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Re the impact of exercise on peripheral neuropathy: 

Sometimes peripheral neuropathy occurs 
1. to people who are sensitive to fluoride in the water (happens to me 
everytime I travel to a fluoridated area. fluoride is a neurotoxin and 
some people tolerate it better than others.
2. in people with rheumatoid arthritis (as diagnosed by Dr. Milton in 
my mother)
3. in people with borderline or actual diabetes when blood sugar is a 
problem, which especially can affect circulation in the feet so exercise is a great 
idea 
....
 One recommended a yoga segment on PBS with Peggy Cappy who specializes in yoga for folks with arthritis and other flexibility/movement issues due to age and certain conditions. I learned hand exercises from her DVDs I got on Amazon.com.
....
These are basically the exercises I do:
It is extremely difficult to articulate the toes once the neuropathy sets in. I am a pianist, so I know a bit about extremities, but I would rank this task as one of the most diffiicult things I ever had to do. I am not a Phsyical Therapist but these are my recommendations:
1) Find a P.T. who is willing to teach you how to articulate all the parts of your feet. Sometimes we need help figuring out how to get physical things to change. 
2 ) If you can't find one: put a towel on the floor and practice bunching up the towel just using your toes. Do this whenever you are barefoot.
3) With one hand hold the four small toes so that they cannot move and move the big toe either up or down. You will feel the other toes straining against your hand, but that is OK. Eventually this will "teach" your muscles what they need to recognize in order to obey commands from your brain. (I do this in bed with my feet up in air, which is also good for circulation.
4) See if you can flex the four toes (i.e., move them toward you) while extending the big toe and then reverse.
5) Move your toes constantly when you are sitting still and when you have nothing else on your mind.
6) Be patient: This takes a lot of concentration.

Be sure, of course, that you wear shoes that do not pinch your toes. Treat them with extreme kindness and you will be rewarded.

....
For inflammation I have had excellent luck with Topricin, an herbal ointment that has no odor and works.

Nancy Garniez


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