Could the food you're eating be making your Parkinson's symptoms worse? In this eye-opening episode, we explore the hidden environmental toxins in everyday foods and how they impact brain health, dopamine production, and Parkinson's disease progression.
Discover the science-backed connection between pesticide exposure and increased Parkinson's risk, learn which common food additives damage neurological function, and get actionable strategies to reduce your toxic load—without breaking your budget or losing your mind.
What You'll Learn:
Pesticides & Parkinson's Risk:
- Why people exposed to certain pesticides have a 70% increased risk of Parkinson's
- The truth about paraquat, rotenone, and organophosphates
- How to reduce pesticide exposure by 90% with strategic organic shopping
- The "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" produce lists explained
- Effective washing techniques that remove 96% of pesticide residues
Food Additives & Brain Health:
- Which artificial food dyes cause neurotoxicity and oxidative stress
- How preservatives (BHA, BHT, TBHQ) affect dopamine-producing neurons
- The connection between artificial sweeteners and altered dopamine pathways
- Hidden sources of MSG and other excitotoxins
- The simple 5-ingredient rule for safer food choices
Environmental Toxins in Packaging & Cookware:
- Why BPA-free plastic isn't as safe as you think (BPS and BPF concerns)
- PFAS "forever chemicals" in non-stick cookware and neurological health
Water Quality & Contamination:
- What's really in your tap water (heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals)
The Gut-Brain Connection:
- Groundbreaking research suggesting Parkinson's may start in the gut
- How toxins disrupt the microbiome and increase brain inflammation
Visit liveparkinsons.com and subscribe to our free monthly newsletter for science-based information, practical strategies, and community support for living an exceptional life with Parkinson's.
Visit ko-fi.com/liveparkinsons to make a donation—every contribution, whether it's the price of a coffee or more, makes a real difference.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only is not intended to treat or diagnose Parkinson's Disease. Please ensure that you are following the treatment plan developed by your doctor. Please ensure before starting anything new you get approval from your doctor. The information being provided is based on my own personal experiences and does not guarantee that it will benefit everyone.
Disclosure: I discuss and promote products in this podcast that pay me a small commission at no cost to you. I use the commissions to help support this podcast and my website Liveparkinsons.com. I make you aware of any affiliate links by adding AFFLIATE Link right beside the link. Thank you for supporting this podcast.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:10):
Hello, and welcome to Live Parkinson's Live an
Exceptional Life.
I'm your host, Chris KestenButter, and I've been living an
exceptional life withParkinson's for the past 15
years.
The mission of this podcast isto help as many people as
possible living with Parkinson'sto lead a great quality of life.
Now I'm so glad you're here withme today because we're going to
be talking about a topic thatquite literally hits close to
(00:30):
home, or should I say, hitsclose to your kitchen, your
garden, and maybe even thatquestionable container that's
hidden in the back of yourfridge.
So today we're going to betalking about food additives,
pesticides, and environmentaltoxins.
What you eat might be affectingmore than you know.
So I want to start off with awild fact, and that is, did you
(00:51):
know that people who've beenexposed to certain pesticides
have a 70% increased risk ofdeveloping Parkinson's disease?
Yes, you heard that rate.
70%.
And that's from a 2006 studyconducted by researchers at the
Harvard School of Public Healthand published in the Annals of
Neurology.
Now, that really shocked me, andI didn't realize that it would
(01:13):
be such a high number because Iknow most of us have used
pesticides or maybe have beenexposed to pesticides in the
past.
Now let me tell you just a quickstory.
Not too long ago, I was making asmoothie, and I was standing in
my kitchen, had the blender out,and I was throwing in some
regular strawberries, uh, someblueberries, I threw in some
(01:37):
spinach and some kale, and thenI threw in some low-fat yogurt
and put a little bit of water inthere, a couple cashews, and as
I was doing that, I'm blendingaway and I'm feeling pretty good
about my health choices.
And then I heard a littlesegment on the radio, and they
were talking about foodadditives and pesticides and the
(02:00):
fruits and vegetables that weeat.
And it really got me tothinking, it's like, wow, do I
really know what's in all thisstuff that I'm putting in the
blender to make this smoothie?
And really honestly, I didn't.
I was so focused on, you know,managing my symptoms day to day,
making sure I take my meds ontime, and really trying to stay
(02:20):
positive that I really hadn'tthought about any pesticides or
food additives or anything elsethat might be in my food supply
or my drinking water for allthat matters.
And then that segment reallychanged everything.
It got me to thinking, hey, Ireally maybe need to take a look
at some of the stuff I'm eatingand what I'm putting on my plate
(02:42):
or what I'm storing my food in,what kind of type of containers,
and how it might be affecting myParkinson's journey.
So today we're going to betalking about pesticides, food
additives, and environmentaltoxins and what you can actually
do about all of it withoutlosing your mind or your budget.
Now, this isn't going to beabout being perfect, because
(03:02):
trust me, I'm far from it.
This is about being informed andempowered to make better choices
when you can.
So if that sounds good, youknow, grab a glass of water,
hopefully it's filtered water,if you got it, and let's dive
in.
All right, let's start off withpesticides and let's talk a
little bit about pesticides.
I know it that it's not the mostsuper fun party topic, but stay
(03:25):
with me because it's actuallyfascinating and terrifying at
the same time.
Which is basically uh my life atthis point.
No, just kidding.
There's a pesticide calledParaquat, and it sounds like
it's something from a sci-fimovie.
Well, it's very real, and it'sstill widely used in the United
States, despite it being bannedin 70 countries, including China
(03:48):
and the European Union.
Now, the research connectingparaquat to Parkinson's is
pretty substantial.
There was a 2011 study that wastitled Rotanone Paraquat and
Parkinson's Disease.
And it found that people exposedto Paraquat had two and a half
times greater risk of developingParkinson's disease.
(04:11):
Now here's the kicker.
You don't have to be a farmerspraying this stuff directly to
be affected.
If you live within 500 meters offields where it's used, your
risk goes up significantly.
And then there's retinone, whichis actually used as an organic
pesticide for years.
It's a naturally occurringcompound extracted from the root
of tropical plants.
(04:32):
Now, scientists literally userotinone in laboratories to
create Parkinson's-like symptomsin animals for research.
That's how reliably it damagesdopamine neurons.
That's not actually reassuring,is it?
But rotinone showed similarresults to periquat with two and
a half times greater risk ofdeveloping Parkinson's.
(04:53):
It's highly toxic to fish,insects, and mammals, including
humans.
Now, its concerns about links toParkinson's has led to bans in
the EU, the UK, and most ofNorth America.
Now, just as a side story, Ilived in a neighborhood where
there was a several farm fieldssurrounding me, and then they
(05:15):
put a golf course in about aquarter of a mile down the road.
And I was diagnosed withParkinson's at 46 years old.
And then the person that livedacross the street from me,
roughly the same age, alsodeveloped Parkinson's.
And then the person two doorsdown on my left also developed
(05:35):
Parkinson's, who was was my age.
And then the person across thestreet, their neighbor developed
Parkinson's.
So it's now is there a cause andeffect or is there a
correlation?
I don't know.
