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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffHaving Huntington's disease presents a number of challenges that require daily or regular attention. The following steps may improve how you feel:
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise is beneficial. It helps both your physical and emotional health. Wearing well-fitting, sturdy shoes during exercise may help improve your stability.
- Maintain proper nutrition. You may burn as many as 5,000 calories a day, so be sure to get adequate nutrition to maintain your body weight, and consider extra vitamins and supplements. Because Huntington's disease can impair coordination, you may need assistance when eating. Give yourself as much time as you need for meals. Cutting food into small pieces or eating pureed food may make swallowing easier and prevent choking. Dairy products may make you secrete excess mucus, which may increase your risk of choking. Occupational therapists may make other suggestions on how to improve your swallowing. Using cups with lids and suction cups and tableware designed for people with disabilities may help prevent spills.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Huntington's disease can make you vulnerable to dehydration. Drink large amounts of liquids, especially during hot weather. Some people find that bendable straws make drinking easier.
References
- Huntington's disease: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/huntington/detail_huntington.htm. Accessed March 27, 2009.
- Huntington's disease. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch221/ch221e.html#sec16-ch221-ch221e-49. Accessed March 27, 2009.
- SuttonBrown MA, et al. Huntington disease: Clinical features and diagnosis. http://uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 12, 2009.
- Learning about Huntington's disease. National Human Genome Research Institute. http://www.genome.gov/page.cfm?pageID=10001215. Accessed March 27, 2009.
- Trushina E, et al. Mutant huntingtin inhibits clathrin-independent endocytosis and causes accumulation of cholesterol in vitro and in vivo. Human Molecular Genetics. 2006;15:3578.
- Katsuno M, et al. Getting a handle on Huntington's disease: The case for cholesterol. Nature Medicine. 2009;15:253.
- FDA approves first drug for treatment of chorea in Huntington's disease. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01874.html. Accessed March 28, 2009.
- Kim SU. Stem cell-based cell therapy in neurological diseases: A review. Journal of Neuroscience Research. In press. Accessed March 28, 2009.
- ACR16. Neurosearch.com. http://www.neurosearch.com/Default.aspx?ID=752. Accessed March 28, 2009.
