May 22, 2026
With my dad, I've found it's important to have these conversations
Written by Mary Beth Skylis | May 21, 2026
There’s a moment that many Parkinson’s families encounter at some point. Maybe they’re on the road with a loved one with Parkinson’s who is driving, and they notice slight swerving over the center lane, as I did a few years ago with my dad. Or maybe the moment happens during a particularly challenging freezing episode, leaving them navigating the discomfort of silence while mulling over a simple question: Do I help or do I wait?
The part of me that wants my dad, who has Parkinson’s, to maintain autonomy for as long as possible has a tendency to stay quiet, even when I notice subtle changes in the way he drives. But there’s another part of me that expresses resistance at the idea that he might put himself or others at risk by pushing his own limits. It’s a reality that I find myself facing more frequently as the disease progresses, and navigating the nuanced layers of loving my dad while finding the best ways to support him is challenging.
In my experience, it’s hard to find a satisfiable resolution of the tension between safety and dignity in these examples. I think that every challenge is unique. But the research I’ve done about other people’s strategies has helped me to better understand some of the best approaches to use with him.
May 21, 2026
Written by Susie Strachan | Last updated April 13, 2026
Parkinson’s disease can change how comfortable and safe cooking feels, especially when symptoms affect hand control, balance, or energy levels. Fortunately, Parkinson’s cooking aids and simple kitchen adaptations can make meal preparation more manageable.
With supportive tools, ergonomic adjustments, and energy-saving techniques, many people can continue preparing meals in ways that promote safety, confidence, and independent living.
Kitchen ergonomics and safety
A safer, more mobility-friendly kitchen can reduce strain and help you stay focused on cooking.
When balance, hand stability, or slower movement make it harder to stand at the counter, reach for items, or carry dishes, small changes in kitchen ergonomics may make cooking more manageable.
Helpful ways to make your kitchen safer and easier to use include:
- Keep frequently used items within easy reach to reduce bending and stretching.
- Use nonslip mats under cutting boards, bowls, and mixing containers.
- Clear clutter from counters to create a safer work area.
- Improve lighting so you can see ingredients, tools, and hot surfaces clearly.
- Choose lightweight cookware and stable pots and pans.
- Set up a workspace that allows for seated cooking when standing feels tiring.
An occupational therapy appointment may also help you identify personalized kitchen adaptations. An occupational therapist can assess how Parkinson’s symptoms affect your movement, safety, and energy use, and suggest tools, layout changes, or techniques that support safer cooking and independent living.
Adaptive kitchen equipment can make cooking easier when tremors, reduced dexterity, or slower movement get in the way. Many ergonomic kitchen tools are designed to improve grip, stability, and control.
Cooking aids for Parkinson’s include:
- weighted utensils that may help improve hand stability
- automatic openers for jars, cans, and bottles
- easy-grip knives and peelers for more controlled cutting
- kettle tippers or stable pouring aids for handling hot liquids
- cookware with large, easy-to-hold handles
- adaptive cutting boards with spikes or clamps to steady food while cutting
May 20, 2026
Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT and Kathryn Watson — Updated on July 22, 2025
Key takeaways
- There is no specific diet for Parkinson’s, but including foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may help ease symptoms and slow disease progression.
- Foods high in saturated fats and heavily processed items may worsen Parkinson’s symptoms, so consider limiting or avoiding them.
- Embracing dietary strategies like the Mediterranean or MIND diets, along with staying hydrated and exercising, may benefit those managing Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease affects nearly 1 million people in the United States, and the number of new diagnoses each year is rising.
Symptoms vary from person to person but commonly include muscle spasms, tremors, and soreness. Researchers are still investigating the causes and triggers that activate Parkinson’s.
Since there’s no cure for Parkinson’s, and the drugs prescribed to manage symptoms sometimes have side effects, some people may be interested in complementary remedies.
Here, we’ll explore how diet can affect people with Parkinson’s, as well as which foods may help or worsen symptoms.
While diet won’t cure Parkinson’s, early research suggests that certain dietary changes may help relieve symptoms for some people.
Because research links Parkinson’s to a lack of dopamine in your body, scientists are looking for ways to increase dopamine naturally through your diet.
Diet may also help your body handle Parkinson’s medications better. Research suggests that diet may play a role in boosting the efficacy of drugs like levodopa and in helping to manage side effects.
Lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise, may also help reduce cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s, like dementia and confusion, and slow disease progression.
Foods high in antioxidants may also help reduce oxidative stress in your brain, which may be responsible for some of the mental decline seen in Parkinson’s.
Additionally, you may be able to relieve constipation — another potential symptom — with fiber supplements and probiotics, although research is mixed.