But it just it's that kind ofstruck me as four people
developing Parkinson's in such aclose area living next to farm
(05:57):
fields and golf course wheremaybe some of these pesticides
have been used.
So again, I'm not saying thatthat was the cause, but it's an
interesting footnote.
All right, now before you neverdecide to eat produce again and
decide to live entirely on airand sunshine, let me give you
some actual useful information.
The Environmental Working Groupputs out something that they
(06:19):
call the dirty dozen, and it's alist that they generate every
year.
And these are the 12 fruits andvegetables that have the highest
pesticide residues.
They also have what they callthe clean 15, which have the
lowest pesticides residuesavailable.
Now, strawberries, squash, kale,apples, and grapes, basically
(06:41):
all my favorite things on there,which feels a little bit
personal, are on the dirty dozenlist.
But here's the good news.
If you prioritize buying organicversions of just these 12
particular types of fruits andvegetables, you can reduce your
pesticide exposure by up to 90%.
Yes, that's right, 90%.
(07:02):
And if organic isn't in yourbudget, because let's be real,
organic things can be expensive.
There are ways to minimizeexposure.
And one of the ways is washingproduce with baking soda
solution, and that can remove upto 96% of pesticide residues,
according to a 2017 study in theJournal of Agriculture and Food
Chemistry.
(07:23):
So, what you need to do is justmix a tablespoon of baking soda
per cup of water and then soakfor 12 to 15 minutes and then
rinse.
Pretty easy.
Alright, so here's what you cando today.
Number one is check out thedirty dozen list on ewg.org and
focus your organic dollarsthere.
(07:44):
The clean 15 list shows youwhat's safe to buy conventional,
things like avocados,pineapples, and onions.
And thick peels are your friend.
So those types of fruits andvegetables that have thick peels
are going to be beneficial.
Number two, if you garden orhave a lawn, try to ditch the
chemical pesticides.
(08:05):
There's so many naturalalternatives now, like neem oil,
diatomaceous earth, companionplanting.
And then your dopamine neuronsare going to thank you for that.
And honestly, your neighborswill probably appreciate that
too, so that they're not livingin a chemical fog.
Number three, if you live nearagricultural areas, check when
spraying happens.
If you see them out spraying inthe field, close your windows,
(08:27):
try to run some air purifiers,and maybe just don't go for a
jog downwind on the days thatthe fields are being sprayed.
Now I know that sounds paranoid,but the data supports being a
little bit cautious.
Number four, talk to your familymembers.
If they have an occupationalexposure, like farmers,
landscapers, golf courseworkers, these people are at a
(08:50):
significantly higher risk.
Now, we don't always connect thedots, but maybe it's something
that we should consider.
Alright, moving on frompesticides.
Now I promise it the rest isgoing to get a little bit less
depressing.
Alright, and let's move on tofood additives and
preservatives.
And let's let's talk aboutexactly what's in your food and
not just what's on it.
(09:11):
I'm not talking about caloriesor macros.
I'm talking about thoseingredients that you need a
chemistry degree to understand.
All right, here's somethingwild.
The average American consumesabout five pounds of food
additives per year, mostly fromultra-processed foods.
That's like eating a smallchihuahua made entirely of
chemicals.
(09:31):
That doesn't mean you should goout and eat a chihuahua.
Now the FDA has approved morethan 3,000 additives for use in
the U.S.
food supply.
Now the five-pound figure comesfrom aggregated estimates of the
common additives likepreservatives, artificial
colors, flavor enhancers, andemulsifiers.
Now there was a study in 2023 inthe Journal of the Academy of
(09:54):
Nutrition and Dietetics thatfound that 60% of food purchased
by Americans contains at leastone technical additive, and the
average number of additives perpurchased food rose from 3.7 in
2001 to 4.5 in 2019.
Now artificial food dyes.
(10:14):
We're talking things like red40, yellow 5, blue one.
There was a 2012 study in theInternational Journal of
Occupational and EnvironmentalHealth that found that these
synthetic dyes raise healthconcerns, including
hypersensitivity reactions, youknow, toxicity, especially with
yellow 5, and contaminants withcarcinogens.
(10:38):
So they're in everything fromhealthy yogurt to pickles.
So that bright orange mac andcheese that we all loved as
kids, turns out maybe foodshouldn't glow in the dark, but
who knew, right?
All right, preservatives likeBHA, BHT, and TBHQ.
Now these are syntheticantioxidants added to food to
keep it from going rancid orspoiling, which sounds good
(11:01):
until you learn that they mayactually promote oxidative
stress in your body, which is abit counterproductive.
In food preservation, they'reantioxidants.
In the human body, they can actas a double-edged sword, but
often they act as a prooxidant,especially at higher doses and
with chronic exposure.
And what that means is atreal-world exposure levels, they
(11:24):
can promote oxidative stressrather than helping to prevent
oxidative stress.
No, after learning about some ofthis stuff, I decided I was
going to take a peek into thepantry just to find out which
type of foods might have BHT andBHA in them.
And I found it in my cereal,some crackers.
There was even chewing gum thathad BHT in it.
(11:44):
Not sure why, but why gum needsto be preserved.
The ones that I talked about,blue one, which is also called
brilliant blue, is identified ascapable of crossing the
blood-brain barrier and isassociated with neurotoxicity in
experimental settings.
And that's the keyword there,experimental settings.
And it's been flagged byreviewers and assessments as a
(12:05):
concern for neurologicaleffects.
Yellow 5, also known asTartrazine, and numerous
microbiological and rodentstudies are positive for genome
toxicity linked tohypersensitivity reactions.
And then RED 40 has beenassociated with hypersensitivity
reactions and contamination withcarcinogenic compounds.
(12:27):
So those are the dyes.
Now let's talk a little bitabout artificial sweeteners.
Now I know this is acontroversial because a lot of
people with Parkinson's usethese to avoid sugar.
But here's what the researchsays.
A 2013 study and PLOS1 foundthat artificial sweeteners can
actually alter dopamine pathwaysin the brain.
(12:49):
Dopamine, the exactneurotransmitter we're
struggling with Parkinson's.
Now the evidence suggests thatchronic artificial sweetener use
can disrupt dopamine-relatedsignaling indirectly and also
oxidative stress, mitochondrialdysfunction, and altered
neurotropic pathways.
(13:09):
And that's the key word here.
It's chronic artificialsweetener use.
And you've seen people talkabout well, you need to eat a or
consume a whole box ofsweetenload to have problems.
But everything is, if you use itchronically or over long periods
of time, that's where you mayhave, and that's the keyword,
(13:29):
may have the potential.
You maybe consider cutting backor trying alternatives like
stevia, which is plant-based anddoesn't have the same
neurological effects.
And let's talk about MSG for asecond.
Monosodium glutamate gets a badwrap, and some of it's deserved,
and some of it's not.
The concern with MSG is thatit's an excitotoxin, meaning it
(13:50):
can overstimulate neurons to thepoint of damage in experimental
settings.
Now, for those of us withneurological conditions, that's
not ideal.
And again, these were this wasdone in experimental settings.
Now, in normal dietary amounts,MSG is generally considered safe
by the FDA because it ismetabolized in the gut, the
(14:10):
liver, and the liver beforereaching the brain.
