Ways a Dietitian Can Help You With Parkinson's Disease
April is Parkinson's Awareness Month. This progressive neurological condition is caused when cells that normally produce a hormone called dopamine stop working properly(1). It is estimated that it currently affects over 100,000 people in Canada(2). This condition typically affects seniors, but we are seeing cases in much younger individuals. Symptoms involved with this debilitating condition are more than just a tremor and affect all aspects of a person's life, with sadly no known cure yet. In this article, I will share ways a Dietitian can help you with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Parkinsonism.
Difficulties Eating
A classic feature of PD and Parkinsonism is a tremor. This involuntary trembling, as well as muscle stiffness and slowed movements often seen in the disease, can create great difficulties with eating and swallowing. Both eating and swallowing require muscle coordination and control.
As PD progresses, people may develop a condition known as dysphagia, otherwise known as difficulty or discomfort in swallowing. Without intervention from a healthcare team, this condition can put those with PD at risk for severe health consequences. These include illness (including aspiration pneumonia), choking, and hospitalization. Oftentimes food and drink can be modified to make swallowing safer. This can include changing foods to be softer or more moist, as well as changing fluids to be thicker.
A Dietitian, as part of your health care team, will work in coordination with your Occupational Therapist and/or Speech Language Pathologist to ensure that your nutritional needs are met, while also ensuring that you are provided with food and drink to minimize your risk for illness and hospitalization. A Dietitian can also be your advocate to ensure your quality of life and dignity are maintained, as changes to food and drink can cause people a great deal of distress.
Risk for Frailty
Those diagnosed with PD and Parkinsonism are at greater risk for frailty. As mentioned in my previous article on frailty, the Canadian Frailty Network(3) describes the condition in persons as having usually three or more of the following symptoms:
Weight Loss
Fatigue
Loss of Strength
Slower Walking Speed
Low Levels of Physical Activity
A Dietitian can assess and provide interventions to treat signs and symptoms of frailty. Working with a Dietitian will also mean that your plan is specialized to your needs, preferences, goals, and budget.
Meal and Medication Timing
A key component to managing symptoms associated with PD involves using medications. Levodopa is often the initial therapy for those with this condition. However, Levodopa quickly disappears from the blood, roughly 60–90 minutes after taking the drug.
Eating protein delays the emptying of the stomach and also competes with the absorption of Levodopa, as Levodopa is an amino acid - a derivative of tyrosine. A Dietitian can help you to coordinate taking your medication and your meals. This way, dietary protein does not interfere with the absorption of Levodopa, and it can be absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream, across the blood-brain barrier, and then converted to dopamine in the brain(4).
Where can I get more support with nutrition for managing Parkinson's Disease?
If you would like to learn about more ways a dietitian can help with Parkinson's Disease, I am happy to help! I offer a Living in Place Blueprint for caregivers and those affected by PD, which includes in-home, in-office, virtual assessment services, and meal planning. My ultimate goal is to ensure you and your loved ones are getting the nutrition needed to stay happy, healthy, and strong, for as long as possible.
Read more about my services here: 1:1 Coaching.
If you would like to book your free 15-minute discovery call with me, you can do so here.
Book Your Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
And remember to check with your insurance provider to see if you are covered for Registered Dietitian Services through your plan or health spending account. Dietitian services are also tax deductible!
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References
Parkinson's Association of Alberta. (2023). PD 101. Parkinson's Association of Alberta. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://parkinsonassociation.ca/pd-101/.
Public Health Agency of Canada (2021). Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS), Data Tool 2000–2020, 2021 Edition. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2023 from https://health-infobase.canada.ca/ccdss/data-tool/.
Canadian Frailty Network. (n.d.). What is frailty? Canadian Frailty Network. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.cfn-nce.ca/frailty-matters/what-is-frailty/.
Green, K. (2017). Best practice guideline for dietitians on the management of Parkinson’s. Parkinson's UK and the British Dietetic Association. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-12/dietitians_bestpracticeguideline.pdf.