Sugar Cravings and Parkinson's: Healthy Alternatives and Management

Do you find yourself experiencing increased sugar cravings since your Parkinson's diagnosis? You're not alone. This week on the Live Parkinson's - Live an Exceptional Life podcast, we delve into the often-overlooked challenge of sugar cravings in the Parkinson's community. We explore the potential reasons behind these cravings, from neurochemical changes and medication side effects to alterations in taste and smell. More importantly, we provide practical, evidence-based strategies and delicious, healthy alternatives to help you manage these urges and maintain a balanced diet.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• The potential links between Parkinson's disease and increased sugar cravings. Understand the underlying factors that might be driving your sweet tooth.
• Why high sugar intake can be a concern for individuals with Parkinson's. Learn about the impact on energy levels, weight management, inflammation, and overall well-being.
• A wide range of healthy and satisfying alternatives to sugary snacks and drinks. Discover delicious ways to satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your health.

Ready to take control of your sugar cravings and live an even more exceptional life with Parkinson's?

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Chapters

• 0:00 Sugar Cravings and Parkinson's Introduction
• 2:55 Understanding Why: Neurochemical Changes
• 4:56 Medication Side Effects and Sensory Changes
• 7:30 Emotional Eating and Energy Fluctuations
• 10:22 Health Impacts of Excessive Sugar
• 15:50 Practical Strategies to Manage Cravings
• 22:16 Finding Support and Resources
• 23:30 Recap and Final Thoughts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:11

Hello and welcome to Live Parkinson's. Live an Exceptional Life the podcast where we explore real-life strategies, stories and science to help you live your best life with Parkinson's. I'm Chris Kusnabater and I've been walking the Parkinson's journey for 15 years. Today's topic hits close to home for so many of us Sugar cravings. Have you ever found yourself reaching for something sweet more often than you used to? Yep, I'm at the front of this line. Maybe it started after your diagnosis as your medication routine changed. You're not alone and no, you're not imagining it.

Speaker 1: 0:48

Sugar cravings can be a surprising and sometimes frustrating challenge for people living with Parkinson's. In this episode, we'll uncover why these cravings may be happening and, more importantly, what you can do about them. So, from practical alternatives to mindset shifts and meal planning, we've got you covered. So let's dive in and get the sweet truth behind those sugar urges. Let me ask you a question Do you notice that you suddenly or gradually notice that, for that matter, that you want something sweet all the time?

Speaker 1: 1:19

Do you want to eat candy or desserts, or maybe even sugary drinks, more than you used to? I know one of the problems I have is when there's ice cream, cookies, pie or candy around. I say to myself Chris, you're not going to eat them and you don't need them. You're not hungry, but then next thing, you know, I ate three scoops of ice cream or five or six cookies. I do have to admit that ice cream is my kryptonite. I'm drawn to it like a moth to the flame. Now that'd be fine, but my craving for sugar has led to a 10-pound weight gain, which I didn't need. So what causes these cravings in Parkinson's?

Speaker 1: 2:01

In this episode, we'll start off with understanding the why we may experience sugar cravings with Parkinson's, and we'll examine brain changes, medication side effects, changes in taste or smell, stress and emotional eating and fluctuating energy levels. Then we'll dive into why too much sugar is a problem and what it can do to our bodies. Then we'll explore healthy strategies for managing sugar cravings and then we'll close it out with where you can get support to help you manage your sugar cravings. All right, let's look at understanding the why. So why the sweet tooth? Well, it turns out there are several possible reasons, and many of them are backed by research. Let's look at the science and break it down into clear, simple terms because, after all, I am a simple person and then I can see how it connects to everyday life with Parkinson's, and let's start with neurochemical changes. And leading us off is dopamine and reward pathways. Now, one of the hallmark features of Parkinson's is the gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain, meaning the loss of neurons that produce dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that regulates our movement, but it also plays a critical role in the brain's reward system, the part of the brain that lights up when we eat something pleasurable like sugar.

Speaker 1: 3:23

In the article Sugar and Parkinson's Seven Facts to Know by my Parkinson's Team, the author notes that recently they found that people with Parkinson's disease report changed eating habits and intense cravings for sweets. Other studies have shown that people with Parkinson's disease have a strong preference for sweet foods, such as cakes, chocolates and ice cream. According to the researchers, this Parkinson's-related preference may include more than simple cravings. The body may need sugar. Simple sugars are carbohydrates that break down quickly. These studies also show that people with Parkinson's disease eat more simple sugars than do people who don't have Parkinson's eat more simple sugars than do people who don't have Parkinson's.

