5 Nutritional Hacks To Prevent Parkinson’s Disease

Don’t want to end up on a lifetime of medication to treat Parkinson’s disease?

Well you don’t have to with these natural nutritional hacks that have been found to help prevent and even treat pre-existing Parkinson’s disease.

#1 Increase Vitamin B6 Intake

A study published in The British Journal of Nutrition found that out of all 5,289 participants, those with the highest levels of vitamin B6 had a much lower risk of developing the disease when compared with those with the lowest levels.

So bring out your inner fisherman – and get catching some fresh tuna as this fish is one of the richest sources of vitamin B6 around. If that doesn’t impress you much, then go for other vitamin B6 rich foods such as organically reared turkey, chicken, salmon or organic sweet potatoes.

#2 Avoid Too Little or Too Much Iron

Iron deficiency is common in developed countries, but it’s vital you know your bodies current iron levels as having too much or too little can put you at an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

This news has come from a study that was published in the journal Experimental Neurology in which the study confirmed that both iron deficiency and iron toxicity are linked to specific genes and neuronal suicide that lead to dopamine shortages responsible for the development of Parkinson’s.

So by addressing iron levels in the body you could stay as sharp as a nail.

#3 Increase Fatty Acid Intake

A study that was published in 2005 in the journal Neurology discovered that a high intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids could lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Both of these types of fats are contained within neuronal cell membranes and have long been known to be neuroprotective.

One of the main forms of polyunsaturated fatty acids is the essential omega 3, deemed essential because the body cannot manufacture it, so must obtain it from food. Great sources of good fats include avocados, peanuts, olive oil (unheated), raw nuts, seeds and organic coconut oil.

It’s time to get over that old school notion that all fat is bad for you.

#4 Green Tea Extract

Recently published in the journal of Nutritional Biochemistry was that there is accumulating evidence to suggest that antioxidant polyphenols can play a vital role in reducing the damage caused by oxidative stress that is linked to a lot of health problems including Parkinson’s disease.

Green tea is one such natural substance that is rich in scavenger fighting polyphenol antioxidants. Because of this, green tea polyphenols are now being considered as therapeutic agents in well controlled epidemiological studies, aimed to alter brain aging processes and to serve as possible neuroprotective agents in progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Like we need any more excuses to take more tea breaks?!

#5 Co-Enzyme Q10

The medical journal CNS & Neurological Disorders – Drug Targets, has stated that Co-enzyme Q10 is vital for the cell power supply in mitochondria and that CoQ10 shuttles electrons from complexes I and II to complex III, and can be anti-oxdiative.

So as we know oxidation can be seen to cause Parkinson’s disease, and given that neurons require high energy for synaptic transmission, therefore any mitochondria dysfunction can lead to severe neuronal degeneration, as observed in many neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease.

CoQ10 has become a popular supplement in recent years to treat the condition, and given that CoQ10 is a naturally occurring substance in the body and that as we age levels naturally decline – this may be another reason to look at including this supplement in your regime, especially when looking to prevent Parkinson’s disease.

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