{"id":35171,"date":"2023-11-21T10:25:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T09:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/?page_id=35171"},"modified":"2025-08-05T13:51:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T11:51:27","slug":"parkinson-and-diet","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/daily-life\/parkinson-and-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Parkinson and Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Parkinson and Diet<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cExercise regularly and eat healthily\u201d is advice everyone can benefit from. But for people with Parkinson\u2019s, eating a balanced diet is even more important. That means plenty of fruit, vegetables, and other complex carbohydrates like whole grains, as well as specific proteins. And of course, staying well hydrated.<\/p>

Here you\u2019ll find a selection of nutrition tips and recommendations from British dietitian Nan Millette, tailored specifically for people living with Parkinson\u2019s.
Discover whether your current diet is on the right track, or if it might be time to make some adjustments!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Drink plenty of water<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Drinking plenty of fluids (8\u201310 cups or glasses of water per day) is an essential part of a healthy diet and helps reduce constipation. Coffee and tea don\u2019t count, as they can dehydrate you.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dry mouth?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Drink more, take small sips of water throughout the day, suck on an ice cube, or use a mouth spray or mouthwash. Sucking on a sweet or chewing gum can also help stimulate saliva production and relieve a dry mouth.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Carbohydrates and sugar<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Dyskinesia can worsen after eating foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar. However, carbohydrates are essential for maintaining body weight and energy levels.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Swallowing difficulties?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Make swallowing easier by yawning a few times before eating to help relax your throat if it feels tense. Keep your chin close to your chest and sit in a good, comfortable position. Take small sips of water and use small portions of food on your fork or spoon.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Constipation? \n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Eat at regular times, follow a balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids, and exercise regularly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The current general dietary recommendations are:<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • A daily energy intake of around 25 to 30 calories per kilogram of body weight, with extra calories if you experience dyskinesia.<\/li>
  • A carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of at least 4:1 or 5:1.<\/span><\/li>
  • A recommended daily protein intake of approximately 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.<\/span><\/li>
  • The general advice is to have three balanced meals a day. However, some people with Parkinson\u2019s find it easier to eat smaller meals more frequently. If you already eat a healthy, balanced diet, you may not need to change your eating habits at all.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Some additional practical tips:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    • Serve hot drinks in an insulated cup to keep them warm. Spouted cups can help prevent spills and make drinking easier.<\/li>
    • Don\u2019t overfill cups \u2014 using a straw can also be helpful. Weighted cups may reduce shaking while drinking.<\/li>
    • Serve food at a raised level. For example, place the plate on a box or stand so it\u2019s closer to the mouth. Place the plate on a non-slip mat to prevent it from sliding around.<\/li>
    • Some foods, vitamins, or unusual diets are promoted as remedies for Parkinson\u2019s. However, there is often no solid evidence to support these claims. Always discuss any diet changes with your healthcare team!<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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      \u201cExercise regularly and eat healthily\u201d is advice everyone can benefit from. But for people with Parkinson\u2019s, eating a balanced diet is even more important. That means plenty of fruit, vegetables, and other complex carbohydrates like whole grains, as well as specific proteins. And of course, staying well hydrated. Here you\u2019ll find a selection of nutrition […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":34999,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-35171","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35171"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35175,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35171\/revisions\/35175"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}