People with Parkinson’s disease should eat foods rich in flavonoids at least three times a week.
- In France, Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with 100,000 to 120,000 people suffering from it.
- This pathology begins on average between the ages of 55 and 65.
People with Parkinson’s disease who eat foods rich in flavonoids three times a week have a 30 to 40% better chance of survival compared to those who eat them less than once a month, according to a study published in the review Neurology.
No curative treatments
During their work, the scientists followed 1,200 people with Parkinson’s disease who had been diagnosed recently. It is a pathology neurological which is due to the degeneration of dopamine neurons. It is qualified as chronic because it evolves over several years. For the moment, there is no curative treatment. The only solutions offered to patients aim to delay the progression and relieve the three main symptoms of the disease, which are not necessarily all present at the same time: tremors, akinesia – that is to say the slowness of movements – and stiffness.
Slow the progression of the disease
Thus, to reach their conclusions, the researchers analyzed the diet over several years of 599 women and 652 men. Specifically, they asked them how often they consumed flavonoid-rich foods. These are substances found in plants, fruits, vegetables, chocolate, tea or even red wine. Next, they estimated the flavonoid intake each patient had by multiplying the amount each food contained by how often the participants ate it. Result: people who consumed more had a better life expectancy because the progression of the disease was slowed down.
“A higher regular consumption of red fruits and red wine is associated with a 26% and 40% reduction in mortality risk, respectively, says Aedín Cassidy, one of the study’s authors. This shows how a simple dietary change can improve the life expectancy of people with Parkinson’s disease“.
Reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease
But the benefits of flavonoids on Parkinson’s disease are not the only virtues of these substances. According to a study published in 2019 in the journal NatureCommunications, these could also reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. According to the researchers, flavonoids improve the functioning of blood vessels and have anti-inflammatory properties.
In prevention therefore, do not hesitate to consume foods that contain flavonoids… But not too much red wine! According to the recommendations of Public Health Franceif you want to drink alcohol, you must consume two glasses a day, not every day and, at most, 10 glasses a week.
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