4 Foods Neuropathy(Nerve Pain) Sufferers Must Avoid

Peripheral Neuropathy is one of the most misunderstood conditions around, leading to pain, discomfort and disability for millions of Americans.
In fact according to the Neuropathy Association over 20 Million people in the United States suffers with peripheral neuropathy which breaks down to about 1 in 5.
Medical treatments have been primarily focused on symptom relief and have yet to find a viable solution that addresses the entire problem.
According to WebMD.com currently available treatments consist mostly of over the counter pain relievers like NSAIDS which can increase a person’s risk for a heart attack or a stroke, acetaminophen with its increased risk of liver damage and prescription drugs that simply alter brain chemistry and the user’s perception of the pain.

Because of this there is a significant push to find alternatives that help people lead normal lives by overcoming the crippling pain and dysfunction associated with neuropathy.
It’s no secret that all pain in the body is often associated with inflammation and with nerve pain inflammation can perpetuate the damage to the peripheral nerves and lead to further damage. And because of this reducing inflammation can be a key factor in finding relief.
And one of the best ways to keep systemic inflammation at bay is to avoid foods that result in an increased amount of inflammation in the body. In this article we’ll discuss 4 food categories that every neuropathy sufferer should avoid or at the very least keep to a minimum.
Here we go…

Food #1 – Gluten

Everyone has a different sensitivity to certain foods and not all foods will affect a neuropathy sufferer the same. But recent studies have shown that many people are either allergic to gluten or have a low tolerance for it which can cause low grade symptoms. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye and it can cause gastrointestinal upset and irritation in the lining of the gut.
This can lead to a condition known as celiac disease or it can simply cause low level inflammation. Gluten can also alter and affect your ability to absorb nutrients which can lead to deficiencies.
Common sources of Gluten include most bread, cereals, pasta, crackers, cookies, cakes, pastries and any food containing white, wheat, cake or baking flour. Alternatives may include almond flour, coconut flour, quinoa and amaranth.
Be careful of so called “Gluten Free” items as most will simply replace the gluten with another type of substance like corn starch or tapioca starch which can increase blood sugar causing more nerve damage.

Food #2 – Refined Grains

As we just discussed high blood sugar can damage your delicate nerves and blood vessels leading to increased nerve damage and neuropathy pain. Refined grains are high-glycemic carbs which means that they have a significant impact on your blood sugar levels. By controlling your blood sugar whether you are diabetic or not you can help reduce the progression of your neuropathy and avoid common issues like insulin resistance and pre-diabetes.
The first step in doing this is to replace refined grains and products containing them-like white and wheat bread, enriched pasta, white rice, snacks, pretzels, potato chips and crackers with whole grains. Some of the best choices are things like quinoa amaranth and buckwheat but oats and brown rice are better choices too.

Food #3 – Added Sugars

Added sugars, like corn syrup, honey and pure cane sugar certainly add to the flavor of most dishes but don’t provide additional nutrition to the foods they are added to. Just like refined grains and gluten containing foods they are high on the glycemic index. This again can lead to increased blood sugar and you guessed it more inflammation.
In addition, diets high in refined sugar are also commonly lacking key nutrients that can lead to an inability to heal properly from the nerve damage that has occurred. It’s much better to replace these foods with higher nutritionally sound foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead of the sugary snacks so many opt for. Foods that often have added sugars include soft drinks, candy, cereals, syrups, jams and jellies, cookies, cakes and pastries and most processed foods.

Food #4 – Trans Fats

Trans fatty acids or trans fats are formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats. Foods like shortenings and margarine are good examples. This process is called hydrogenation and is exactly what it sounds like; the manufacturer simply adds hydrogen to the molecule increasing its shelf life and flavor.
However, as the trans fats are increasing the shelf life of the foods you eat, they are decreasing your shelf life. Trans fats cause an increase in the bad LDL cholesterol and can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Compromised blood vessels are less able to pump oxygen rich blood to the peripheral tissues and that means that the nerves in the hands and feet have become compromised.
LDL cholesterol also leads to irritation and inflammation to the arterial lining which triggers systemic inflammation leading to accelerated damage to delicate structures like the nerves.

Simply reducing your intake of the above 4 foods can go a long way in reducing your overall pain and discomfort and by doing so you can increase your overall health as well.
Making these changes leads to an overall decrease in inflammation and irritation of damaged nerves and it can also help reduce the progression.
But what about the damage that has already been done?
As you make these changes to your diet supplementing with proven nutrients can improve and accelerate the healing process.
If you’re serious about reducing your pain you should consider taking a comprehensive high quality nerve supplement like Nerve Aid.
Products like Nerve Aid are filled with proven nutrients all designed to not only reduce pain, but they help by regenerating damaged nerves and improving overall nerve health and function.
Nerve Aid only contains nutrients that have been shown in peer reviewed clinical studies to be effective in reducing pain, preventing nerve damage and helping nerves regenerate and heal.

You can learn more about this incredible formula here.
Reducing nerve pain and improving your quality of life doesn’t have to come with unintended side effects, there are natural and effective ways to deal with peripheral neuropathy and combining the tips in this article with an effective supplement like Nerve Aid can have you feeling good once again