By: Lexi Shever, Belmont OTD Capstone Student
Hydration plays an important role in numerous regulatory processes in the body including waste removal in urine, transportation of nutrients throughout the body, regulation of blood pressure and body temperature, gastrointestinal function, smoothness of joint movements, energy levels, skin health, and cognitive performance. As we age, maintaining proper hydration becomes more difficult due to decreased thirst signals resulting in decreased water intake and dehydration. Parkinson’s Disease medications used to manage PD symptoms can further contribute to dehydration making it even more essential that individuals with PD adequately hydrate. The effects of dehydration can worsen some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, specifically low blood pressure and constipation. In addition to drinking more water to fight back against dehydration, consider adding fruits and vegetables into your diet that contain a high-water content and supplementing with electrolytes to keep a healthy balance of vitamins and minerals. One of my favorite ways to stay hydrated is to make a nutritious smoothie with frozen fruits and coconut water for added electrolytes.
Last week, we sampled my hydration smoothies including Cherry Berry, Tropical, and Strawberry Banana + Spinach each curated to target different health benefits and accelerate your hydration. These smoothies are made by blending just 2 or 3 ingredients - frozen fruit and/or vegetable blends and coconut water. You can recreate these with your favorite fruits or vegetables anyway you like, but if you loved the smoothies in class, I’ve listed the recipes below so you can create these at home to help you stay hydrated as we head into warmer months ahead!
Cherry Berry
· Cherry Berry Frozen Fruit Blend (I used this one from Aldi)
· Coconut Water (I used Vita Coco from Sam’s Club)
The amount of each is up to you and you can add more or less coconut water to fruit as you choose for desired consistency. I did a 3 to 1 ratio with 3 cups of frozen fruit to 1 cup of coconut water for a thicker smoothie that can be eaten with a spoon. This blend is particularly loaded with antioxidants from the berries and has a high water content and electrolytes to accelerate your hydration!
Tropical
· Tropical Frozen Fruit Blend (I used this one from Aldi)
· Coconut Water (I used Vita Coco from Sam’s Club)
The amount of each is up to you and you can add more or less coconut water to fruit as you choose for desired consistency. I did a 3 to 1 ratio with 3 cups of frozen fruit to 1 cup of coconut water for a thicker smoothie that can be eaten with a spoon. This blend is particularly loaded with Vitamin C from the citrus fruits and has a high water content and electrolytes to accelerate your hydration!
Strawberry Banana + Spinach
· Strawberry Banana Frozen Fruit Blend (I used this one from Aldi)
· Coconut Water (I used Vita Coco from Sam’s Club)
· Fresh or Frozen Spinach
The amount of each is up to you and you can add more or less coconut water to fruit as you choose for desired consistency. I did a 3 to 1 ratio with 3 cups of frozen fruit to 1 cup of coconut water with 1 cup of spinach. This blend is particularly loaded with extra fiber from the bananas and spinach and has a high water content and electrolytes to accelerate your hydration!
References
American Parkinson Disease Association. (n.d.). Levodopa dosing and food intake. American Parkinson Disease Association. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://www.apdaparkinson.org/article/levodopa-dosing-and-food-intake/
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Fighting Parkinson’s disease with exercise and diet. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/parkinsons-disease/fighting-parkinson-disease-with-exercise-and-diet
Ramos-Rodríguez, J. J., & Navarro, M. A. (2021). Levodopa metabolism and pharmacokinetics: Importance in Parkinson's disease treatment. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10255140/
Comments