With over 34 million Americans living with Diabetes, and approximately 50% of them suffering from Neuropathy, it is no surprise that this is the one of the most asked...
With over 34 million Americans living with Diabetes, and approximately 50% of them suffering from Neuropathy, it is no surprise that this is the one of the most asked questions we hear at my neuropathy center.
Before we start looking at reversing diabetic neuropathy, let’s start by understanding what causes diabetic neuropathy in the first place.
What causes diabetes?
There are 3 main causes of Type 2 diabetes:
- Your body is making too much insulin
- Your body is making too little insulin
- Your body isn’t responding to insulin how it should
When the insulin in your body isn’t regulated as it should be, there is no place for the sugars in your blood to go - this causes a buildup of blood sugar in your body.
The A1C (or eAG) is a scale that is used to gauge blood sugar. Anything above a 5.7 is considered “pre-diabetic”.
How does diabetes cause Neuropathy?
If you have over the normal amount of blood sugar, the excess blood sugar has to go somewhere.
So where does this extra blood sugar go?
It attacks your nerves.
First the excessive blood sugar will start attacking the myelin sheath, or the covering of nerves. Once the myelin sheath is nonexistent, the blood sugar will continue to attack and destroy your nerves.
Cue the pain, numbness, and tingling you know as neuropathy symptoms.
How to reverse diabetic neuropathy
The first step to reversing diabetic neuropathy is to begin making lifestyle changes that will improve blood flow and nerve pain.
70% of your health is dependent on nutrition.
People with diabetic neuropathy can make small lifestyle changes that will lead to big results.
Implementing nutritional changes alone can make a great impact on your health. Start by reducing the inflammation in your daily nutritional intake. For more on this, check out my YouTube playlist on Everything Nutrition.
Another lifestyle change to implement is getting regular exercise. No matter where you are in your health journey, getting regular exercise is essential.
Exercise helps:
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower chances of heart disease
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve sleep
- Help regulate blood sugar
- And so much more!
Even if you have the limited mobility, difficulty balancing, and other debilitating symptoms of diabetic neuropathy - you can still exercise!
It can be as simple as standing for 30 seconds (with good posture) for every 30 minutes you are sitting.
For more on the importance of this, watch my video on “Sitting Kills, Standing Heals”.
Conclusion: Is diabetic neuropathy reversible?
YES! You can reverse diabetic neuropathy.
No matter where you are in Your Journey to Neuropathy Relief, there are steps that you can take to reduce the inflammation in your body, reduce the excessive blood sugar that is wreaking havoc on your nervous system, and improve your overall quality of life.
Are you ready to go beyond nutrition and exercise to reverse your neuropathy?
Schedule your Neuropathy Relief Call with my team of experts.
Author's Note: This blog was updated on January 24, 2023.