Now the tricky part, MSG hidesunder like 50 different names.
For example, yeast extract,hydrolyzed protein, analyzed
yeast, and then of course thatyou have the classic natural
flavors.
Now, however, some researchersargue that chronic high intake
(14:31):
or sensitivity in vulnerablepopulations like people with
neurological conditions or thatmay have a compromised
blood-brain barrier.
So what do you do?
Here are some actual livablestrategies.
Number one, and I try to do thisas well, the five ingredient
rule.
If a packaged food has more thanfive ingredients, or if you
(14:52):
can't pronounce them, maybe it'sa good opportunity to skip it.
Not always, but as a generalguideline, it works pretty well
because you're always going tohave those foods that you can't
say or spell.
Number two, shop the perimeterof the grocery store.
That's where the real foodlives.
Produce, meat, dairy.
The middle is where the scienceexperiments hang out.
(15:13):
There's the they're thetypically the more processed
foods or ultra-processed foodsthat have a lot more sugars and
other things in them, dyes.
Number three, use apps likeYuka.
That's Y-U-K-A or FujiKate thatlet you scan barcodes and see
what's actually in your food.
They rate products and suggestbetter alternatives.
(15:34):
So it's like having a nutritionnerd right in your pocket with
you, which sounds a little bitweirder than I meant it to be.
But and number four, cook moreat home.
I know with cooking withParkinson's, it can be
challenging.
I know tremors and sharp knivesdon't always go together, and
believe me, I've had theexperience.
But the simple stuff, evenroasted vegetables and baked
chicken, basic soups, give youso much more control over what
(15:56):
you're putting into your body.
All right, now let's move on toenvironmental toxins and
packaging and cookware.
It's just so upbeat today, isn'tit?
Okay, we're getting intoterritory that might make you
look at your kitchen withsuspicious new eyes.
Environmental toxins aren't justin your food, they're in what we
store our food in, what we cookour food with, and they even
drink our water from.
(16:17):
Let's start with plastic.
BPA or bisphenol A has gotten alot of press over the years.
It's a chemical that mimicsestrogen and it can disrupt
hormones, but it also affectsneurological function.
BPA exposure has been linked toincreased risk of anxiety,
depression, and cognitiveimpairment.
(16:38):
Studies show that BPA promotesoxidative stress,
neuroinflammation, andexcitotoxicity.
It can damage the blood brainbarrier and alter
neurotransmitter levels.
Long-term exposure may elevatethe risk of conditions like
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
So everyone started making theseBPA free products and we all
(16:59):
felt better, right?
Well, wrong.
They just replaced BPA with BPSand BPF, which are basically
BPA's equally problematiccousins.
So it's like when someone says,I quit smoking, and then you
find out they just switched tovaping.
It's not exactly the victory wewere hoping for.
So many BPF free products stillcontain BPA analogs like BPS and
(17:25):
BPF, which are less regulatedand less tested than BPA.
And this has led scientists tocall the widespread use of these
substitutes an uncontrollablechemical experiment to the
public.
So in short, it's like switchingfrom BPA to BPS or BPF, and it
doesn't eliminate the risk, butit just changes the name of what
(17:46):
there is on the label.
Now I used to microwaveeverything in plastic
containers.
Leftovers, plastic.
Meal prep, plastic.
I used to microwave stuff inplastic, and then I learned that
heating plastic releases evenmore chemicals into your food.
The heat breaks down the plasticstructure, and all those lovely
toxins just migrate right intoyour lunch.
(18:07):
Hmm, delicious.
So I made the switch to glass,and let me tell you, there's
nothing quite like the sound ofglass shattering on your kitchen
floor at 6 a.m.
because your tremor decided tokick in at exactly the wrong
moment.
But hey, at least I'm not eatingBPA with my oatmeal anymore.
Alright, stainless steel and BPAfree products are also good
(18:29):
options.
Then there's the cookwaresituation.
Nonstick pans are coated withPFAS or UR and polyfluoroalkyl
substances, also charminglyknown as forever chemicals,
because they don't break down inthe environment or in your body.
They just accumulate forever.
(18:50):
Like that weird cousin whocrashes on your couch and never
wants to leave.
Now in humans, they primarilyenter the food and drinking
water and are stored in theblood, the liver, the kidneys,
and other tissues.
Studies have linked PFASexposure to neurological
problems.
The neurological effects of PFASinclude disrupted dopamine
(19:11):
signaling, critical for mood,motivation, and motor control.
Structural changes and neurons.
Animal studies reveal PFPFAS cancause neuron apoptosis or cell
death and damage thehippocampus, leading to memory
loss and impaired spatiallearning.
And then oxidative stress, PFASexposure increases oxidative
(19:35):
stress in the brain, which islinked to neurodegeneration.
But here's the good news.
Better alternatives exist andthey're not even that expensive
anymore.
So for storage, glass containerswith silicone lids are amazing.
Mason jars work well, and thenstainless steel containers if
you're packing lunches.
Yes, they're a bit heavier, butthey don't break like glass
(19:56):
does.
And they don't leach chemicalsinto your food.
So there's that.
Now for cookware, cast iron,stainless steel, or ceramic
coated hands.
Now I particularly love my castiron skillet.
It's basically indestructible,it's naturally non-stick when I
season it properly, and it addsiron to your food, which a lot
of us actually need.
(20:17):
All right, now for waterbottles, stainless steel or
glass.
I have probably it seems like amillion water bottles around
because I keep forgetting whereI put them or I'll leave them
somewhere.
So I need to do a little bitbetter job of keeping track of
my water bottles.
Now, a quick note on aluminum.
There was a concern aboutaluminum cookware in
Alzheimer's, which got extendedto Parkinson's and people's
(20:38):
mind.
However, the current researchdoesn't strongly support a
connection.
But if you're already worriedabout metal toxicity, it's easy
enough to use stainless steel orcast iron instead.
So that gives you one less thingto stress about.
All right, now let's talk aboutwater.
That thing we're supposed todrink eight glasses of every
day, but probably realisticallydrink three because we also
throw in coffee and tea andsoda.
(21:01):
At least I do sometimes.
Now, here's somethingunsettling.
A 2021 environmental workinggroup study found that tap water
in 43 states from 50,000 watersystems nationwide contained
over 300 pollutants.
These included PFAS or theForever Chemicals, arsenic,
lead, radioactive materials,pesticides, volatile organic
(21:26):
compounds, and then evenprescription medications.
So if you have well water, youneed to be extra careful because
agricultural runoff is going toconcentrate in groundwater,
which means pesticides that wetalked about earlier can end up
in your right in your tap water.
Now the good news is you cantest your water pretty easily.
You can get a basic test kitonline for about 20 bucks, or
(21:49):
you can check your local waterquality report.
Every municipality has toprovide one.
Just Google your city name pluswater quality report and be
prepared, or let's call it beinformed.
For filtering, you got options.
There are carbon filters likeBrita Impure that remove
chlorine and some pesticides.
They're cheaper and that betterthan just drinking tap water
(22:12):
straight.
Reverse osmosis systems removeway more heavy metals, fluoride,
and most chemicals.
Now they're more expensive upfront, but they're very
effective in the long run.
