Summary: While your experience of living with Parkinson’s disease is unique to you, there are some general steps that you can take to live well and feel more in control of your life. We will explore the different ways in which you can continue to enjoy a good quality of life after your Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Exercise is particularly beneficial for you if you have Parkinson’s disease. It can improve the quality of your life and may even help slow your condition down. From mind-body exercise like dancing to aerobic sports and simple home workouts, getting active can help control your symptoms and give you more independence. Exercise is also recommended as a treatment because it gives you neuro (brain) protection.
Having a healthy diet can help you manage some of your Parkinson’s symptoms and support your overall health. There isn’t a specific diet that can treat Parkinson’s disease or reverse it, but some changes to what and how you eat may help improve your symptoms. Learn more about healthy eating habits, if there are any foods you should avoid, and how to deal with common diet-related complications of Parkinson’s, such as constipation.
Mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, memory problems, etc., are commonly experienced by people living with Parkinson’s disease, but there are ways to manage them. Mental health disorders can happen for several different reasons if you’re living with Parkinson’s disease. You may experience issues because of the changes in your brain caused directly by Parkinson’s, or due to the emotional stress of dealing with your diagnosis.
Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or thinking you might have symptoms will no doubt come as a shock. Women have a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease than men, but can still develop the condition. The disease can progress differently in women, so you may have different symptoms and respond differently to treatment.