Speaker 1: 4:10

Also, research suggests that Parkinson's patients, particularly those undergoing dopamine replacement therapy, may experience impulse control disorders, including binge eating. Additionally, dopamine agonists have been associated with impulse control disorders. The connection between dopamine agonist and impulse control issues suggests that food cravings, particularly for sweets, could be part of this pattern. So, according to the Sugar and Parkinson's 7 Facts article you need to know, eating sugary foods triggers your brain to release dopamine. This may explain why people with Parkinson's disease crave sugary foods to boost dopamine levels and feel better. So the cravings for sugar aren't just in your head, it's a biological response in the brain to help release more dopamine.

Speaker 1: 4:56

Now another potential reason is medication side effects. As I just mentioned, dopamine agonists like paramopexol and ropinerol have been linked to impulse control disorders, including compulsive eating, gambling and shopping. In a study Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's published in the American Medical Association Neurology Journal, the researchers found that impulse control disorders were identified in 13.6% of patients, gambling was 5%, compulsive sexual behavior 3.5%, impulsive buying in 5.7% and binge eating disorders in 4.3%, and 3.9% had two or more impulse control disorders and 3.9% had two or more impulse control disorders. The study found that dopamine agonist treatment in PD is associated with two to three and a half fold increase in the odds of having an impulse control disorder. So if you've been taking a dopamine agonist, it doesn't mean you should stop taking your medication, but it does mean you and your doctor can work together to adjust your medication regimen if food cravings become overwhelming.

Speaker 1: 6:09

Now, another factor for why such the sweet tooth is changes in taste and smell. Now, people with Parkinson's often experience hyposomia, or reduced smell, and dysgeusia altered taste. When your ability to taste or smell foods diminishes, you might gravitate towards sweeter, more intense flavors to get the same level of satisfaction. In fact, studies suggest that up to 90% of people with Parkinson's experience some form of smell loss, often years before symptoms begin. Anosmia, which is the complete loss of smell, and hyposomia can significantly impact food and appetite and impact our food preferences. Interestingly, I lost my sense of smell and I often get asked by friends how I can taste food, since sense of smell is so involved in taste. I say it's just one of the miracles of nature, I guess because I really didn't know. But since smell does play a crucial role in how we perceive flavors, people with Parkinson's may find food taste dull as a result and they might crave stronger flavors, such as sweet, intensely flavored foods, to help compensate for the diminished taste of smell.

Speaker 1: 7:30

Another factor is stress and emotional eating. Let's not forget the emotional toll of living with a chronic condition like Parkinson's and what that can have on our daily lives. Constantly dealing with motor and non-motor symptoms can be stressful. It's natural to turn to comfort foods, especially those loaded with sugar, when you're dealing with anxiety, stress or my, in my case, just plain boredom. I often found myself searching for something to eat when I was bored or stressed. So I started using a food journal because the emotional eating was having a negative impact on my weight. One of the reasons we emotionally eat is sugar can give a temporary dopamine hit, making it a quick emotional fix, but the effect is short-lived and can lead to crashes in both our energy and mood.

Speaker 1: 8:21

Now, moving on to our final piece in the sweet tooth chase is fluctuating energy levels. Fatigue is a very common symptom in Parkinson's and sugar can act like a quick energy fix. The problem is it causes a spike in blood glucose, followed by a sharp crash, which can actually worsen fatigue and trigger even more cravings, and that becomes a vicious cycle. Fatigue and trigger even more cravings, and that becomes a vicious cycle. So, if possible, try to avoid sugary foods that spike your blood sugar and opt for whole, naturally sweet foods like fruit, berries, watermelon and even some vegetables are naturally sweet, like carrots, sweet potatoes, so give them a try when searching for something sweet. So, as you can see, sugar cravings and Parkinson's aren't just about willpower. They're a real multifaceted issue driven by brain chemistry, medications, sensory changes and emotional health. And understanding it is the first step in helping us manage our sugar intake.

Speaker 1: 9:22

Now, in this next segment, we'll take a closer look at why too much sugar can be a problem, especially for those of us living with Parkinson's, and then we'll explore healthy alternatives and practical strategies that actually work. Hey, if you're finding value in today's episode and you're wanting to build a stronger support system for yourself or a loved one living with Parkinson's, I've got something special for you Check out the Building your Parkinson's Care Team Resource Guide and Workbook. It's a powerful, easy-to-use tool designed to help you create the right team from medical professionals to community support to live your best life with Parkinson's, from medical professionals to community support to live your best life with Parkinson's. And right now you can get a copy at liveparkinsonscom or my Ko-fi page ko-ficom slash liveparkinsons for just $10, which helps cover the cost of the guide and the research. And if this podcast has helped you in any way, big or small and you'd like to support the show in the work I do on liveparkinsonscom, consider buying a virtual cup of coffee. Just head over to ko-ficom slash liveparkinsons. Every contribution goes directly towards keeping the podcast website and all our resources going strong. Thanks for listening and being part of this amazing community.