Distillation, that removeseverything, which sounds great,
but it also removes a lot of thebeneficial minerals.
So you might need to supplementyour water if you do that.
(22:32):
All right, now a quick note oncoffee and tea, because I know a
lot of you are drinking yourcoffee right now.
Buy organic when you can,because coffee and tea plants
are heavily sprayed, and thesepesticides can end up in your
cup.
Now let's talk about somethingthat's getting a lot of
attention in Parkinson'sresearch, and that's the
gut-brain connection.
There's a growing body ofresearch suggesting that
Parkinson's might actually startin the gut.
(22:54):
I know we've talked about thison some other podcasts.
And the theory is that toxinsand damaged proteins can travel
from the gut to the brain viathe vagus nerve, which is like a
superhighway that's going toconnect your gut to your brain.
Now, here's why this matters.
All those pesticides, additives,and toxins that we've been
talking about, they just don'tpotentially affect your brain
(23:17):
directly.
They also map with your gutmicrobiome.
They kill beneficial bacteria,they increase inflammation, and
they can damage your gut lining.
And so this is going to create adomino effect that can
ultimately impact your brain.
And studies have found thatpeople with Parkinson's have
significantly different gutbacteria compared to the healthy
(23:38):
people.
Certain bacteria areunderrepresented, others are
overabundant.
And there people withParkinson's generally tend to
have more inflammation.
So, how do you support your gutbesides talking nicely to it?
One is you can eat fermentedfoods like sauerkraut, kimchi,
kefir, yogurt with livecultures, kombuka.
(24:01):
So these foods naturally containbeneficial bacteria.
They start, you know, you wantto start small because if you
eat too much of these too fast,you can have gas and bloating,
just so you know.
There's also some probiotics outthere as well that can be
beneficial.
Number two, eat probiotic fiber.
So this is food for your goodbacteria, things like garlic,
(24:24):
onions, which aren't myfavorite, asparagus, banana,
oats, good gut bugs love thisstuff.
Number three, diversity is key.
You want to eat a wide varietyof plants.
Research shows that people whoate 30 different plant foods per
week have much more diverse andresilient gut microbiomes.
Now I know that sounds like alot, you're saying 30 different
(24:47):
plant foods?
Well, that includes herbs andspices.
So it's really easier to getthere than you might think.
Number four, reduce yourexposure to all toxins we've
been discussing, likepesticides, additives, and
chemicals already harming yourmicrobiome.
So every time you make a betterchoice, you're not just
protecting your brain, you'reprotecting the trillions of
(25:09):
bacteria that are living in yourgut and keeping you healthy.
Now I like to think of my gutbacteria as tiny little
roommates.
They're there.
If you feed them right, they'regoing to help you out.
If you feed them too much of thewrong stuff, they can make your
life feel miserable.
So try to feed them with thegood stuff.
All right, now we've covered alot in the last half hour.
(25:29):
Your brain might feel like it'sswimming with all this
information.
So let's try to bring this homeand actually provide some
doable, actionable steps.
Now, first, let me be reallyclear.
You don't need to do everythingwe talked about today.
If you try to overhaul yourentire life overnight, you're
going to last about a day, twodays, maybe three days before
you're, you know, running to thegas station and getting the
(25:51):
sushi out of the one of theto-go containers.
Now I know this because I knowI've tried to start out of the
gate too fast thinking I'm goingto make all these changes, and I
end up dropping most of them.
So it's the goal is progress,not perfection.
The 80-20 rule, it really doesapply here.
So if you can make betterchoices 80% of the time, that's
(26:12):
going to be huge.
The 80% compounds over time andit's going to make a real
difference.
So you don't have to be perfect.
It's add a little bit at a time.
So if you're feeling overwhelmedand you want to know where to
start, here are my top fivepriority changes that gave me
the most bang for the buck.
One is filter your water.
You drink it every day, you cookwith it.
(26:33):
Clean water is foundational.
That's a good way to start.
Number two, focus on the dirtydozen.
Just those 12 items, buy themorganic if you can.
If you can't, try to wash themreally well with baking soda and
water.
This is going to cut thepesticide exposure dramatically
without breaking the bank.
Number three, ditch thoseplastic food storage containers.
(26:55):
Switch to glass.
Yes, I know I'm biased becauseI've already made the switch and
I need you to join me so that Idon't feel like I'm alone on an
island.
No, but seriously, that's one ofthe easiest swaps and it
eliminates a major source ofsome of the toxin exposure.
Number four, read ingredientlabels and avoid the big red
flags.
Artificial dyes, BHA, BHT,artificial sweeteners.
(27:18):
Now you don't need to understandevery chemical name, just avoid
the ones that you know areproblematic.
And if it has a list of 17 or 20different ingredients, maybe
that's not the best choice.
Number five, support your gut.
Try to add some fermented foodsa few times a week and focus on
plant diversity.
Your gut are your allies in thisfight, and it helps when you
(27:39):
feed them well.
And that could be havingsauerkraut for lunch or yogurt
with some live bacteria.
Now here's what I want you todo.
Pick three changes from today'sepisode, just three, write them
down and commit to them for oneweek.
Just one week and see how youfeel.
Maybe it's filtering your water,buying organic strawberries, or
(27:59):
adding sauerkraut to your lunch.
Maybe it's switching to glasscontainers or cutting out the
artificial sweeteners andwashing your produce better.
Whatever feels doable for you.
That's what it's all about.
After that week, add three moreif you're feeling good.
And then build momentum slowly.
Remember, it's a marathon, not asprint.
Just remember the rabbit and thetortoise.
(28:21):
Though, let's be honest, withParkinson's, it's more like a
scenic walk with occasionalbreaks and we take a stretch in
between, right?
Look, here's the truth.
There's a lot in this world thatwe can't control.
We can't control the Parkinson'sdiagnosis, we can't control how
our bodies respond tomedication.
We can't control what pesticidesfarmers spray and fields 50
miles away.
(28:41):
But we can't control what webuy, what we eat, and what we
store food in, and how wenourish our bodies and our gut
microbiomes.
We have way more power than wesometimes give ourselves credit
for.
So every time you choosefiltered water or switch out the
plastic containers for glass,you're taking your power back.
You're saying Parkinson's mightbe part of my life, but I'm
(29:02):
still the one making decisions,and that's what really matters.
Now I've got a ton of additionalresources.
If you head over toLibParkinson's.com and sign up
for the free monthly newsletter,you can check out a lot of the
free resources like the ninebalance exercises for to help
you improve your balance.
And then there's the medicationand symptom tracker that can
(29:22):
help you get prepared for yourdoctor visit.
Plus, there's articles and somerecommended products.
All right.
Now, if you found this episodehelpful and you want to support
the show, I have a Ko-Fi pagewhere you can make a donation.
I'm going to be honest with you.
Producing uh this podcast takestime and resources, research,
recording equipment, editing,hosting fees, all that stuff.
(29:45):
So every contribution, whetherit's the price of a cup of
coffee or more, can really helpme keep the podcast going ad
free and independent.
So I can bring you sciencebased, actionable information
without having to try to lookaround for sponsors and And
those type of things.
So you can find the link in theshow notes or just head to
Kofi.com/slash Live Parkinson's.
