The Daily Monitor

Vitamin B Diet, Exercise Often Overcome Neuritis
By CLAUD NORTH CHRISMAN, M.D.

PROLONGED pressure on a nerve may cause a local neuritis, when only one nerve is affected. Railway engineers often suffer from sciatica or inflammation of sciatic nerve tissue from sitting for long hours in a narrow seat, causing undue pressure on the right hip. At the same time they lean on the

Causing neuritis of the nerves of the ear or two ago baffled me at first. The patient was a traveling
man and drove an automobile many hours. I found that he leaned his left elbow continuously on the lower edge of the window and caused irritation of the ulnar nerve. He had great difficulty in overcoming
the habit, but when he did the trouble disappeared. Some persons have the habit of sitting with one arm hung over the back of their chairs; and many sleep with an arm over the edge of the bed. The result is often irritation to the nerve, and even temporary paralysis,
which disappears with time. Prolonged exposure of an arm or the face to a cold wind or rain, may cause paralysis of the part, with a severe neuritis. Another cause of local paralysis is the spreading of inflammation from some part of the body to a neighboring nerve. Toxins Formed A common example of this is a good case coming from an inflammation
of the hip joint or the sacro-iliac joint in the lower part of the spine. In all the activities of the body,
cells and tissues are destroyed and all organs throw off waste products; if these are not carried away promptly they will form toxins which affect the nerves. If certain nerves are worn out from overwork, they are the ones to be affected. The majority of starvation, or reducing, diets prevent proper nourishment of the nerves as well as of other tissues. Neuritis may result from lack of food. To overcome neuritis, it is necessary
that the entire system get nourishment to keep it healthy and able to resist inflammation. Overeating Is Just as Harmful as Undereating, If more food
is taken into the body than is required to maintain health, the residue of unused food accumulates
and eventually poisons the system. We may get plenty of food, but it may not contain the necessary elements to maintain healthy nerves. A well-rounded diet is essential for properly nourishing
the nerves. It has been found that the vitamins have much to do with maintaining healthy nerves, especially vitamin B. Vitamin Requirements The lack of this vitamin is the cause of much nerve degeneration
and paralysis. Our preparation of some of the foods removes almost all vitamin B. The polishing of rice and removal of the hull of wheat and corn removes the vitamin. So to restore this, it is necessary
to eat foods containing large quantities of B vitamin or to take pure vitamin B. Whole wheat grains are the best and most economical source of this vitamin. Other sources are beans, peas,
spinach, brewers' yeast, oysters, egg yolk and asparagus. To overcome a neuritis, large quantities of vitamin B are required. Only your doctor, by careful watching, can say how much or how long. Exercise in the open air is necessary whenever possible to build up the general system. Walking, swimming and plenty of sunshine will help. The local application of heat may help. Elimination of waste and removal of all possible causes must be insisted upon. Drinking an abundance of water aids in carrying
off of waste products. The vitamin is necessary and the program of treatment must be left to your doctor. Don't try to treat a case of neuritis yourself.