Avoid pesticide intake, wash fruit, veggies well

HEALTH ISSUE

While long-term exposure to pesticides can up your chances of suffering from cancer, research shows it also makes you susceptible to Parkinson’s disease too.  Of late, numerous research studies have shown that many patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder, have been exposed to long-term chronic low doses of pesticides at some point in time.

Dr Vinay Goel, neurosurgeon, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) says, “Several studies in India and abroad have shown that those suffering from Parkinson’s disease had higher amount of pesticides in their body. It is these pesticide molecules that damage the dopamine secreting cells which are responsible for the movement of the body.”

Dr Praveen Gupta, Fortis Hospital Gurgaon says, “Lately, prevalence of Parkinson’s disease has been on a steep rise with more and more people falling prey. While long-term exposure to pesticides may raise the risk of the disease, it is important for people to understand that simple steps like washing vegetables and fruits thoroughly before cooking and opting for organic produce, wherever feasible, can go a long way in reducing their chance of being afflicted with Parkinson’s.”

According to experts, though Parkinson’s disease has not garnered public health attention as much as heart disease and cancer, it has far reaching negative impact on the quality of life of an individual. Globally, around 6.3 million people are known to be suffering from it.

The age of onset is usually over 60, but it is estimated that one in 10 are diagnosed before the age of 50, with slightly more men being affected than women.
According to experts, a vast majority of patients and their families are not aware of the advanced treatments now available for Parkinson’s and therefore, continue to live with the disease. According to Goyal, the medicines also show their side effect after years. “Surgery becomes important after five to six years when medicines show their side effects,” says Goyal.

While Gupta discloses that , “Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) therapy has been effective in the treatment” of the disease. This is “a small, pacemaker-like device which sends electronic signals to an area in the brain that controls movements. These signals block some of the brain messages that cause disabling motor as well as non-motor symptoms. The device is placed under the skin in the chest and very thin wires connect the device to the brain which enables the signals to reach the source of the patient’s symptoms.”