(30:07):
And even a small donation canmake a huge difference and help
me justify why I spend all thesehours to my family and what I'm
doing when I'm searching theinternet or sending up writing
notes.
Now before I go, I want to leaveyou with this.
You're here, you're listening tothis podcast, and you're
learning how to take better careof yourself.
And that already makes youexceptional.
(30:28):
The fact that you're not givingup, you're still looking for
ways to live your best lifedespite Parkinson's, that's
everything.
So go take one small step today,filter that water, wash those
berries, switch out onecontainer, add some sauerkraut
to your lunch, whatever it is,do it with the knowledge that
you're taking care of yourbrain, your body, and your
(30:50):
future self.
And remember, living withParkinson's is hard enough.
There's a lot of challenges thatgo with it.
We don't need to add unnecessarytoxins to the mix.
Now we're all in this together,making small changes, supporting
each other, and proving thatexceptional lives aren't just
about perfection.
They're about showing up,learning, and doing a little
better each day.
(31:11):
So I want to thank you forspending time with me today and
listening to the podcast.
And remember, stay healthy, staystrong, and go out there and
live your best life withParkinson's.
Thanks again.
Hello, and welcome to Live Parkinson's Live an
Exceptional Life.
I'm your host, Chris KestenButter, and I've been living an
exceptional life withParkinson's for the past 15
years.
The mission of this podcast isto help as many people as
possible living with Parkinson'sto lead a great quality of life.
Now I'm so glad you're here withme today because we're going to
be talking about a topic thatquite literally hits close to
(00:30):
home, or should I say, hitsclose to your kitchen, your
garden, and maybe even thatquestionable container that's
hidden in the back of yourfridge.
So today we're going to betalking about food additives,
pesticides, and environmentaltoxins.
What you eat might be affectingmore than you know.
So I want to start off with awild fact, and that is, did you
(00:51):
know that people who've beenexposed to certain pesticides
have a 70% increased risk ofdeveloping Parkinson's disease?
Yes, you heard that rate.
70%.
And that's from a 2006 studyconducted by researchers at the
Harvard School of Public Healthand published in the Annals of
Neurology.
Now, that really shocked me, andI didn't realize that it would
(01:13):
be such a high number because Iknow most of us have used
pesticides or maybe have beenexposed to pesticides in the
past.
Now let me tell you just a quickstory.
Not too long ago, I was making asmoothie, and I was standing in
my kitchen, had the blender out,and I was throwing in some
regular strawberries, uh, someblueberries, I threw in some
(01:37):
spinach and some kale, and thenI threw in some low-fat yogurt
and put a little bit of water inthere, a couple cashews, and as
I was doing that, I'm blendingaway and I'm feeling pretty good
about my health choices.
And then I heard a littlesegment on the radio, and they
were talking about foodadditives and pesticides and the
(02:00):
fruits and vegetables that weeat.
And it really got me tothinking, it's like, wow, do I
really know what's in all thisstuff that I'm putting in the
blender to make this smoothie?
And really honestly, I didn't.
I was so focused on, you know,managing my symptoms day to day,
making sure I take my meds ontime, and really trying to stay
(02:20):
positive that I really hadn'tthought about any pesticides or
food additives or anything elsethat might be in my food supply
or my drinking water for allthat matters.
And then that segment reallychanged everything.
It got me to thinking, hey, Ireally maybe need to take a look
at some of the stuff I'm eatingand what I'm putting on my plate
(02:42):
or what I'm storing my food in,what kind of type of containers,
and how it might be affecting myParkinson's journey.
So today we're going to betalking about pesticides, food
additives, and environmentaltoxins and what you can actually
do about all of it withoutlosing your mind or your budget.
Now, this isn't going to beabout being perfect, because
(03:02):
trust me, I'm far from it.
This is about being informed andempowered to make better choices
when you can.
So if that sounds good, youknow, grab a glass of water,
hopefully it's filtered water,if you got it, and let's dive
in.
All right, let's start off withpesticides and let's talk a
little bit about pesticides.
I know it that it's not the mostsuper fun party topic, but stay
(03:25):
with me because it's actuallyfascinating and terrifying at
the same time.
Which is basically uh my life atthis point.
No, just kidding.
There's a pesticide calledParaquat, and it sounds like
it's something from a sci-fimovie.
Well, it's very real, and it'sstill widely used in the United
States, despite it being bannedin 70 countries, including China
(03:48):
and the European Union.
Now, the research connectingparaquat to Parkinson's is
pretty substantial.
There was a 2011 study that wastitled Rotanone Paraquat and
Parkinson's Disease.
And it found that people exposedto Paraquat had two and a half
times greater risk of developingParkinson's disease.
(04:11):
Now here's the kicker.
You don't have to be a farmerspraying this stuff directly to
be affected.
If you live within 500 meters offields where it's used, your
risk goes up significantly.
And then there's retinone, whichis actually used as an organic
pesticide for years.
It's a naturally occurringcompound extracted from the root
of tropical plants.
(04:32):
Now, scientists literally userotinone in laboratories to
create Parkinson's-like symptomsin animals for research.
That's how reliably it damagesdopamine neurons.
That's not actually reassuring,is it?
But rotinone showed similarresults to periquat with two and
a half times greater risk ofdeveloping Parkinson's.
(04:53):
It's highly toxic to fish,insects, and mammals, including
humans.
Now, its concerns about links toParkinson's has led to bans in
the EU, the UK, and most ofNorth America.
Now, just as a side story, Ilived in a neighborhood where
there was a several farm fieldssurrounding me, and then they
(05:15):
put a golf course in about aquarter of a mile down the road.
And I was diagnosed withParkinson's at 46 years old.
And then the person that livedacross the street from me,
roughly the same age, alsodeveloped Parkinson's.
And then the person two doorsdown on my left also developed
(05:35):
Parkinson's, who was was my age.
And then the person across thestreet, their neighbor developed
Parkinson's.
So it's now is there a cause andeffect or is there a
correlation?
I don't know.
But it just it's that kind ofstruck me as four people
developing Parkinson's in such aclose area living next to farm
(05:57):
fields and golf course wheremaybe some of these pesticides
have been used.
So again, I'm not saying thatthat was the cause, but it's an
interesting footnote.
All right, now before you neverdecide to eat produce again and
decide to live entirely on airand sunshine, let me give you
some actual useful information.
The Environmental Working Groupputs out something that they
(06:19):
call the dirty dozen, and it's alist that they generate every
year.
And these are the 12 fruits andvegetables that have the highest
pesticide residues.
They also have what they callthe clean 15, which have the
lowest pesticides residuesavailable.
Now, strawberries, squash, kale,apples, and grapes, basically
(06:41):
all my favorite things on there,which feels a little bit
personal, are on the dirty dozenlist.
But here's the good news.
If you prioritize buying organicversions of just these 12
particular types of fruits andvegetables, you can reduce your
pesticide exposure by up to 90%.
Yes, that's right, 90%.
(07:02):
And if organic isn't in yourbudget, because let's be real,
organic things can be expensive.
There are ways to minimizeexposure.
And one of the ways is washingproduce with baking soda
solution, and that can remove upto 96% of pesticide residues,
according to a 2017 study in theJournal of Agriculture and Food
Chemistry.
