Dietitian and Nutritionist For Parkinson's Disease

Consulting a registered dietitian for Parkinson’s Disease support can help provide clarity and guidance on the most up-to-date information to help you maintain your nutrition if you have Parkinson’s. It can also support a family member who struggles to meet their nutritional needs because of the Parkinson’s effects.

A registered dietitian can provide assistance with Parkinson’s Disease in the following ways:

 

• Have your current diet assessed by a nutritionist and dietitian who works with Parkinson’s Disease sufferers.
• Review your current diet and provide recommendations to optimize your macronutrient and micronutrient intake to maintain health.
• Identify any chewing or swallowing difficulties that may be present and provide recommendations to help make it easier to eat, such as incorporating puree food or adding thickener to liquids. Some clients may benefit from a referral to a speech language pathologist to assess the problem.
• Provide ongoing support of a dietitian for Parkinson’s Disease support to optimize nutrition for those who follow modified diets (e.g., puree, minced, dysphagia soft, easy to chew) to prevent choking with food or drinks.
• Recommend food substitutions for clients experiencing specific taste or smell changes.
• Create a personalized meal plan to help you get enough protein and calories throughout the day to prevent unintentional weight loss.
• Outline the importance of adequate protein intake throughout the day to maintain muscle mass, lose excess body tissue, and overall maintain a healthy weight to help support good motor function.
• Discuss ideas in how to optimize your hydration, especially if you have been prescribed to take thickened fluids.
• Address any concerns regarding bowel health and promote regular bowel routines.
• Assist with meal planning to help support intake in the context of low mood or appetite.
• Discuss the role of nutrition and key nutrients in supporting mood.
• Work to incorporate more nutrient dense foods into the diet, such as nuts, whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and dairy products.
• Provide recommendations to modify meals to make eating easier if you get short of breath or fatigued with eating.
• Share recipes and resources on meal and snack ideas that can be prepared with little to no effort.
• Review prescribed medication and provide recommendations on how to optimize the absorption of medications by adjusting meal times and meal composition.
• Assist with related health and nutrition concerns.
• Receive ongoing support from a dietitian for neuromuscular disease support.
• Provide follow-up sessions with a dietitian and nutritionist for Parkinson’s support to monitor progress, address additional concerns, answer questions and adjust the plan, if necessary.
• And more.