We have always been told by our parents to make sure we choose food from all of the food groups, so that we can ensure we are receiving all of the proper vitamins and minerals that we need to function. We receive iron through a variety of food sources, including red meat, leafy greens, and several other sources. The side of the story we don’t often consider, however, is what happens when we get too much of any of these nutrients, and especially what happens if it accumulates in any one spot in the body.
Recently our class discussed an article which dealt with the consequences of iron accumulation in the brain, and learned that this can contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease. The iron accumulation will allow things called reactive oxygen species to form, and something called alpha-synuclein to conglomerate in one area. Together, these will cause the neurons in this area of the brain (the substantia nigra) to be destroyed, resulting in Parkinson’s disease. The paper discussed several ways that the iron will start to accumulate, and in doing so, pointed to different things we can try to target to prevent Parkinson’s disease. These included using iron chelators, which will remove iron from the brain, as well as antioxidants to prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species.
In correlation with our paper, we all sat down and had green tea during class one day, which as you might know, can be an antioxidant. This simple practice made me start thinking about how much of a difference simple changes like this can make in our lives. I feel like we don’t often think about it, but the little changes like having a cup of tea during the day can better our lives greatly in the long run. This isn’t to say that drinking a cup of green tea on a regular basis will completely eliminate any chance that you will ever have Parkinson’s disease, but it can definitely go a long way towards lowering your risk of developing it.
These types of changes don’t only apply to Parkinson’s disease either. Green tea can be good for you in general, as can just generally eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. The same caveat must be stated, as there are very few behaviors that will completely eliminate any risk of developing diseases x, y, and z, but any reduction of risk must be very seriously considered. A healthy diet and habits of good and regular exercise can reduce your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and a plethora of other diseases. Even if we cannot fully prevent these, one must also consider that one lifestyle change can prevent a myriad of diseases. It seems somewhat counterintuitive that we spend so much time pursuing a “better life” with things like more success and more money, yet we don’t take the steps to enjoy a longer and fuller life to enjoy the truly valuable things like spending more time with friends and family by making simple changes like eating a salad instead of a Big Mac or going for a run instead of watching a movie, or in the case of Parkinson’s disease, taking time to enjoy a cup of green tea in the afternoon.
Small changes now… Big consequences later…