Speaker 1: 10:43

Now let's get back to the episode. Okay, now that we understand why sugar cravings happen in Parkinson's, let's talk about the impact of too much sugar on your health, especially when you're dealing with challenges of Parkinson's. And leading it off is increased inflammation and oxidative stress. There's a growing body of evidence that chronic inflammation and oxidative stress play a role in the progression of Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately, a diet high in refined sugars can worsen both. Excess sugar leads to spikes in blood glucose, which triggers the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are chemical messengers that worsen inflammation in the body. Now chronic inflammation can contribute to neurodegeneration, worsening our Parkinson's symptoms like tremors, stiffness and cognitive decline. High sugar intake also increases the production of free radicals, which are unstable molecules that damage our cells. Now in Parkinson's, the brain already struggles with oxidative stress, as the dopaminergic neurons and again that's the cells that produce dopamine are particularly vulnerable to this damage. So more sugar means more oxidative stress, accelerating the loss of these neurons. So while that candy bar might taste good now, it could be subtly making things harder for your brain in the long term.

Speaker 1: 12:22

Now, another big impact that sugar has on our bodies is causing blood sugar swings and energy crashes. We often turn to sugary foods for a quick boost. Maybe we feel tired in the afternoon and decide to eat some cookies or a candy bar for a snack. Yes, those cookies or candy bar make us feel good. It may perk us up for a little while, but that sugar high is almost always followed by a crash, leaving you only feeling more hungry and often more fatigued and irritable. This is especially tough for those of us living with Parkinson's, because we may already be battling with low energy, fatigue and sleep issues. One moment you're energized after eating a package of Reese's peanut butter cups and the next minute you're dragging and don't feel like getting off the couch. It's not just physical. Those spikes and crashes affect your mood and can worsen symptoms like brain fog, which I seem to experience quite often, tremors and even affect our balance. So before you decide to eat that king-size snicker bar to feel better, stop and ask yourself do I really feel great a couple hours after eating the candy bar.

Speaker 1: 13:37

Sugar can also have a big impact on our cognitive function and mood. High-sugar diets have been linked to depression and cognitive decline. Mood High sugar diets have been linked to depression and cognitive decline. A study published in BMC Psychiatry found that increased dietary sugar intake was associated with a higher prevalence of depression in US adults. Another study from the University of Sydney linked high fat, high sugar diets to impaired cognitive function, particularly affecting spatial navigation and memory formation. And excessive sugar consumption has been connected to neuroinflammation, which plays a role in neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Now, I wanted to highlight this because emotional and mental well-being are just as important as physical health and Parkinson's care.

Speaker 1: 14:28

Now the next impact sugar can have on your body is weight gain and diabetes risk. Now I'm at the front of the line here. I've always struggled with my weight, and a lot of times, to be honest with you, it's because of what I'm eating. While I exercise every day, it's hard to overcome a poor diet, so when I'm eating cookies, candy and ice cream, the weight starts to pile on and then I don't feel good about myself. So it's no secret that excess sugar can lead to weight gain, and some of the Parkinson's medications may already affect your metabolism or your appetite. Now, gaining too much weight can affect your mobility, cause joint pain and affect your cardiovascular health. All of these are important in managing our Parkinson's. Now I know when I gain weight, my feet and ankles hurt, I'm stiff and I don't feel like moving too much. Plus, the more weight you gain, the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes, which only comes with its own issues, but can also complicate symptoms. Both complicate symptom management and increase medication sensitivity.

Speaker 1: 15:38

Okay, so, sugar has its downsides, but what can we do about it Now? I've always been a person who doesn't like to talk about problems, but I like to seek solutions. So let's do that and talk about solutions. In this next section, I'll share some simple, satisfying and realistic strategies to reduce sugar without feeling like you're missing out on things. All right, let's give you some tools to fight back without losing the joy that comes with eating and enjoying flavorful foods, and let's lead it off with choosing natural sweeteners. So, instead of grabbing a cookie, a sugary soda or a candy bar, reach for some naturally sweet foods like berries, bananas, apples, watermelon or some people, if you like dates as well, they're very sweet. Now, a nice thing about these foods is they give your body fiber, antioxidants and slow-releasing energies. That helps you avoid those nasty blood sugar crashes. So try a bowl of Greek yogurt with blueberries and maybe a drizzle of honey. It's delicious, nutritious, creamy and way better for you than a sugary dessert.

Speaker 1: 16:48

Next up is to include protein and healthy fats in every meal. Now, this one's huge Protein and fat help to stabilize your blood sugar, which means you have fewer cravings. Now, if you find you need a snack, here's a few ideas. Have a handful of walnuts, almonds or pecans. Try some peanut butter on whole wheat toast. Have some hummus with carrots and celery. Eat some hard-boiled eggs and try guacamole with some vegetables. Start your meal with a lean source of protein, like chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef, pork, tofu and beans. In addition, add healthy fats like avocado, olive oil or nuts.

