Healthy Eating for Longevity

A few years ago, I started feeling this weird tingling in my feet—like pins and needles that wouldn’t go away. Sometimes it turned into a burning sensation that made it hard to sleep. I thought it was just from wearing the wrong shoes or being on my feet too much at work. But when the same thing started in my hands, I knew something was off. After some tests, my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic, with blood sugar levels that were elevated but not yet in the full diabetes range. And those strange sensations? They were signs of peripheral neuropathy, nerve damage that can begin even in the pre-diabetes stage.

It was a wake-up call. Pre-diabetes often doesn’t come with obvious symptoms, but for some of us, neuropathy shows up early. Studies show that people with pre-diabetes have an increased risk of developing neuropathy, which can cause pain, numbness, or problems with balance, even if it’s usually milder than in advanced diabetes (Bongaerts et al., 2013; Ziegler, 2023).

Image credits: Total Care Injury & Pain Centers (left), Freedom Clinics (middle), Verywell Health (right)

The root issue here is often insulin resistance, where your cells don’t respond properly to insulin, causing blood sugar to rise and eventually damage nerves. Components of metabolic syndrome, like higher waist circumference or abnormal lipids, can contribute to this nerve damage independently of blood sugar levels (Callaghan et al., 2016).

Image credits: Dreamstime.com (left), Nature (right)

The encouraging part is that pre-diabetes—and the insulin resistance driving it—can often be reversed with lifestyle changes, which may halt or even improve neuropathy symptoms. One video that really helped me understand this was Dr. Josh Axe’s “How to Reverse Insulin Resistance Naturally in 30 Days.” He explains insulin resistance in a simple way, likening it to how your body adapts to constant noise and stops responding. The good news? You can retrain your cells to listen to insulin again through natural habits (Axe, 2024).

In the video, Dr. Axe shares practical steps: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods with plenty of protein and fiber, especially for breakfast. Choose smarter carbs like berries, sweet potatoes, or quinoa, and avoid processed sugars and refined grains. He also advises combining exercise—strength training plus cardio—for at least 150 minutes a week, managing stress, prioritizing sleep, and considering intermittent fasting if it fits your lifestyle.

Motivated by this, I made gradual changes: more vegetables, lean proteins, and daily walks. I started monitoring my blood sugar to track improvements.

Image credits: Prevention (left), Second Nature (middle), HUM Nutrition Blog (right)

Image credits: Healthline (left), NBC News (middle), Diabetes Voice (right)

Slowly, my symptoms started to ease—the tingling became less frequent, and I had more energy overall. Even modest weight loss helped, since excess abdominal fat fuels insulin resistance. It’s not a quick fix, but addressing insulin resistance has given me real hope that my neuropathy doesn’t have to progress.

If you’re experiencing similar symptoms, please see your doctor soon. Early screening for neuropathy in pre-diabetes is key, and lifestyle interventions can truly make a difference (Mayo Clinic, 2024). You’re not alone in this, and taking steps now can lead to a healthier future.

Bibliography

Axe, J. (2024, October 27). How to reverse insulin resistance naturally in 30 days [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CisGqhRrErY

Bongaerts, B. W. C., Rathmann, W., Heier, M., Kowall, B., Herder, C., Stöckl, D., Meisinger, C., & Ziegler, D. (2013). Older subjects with diabetes and prediabetes are frequently unaware of having distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy: The KORA F4 study. Diabetes Care, 36(5), 1141–1146. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc12-0744

Callaghan, B. C., Xia, R., Banerjee, M., de Rekeneire, N., Harris, T. B., Newman, A. B., Satterfield, S., Schwartz, A. V., Vinik, A. I., Feldman, E. L., & Strotmeyer, E. S. (2016). Metabolic syndrome components are associated with symptomatic polyneuropathy independent of glycemic status. Diabetes Care, 39(5), 801–807. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc16-0081

Mayo Clinic. (2024, June 10). Diabetic neuropathy – Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-neuropathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20371580

Ziegler, D., Herder, C., & Papanas, N. (2023). Neuropathy in prediabetes. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, 39(8), Article e3693. https://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.3693