Should you pop an ibuprofen to prevent Parkinson's disease?

While the finding is significant for experts interested in knowing more about how the disease works, it's certainly not grounds for taking ibuprofen solely for the prevention of Parkinson's, says study author Dr. Xiang Gao, a research scientist at Harvard School of Public Health. Nor should those with Parkinson's take ibuprofen to lessen the disease's progression.

There are simply too many unknowns at this point, most importantly whether ibuprofen actually has a real impact on halting the disease, which affects some 1 million Americans most of whom are over age 65. Also, the drug carries risks of internal bleeding and stomach ulcers. And, coincidentally, a study published on Wednesday in the Journal of Urology linked regular use of ibuprofen to increased risk of erectile dysfunction.

Not sure many men would prefer one problem over the other.

So what can folks do to try to prevent Parkinson's? 

Gao says coffee could help. Those who drink one to two cups a day are shown to be at lower risk. Those who smoke are too, but don't take up that habit!

Smart health moves that could lower your risk? "Consuming more fruits and vegetables," Gao says -- particularly berries. Gao and his team have shown that those who eat berries every day (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries etc.) have a reduced risk of Parkinson's, most likely due to powerful antioxidants in the berries that have anti-inflammatory effects.

Exercise, too, may be instrumental in lowering risk, studies suggest. More importantly, it can slow the disease down. "My Parkinson's patients who exercise need less medicine and tend to remain stable over many years," says Dr. Michael Rezak, director of the Movement Disorders Center at Central DuPage Hospital in Illinois.

Doing what you can to avoid a head injury by, say, wearing a helmet when you bike or ski -- or headgear if you box -- may also go a long way toward lowering Parkinson's risk since head trauma has been linked to the disorder. Former boxing champ Muhammad Ali's Parkinson's is thought to be due to his repeat head injuries from the sport.

Of course, some folks can do everything right and still not avoid the condition. Genetics plays a role, especially for those, like actor Michael J.Fox, who develop Parkinson's before age 50, Rezak says.