Speaker 1: 17:40

Tip number three on our list is watch for hidden sugars. Sometimes sugars can sneak in where you least expect them. Products like salad dressing, ketchup, barbecue sauces, flavored yogurts especially the ones with fruit on the bottom Even healthy granola bars, power bars and protein bars can often be loaded with sugar. So how do we know if a product has hidden sugars. Well, the best way is to read labels and look for words like sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, dextrose and cane juice. High fructose corn syrup is especially bad. Now, one of the ways to identify sugars is if you look at the word and it ends in O-S-E. So, for instance, sucrose fructose, they'll end in O-S-E. So be careful. Even things labeled as natural can be loaded with sugar. So, when possible, choose whole, simple foods like fruits and vegetables and whole grain options.

Speaker 1: 18:47

Coming in at tip number four on our list is stay hydrated. Thirst can often disguise itself as hunger or cravings. Try drinking a glass of water or herbal tea before reaching for a snack. You can add lemon, limes, oranges, cucumbers or mint to your water to give it the flavor and make it more satisfying. Coming in at number five on the list is address emotional triggers. Now let me ask you a question have you ever eaten because you were bored, sad or frustrated? I know I have, and it's easy to give in to eating foods that don't always help us or our symptoms in the long term, and they may have a detrimental impact on our motor and non-motor symptoms, especially sugar treats that we all love to eat, especially when we're sad because they make us feel good. So these are emotional triggers and we want to be aware so that we don't eat sugary foods mindlessly.

Speaker 1: 19:45

Now here's some tips to try as non-food coping tools. Take a short walk Journal for five minutes. Take a short walk Journal for five minutes. Listen to a song and move to your favorite music. Call a friend, just like on the show who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Think of your friend as your lifeline. That's going to help you from overe techniques. For example, breathe in slowly for a count of four, hold for a count of four and then slowly exhale for a count of four. Believe it or not, even two to three minutes of mindfulness can help you break the craving loop. Also, instead of looking for something to eat, pour a big glass of water with some lemon or cucumber and have some herbal tea. They can help satisfy and address the triggers and, best of all, keep you hydrated.

Speaker 1: 20:43

Number six on our list is plan for treats. Don't ban them Now. I always like to say there's no such thing as a bad food, but it's important how much you consume and how often, because, let's be real, life should include pleasure and that means sometimes a treat's okay. Think about it. When you tell yourself, or someone tells you, that you can't have certain foods or you can't do certain things, what's the first thing you think of? Yep, it's usually the food they tell you that you can't have, or you tell yourself you can't have. So it's okay to indulge and eat a piece of birthday cake, having dessert on your anniversary, eating cookies at the holiday.

Speaker 1: 21:28

The key is intentional indulgence, not impulsive eating. So plan out your dessert, maybe have a small treat after dinner a few times a week. As an example, eat a small square of dark chocolate as a treat. You get the satisfaction of having a snack that can also provide some health benefits, like antioxidants. Enjoy your treat by eating it slowly and then also be guilt-free. If you plan it out, then don't feel guilty about it.

Speaker 1: 21:58

Finally, number seven get support. Talk with your doctor, dietician or Parkinson's support group. They can help you stay on track and adjust your medications if they're contributing to your cravings. And hey, remember, you're not alone. Just by listening today, you're taking a step toward regaining control and helping to protect your health. Now there are several support groups and resources available to help you manage your sugar intake and promote healthy eating. The Diabetes Foundation offers free support groups led by caring guides, where participants can share experiences and insights on managing diabetes if you have diabetes but also nutrition GoodRx Diabetes Support Groups. These groups provide emotional support, meal planning tips and strategies for managing sugar. They include therapy groups, peer support networks and educational sessions. And then you have the Penn State Health Support Groups. They host weight management classes offering advice on healthy eating and lifestyle changes.

Speaker 1: 23:09

So to recap and close out on this podcast, it's important to realize sugar cravings and Parkinson's are real, common and deeply rooted in the brain and body. But with the right strategies, like eating smart, staying hydrated and practicing mindfulness, you can regain balance and feel your best. So thanks for joining me today on Live Parkinson's Live an Exceptional Life. And if you found this episode helpful, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And don't forget to check out the website liveparkinsonscom and subscribe to the free monthly newsletter and get other free resources and read some of the articles on there that can help you on your Parkinson's journey.

Speaker 1: 23:54

And if you'd like to support the podcast, you can visit my Ko-fi page ko-ficom slash liveparkinsons. I'll leave a link in the episode description. Until next time, stay healthy, stay strong, stay curious and remember to live your best life with Parkinson's, because you can decide to live positively. Parkinson's may be a part of your life, but it doesn't have to define it. You can do it, you just have to believe. Thank you, and I hope to see you on future podcasts.