of the disease in those with a diagnosis.
So how do you feed your gut bacteria?
Everyone’s microbiome is unique, but the key strategy is to create a permanently rich and diverse personal population of gut bacteria.
Avoid:
- Antibiotics
- Sugar
- Processed foods
- Sugary and energy drinks
- Artificial sweeteners
Choose:
- Full-fat live yogurt and probiotics
- Fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut, Kimchi etc.)
- Polyphenol-rich foods (chocolate, red wine, berries, etc.)
- High-fiber foods (kale, beans, cabbage, etc.)
- A wide variety of plant foods
- Quality protein sources, including meat
- Quality fats, including animal fats – fat is important brain food!!
Hopefully this has given you an insight into Parkinson’s and some possible ways of improving the life of those who suffer.
If you want more specific advice, please call us at Walnut Grove for a chat to see how we could help.
