Wondering what are the best meals and recipes for individuals with Parkinson’s disease?
I’ve got you covered!
Research [2] shows that certain types of food supplements and diets may help alleviate symptoms if not complement the action of drugs taken by patients afflicted with the disease.
With more than a million people in the U.S living with this disease [1], and more than 60,000 individuals who are diagnosed with it every year, it is important to take a deep dive into the diet for those afflicted!
Read to find out more!
ALSO CHECK: Best Eating Utensils for Parkinson’s Patients
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Here are some of my top favorite healthy Ingredients.
- Pompeian USDA Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray
- San-J Tamari Gluten Free Soy Sauce, Black Bottle, 10 Ounce
Judee’s Xanthan Gum 8oz – 100% Non-GMO, Keto-Friendly, Gluten-Free & Nut-Free
Blue Diamond Almonds, Almond Flour, Gluten Free, Blanched, Finely Sifted
Arrowhead Mills Organic Coconut Flour, Gluten Free, 16 Ounce Bag
Don’t have time? Here is a quick comparison of our favorites!
Table of Contents
What Supplements and Diets Are Recommended for Those With Parkinson’s Disease?
Researchers have shown that supplementing a diet with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, B vitamins, and coenzyme Q may help manage the disease.
Low carb, high-fat diets like the ketogenic diet [3] are seen to help strengthen the potency of medicines used to control symptoms of Parkinson’s disease as well.
Probiotics help regulate the balance of microbes in the gut, which, in turn, control low-grade inflammation in the gut and brain.
If you or a loved one has Parkinson’s Disease, here are some recipes that you can try out based on a Modified Atkins Ketogenic Diet [4].
#1 Pork and Chicken Adobo Recipe for People With Parkinson’s Disease
This is based on a popular traditional Filipino dish that is so easy to make, which requires very few ingredients.
This is usually eaten with rice. However, on a Modified Atkins Ketogenic Diet, it would be best to serve this with riced cauliflower sauteed with chopped garlic to complete the meal.
Ingredient
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 250 g chicken breasts, cubed
- 250 g pork tenderloin, cubed
- 5 cloves of garlic, crushed (leave the skin on)
- 1/2 c. soy sauce, although for a more low-carb option, you can substitute this with tamari
- 1/2 c. vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 1/4 c water
- 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
How to Prepare This Recipe
- In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and saute the crushed garlic.
- Add in the pork and chicken cubes and fry until browned.
- Add in the liquid ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Pressure cook at high for 20 minutes and serve.
Options:
This may also be done in a slow cooker cooked at high for around 5 hours.
- After cooking in the pressure cooker or slow cooker, you can gather the chicken pieces, flake them and fry them until crispy before adding them back to the pork pieces.
- Serve over riced cauliflower with some sauce and sliced tomatoes to complete your meal.
- If you aren’t into riced cauliflower, you can flake the pork and chicken meat and serve them in fathead bagels (recipe below) with lettuce and sliced tomatoes for a great sandwich!
CHECK: Best Weighted Pens for Tremors
#2 Keto Fathead Bagels Recipe for People With Parkinson’s Disease
Ingredients
- 1 ½ c. almond flour
- 2 T. coconut flour
- 2 T. baking powder
- 2 ½ c. mozzarella cheese
- ¼ c cream cheese
- 1 tsp. xantham gum
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Beat the eggs and set them aside.
- In one bowl, mix all dry ingredients and set aside.
- In another bowl, mix the cream cheese and the mozzarella cheese. Melt them in a microwave oven for 2 mins at high.
- Mix the cheese mixture and the dry ingredients. Add in the egg and knead.
- Shape these into bagels and place them on a pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.
The fathead dough recipe is a basic recipe for keto enthusiasts that is versatile! You can use it to make a pizza crust, or you can add in some of your favorite fruit to turn them into muffins too.
For dessert, you might want to try out this simple low-carb mug cake recipe too!
Don’t forget to check our guide on what foods should Parkinson’s patients avoid!
Other recipes you may want to check out are this cloud bread recipe
or this low-carb chicken piccata recipe, which is perfect for any family dinner.
Key Takeaway
Living with Parkinson’s disease may be difficult. However, there are ways by which the onset of symptoms can be managed.
One excellent and healthy way of doing so is through the proper diet, as shown by many research studies.
Of course, we have to keep in mind that the food we eat nourishes our souls.
These recipes are perfectly good, so living with Parkinson’s disease doesn’t have to be bland. It doesn’t have to be limiting.
Resources
- 1. Parkinson’s Foundation. Statistics [Internet]. Parkinson’s Foundation. 2019. Available from: https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Statistics
- 2. Lange KW, Nakamura Y, Chen N, Guo J, Kanaya S, Lange KM, et al. Diet and medical foods in Parkinson’s disease. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2019;8:83–95.
- 3. Mawer R. The ketogenic diet: A detailed beginner’s guide to keto [Internet]. Healthline. 2020. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101
- 4. What is the Modified Atkins Diet and What Are the Benefits [Internet]. Charlie Foundation. [cited 2022 Jan 24]. Available from: https://charliefoundation.org/diet-plans/modified-atkins/
What are your favorite recipes for people with Parkinson’s disease? Let us know below!
These all sound like great recipes that incorporate healthy eating. I can see many people enjoy these dishes, in addition to those with Parkinson’s.