Typically I recommend a nutritional product or nutritional advice to those
who want to lose weight, have pain, fatigue and so on. One patient who
may need it more than those is someone that has pain, numbness, tingling in
their arms, legs or feet. This type of pain is often referred to as
neuropathy. What is neuropathy? Essentially it means an abnormal
and degenerative condition of the nervous system. Neuropathy can be
diffuse, affecting many parts of the body, or it can be focal affecting a
specific nerve and part of the body. Most common symptoms of neuropathy
include: numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature, tingling, burning
or prickling sensation, sharp pains, extreme sensitivity to touch (even light
touch), loss of balance and coordination.
Neuropathy can present after years of a poor diet. Those that eat
foods that are void of live enzymes will suffer consequences down the
road. In our society, we have such high demands and busy life's that the
foods we eat are convenient and usually come out of a box, bag, or can.
Prescribing a healthy diet and specific supplementation will address the
nutritional deficiency issues that are causing the neuropathy. This will
get the body to start digesting and assimilating food correctly. It
allows the body to start healing from the inside and decreases the degenerative
process of the nervous system. I suggest that you start to incorporate
suggestions that come from the Westin A. Price Foundation that can be found
here - Dietary Guideline.
Adding specific supplements below to a revamped diet will speed up the
recovery process.
Vitamin E:
Patient's with neuropathy have a higher than usual need for vitamin E.
This vitamin helps with insulin activity and acts as an antioxidant as well as
a blood oxygenator. Research has shown that people with low levels of
vitamin E are also more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. A vitamin E
deficiency results in increased free radical-induced damage, particularly in
the lining of the vascular system. Neuropathy cases may require three
months of vitamin E supplementation and diet change to see the benefits.
Vitamin C:
People with neuropathy also typically have low vitamin C levels.
Vitamin C lowers sorbitol levels in neuropathy patients. Sorbitol is a
sugar that can accumulate and damage the eye, nerves and kidneys.
Vitamin B6:
Diabetics with neuropathy have been shown to be deficient in B6 and benefit
greatly from supplementation. Peripheral neuropathy (tingling in fingers
for example) is a known result of vitamin B6 deficiency.
Omega-3's (Fish Oil):
Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats the body
needs but cannot produce on its own. According to research, increased intake of omega-3
fatty acids may prove helpful in reducing neuropathy symptoms in people with type
2 diabetes. Fatty
fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines are considered great sources
of omega-3 fatty acids.