(07:23):
So, what you need to do is justmix a tablespoon of baking soda
per cup of water and then soakfor 12 to 15 minutes and then
rinse.
Pretty easy.
Alright, so here's what you cando today.
Number one is check out thedirty dozen list on ewg.org and
focus your organic dollarsthere.
(07:44):
The clean 15 list shows youwhat's safe to buy conventional,
things like avocados,pineapples, and onions.
And thick peels are your friend.
So those types of fruits andvegetables that have thick peels
are going to be beneficial.
Number two, if you garden orhave a lawn, try to ditch the
chemical pesticides.
(08:05):
There's so many naturalalternatives now, like neem oil,
diatomaceous earth, companionplanting.
And then your dopamine neuronsare going to thank you for that.
And honestly, your neighborswill probably appreciate that
too, so that they're not livingin a chemical fog.
Number three, if you live nearagricultural areas, check when
spraying happens.
If you see them out spraying inthe field, close your windows,
(08:27):
try to run some air purifiers,and maybe just don't go for a
jog downwind on the days thatthe fields are being sprayed.
Now I know that sounds paranoid,but the data supports being a
little bit cautious.
Number four, talk to your familymembers.
If they have an occupationalexposure, like farmers,
landscapers, golf courseworkers, these people are at a
(08:50):
significantly higher risk.
Now, we don't always connect thedots, but maybe it's something
that we should consider.
Alright, moving on frompesticides.
Now I promise it the rest isgoing to get a little bit less
depressing.
Alright, and let's move on tofood additives and
preservatives.
And let's let's talk aboutexactly what's in your food and
not just what's on it.
(09:11):
I'm not talking about caloriesor macros.
I'm talking about thoseingredients that you need a
chemistry degree to understand.
All right, here's somethingwild.
The average American consumesabout five pounds of food
additives per year, mostly fromultra-processed foods.
That's like eating a smallchihuahua made entirely of
chemicals.
(09:31):
That doesn't mean you should goout and eat a chihuahua.
Now the FDA has approved morethan 3,000 additives for use in
the U.S.
food supply.
Now the five-pound figure comesfrom aggregated estimates of the
common additives likepreservatives, artificial
colors, flavor enhancers, andemulsifiers.
Now there was a study in 2023 inthe Journal of the Academy of
(09:54):
Nutrition and Dietetics thatfound that 60% of food purchased
by Americans contains at leastone technical additive, and the
average number of additives perpurchased food rose from 3.7 in
2001 to 4.5 in 2019.
Now artificial food dyes.
(10:14):
We're talking things like red40, yellow 5, blue one.
There was a 2012 study in theInternational Journal of
Occupational and EnvironmentalHealth that found that these
synthetic dyes raise healthconcerns, including
hypersensitivity reactions, youknow, toxicity, especially with
yellow 5, and contaminants withcarcinogens.
(10:38):
So they're in everything fromhealthy yogurt to pickles.
So that bright orange mac andcheese that we all loved as
kids, turns out maybe foodshouldn't glow in the dark, but
who knew, right?
All right, preservatives likeBHA, BHT, and TBHQ.
Now these are syntheticantioxidants added to food to
keep it from going rancid orspoiling, which sounds good
(11:01):
until you learn that they mayactually promote oxidative
stress in your body, which is abit counterproductive.
In food preservation, they'reantioxidants.
In the human body, they can actas a double-edged sword, but
often they act as a prooxidant,especially at higher doses and
with chronic exposure.
And what that means is atreal-world exposure levels, they
(11:24):
can promote oxidative stressrather than helping to prevent
oxidative stress.
No, after learning about some ofthis stuff, I decided I was
going to take a peek into thepantry just to find out which
type of foods might have BHT andBHA in them.
And I found it in my cereal,some crackers.
There was even chewing gum thathad BHT in it.
(11:44):
Not sure why, but why gum needsto be preserved.
The ones that I talked about,blue one, which is also called
brilliant blue, is identified ascapable of crossing the
blood-brain barrier and isassociated with neurotoxicity in
experimental settings.
And that's the keyword there,experimental settings.
And it's been flagged byreviewers and assessments as a
(12:05):
concern for neurologicaleffects.
Yellow 5, also known asTartrazine, and numerous
microbiological and rodentstudies are positive for genome
toxicity linked tohypersensitivity reactions.
And then RED 40 has beenassociated with hypersensitivity
reactions and contamination withcarcinogenic compounds.
(12:27):
So those are the dyes.
Now let's talk a little bitabout artificial sweeteners.
Now I know this is acontroversial because a lot of
people with Parkinson's usethese to avoid sugar.
But here's what the researchsays.
A 2013 study and PLOS1 foundthat artificial sweeteners can
actually alter dopamine pathwaysin the brain.
(12:49):
Dopamine, the exactneurotransmitter we're
struggling with Parkinson's.
Now the evidence suggests thatchronic artificial sweetener use
can disrupt dopamine-relatedsignaling indirectly and also
oxidative stress, mitochondrialdysfunction, and altered
neurotropic pathways.
(13:09):
And that's the key word here.
It's chronic artificialsweetener use.
And you've seen people talkabout well, you need to eat a or
consume a whole box ofsweetenload to have problems.
But everything is, if you use itchronically or over long periods
of time, that's where you mayhave, and that's the keyword,
(13:29):
may have the potential.
You maybe consider cutting backor trying alternatives like
stevia, which is plant-based anddoesn't have the same
neurological effects.
And let's talk about MSG for asecond.
Monosodium glutamate gets a badwrap, and some of it's deserved,
and some of it's not.
The concern with MSG is thatit's an excitotoxin, meaning it
(13:50):
can overstimulate neurons to thepoint of damage in experimental
settings.
Now, for those of us withneurological conditions, that's
not ideal.
And again, these were this wasdone in experimental settings.
Now, in normal dietary amounts,MSG is generally considered safe
by the FDA because it ismetabolized in the gut, the
(14:10):
liver, and the liver beforereaching the brain.
Now the tricky part, MSG hidesunder like 50 different names.
For example, yeast extract,hydrolyzed protein, analyzed
yeast, and then of course thatyou have the classic natural
flavors.
Now, however, some researchersargue that chronic high intake
(14:31):
or sensitivity in vulnerablepopulations like people with
neurological conditions or thatmay have a compromised
blood-brain barrier.
So what do you do?
Here are some actual livablestrategies.
Number one, and I try to do thisas well, the five ingredient
rule.
If a packaged food has more thanfive ingredients, or if you
(14:52):
can't pronounce them, maybe it'sa good opportunity to skip it.
Not always, but as a generalguideline, it works pretty well
because you're always going tohave those foods that you can't
say or spell.
Number two, shop the perimeterof the grocery store.
That's where the real foodlives.
Produce, meat, dairy.
The middle is where the scienceexperiments hang out.
(15:13):
There's the they're thetypically the more processed
foods or ultra-processed foodsthat have a lot more sugars and
other things in them, dyes.
Number three, use apps likeYuka.
That's Y-U-K-A or FujiKate thatlet you scan barcodes and see
what's actually in your food.
They rate products and suggestbetter alternatives.
