Good nutrition is key when it comes to fighting all kinds of diseases, including neuropathy.

The best way to manage and prevent peripheral neuropathy is to manage any medical condition that puts you at risk for nerve pain or worsening of any symptoms.

So, for example, if you have diabetes, you should control your blood sugar.

Whether you have a pre-existing condition or not, eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein will help keep you healthy.

In the article below, we will answer the question, does diet affect neuropathy?

Does Diet Affect Neuropathy? Yes! A Balanced Diet Can Help With Your Symptoms.

Many people don’t like to hear it, but if you suffer from neuropathy, you may need to switch up your diet.

A refusal to change your diet will be a major obstacle if you are trying to reduce peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

As someone with neuropathy, you need to monitor your intake of salty foods, sugar drinks, and simple carbohydrates.

These foods are digested quickly, which leads to an increase in blood sugar levels and contributes to increased inflammation in the body.

And extra sodium in the body often leads to elevated blood pressure that can slow your blood flow and lead to peripheral nerve damage.

You need to do your best to incorporate foods with anti-inflammatory properties into a balanced diet.

Foods like whole grains, lean meats, vegetables, nuts, and fish are all excellent choices.

Poultry and fish are also high in vitamin B12, which helps keep blood cells and nerves healthy.

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Foods You Should Avoid

Not eating the wrong things is just as important as eating the right things.

White bread, pasta, and pizza are high in gluten, and recent research suggests an association between gluten sensitivity and nerve pain.

If you have a gluten sensitivity you may experience symptoms like pins and needles, itchy skin, digestion issues, and headaches.

If you have neuropathy, you may also experience worsening of preexisting skin conditions. 

High levels of blood sugar often contribute to nerve damage in patients with peripheral neuropathy, so foods like candy, ice cream, soft drinks, fruit juices, and pastries should be avoided.

Potato chips, processed meals, cold cuts, fast food, and other foods high in sodium may cause problems for neuropathy patients.

High levels of salt can restrict blood flow, contributing to numbness.

Please do your best to eat a well-balanced diet that is high in vitamin B12 and antioxidants that can help you manage your peripheral neuropathy symptoms and your overall well-being.

By avoiding extra sugary and salty foods, you will improve your quality of life and make it much more enjoyable.

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Don’t Skip Meals

If your sugar gets low, you will likely experience symptoms like sweating and shakiness.

If you have diabetic neuropathy, you might not have these warning signs.

Your neuropathy can affect the nerves that control your digestion.

So, the best thing to do to ensure that your blood sugar doesn’t get too low is to eat smaller meals more frequently and don’t skip any meals.

You also need to check your blood sugar more frequently.

If you have continuous problems controlling your blood sugar, contact your doctor.

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Vitamin B12 and Other Nutrients Can Help Prevent Neuropathy

Whether you’re trying to prevent neuropathy or just ease your symptoms, your body needs the right nutrients.

There are a few vitamin deficiencies that can cause or contribute to neuropathy.

A vitamin B12 deficiency, in particular, has been liked to neuropathy.

A deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause damage to the myelin sheaths that surround and protect your nerves.

Without this protection, your nerves aren’t able to function correctly.

Foods high in vitamin B12 include fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy products.

Some patients will even need an oral or injectable supplement of vitamin B12.

For people over 24, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 is 24 micrograms.

Copper deficiency is another possible cause of neuropathy, but these cases tend to be rare.

Due to their metabolism or absorption, some people are copper deficient.

This can cause neuropathy or spinal cord disease.

Beef, nuts, and legumes are great sources of copper, but people with a copper deficiency typically can’t treat it with changes to their diet alone.

They will often need to be treated with injectable and oral supplements.

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Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol

Alcohol is toxic to your nerves and can worsen many symptoms of neuropathy.

Drinking large quantities of alcohol can also lower your levels of vitamin B12.

And, alcohol is bad for your trying to control your blood sugar because it’s nothing but empty calories.

If you drink on an empty stomach, alcohol can cause hypoglycemia, especially if you take insulin.

If you must drink, only drink in moderation, and never drink on an empty stomach.

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Understand Your Relationship to Gluten if Celiac Disease Caused Your Nerve Damage

Celiac disease is a risk factor for neuropathy.

If you aren’t sure of the cause of your symptoms, it’s a good idea to get screened for neuropathy.

This is important because managing your diet is the primary treatment tool for celiac.

People with celiac disease need to avoid gluten, which is found in many types of food and even makeup products.

Celiac can damage your small intestine because of extreme intolerance of gluten.

That can result in the malabsorption of vital nutrients that lead to nerve damage.

Gluten sensitivity, which is fortunately far less severe, is also linked to neuropathic symptoms.

You’ll want to be sure you’re screened for this condition if you still need to get to the bottom of what is causing your neuropathy.

Many doctors encourage patients to try a gluten-free diet because even if you aren’t gluten intolerant, it could still help you and definitely won’t hurt.

Try it for a few months before giving up on it if your symptoms don’t improve.

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Speak To A Doctor About Diet and Neuropathy

Does diet affect neuropathy? Yes, but it is not always that simple. If you have more questions about your diet and neuropathy, you should see a neuropathy specialist who can answer your questions.

The doctors at Ethos Health Group have years of experience treating neuropathy and its symptoms, and they can help you design a diet that’s tailored to your needs.

In addition to diet recommendations, Ethos Health Group will determine how much nerve damage is present and if your condition can still be treated.

To do that, they will perform a series of non-invasive tests that tell us the extent of your condition and what options exist for you.

These tests will show us if your neuropathy has reached the “point of no return” or if you can still benefit from our treatment program and diet recommendations.

Our neuropathy treatment programs at Ethos Health Group consist of cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies designed to stimulate new blood vessels’ growth to reverse nerve damage in the feet or hands. 

If you’re ready to find relief from your neuropathy, you should contact Ethos Health Group as soon as possible.

Click the button below to schedule your free consultation.