Your Nerves Have a Favourite Menu

Think of nerves like electrical wires.

They need:

Proper insulation 🧵

Steady energy ⚡

Anti-inflammatory protection 🛡️

Here’s how food steps in.

1. B Vitamins: The Nerve Repair Crew 🧰

If nerves had a maintenance team, it would be B vitamins.

⭐ Key players:

B1 (Thiamine): Helps nerve signal transmission

B6 (Pyridoxine): Supports nerve communication

B12 (Cobalamin): Protects the nerve covering (myelin)

👉 Low B12 = numbness, tingling, burning feet

🥗 Eat more of:

Eggs 🥚

Fish (tilapia, sardines, tuna) 🐟

Beans, cowpeas, lentils

Whole grains (brown rice, millet)

Dairy (milk, yogurt)

📌 Tip: Long-term diabetes and metformin use can reduce B12—diet matters!

2. Healthy Fats: Oil the Nerve Wires 🛢️

Nerves are mostly fat. The good kind, please.

⭐ Omega-3 fatty acids:

Reduce nerve inflammation

Improve nerve signaling

Support healing

🥗 Eat more of:

Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)

Flaxseeds & chia seeds 🌱

Walnuts

Soybeans

🚫 Less fried foods = less nerve irritation

3. Magnesium: The Calm-Down Mineral 😌

Magnesium helps:

Reduce nerve excitability

Ease cramps, burning, and twitching

Improve sleep (bonus!)

🥗 Eat more of:

Dark leafy greens (kontomire, spinach) 🥬

Groundnuts

Beans

Whole grains

Bananas 🍌

4. Antioxidants: Firefighters for Nerve Inflammation 🔥🚒

Oxidative stress damages nerves. Antioxidants help put out the fire.

⭐ Key nutrients:

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Polyphenols

🥗 Eat more of:

Citrus fruits 🍊

Pawpaw, mango

Avocado 🥑

Tomatoes

Green tea 🍵

5. Alpha-Lipoic Acid: The Nerve Protector 🛡️

This powerful antioxidant is well-studied in diabetic neuropathy.

🥗 Found in:

Spinach

Broccoli

Tomatoes

Organ meats (liver, kidney)

(Some people use supplements—but food comes first!)

6. Steady Blood Sugar = Happier Nerves 📉

Blood sugar spikes are like electric shocks to nerves.

What helps:

Regular meal timing ⏰

High-fiber foods

Fewer sugary drinks & refined carbs

🥗 Choose:

Whole grains instead of white bread

Beans instead of pastries

Fruits instead of sweets

Foods That Make Neuropathy Worse 🚫

Limit these nerve-irritators:

Excess alcohol 🍺

Sugary drinks & sweets

Ultra-processed foods

Trans fats & repeated frying oils

A Nerve-Friendly Plate (Simple Version)

🍽️ ½ plate: Vegetables

🍽️ ¼ plate: Protein (fish, eggs, beans)

🍽️ ¼ plate: Whole grains

➕ Healthy fats + fruits

Final Word: Your Nerves Are Listening 👂

Neuropathy isn’t just a “medication problem.”

It’s a nutrition conversation your body has been trying to start.

Feed your nerves consistently, kindly, and intentionally—and they just might stop shouting.