Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
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Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that affects over 5 million Americans. These people deal with pain throughout their body that can impact their sleep, energy and overall wellness. Studies have shown that there are some nutrients that can help people with this issue.
diabetic neuropathy
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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Many people experience the feeling of pins and needles at some point in their lives. Today, I want to focus on diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve pain or loss of sensation that occurs due to excessive glycation brought on by diabetes. I want to talk about what you can be doing in terms of different nutrients that may be very supportive to this condition.†
When we think of neuropathy as a whole, we know that this is defined as a disease or dysfunction of one or more of the peripheral nerves. This can cause numbness or weakness, which is often described as a sharp shooting pain or as pins and needles. One may also lose the sensation within the area completely, which is usually a very bad thing, especially in the setting of diabetics.†
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Many people who have diabetes often develop nerve problems because the high blood sugar creates damage to the nerve cells themselves. When this causes diabetic neuropathy, this can make everyday things such as driving and walking difficult because of a loss of sensation. There are additional factors that can play a role in the development of this problem, such as aging, cardiovascular issues and elevated triglycerides.†
Having a healthy diet and regular exercise are crucial, but there are also nutrients that may offer very complementary health benefits when it comes to the nerves. We can look at things such as acetyl-l-carnitine (Alcar) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). Both of these nutrients have been shown in clinical trials to show improvement in people who have diabetic neuropathy. ALA is a very powerful antioxidant that targets glycation and oxidative stress, while Alcar helps with the creation of energy within the nerves themselves. This can help with nerve regeneration.†
Omega-3 fatty acids also come into play to help protect the covering of the nerve cells. There are also things that can help target and ease the discomfort of this, such as curcumin, which is found in our Bio-CurcuminⓇ 5-LoxinⓇ formulation. We also have to think about the basics including Vitamin D.†
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In this episode, Amanda Williams, MPH explains what exactly diabetic neuropathy is and what it may cause. She also goes into detail on various nutrients that may help to protect the nerves from the development of this issue.†
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Sleep is important for things like immune health, energy and memory. But as you get older, it may become harder to fall into a deep sleep, which can negatively impact your memory.
Curcumin is often paired with joint health. But studies have shown, when combined with Boswellia, they also support healthy inflammation.
Inflammation is your body’s natural response to protect itself against harm. “Harm” can include banging your knee, cutting your finger, infections like the flu, or even the affects of smoking. It is connected to diseases of the gut, skincare issues, and higher risks of bone and joint problems. As you can imagine, any inflammation that affects the bones and joints can become painful, especially when the swelling and build-up of tissue begins to press against the nerve endings. However, because inflammation is naturally beneficial and essential for your body – helping to mediate injuries and infections – it is not just a bodily function that “older” men and women should pay attention to. Here’s why everyone should be aware of inflammation.
In a study published in the Journal of Gerontology, researchers followed 5,769 Americans for 24 years, from the time they were in middle adulthood (the mean age was 52) to late adulthood. They found that every instance of high inflammation that participants had in their midlife (measured by markers in the bloodstream like white blood cell counts), put them at a 39% higher risk of frailty 24 years later. Those who had high levels of inflammation in middle adulthood had a 9% prevalence of frailty in late adulthood; those who had low levels in middle adulthood had nearly half that.
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“Middle adulthood may be an especially important period for poor health in older adults for multiple reasons,” lead study author Keenan Walker, PhD, reports. “First, it is in middle age when the incidence of common chronic diseases, such as diabetes, begins to accelerate. Second, compare to individuals who develop systemic disease and inflammation later in life, individuals who develop these conditions in midlife may have a longer exposure and therefore are more susceptible to deleterious physiological effects.”
There are numerous ways to reduce inflammation, but according to Harvard Medical School’s website, there are foods that are inflammation-promoting and foods that have been shown to combat it. Stay away from refined carbohydrates (white bread and pastries), fried foods (yes- that means french fries), sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, and margarine or shortening. Foods that have been shown to combat inflammation are tomatoes, olive oil, green-leafy vegetables (spinach and kale), nuts, fatty fish, and fruits.
There’s a link between inflammation and sleep! Click here to learn more.
But the vast majority of individuals in the U.S. are following a diet that is quite rich in the building blocks of what turns inflammation on, but consume very few foods that build up the inflammation resolvers. The good news is that nature has provided us with powerful regulators – omega-3 fatty acids and turmeric (curcumin).
Omega-3 fatty acids, especially the ones we find in fish and krill oil, are EPA and DHA. They help to create the compounds that turn off localized inflammation. Your body does not make omega-3 fatty acids so it’s important to get them through food sources like salmon, tuna and anchovies or through supplementation.
In a study published to the journal Cell, Omega, Omega-3 fatty acids were found to reduce inflammation by acting on receptors found in fat tissue and also found on inflammatory immune cells called macrophages. Omega-3 fatty acids have been long associated with anti-inflammatory effects.
When it comes to herbs and inflammation, the spice turmeric (curcumin) has been shown to be very powerful and effective. “Turmeric acts like a dimmer switch. It lets the injury heal or the immune system get rid of the infection, but when that is completed they make sure inflammation is turned off. Otherwise, the body becomes stuck in a vicious cycle of inflammation that will not subside, leading to damage that perpetuates the inflammation,” according to former director of nutrition Nicole Crane, B.S., NTP.