Finally, taking magnesium may relieve muscle cramps that can occur in Parkinson’s, though supporting research is lacking. Still, scientists think low levels of this mineral may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s, so magnesium remains important.
Overall, further research is necessary.
May 19, 2026
Real-world data show treatment improves patients' quality of life
Written by Michela Luciano, PhD | May 14, 2026
- Vyalev, a continuous under-the-skin infusion, significantly reduces off time and dyskinesia in advanced Parkinson's disease.
- The treatment improves both motor and nonmotor symptoms, including pain and sleep disturbances.
- Patients see improved quality of life, and Vyalev's safety profile is consistent with prior clinical trials.
Vyalev, Abbvie‘s continuous under-the-skin infusion formulation of levodopa/carbidopa, reduces off time and eases motor and some nonmotor symptoms in adults with advanced Parkinson’s disease.
That’s according to six-month data from an ongoing real-world study, ROSSINI (NCT06107426), which also showed the therapy improves patients’ quality of life. The trial is evaluating Vyalev in routine clinical practice across 10 countries in 427 adults with advanced Parkinson’s who will be followed for up to three years.
“ROSSINI demonstrates reductions in motor fluctuations and nonmotor symptoms, and increased quality of life in patients with [advanced Parkinson’s disease] after [six] months of [Vyalev] treatment,” the researchers wrote. “The safety profile was consistent with clinical trials.”
The interim data were published in Neurology and Therapy in an Abbvie-funded study titled, “Real-World Safety and Effectiveness of 24-Hour Foslevodopa/Foscarbidopa in Parkinson’s Disease: ROSSINI Study 6-Month Interim Results.”
Parkinson’s disease is caused by the progressive loss of brain cells that produce the signaling molecule dopamine, resulting in Parkinson’s symptoms that most commonly affect movement and balance. A mainstay Parkinson’s treatment is oral levodopa, a precursor of dopamine that’s usually given together with carbidopa, a medicine that allows more levodopa to reach the brain and be converted into dopamine.
Maintaining levodopa
Levodopa/carbidopa therapy is usually effective at controlling symptoms. However, many patients eventually develop motor fluctuations, when motor symptoms return between scheduled doses during periods known as off episodes. Long-term levodopa treatment may also lead to dyskinesia, or uncontrolled and involuntary movements.
Vyalev, sold as Produodopa in Europe and the U.K., is designed to continuously deliver foslevodopa and foscarbidopa via a specialized pump 24 hours a day. These are prodrug forms of levodopa and carbidopa, inactive molecules that convert to the active medications once inside the body. By maintaining more stable levodopa levels, the therapy aims to reduce off episodes and improve symptom control.
May 18, 2026
Medically reviewed by Susan W. Lee, DO - Written by Carly Vandergriendt - Updated on February 7, 2024
Key takeaways
- Parkinson’s disease can cause an increase in sebum production, leading to a particular scent that is usually not strong enough for most people to detect.
- Researchers are exploring whether the unique composition of sebum in individuals with Parkinson’s could serve as a biomarker for early detection using specialized devices and artificial intelligence.
- A diminished sense of smell is common in Parkinson’s, potentially making those with the condition less aware of changes in their own body odor.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive brain condition that affects movement. People with PD experience tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.
New research suggests that people with PD might also have a particular smell. That said, it’s not something the average person is likely to notice.
This article reviews what we know about how Parkinson’s affects your body odor and sense of smell.
Everyone has a scent, whether or not they have Parkinson’s. Factors such as genes, food, and hormones determine your distinctive smell.
Health conditions can also influence how you smell. Among people with Parkinson’s, changes in scent are linked to an increased production of sebum, an oily substance secreted from the sebaceous glands in the skin.
However, it’s not a scent that most people would notice. Authors of a 2019 review note that a person with a heightened sense of smell detected the PD odor only recently.
Most people cannot detect Parkinson’s disease by smelling it. Although PD is linked to a specific scent, it’s not a smell the average person is likely to notice.
People with extreme sensitivity to smell, known as hyperosmia, are more likely to notice the PD smell.
Scent as a potential biomarker
Sebum may be a biomarker for PD. So, testing sebum could be a way of showing that someone has Parkinson’s.
A few studies are investigating the role of sebum in diagnosing PD. For example, the authors of a 2021 study compared the biochemical makeup of sebum from people with PD and a control group.
They reported significant differences between the two groups and suggested that evaluating sebum profiles might be a noninvasive way to test for PD.
Another 2022 study involved the development of a smelling device that uses artificial intelligence to detect the PD scent in a sebum sample. Researchers concluded that doctors might be able to use their system alongside other diagnostic tests to catch early stage PD.
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