(15:34):
So it's like having a nutritionnerd right in your pocket with
you, which sounds a little bitweirder than I meant it to be.
But and number four, cook moreat home.
I know with cooking withParkinson's, it can be
challenging.
I know tremors and sharp knivesdon't always go together, and
believe me, I've had theexperience.
But the simple stuff, evenroasted vegetables and baked
chicken, basic soups, give youso much more control over what
(15:56):
you're putting into your body.
All right, now let's move on toenvironmental toxins and
packaging and cookware.
It's just so upbeat today, isn'tit?
Okay, we're getting intoterritory that might make you
look at your kitchen withsuspicious new eyes.
Environmental toxins aren't justin your food, they're in what we
store our food in, what we cookour food with, and they even
drink our water from.
(16:17):
Let's start with plastic.
BPA or bisphenol A has gotten alot of press over the years.
It's a chemical that mimicsestrogen and it can disrupt
hormones, but it also affectsneurological function.
BPA exposure has been linked toincreased risk of anxiety,
depression, and cognitiveimpairment.
(16:38):
Studies show that BPA promotesoxidative stress,
neuroinflammation, andexcitotoxicity.
It can damage the blood brainbarrier and alter
neurotransmitter levels.
Long-term exposure may elevatethe risk of conditions like
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
So everyone started making theseBPA free products and we all
(16:59):
felt better, right?
Well, wrong.
They just replaced BPA with BPSand BPF, which are basically
BPA's equally problematiccousins.
So it's like when someone says,I quit smoking, and then you
find out they just switched tovaping.
It's not exactly the victory wewere hoping for.
So many BPF free products stillcontain BPA analogs like BPS and
(17:25):
BPF, which are less regulatedand less tested than BPA.
And this has led scientists tocall the widespread use of these
substitutes an uncontrollablechemical experiment to the
public.
So in short, it's like switchingfrom BPA to BPS or BPF, and it
doesn't eliminate the risk, butit just changes the name of what
(17:46):
there is on the label.
Now I used to microwaveeverything in plastic
containers.
Leftovers, plastic.
Meal prep, plastic.
I used to microwave stuff inplastic, and then I learned that
heating plastic releases evenmore chemicals into your food.
The heat breaks down the plasticstructure, and all those lovely
toxins just migrate right intoyour lunch.
(18:07):
Hmm, delicious.
So I made the switch to glass,and let me tell you, there's
nothing quite like the sound ofglass shattering on your kitchen
floor at 6 a.m.
because your tremor decided tokick in at exactly the wrong
moment.
But hey, at least I'm not eatingBPA with my oatmeal anymore.
Alright, stainless steel and BPAfree products are also good
(18:29):
options.
Then there's the cookwaresituation.
Nonstick pans are coated withPFAS or UR and polyfluoroalkyl
substances, also charminglyknown as forever chemicals,
because they don't break down inthe environment or in your body.
They just accumulate forever.
(18:50):
Like that weird cousin whocrashes on your couch and never
wants to leave.
Now in humans, they primarilyenter the food and drinking
water and are stored in theblood, the liver, the kidneys,
and other tissues.
Studies have linked PFASexposure to neurological
problems.
The neurological effects of PFASinclude disrupted dopamine
(19:11):
signaling, critical for mood,motivation, and motor control.
Structural changes and neurons.
Animal studies reveal PFPFAS cancause neuron apoptosis or cell
death and damage thehippocampus, leading to memory
loss and impaired spatiallearning.
And then oxidative stress, PFASexposure increases oxidative
(19:35):
stress in the brain, which islinked to neurodegeneration.
But here's the good news.
Better alternatives exist andthey're not even that expensive
anymore.
So for storage, glass containerswith silicone lids are amazing.
Mason jars work well, and thenstainless steel containers if
you're packing lunches.
Yes, they're a bit heavier, butthey don't break like glass
(19:56):
does.
And they don't leach chemicalsinto your food.
So there's that.
Now for cookware, cast iron,stainless steel, or ceramic
coated hands.
Now I particularly love my castiron skillet.
It's basically indestructible,it's naturally non-stick when I
season it properly, and it addsiron to your food, which a lot
of us actually need.
(20:17):
All right, now for waterbottles, stainless steel or
glass.
I have probably it seems like amillion water bottles around
because I keep forgetting whereI put them or I'll leave them
somewhere.
So I need to do a little bitbetter job of keeping track of
my water bottles.
Now, a quick note on aluminum.
There was a concern aboutaluminum cookware in
Alzheimer's, which got extendedto Parkinson's and people's
(20:38):
mind.
However, the current researchdoesn't strongly support a
connection.
But if you're already worriedabout metal toxicity, it's easy
enough to use stainless steel orcast iron instead.
So that gives you one less thingto stress about.
All right, now let's talk aboutwater.
That thing we're supposed todrink eight glasses of every
day, but probably realisticallydrink three because we also
throw in coffee and tea andsoda.
(21:01):
At least I do sometimes.
Now, here's somethingunsettling.
A 2021 environmental workinggroup study found that tap water
in 43 states from 50,000 watersystems nationwide contained
over 300 pollutants.
These included PFAS or theForever Chemicals, arsenic,
lead, radioactive materials,pesticides, volatile organic
(21:26):
compounds, and then evenprescription medications.
So if you have well water, youneed to be extra careful because
agricultural runoff is going toconcentrate in groundwater,
which means pesticides that wetalked about earlier can end up
in your right in your tap water.
Now the good news is you cantest your water pretty easily.
You can get a basic test kitonline for about 20 bucks, or
(21:49):
you can check your local waterquality report.
Every municipality has toprovide one.
Just Google your city name pluswater quality report and be
prepared, or let's call it beinformed.
For filtering, you got options.
There are carbon filters likeBrita Impure that remove
chlorine and some pesticides.
They're cheaper and that betterthan just drinking tap water
(22:12):
straight.
Reverse osmosis systems removeway more heavy metals, fluoride,
and most chemicals.
Now they're more expensive upfront, but they're very
effective in the long run.
Distillation, that removeseverything, which sounds great,
but it also removes a lot of thebeneficial minerals.
So you might need to supplementyour water if you do that.
(22:32):
All right, now a quick note oncoffee and tea, because I know a
lot of you are drinking yourcoffee right now.
Buy organic when you can,because coffee and tea plants
are heavily sprayed, and thesepesticides can end up in your
cup.
Now let's talk about somethingthat's getting a lot of
attention in Parkinson'sresearch, and that's the
gut-brain connection.
There's a growing body ofresearch suggesting that
Parkinson's might actually startin the gut.
(22:54):
I know we've talked about thison some other podcasts.
And the theory is that toxinsand damaged proteins can travel
from the gut to the brain viathe vagus nerve, which is like a
superhighway that's going toconnect your gut to your brain.
Now, here's why this matters.
All those pesticides, additives,and toxins that we've been
talking about, they just don'tpotentially affect your brain
(23:17):
directly.
They also map with your gutmicrobiome.
They kill beneficial bacteria,they increase inflammation, and
they can damage your gut lining.
And so this is going to create adomino effect that can
ultimately impact your brain.
