My [idiopathic] neuropathy is 99% numbness, no trace of diabetes however.

It has been almost 10 years since the sudden onset of my PN, in that period there has been no change, good or bad. Since the PN has not gotten worse, I consider that a "win".

Atticus, I want to say thank you for posting those links/videos. I was telling my daughter about them and coincidentally she was reading Dr. Greger’s book - How Not To Die. It is sad how doctors are quick to prescribe a medication instead of addressing nutrition with a proper diet, something that is desperately lacking in so many parts of the world.
I too am not diabetic (idiopathic) but decided to give The Whole food plant based diet a try. If it didn’t help my neuropathy at least it might clear an artery or two. After about 3 weeks I have noticed some improvement. Neuropathy is such a fickle disease that I hesitate to even say there’s improvement but so far so good.
Hope you are having continued success. So happy I ran across your post.

Hey Jane 85

I saw a film last night on Netflix that I think you will enjoy. It’s called "What The Health." It promotes a Plant Based Diet and features Michael Gregor amongst others. It’s a film everone should see. As I say its on Netflix but this is a link to a YouTube Version.

What The Health Documentary 2017 HD English Subtitles - YouTube


Next is a hardcore breakdown of sections of the film with scientific evidence/papers to back it up.


Facts — WHAT THE HEALTH



For balance. Here is an article debunking the film:-

Debunking What the Health, the buzzy new documentary that wants you to be vegan - Vox


So glad to see a fellow Plant Based Dieter. I love it and its so easy in Lockdown. I'll post an update of my diet/PN experience soon.

Take care.

what a great cooincidence. I just ordered the book "how not to die" independently of your post as my cardiologist recommended it. I am also planning to start a plant based diet soon although this will be a big challenge for me.

the study you mentioned sounds promising but I am wondering why the did not make any nerve testing to see whether the improvements could be measured as well. for me that would be a even stronger proof of concept.

Do you have any recommendations where to find good recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner (books, websites etc) ?

You make a good point regarding nerve conduction testing.

Somebody asking my advice about recipes has caused much hilarity amongst friends!

I’m afraid I can only cook to village idiot standard! If I had a top tip it would be to make use of a nutri bullet or similar. I blend broccoli, spinach, kale, tomatoes and yellow peppers for example with mixed herbs, jalapeno peppers cayenne pepper, milled flax seed then combine it with a spicy mixed or Taco beans, from the supermarket. 2x 1.5 minutes in the microwave and its done. That ticks a lot of boxes of the daily dozen ( download the app) . I use this as a sauce over baked sweet potato with roast garlic (useful for social distancing) and roast mushrooms.

My typical breakfast is oats with mixed grains ( more box ticking on daily dozen) and stir in cinnamon, milled flax seed, milled chia seed, cacao, walnuts, mixed nuts, blueberries, strawberries and red or black grapes. Flax, chia is full of omega 3, but must be milled or ground to enhance bio availability. I also occasionally add hemp seed and spirulina. That should keep you going! You may need to build up your use of seeds ( and beans) if you are not used to them (see social distancing)

A very good online resource for plant based recipes is this :-


Plant Based Recipes, A Comprehensive Archive | Forks Over Knives


There are countless quick you tube recipes like this…

YouTube


The Documentary film Forks Over Knives is itself is available on Netflix or here.

Forks Over Knives Documentary - Now on Netflix

thanks a lot!

I thought I had replied a couple weeks ago but I guess it didn't go through for some reason. Anyways, a great sources for plant based recipes is Pinterest. I have found many great recipes/ideas there. Also there is a How Not To Die Cookbook. Not sure where you live but so many Markets carry varieties of plant based burgers, pastas, etc. Costco, Trader Joe's, Amazon to name a few.
Atticus, hope your plant based diet is continuing to go well and you are continuing to see improvements. Thanks for those additional resources you posted. I have been on the plant based diet for about 8 weeks now. The neuropathy does come and go and never leaves completely but I do see an overall improvement with this diet and I am optimistic it will continue to improve. As we know nerves heal very slowly. If for no other reason, it's worth changing to a plant based diet just to reduce the environmental footprint on our planet.

Hi All, I thought I would follow up on the effects a whole food plant based diet has had on my sfn. Unfortunately for me I don’t see any improvement in my symptoms. They have progressed slightly. That is not to say that a plant based diet is not good for people with sfn, I believe it depends on the cause of one’s neuropathy. Mine may be linked to alcohol consumption and that might be the reason I am not seeing progress. Perhaps more time is needed so I am going to stay the course but wanted to give an update for anyone out there that might be following this thread. Wishing you all the best.

Another food source is LeafSide. You can order on their website. Each freeze dried meal has something like 9 of the 12 requirements in Dr. Greger’s checklist. All you do is add water. I just ordered a few - haven’t received them yet so can’t speak to their taste or how much they satisfy hunger but since I am going back to work, I thought I would give them a try. Will report back later.

Wow Leafside sounds fantastic but doesn't seem to be available in the UK. It appears to be endorsed by the Doctor. There are a lot of new Vegan Foods available in The UK, burgers, steaks and sausages etc have popped up in new supermarket sections. In fact there is a Linda McCartney Factory near where I live, but these are all heavily processed foods full of additives and for me do not represent healthy eating. Quorn for example has littlle nutritional value so are empty calories. Leafside, if those foods do retain their nutritional value in manufacture appears to be a game changer. Thanks for the tip, I shall look for a British equivalent.

In terms of PN, I have had a bit of a setback. My symptoms started in January and peaked in April and May. I have seen one doctor for nerve conduction tests which were at the bottom end of normal and have now been referred to the neurologist, but my doctor said there aren't many of them, so its going to take a while yet. But I know what I have; Alcohol Induced Peripheral Neuropathy. I was never an alcoholic but a weekend session drinker. Wheras doctors can't tell me what I have, Stella Artois can! I loaded up with B Vitamins and flooded my system with nutrient packed anti oxidant smoothies before and after some beers, but from the next day my symptoms were back. Not peak symptoms, but symptoms nevertheless.

We live and learn.

I have a weighing scale linked to a phone app so I can tell you I was 82 KG (180lbs) with 22% body fat on February 2nd when I gave up alcohol (a lot of this was visceral fat, I looked slim-ish at 1.8m. (5ft11) I am now 72.5KG (160lbs) with bodyfat of 14.5%. At 56 I have my first ever sixpack! (in favourable lighting conditions!) Due to lockdown and unusually good weather I have the best tan I have ever had so spend a lot of time at the beach with my shirt off! Ok so other people see a scrawny old man but I feel like a god!

Apart from PN symptoms of course. I feel like a fool.