The Parkinson’s Foundation recently hosted a two-day webinar about the role good nutrition can play in supporting my husband’s well-being and potentially slowing the progression of his symptoms. The speakers covered the science behind healthy eating and gave us tips, including a recipe for a healthy salad option. They concluded with a panel of two people with PD and one partner talking about how changes in diet had impacted their lives and ways they were implementing these healthy options. I thought it was great.

After day one, I turned to my husband and said, “so, do you think we could try to incorporate fish into our diet one day a week?” When he responded with “as long as you don’t expect me to eat it”, I knew we were in for some interesting meal challenges ahead. Much of the information shared was PD specific, but some was more general and would be beneficial to everyone. Both of my parents developed neurological issues as they aged, I need to be looking out for myself as well as my partner.

On day two we heard from a dietitian and she demonstrated a very healthy salad recipe made with couscous that looked delicious to me. After the session was over, I again turned to my loving husband and said, “a simple change could be to have salads every night with dinner.” His smirk said it all.

We are going to start incorporating some changes to our dinner plans but it is going to take discussion, negotiation, and careful planning. My husband did agree to try the fish, but it has to be something mild and small portions. We are going to look at adding some salad alternatives, maybe not every night, but at least 3-4 times a week. My hope is that when we start to feel better, we will want to do more and eventually we will be eating those healthy foods at every meal, not just dinner.

If you are interested in learning more about nutrition, visit the Parkinson’s Foundation website page on Diet and Nutrition.