Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer's. It affects 30,000 people in Belgium and 175,000 in France where 10,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition in which nerve cells located in the "substantia nigra" in the center of the brain are affected. These cells produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that allows the control of movements and acts in the sensation of pleasure and desire. When these cells die, symptoms such as slowed motor function, resting tremors, muscle rigidity and ambulation abnormalities result.

This condition currently has no cure and cannot be cured. Prevention is therefore crucial.

If the average age of those affected is around 60 years old, the changes in lifestyle brought about by modern times, with constant and increasing exposure to pesticides and toxins, there are now regular cases of Parkinson's in patients under 50 years old. Lifestyle choices are particularly important in protecting against this condition, which is good news because it means that certain habits can easily be changed to protect against it.

Eating a varied and healthy diet seems to be the easiest step to reduce the risk of Parkinson's. Vegetables rich in folate are particularly interesting, since the deficiency in this vitamin is directly put in the hands of the health professionals. in connection with the pathology.

The following nutrients are also very important and may help to significantly reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease.

• Vitamin D: A close correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the development of Parkinson's disease exists. While it was previously thought that vitamin D deficiency was a consequence of the condition, recent research has shown that vitamin D deficiency is one of the causes of Parkinson's. The best way to optimize vitamin D levels is, of course, exposure to the sun, but this vitamin can also be taken as a supplement.
• Omega-3 of animal origin: they prevent Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Omega-3s contain two fatty acids that are essential to human health: DHA and EPA. The neurological benefits of omega-3 come mainly from DHA, which is essential for proper brain function (97% of the 14% of omega-3 present in the brain is DHA). Adding omega-3 to your diet, through fatty fish (be careful of the quality!) or krill oil, is therefore an excellent way to preserve yourself from Parkinson's disease.
• Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10: a study has shown that the progression of Parkinson's disease is significantly slower in people taking high doses of CoQ10. In the case of statins, the problem is even greater since these drugs tend to deplete the coenzyme Q10 levels of the people concerned. Supplementation with CoQ10 or its reduced form, called ubiquinol, is therefore recommended.
• Green tea: the polyphenols contained in green tea offer very interesting neural protection thanks to their dopaminergic effect, i.e. stimulating the release of dopamine, which is why green tea is linked to a lower risk of Parkinson's disease.

Finally, one of the best ways to minimize the risk of Parkinson's is to limit exposure to pesticides. Eating organic feed and investing in a good water filtration system are the most obvious and simple ways.

The consumption offermented foods such as kimchi can also help the body get rid of pesticides.