Can A Gluten-Free Diet Help With Your Neuropathy?

Today's post from themodernlucy.blogspot.nl (see link below) is a personal account (with no link to HIV) by a woman with neuropathic problems. She found that adopting a gluten-free diet helped considerably. A gluten free diet is not easy and may not be for everyone but there are certainly considerable numbers of people who's condition has been improved by cutting out gluten. If going the whole hog is too difficult, then reducing your intake of meat and dairy foods may help anyway.

How Peripheral Neuropathy Has Changed My Life
Thursday, June 7, 2012

Since about 4 months after my surgery, I have had peripheral neuropathy off and on. It basically feels like tingling and numbness in all my extremities, numbness in my face, and tingling on my scalp. Most doctors that I saw shortly after my experience felt that it was all psychological, but as time went on, I felt better and better psychologically but still had this feeling. I also had severe digestive issues.

I was told the only way to stop my stomach pain was to have surgery again. And, I was told that nothing would stop the peripheral neuropathy but more and more drugs. I refused both courses.

Today I can say that a gluten-free diet has improved both of these issues. I have tested it now for about the 4th time, and every time I go off the gluten-free diet, my peripheral neuropathy and brain fog get worse, and by the 4th time, they become unmanageable (I could barely get through the day). When I maintain the diet, these issues become nonexistent. Also, on the diet, I have no stomach pain or digestive issues.

Why does gluten-free help? I have no idea. I could be a celiac, but there is really no way to know. I am not willing to eat gluten for long enough to have a biopsy to verify that diagnosis because I just feel so horrible when I eat it. I have always had stomach issues, so it is very possibly that I've always had an issue with gluten. It could be postmenopausal gluten intolerance which is also very common. I plan to take it up with my doctor on my yearly appointment.

The fact that I feel so much better without the gluten is really amazing. I never thought I could get here. I do believe everything happens for a reason, and maybe I needed to have that surgery to get to where I am today with my health.

Our whole family is trying to eat a more whole foods diet. I am working on a new meal plan. I posted earlier about how I had finished a meal plan. Well, that was before I realized how crucial being gluten-free is to my well being, and it was before we decided not to eat as much meat and dairy products. We are now trying out new recipes and working on a new meal plan. I will start posting recipes soon.

 http://themodernlucy.blogspot.nl/2012/06/how-peripheral-neuropathy-has-changed.html