And studies have found thatpeople with Parkinson's have
significantly different gutbacteria compared to the healthy
(23:38):
people.
Certain bacteria areunderrepresented, others are
overabundant.
And there people withParkinson's generally tend to
have more inflammation.
So, how do you support your gutbesides talking nicely to it?
One is you can eat fermentedfoods like sauerkraut, kimchi,
kefir, yogurt with livecultures, kombuka.
(24:01):
So these foods naturally containbeneficial bacteria.
They start, you know, you wantto start small because if you
eat too much of these too fast,you can have gas and bloating,
just so you know.
There's also some probiotics outthere as well that can be
beneficial.
Number two, eat probiotic fiber.
So this is food for your goodbacteria, things like garlic,
(24:24):
onions, which aren't myfavorite, asparagus, banana,
oats, good gut bugs love thisstuff.
Number three, diversity is key.
You want to eat a wide varietyof plants.
Research shows that people whoate 30 different plant foods per
week have much more diverse andresilient gut microbiomes.
Now I know that sounds like alot, you're saying 30 different
(24:47):
plant foods?
Well, that includes herbs andspices.
So it's really easier to getthere than you might think.
Number four, reduce yourexposure to all toxins we've
been discussing, likepesticides, additives, and
chemicals already harming yourmicrobiome.
So every time you make a betterchoice, you're not just
protecting your brain, you'reprotecting the trillions of
(25:09):
bacteria that are living in yourgut and keeping you healthy.
Now I like to think of my gutbacteria as tiny little
roommates.
They're there.
If you feed them right, they'regoing to help you out.
If you feed them too much of thewrong stuff, they can make your
life feel miserable.
So try to feed them with thegood stuff.
All right, now we've covered alot in the last half hour.
(25:29):
Your brain might feel like it'sswimming with all this
information.
So let's try to bring this homeand actually provide some
doable, actionable steps.
Now, first, let me be reallyclear.
You don't need to do everythingwe talked about today.
If you try to overhaul yourentire life overnight, you're
going to last about a day, twodays, maybe three days before
you're, you know, running to thegas station and getting the
(25:51):
sushi out of the one of theto-go containers.
Now I know this because I knowI've tried to start out of the
gate too fast thinking I'm goingto make all these changes, and I
end up dropping most of them.
So it's the goal is progress,not perfection.
The 80-20 rule, it really doesapply here.
So if you can make betterchoices 80% of the time, that's
(26:12):
going to be huge.
The 80% compounds over time andit's going to make a real
difference.
So you don't have to be perfect.
It's add a little bit at a time.
So if you're feeling overwhelmedand you want to know where to
start, here are my top fivepriority changes that gave me
the most bang for the buck.
One is filter your water.
You drink it every day, you cookwith it.
(26:33):
Clean water is foundational.
That's a good way to start.
Number two, focus on the dirtydozen.
Just those 12 items, buy themorganic if you can.
If you can't, try to wash themreally well with baking soda and
water.
This is going to cut thepesticide exposure dramatically
without breaking the bank.
Number three, ditch thoseplastic food storage containers.
(26:55):
Switch to glass.
Yes, I know I'm biased becauseI've already made the switch and
I need you to join me so that Idon't feel like I'm alone on an
island.
No, but seriously, that's one ofthe easiest swaps and it
eliminates a major source ofsome of the toxin exposure.
Number four, read ingredientlabels and avoid the big red
flags.
Artificial dyes, BHA, BHT,artificial sweeteners.
(27:18):
Now you don't need to understandevery chemical name, just avoid
the ones that you know areproblematic.
And if it has a list of 17 or 20different ingredients, maybe
that's not the best choice.
Number five, support your gut.
Try to add some fermented foodsa few times a week and focus on
plant diversity.
Your gut are your allies in thisfight, and it helps when you
(27:39):
feed them well.
And that could be havingsauerkraut for lunch or yogurt
with some live bacteria.
Now here's what I want you todo.
Pick three changes from today'sepisode, just three, write them
down and commit to them for oneweek.
Just one week and see how youfeel.
Maybe it's filtering your water,buying organic strawberries, or
(27:59):
adding sauerkraut to your lunch.
Maybe it's switching to glasscontainers or cutting out the
artificial sweeteners andwashing your produce better.
Whatever feels doable for you.
That's what it's all about.
After that week, add three moreif you're feeling good.
And then build momentum slowly.
Remember, it's a marathon, not asprint.
Just remember the rabbit and thetortoise.
(28:21):
Though, let's be honest, withParkinson's, it's more like a
scenic walk with occasionalbreaks and we take a stretch in
between, right?
Look, here's the truth.
There's a lot in this world thatwe can't control.
We can't control the Parkinson'sdiagnosis, we can't control how
our bodies respond tomedication.
We can't control what pesticidesfarmers spray and fields 50
miles away.
(28:41):
But we can't control what webuy, what we eat, and what we
store food in, and how wenourish our bodies and our gut
microbiomes.
We have way more power than wesometimes give ourselves credit
for.
So every time you choosefiltered water or switch out the
plastic containers for glass,you're taking your power back.
You're saying Parkinson's mightbe part of my life, but I'm
(29:02):
still the one making decisions,and that's what really matters.
Now I've got a ton of additionalresources.
If you head over toLibParkinson's.com and sign up
for the free monthly newsletter,you can check out a lot of the
free resources like the ninebalance exercises for to help
you improve your balance.
And then there's the medicationand symptom tracker that can
(29:22):
help you get prepared for yourdoctor visit.
Plus, there's articles and somerecommended products.
All right.
Now, if you found this episodehelpful and you want to support
the show, I have a Ko-Fi pagewhere you can make a donation.
I'm going to be honest with you.
Producing uh this podcast takestime and resources, research,
recording equipment, editing,hosting fees, all that stuff.
(29:45):
So every contribution, whetherit's the price of a cup of
coffee or more, can really helpme keep the podcast going ad
free and independent.
So I can bring you sciencebased, actionable information
without having to try to lookaround for sponsors and And
those type of things.
So you can find the link in theshow notes or just head to
Kofi.com/slash Live Parkinson's.
(30:07):
And even a small donation canmake a huge difference and help
me justify why I spend all thesehours to my family and what I'm
doing when I'm searching theinternet or sending up writing
notes.
Now before I go, I want to leaveyou with this.
You're here, you're listening tothis podcast, and you're
learning how to take better careof yourself.
And that already makes youexceptional.
(30:28):
The fact that you're not givingup, you're still looking for
ways to live your best lifedespite Parkinson's, that's
everything.
So go take one small step today,filter that water, wash those
berries, switch out onecontainer, add some sauerkraut
to your lunch, whatever it is,do it with the knowledge that
you're taking care of yourbrain, your body, and your
(30:50):
future self.
And remember, living withParkinson's is hard enough.
There's a lot of challenges thatgo with it.
We don't need to add unnecessarytoxins to the mix.
Now we're all in this together,making small changes, supporting
each other, and proving thatexceptional lives aren't just
about perfection.
They're about showing up,learning, and doing a little
better each day.
(31:11):
So I want to thank you forspending time with me today and
listening to the podcast.
And remember, stay healthy, staystrong, and go out there and
live your best life withParkinson's.
Thanks again.
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