Neuro-Nutrition and Parkinson's Disease

I recently attended a presentation that emphasized how the various parts of our body are in close communication and how the food we eat is an influencer of this communication. The vagus nerve, one of our 12 cranial nerves, is an important pathway that carries signals between the gut and the brain, including signals related to the gut microbiome and immune system. Research has suggested that, in some people, certain proteins associated with Parkinson’s can be found in the gut up to two decades before neurological symptoms appear. One theory suggests that the proteins are misfolded in the gut and brought to the brain by the vagus nerve.
The exciting news is that there are some studies suggesting specific foods may lower your risk of Parkinson’s and slow it’s progression. The “Mind Diet” was designed to include these foods in amounts that would be most beneficial. Daily, this diet is composed of one+ servings of vegetables and three+ servings of whole grains. Weekly, it includes two+ servings of berries, five+ of nuts/seeds, four+ of beans, six+ of leafy greens, one+ of fatty fish, and two+ light poultry without the skin. If using added fat, use extra virgin olive oil. After writing this summary, I decided to focus on beans and had beans for supper.  The picture above is a great bean salad, it makes a lot, so serve it to a large group or use it for lunches for a week.