Eat your fruits and vegetables. You’ve heard it countless times. Your parents likely said it growing up, and you’ve probably even said it yourself. There’s a reason why this happens–fruits and vegetables are very good for us. They promote health and wellness. Doctors are still learning just how effective certain fruits and veggies can be when it comes to our health.
For example, researchers recently looked at a compound found in certain fruit, herbs, and berries. They found that it can be really helpful when it comes to treating Parkinson’s disease because it has the ability to encourage the brain to fight off the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson’s.
The compound, known as farnesol, has been flagged in the past as something that can help improve brain health. It can be found in fruits and berries and researchers now have stronger evidence that it can prevent and even help reverse some of the damage that is done to the brain because of Parkinson’s disease.
A team from Johns Hopkins University recently studied the compound and its impact on Parkinson’s. They found that farnesol helps prevent neuron loss in mice that were positive for Parkinson’s. It also helped to ease muscle rigidity, lessen frequency and duration of tremors, and helped to reduce confusion and dementia. It wasn’t a cure for the mice that were treated with this compound, but it did help to minimize the symptoms that mice experienced.
This is not precisely new information. Scientists have known about the benefits of compounds within some fruits and their ability to help improve health for years. Vitamin C in citrus fruit is used to help improve the immune system. Flavonoids in red grapes and red wine have been shown to help fight against some types of cancer.
There’s a lot more research needed before scientists can actively use farnesol to help humans with Parkinson’s, but the stage is set. This study, which was published in the journal, Science Translational Medicine, will help lay the groundwork for future research, and ultimately for people to greatly benefit from advances in knowledge of this area.
Parkinson’s currently does not have a cure. It can have a devastating effect on someone’s quality of life, especially if it isn’t caught early and treated to help stave off the negative symptoms of the disease. Parkinson’s can make activities that you and I have always had come naturally to us become painstakingly difficult. They might become frustrated with their situation and end up fighting mental health issues in addition to the neurological disorder. Having support in place is important to help recognize the early signs of difficulty and then take steps to minimize the negative impact that these symptoms can have on someone’s quality of life is important.
This is why trained caregivers are so important. Having a team that can help make these kinds of things easier is an essential component of great care. As always, feel free to reach out to us by phone or email if we can help to get the conversation started regarding finding care for the people that you love.
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