Living with neuropathy means living with a condition that can inhibit every aspect of your life. But with a few simple changes to your lifestyle, you can limit the condition’s effects.
I have this friend who I’ve always admired.
His approach to life is that he should do whatever makes him happy at all times. He tells me that we’re only here for a short while, so we should make the most of it.
I love that outlook on life.
Unfortunately, it’s that outlook that has also led to him making some lifestyle choices that aren’t great for his body. And my friend has a couple of vices that have finally started to catch up to him.
I saw the full effects the last time we met up.
This amazing man, who was always so full of life, looked like a broken shell of his former self. And as I saw him slowly hobbling towards me, I knew that he was struggling with neuropathy long before he actually told me.
Thankfully, I have good news for both my friend and anybody else who has this debilitating condition.
There are some small lifestyle changes that you can make to limit the effects of peripheral neuropathy. And in this article, we look at four of them.
Change #1 – Quit Smoking
When I talk about my friend’s vices, smoking is right at the top of the list. He was even lighting up during our last meeting, even though he knows all about the health risks involved.
As we talked, I again encouraged him to give up the cigarettes.
It’s a conversation we’ve had many times before. Only this time, I believe it stuck because I revealed how quitting smoking can help to reduce the nerve pain he’s struggling with.
Among the many negative health effects that smoking has is the fact that it narrows your blood vessels. And over extended periods, it can even cause damage to these vessels, which affects blood circulation.
The issue here is that your body uses blood to transport valuable oxygen to your cells. Limiting your circulation means your body isn’t getting what it needs to stay in good condition. The result is the breakdown of previously healthy cells and bodily functions, all of which can contribute to nerve pain.
By quitting smoking, you stop damaging your valuable blood vessels. At the very least, this ensures your nerve pain doesn’t get any worse due to a bad habit.
Change #2 – Alter Your Diet
In many cases, neuropathy is caused by another health condition. And diabetes is one of the chief culprits behind nerve pain.
If you have diabetic neuropathy, changes to your diet can have a huge impact.
Cutting out as much sugar as possible is the obvious first move. Regulating your blood sugar levels ensures that your body won’t go through peaks and troughs of producing the insulin hormone.
It’s also worth restricting your alcohol intake, as the toxins present in alcohol can inhibit blood flow and lead to further pain.
As for positive changes, aim to eat more low-fat meats, fruits, and vegetables. You should also focus on various types of food that serve as natural sources of B vitamins, as a deficiency in vitamins B1 and B12 can contribute to nerve pain.
The key here is moderation.
Trying to go cold turkey from the different types of food that contribute to neuropathy could lead to cravings that result in binge eating.
Your sugary snacks and alcoholic drinks should be occasional treats, with the majority of your diet made up of healthier foods.
Change #3 – Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise has several benefits leading to a reduction in nerve pain.
To start with, it strengthens your muscles, providing your entire body with more support. It can also help you regulate your blood sugar levels, which is especially useful if you have diabetic neuropathy.
However, the challenge here is that your nerve pain may make many forms of exercise intolerable.
As such, focus on low-impact exercises that don’t require you to place a lot of pressure on your joints. Walking, cycling, and swimming are all good choices. Swimming, in particular, allows you to exercise most of the muscle groups in your body while you receive support from the water.
Change #4 – Meditation
The mental effects of neuropathy are often underestimated.
Knowing that you may have to fight against your own body just to complete the simplest of tasks can take a mental toll. Your frustration can lead to stress, which can result in poor lifestyle choices.
For example, you may seek to alleviate your stress by smoking or binge eating. As a result, your attempts to combat your stress in the short-term result in choices that negatively impact your nerve pain in the long term.
With that said, meditation is ideal for those who are dealing with a lot of stress.
The practice gives you an opportunity to escape from all of the stresses of the world so you can focus on yourself. Combine meditation with breathing exercises and you have a non-invasive way of reducing your stress levels.
Reduction in stress then leads to better lifestyle choices and more sleep, both of which can help to alleviate your nerve pain.
Interestingly, it also appears that meditation can have a direct impact on the amount of pain you feel.
The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy published an article in 2017 that examined the positive effects of meditation for those with nerve pain. It found that those who engaged in regular meditation experience an average of 40% pain reduction compared to those who don’t meditate.
So, it appears meditation can help with your physical symptoms just as much as it can help with the mental and emotional challenges of neuropathy.
Supplement Your Fight Against Nerve Pain
I shared all of these lifestyle changes with my friend.
And I’m glad to report that he’s doing a lot better.
Though he hasn’t quite managed to quit smoking just yet, he’s cut down massively. He’s also eating better, exercising more regularly, and starting to take back control of his life.
The simple lifestyle changes in this article can help you to do the same.
So, too, can Nervitalize.
Our all-natural supplement helps you find permanent relief from nerve pain. And if you’d like to find out more about it, check out Nervitalize on our website today.
Resources:
https://foxintegratedhealthcare.com/neuropathy/6-lifestyle-changes-that-improve-neuropathy-pain/
https://winsantor.com/five-lifestyle-changes-to-relieve-symptoms-for-peripheral-neuropathy/
https://www.foundationforpn.org/2017/04/28/5502/