It’s difficult to say with absolute certainty whether Parkinson’s disease can be prevented, the reason for this is that researchers don’t yet know the exact cause of the disease. While research has progressed and we are at a stage where the majority of Parkinson’s patients can live an almost normal life with treatment, we are still no further forward on the causation front.
Having said that, there are a few things, which researchers believe may contribute to the onset of Parkinson’s disease, which means you can take steps to try and prevent it from occurring.
Cut Out Caffeine
According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers believe that caffeine may be involved in causing Parkinson’s. You can increase your intake of green tea and replace your coffee and tea with this hot beverage instead.
Increase Healthy Eating
Another belief, as stated by WebMD, is that your diet can make a serious difference in preventing the onset of PD. While researchers may not know the why or the how, they have discovered that following the Mediterranean diet has shown to be helpful in preventing Parkinson’s disease.
The beauty of the Mediterranean diet is that it’s delicious and simply involves lots of fish, fruits, vegetables, and olive oils. It may that Omega 3 fatty acids are the main reason for this diet’s effectiveness, however, studies are ongoing.
Regular Exercise
According to Harvard Medical School, exercise may be key in helping to prevent Parkinson’s disease. They say that getting plenty of exercise in your 30s (and 40s) can reduce your risk of PD by up to 30%. Of course, this does make sense because Parkinson’s patients are often directed to get plenty of exercise to prevent the tremors from progressing.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Chronic stress can have a major impact on your brain, so it stands to good reason that managing your stress can help prevent the dopamine issues that contribute to the onset of Parkinson’s disease.
Get Enough Sleep
Your brain is a supercomputer and while you sleep, it runs in the background completing general housekeeping duties. Short sleep cycles and poor sleep prevent the brain from achieving this. Sleep is time for the brain to purge toxins, download information about your day, store memories, and build strong neural connections and pathways. If you don’t sleep enough, this can’t happen and it could contribute to neurological diseases like Parkinson’s disease.
Manage Medical Issues
Whether it’s diabetes or obesity, these types of unchecked medical issues can contribute to Parkinson’s later in life so be sure to manage them appropriately.
Avoid Toxins
One of the things that medical professionals are fairly certain of is the contribution of environment and toxins to the onset of Parkinson’s disease. The toxins that you have the most control over are the ones that come from smoking – if you are a smoker it’s time to stop, if not – avoid being around smokers.
You should also be mindful of using pesticides, cleaning products, etc. to limit your exposure to the typical environmental pollutants that may contribute to PD.
Additionally, if you enjoy biking or any type of sporting activity you should always wear a helmet. A head injury, even a minor one, increases your risk of developing a neurological disorder or disease.
While no one can yet say with certainty, what exactly causes Parkinson’s disease you can take steps to reduce your risk of developing it. Follow the above advice to limit your chances of it, and a whole host of other diseases as well. Regular exercise, good sleep, and a healthy diet really is the key to living a long and healthy life.
