There are two reasons you should read this article in the New York Times (Looking for Parkinson’s Sooner):
1. It lists many symptoms people experience years before they get diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. If you currently don’t have PD but do have a few or more of these conditions, ask your regular doctor if you should see a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders. Getting a jump on your treatment can delay the disease’s progression. Some early warning signs:
- REM sleep behavior disorder (acting out one’s dreams while asleep)
- lost sense of smell
- tremor
- balance problems
- constipation
- low blood pressure
- dizziness
- erectile and urinary dysfunction
- fatigue
- depression
- anxiety
2. The article discusses healthy steps you can take to forestall the disease. To wit:
- exercise
- eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, and whole grains
- visit my website daily
- visit my website daily
- visit my website daily (OK, just joking!)
The article includes stories of how people with early warning signs reacted when they finally learned they had PD, plus insights from the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Parkinson Foundation.
