7 Foods to improve nerve pain and 5 to avoid if you have neuropathic pain


Burning or ice cold pain, tingling, pins 
and needles, electrical shock sensations,   throbbing pain, and numbness. These are 
typical symptoms of neuropathic pain,   or pain caused by a disease or injury 
to a nerve or the neurological system.  There are more than 100 conditions that 
can cause nerve pain. The most common are   peripheral neuropathy, shingles, sciatic 
nerve compression, carpal tunnel syndrome,   trigeminal neuralgia, multiple sclerosis, 
spinal cord injury and post-stroke pain.  The nutrition to the nerves is very important. 
The nerves need essential nutrients to regenerate   and to heal. And many times, lack of nutrients or 
toxic nutrients are the cause of the nerve pain.  Today, I’ll tell you about 7 food groups 
that you should incorporate in your diet   if you have neuropathic pain.

I’ll also tell 
you about 5 food groups that you should avoid.   If you stay until the end, I’ll show you 
a link to a handout that you can download   with all this information and print at home.
So, let’s talk about foods for nerve pain today.  Here are the 7 foods that you need to add 
to your regular diet to combat nerve pain:  First food group
Foods rich in omega   3 fatty acids. These are essential fatty acids 
that are the basis of our brain and myelin that   covers the nerves. They are also important for 
regeneration after a nerve injury. Omega 3 is an   anti-inflammatory nutrient, and inflammation 
is involved in nerve injury and diseases.  Foods rich in omega 3 include fish from 
cold water like salmon, cod, tuna, sardines,   mackerel and herring. Some seeds are also 
rich in omega 3, like chia and flaxseeds.  So, if you add omega 3 rich food to your 
diet, at least 2 portions of fish every week,   you have a good supply of omega 3.

But 
if you don’t eat fish or these seeds,   then you may need to think of supplementing 
with fish oil or omega 3 capsules.  Watch my other video about 
omega 3 to learn more about it. The second food group
Fruits, especially grapes and berries,   contain antioxidants and substances that protect 
the nerves from further damage. These antioxidants   reduce chronic inflammatory processes which 
cause a slow process of nerve degeneration.  So, if you have a portion of berries or grapes 
every day you will be protected.

Examples of   berries are blueberries, blackberries, 
cranberries, cherries and strawberries.   Green, red and dark grapes are all good too.
Other fruits that are also beneficial are oranges,   as they contain a lot of vitamin C that helps 
healing and boost the immunological system. The third food group are grains
Give preference to whole grains such   as brown rice, oats, and quinoa. Grains 
are seeds from grasses called cereals.   Grain products can be processed into flour. 
However, as much as possible, try to avoid   processed and refined grains, and eat them 
whole to maintain their nutritional composition.  For example, rice is a grain.

White rice is 
processed and refined. So, choose brown rice.  If you don’t like brown rice, then your 
next best choice is parboiled rice.  Grains contain many nutrients important to nerve 
health, including many necessary vitamin B.  Here is a comparison of the 3 types of rices:  A normal portion of rice is 
about 5.5 ounces or 155 grams.  In terms of calories, they are all 
equivalent, around 200 calories.  But Brown rice has 23% of Vitamin B1 (or 
thiamine) and 25% of vitamin B3 (or niacin),   11% of vitamin B6, 3.5% of vitamin 
B9 or folate and 14% of Magnesium  Parboiled rice has 10% of Vitamin B1, 
23% of vitamin B3, 14% of vitamin B6,   1% of folate and 3% of Magnesium.
White rice has 3% of B1 and 4% of vitamin B3, 9%   of vitamin B6, 1% of folate and 7% of Magnesium.
I prepared a handout for you, that you can   download it for FREE on my website.

Just 
go to www. Doctorandreafurlan.com/nutrition Grains are a type of carbohydrate, and carbs 
are converted into energy to your brain.  Did you know that the brain consumes 20% of 
all energy that we eat? That is why when you   are studying, paying attention to something 
really important, or doing a very intense   cognitive task you feel a lot hungrier.
So, feed your brain with grains! The Fourth food group are nuts
Nuts are very rich in many vitamins and minerals.  They are very rich in Vitamin B, which 
are important to nerve and brain health.   They also have fibers, omega-3 fatty 
acids, unsaturated fats, and are an   excellent source of energy to the brain.
Examples are walnuts, cashews, almonds,   Brazil nuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, 
chestnuts, pecans and pistachios.  Nut oils are also a good source 
of healthy nutrients from nuts,   however, they don’t contain fibers.  The Fifth food group.
Beans.  Beans are considered legumes. They are rich in 
magnesium which helps in nerve regeneration,   and blocks pain signals in central sensitization. 
Watch my other video about Magnesium and pain.  Any kind of bean is good.

Black 
beans, pinto beans, lima beans,   fava beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
Beans are rich in carbohydrates,   which are excellent for converting 
them into energy for the brain. Well, before I continue, let me remind you 
that this video is not intended to provide   medical advice, it is for educational purposes 
only. If you have a medical condition that   requires treatment, please talk to your doctor 
to get a treatment plan for you. And if there   is any emergency, please go to the nearest 
emergency department or call an ambulance. The Sixth food group is meat.
Meat protein.  Meat products contain a lot of vitamin 
B12, iron and proteins. These are very   important for the function of the neurological 
system, oxygenation and to prevent anemia.  Give preference to lean meat, 
like chicken and turkey.

The final and seventh food group
Can you guess what the last food group is?  Of course!
Don’t forget your vegetables.  Vegetables contain many 
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Try to incorporate them on your 
diet, many times during the day.   Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, kale 
are rich in alpha-lipoic acid (ALA),   a potent substance that fights nerve 
damage and improves nerve function.  Potatoes and yam are also rich in ALA 
and other anti-inflammatory nutrients. Now I am going to tell you 5 things to avoid!
Do you like this video so far? So, give a   thumbs up here, and don’t forget 
to subscribe to this channel.  If you have neuropathic pain, I recommend 
you watch my video about alcohol and pain.  Alcohol can be the cause of peripheral 
neuropathy, and it makes other nerve pains worse.  Second.

Limit the amount of sodium. Salt is very 
dangerous, and if you are not used to reading the   labels of all the foods you eat every day, I 
highly recommend you start reading and using a   calculator to add all the salt you eat in a day. 
You should limit to 2,300 mg of sodium per day.  Third. Avoid food high in sugar. 
They can decompensate diabetes,   and diabetes is the most frequent cause of 
peripheral neuropathy.

So, avoid white sugar,   brown sugar, ice cream, snacks, desserts, and 
processed foods. Avoid pops and artificial   juices. Avoid candies, donuts, cakes and pies.
And I have to tell you this. Avoid chocolate.   I wish I had something nicer to 
tell you. Yes, I love chocolate too.  The fourth thing you need to avoid is 
unhealthy fats. Avoid any deep-fried   stuff and red meat with that big fat around 
it. Eggs are permitted but avoid fried eggs.  Fifth and last, avoid too much caffeine. 
Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nerve system,   causes tremors, and irritability, 
and can aggravate nerve pain.   Check your pain medications; some 
of them already contain caffeine.

Send this video to your friends who have 
neuropathic pain. There is a share button here.  Here are other videos from my 
channel that you can watch.  Goodbye!.

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