Neuropathy is another name for nerve disease associated with diabetes.

It can result in having feet amputated. However, it can be avoided altogether with proper control of blood sugar. 60% of diabetics are diagnosed with this disease, most of whom are over 40 years of age.

If blood sugars are not monitored and controlled, neuropathy generally sets in after 10 years or more. With proper control of blood sugars, this disease can be avoided completely.

Drinking does not help, and combined with poor glucose control, can contribute to this disease. Those with longer nerves, ie tall people are generally at more risk of contracting this disease.

The symptoms of nerve disease are not obvious and come on gradually. The easiest to detect is a loss, partial or total, of feeling in the feet.

If this happens you must use your eyes to check your feet, because once sensation is lost, it is quite possible to stand on a broken piece of glass for example, and feel no pain.

Normally, if we experience pressure in certain areas of the foot, we can take action to stop it. However, if the person in this situation is diabetic and has neuropathy, they may not notice the discomfort. Ultimately, as the pressure continues, the skin in the area becomes hard and eventually becomes an ulcer.

It is quite possible for this to go unnoticed, and the problem is that as the ulcer spreads, by the time it is found; the only cure may be amputation.

Neuropathy can be avoided altogether with the correct disciplines:

- Ensure that your blood sugar levels are stable. Take action to get them under control.

- Consult a doctor if you suffer form high stress levels.

- Take regular exercise. High levels of cholesterol clog blood vessels and contribute to neuropathy. Exercise, which can be something as simple as walking, helps reduce cholesterol.

- Quit Smoking. It’s not just lung cancer smoking is responsible for. It is also a major cause of PAD (peripheral Arterial Disease), which attacks the feet first.

If you do smoke, consider taking up a hobby. Toby, the author of this article and a type 2 diabetic, smoked and suffered from stress. To ease his stress, he took up the Martin Backpacker guitar which he finds very effective at tackling stress. His Martin Backpacker guitar sounds great and is easy to transport.

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