Simple steps to better health

(ARA) - If you've been diagnosed with diabetes - Type 2 diabetes in particular - you may have been told you need to make some significant lifestyle changes to maintain your health. Those changes can seem challenging, even for the most disciplined people.

Many Americans with diabetes also suffer from neuropathy, a burning, tingling sensation caused by nerve pain, often affecting the feet most. Nerve pain can make it nearly impossible to build exercise into daily life, no matter how disciplined you are.

"I had numbness and shooting pain on the pads of my feet, near my toes. It was getting to the point where I couldn't walk across the room, let alone exercise regularly," says Sue Bartlett, who suffers from nerve pain associated with diabetes. "As a diabetic, I know I'm supposed to exercise, but the pain was keeping me from getting on my feet."

But relief is available at your local drug store. Neuragen, an over-the-counter topical pain reliever, offers relief for people suffering from nerve pain.

Neuragen is a homeopathic drug that can be applied at the site of nerve pain. About 70 to 80 percent of people who use Neuragen experience rapid pain relief, and one out of two of those people benefit from a remarkable level of pain relief - their pain is reduced by half or better. Often pain reduction happens within 30 minutes of application.

Now that the product is widely available in the U.S. and Canada, people with neuropathy can get back on their feet again. Many also find it easier to sleep and feel generally happier because the chronic pain is reduced.

Once you're feeling better, it's important to ease into your new healthy lifestyle step by step. Too often, people jump into lifestyle changes and give up because the change is too dramatic.

"Once they're no longer suffering from chronic pain, I suggest patients build exercise and healthy eating habits into their lives gradually," says Dr. Alex MacLellan, a naturopathic physician based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "Taking the stairs to work, eating more fruit and vegetables, even getting more sleep and having a positive attitude can make you healthier."

Dr. MacLellan suggests focusing on the areas of your life where realistic improvements can be made. Some of these include:

Exercise in short bursts. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that thin people burn calories by incorporating more short bursts of activity into their day. Consider little things like delivering a message to your colleague in person instead of by e-mail, or exercising during the commercials while watching your favorite television show. These activities are easy to build into your routine and burn calories throughout the day.

Get more sleep. Getting a good night's sleep is important to physical and emotional well-being. People are healthier and happier when they're well-rested. If you're having trouble getting to bed earlier, try moving your bed time back a minute or so at a time. Over time you'll build in extra sleep and start to feel better.

Build in healthy foods. Modifying your diet with healthier fare can help you lose weight and better control your diabetes. Try adding something good for you to each meal - whether it's raspberries or radishes. If you keep it up, eventually the good foods will win out.

Be happy. It's sometimes difficult to feel cheerful when you're dealing with a chronic illness. But looking at life more positively can improve your mental and physical well-being. When you're feeling down, consider the things you're most grateful for and keep them in mind.

"By introducing small changes into your life, you're more likely to succeed in improving your health for the long term," adds Dr. MacLellan.

To find out more about how you can relieve nerve pain and improve your day-to-day life, visit www.neuragen.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent