People who suffer from fibromyalgia are plagued by persistent pain and lasting fatigue. These symptoms can make it difficult to shop for, prepare, and eat wholesome and nutritious meals. Nevertheless, a wholesome diet is very prominent in helping population with fibromyalgia counteract stress, detoxify the body, and restore nutrients to the areas that need them the most.
If your medical physician has given you the diagnosis of having fibromyalgia, what you may not know is that all fibromyalgia patients also suffer from:
The Food Pyramid
* Nutritional deficiencies
* Food sensitivities
* Blood sugar imbalances
* Infections: yeast, viral and bacterial
* Severe hormone imbalances
When you address all of these "X" factors at the same time and contribute the body with the right equilibrium of food and nutrient-dense foods (as opposed to nutrient-deficient ones), you originate an internal environment conducive to restoring the natural rhythm within and enable transformation and medical to occur.
What we take into our body-be it wholesome food, drink, drugs, pesticides or junk food-can dramatically sway our quality to stay healthy. Because many fibromyalgia sufferers are sensitive to food, drugs, chemicals and pollutants in the environment already, it's prominent not to subject yourself to them and to avoid as many as you perhaps can. Researchers from the University of Florida finished that food intolerance and confident added chemicals in foods led to needful exacerbation of symptoms in fibromyalgia patients along with pain, swelling, and joint stiffness.
Your nutritional status determines, to a expansive extent, your capacity to enunciate health, energy levels, and your quality to adapt to your environment. Your genes express themselves in your environment - the food you eat, water you drink, air, and so on. If your environment is too hostile for them (too many junk foods, contaminated air and water, etc) you cannot adapt and disease results. If your environment is nourishing, you have a greater resistance to disease and are more likely to perceive condition and vitality. Of equal point is allowance or extraction of the intake of toxic substances in the body such as anti-nutrients and environmental chemicals and pollutants, which have become a major qoute in our "modern" diets.
We are all biochemically unique in our needs since they depend on a whole host of factors, from the strengths and weaknesses you were born with right up to the effects that your current environment has on you. No one way of eating or diet is perfect for everyone, and it is only straight through direct monitoring and control of your own food that you will inspect your own right balance. However, our goal in the pursuance of higher energy levels is to understand that our body is fueled from the foods we eat and to understand which foods contribute us with the needful and proper ingredients to originate energy, healing, and optimum health. Here are some of the attributes of food and food as it contributes to your health.
Whole Foods: Organic, Raw & Live Produce
The most prominent foundation for condition is to eat foods that contribute exactly the amount of energy and nutrients required to keep the body in perfect balance. A good deal of energy is consumed and wasted in trying to disarm or rid the body of toxic chemicals from our food sources. The toxins that cannot be eliminated acquire in body tissue and conduce to conditions like Fm. It is now virtually impossible to avoid all these substances completely, as there is nowhere on our planet that is not contaminated in some way from the by-products of our modern chemical age. Therefore, we must be diligent in selecting as wisely as we perhaps can.
Choosing organic foods whenever inherent is the nearest we can get to eating a pure diet today. The most corrective fruits and vegetables are those that have been grown organically-without the use of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, or growth-stimulating chemicals, which are potentially toxic to our bodies. Raw, organic food is the most natural and beneficial way to take food into the body. Raw (also called live) foods also contain enzymes and these help to digest food more completely, which increases absorption and assimilation of vital nutrients within the food. This leads to an growth in energy and vitality. Cooking food above 118 degrees F. Destroys enzymes and reduces the uptake of nutrients. Try to eat at least 50% of your fresh produce in its raw state in salads and other tasty dishes. If raw produce does not agree with you because of weak digestion capabilities, steam your vegetables lightly in a steamer, cooking pan, or wok just until slightly tender.
For population suffering with fibromyalgia (and rheumatic disorders), studies have shown that a diet consisting of whole foods brings the body back to a state of condition and helps heighten symptoms dramatically. In addition to the fact that whole foods happen to be antioxidant laden, and antioxidant foods possess anti-inflammatory properties, there are other factors, such as fiber and needful fatty acids found in whole unadulterated foods that function together to growth immunity and heighten wide health.
Remember, most fruits and vegetables are best eaten in their entirety, as all of the parts, along with the skin, contain needful nutrients. Eat at least eight to ten servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day. That may sound like a lot but we are talking about one serving is half a cup full and this food source is vital in helping to win the battle against Fm. These plant foods are the basic source of the vitamins, minerals; antioxidants and phytonutrients (more on what these are next) that help originate and preserve health. Nobody can argue with eating fruits and vegetables. It is the one thing that scientists all agree on to originate longevity, energy, and health.
It is a good idea for population suffering with fibromyalgia to limit their intake of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, because these substances can be very stressful and acid for the body.
Fibromyalgia Diet & Food: What to Eat
o Water: Water is a vital element for the wide condition of the body. Drinking at least eight glasses of purified water each day helps to heighten the circulation, and move nutrients and waste straight through the system. A plentiful intake of liquids is also prominent for flushing out toxins.
o Fiber: A high-fiber diet helps to move nutrients and waste straight through the system more efficiently. This reduces strain on the digestive system and can help promote regular bowel movements. Fresh vegetables, especially greens, are perfect sources of fiber. Fruits are loaded with antioxidants, minerals and nutrients and are a good substitute when needing a sweet treat.
o Protein: Add Lean protein, such as that found in fish, poultry, and fresh raw nuts and seeds into your diet.
o Fish: Fatty fish such as trout, cod, halibut, mackerel and salmon also contain oils that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. As with flax, these nutrients work as natural anti-inflammatory agents to alleviate the pain and swelling of fibromyalgia.
o Alfalfa: Alfalfa contains saponins, sterols, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, vitamins, amino acids, minerals and trace elements. These nutrients help to control pain and alleviate stiffness.
o Flax seed: Flax seed and flax seed oil are great sources of the omega-3 needful fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid. When consumed, this nutrient converts in the body to hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are natural anti-inflammatory agents that help to cut the swelling and inflammation linked with fibromyalgia.
The Fibromyalgia Diet & Food: What Not To Eat
o Processed Foods: Foods that are very processed, such as canned foods, foods that contain large amounts of saturated or hydrogenated fats, such as dairy products, meat, and margarine may be stressful for the body. Saturated fats, in particular, interfere with circulation, and may be responsible for addition inflammation and pain.
o Caffeine, Alcohol, and Sugar: Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and sugar as these substances can cause fatigue, growth muscle pain, and interfere with normal sleep patterns.
o Many fibromyalgia sufferers have food allergies and sensitivities especially to gluten. The best way to find out if you do too is to eliminate it completely for 1 to 3 months and consideration how you feel and your condition improves.
Preparing and Eating Meals
o Eat Small Meals: Fibromyalgia can make it difficult to shop for, prepare, and cook large nutritious meals. Try to eat four to five small meals daily rather than three larger ones, so that you will have a good contribute of nutrients without the struggle of large meals.
o Take Breaks: Plan to take plentifulness of breaks while you are making ready and eating your meals. It will be easier and less stressful to put together a nutritious meal, if you start making ready about a half hour earlier, and allow two fifteen-minute breaks in the process.
Fibromyalgia Nutritional Supplements
Several nutritional supplements may be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Always discuss the benefits of nutritional supplements with your condition care victualer before adding a new supplement to your diet.
o Antioxidants: Antioxidants help to neutralize free-radical damage and cut inflammation. Vitamins A, E, and C are good sources of antioxidants
o Evening Primrose Oil: Evening primrose oil is a good source of needful fatty acids. These nutrients act as a natural anti-inflammatory in the body, thereby reducing the pain of fibromyalgia.
o Vitamin B: If emotional or physical stress is a problem, taking extra B vitamins will help the nerves and heighten energy.
o Royal Jelly: Bee products such as bee pollen or royal jelly supplements are a safe and productive way to fight the fatigue of fibromyalgia.
o Magnesium: magnesium contributes to more than 300 functions within the body along with heart regulation and blood pressure. Magnesium is a natural relaxant and stool softener so it works to help you sleep well and helps with constipation.
o Calcium: A calcium supplement is great for strengthening the bones and enhancing muscle and nerve function. Calcium orotate is the best form.
o Dhea: Dhea has been used successfully in the treatment of other autoimmune conditions such as complicated sclerosis and lupus. Dhea helps to restore equilibrium to the immune system and helps to enunciate the integrity of the nervous system.
o Grape Seed Extract: Grape seed passage is a remarkable antioxidant. It also helps to preserve the functioning of the thymus gland.
o Co-enzyme Q10: this nutrient is other potent antioxidant that helps to deliver oxygen to cells.
o Lipoic Acid: This supplemental nutrient helps to heighten the metabolism of carbohydrates. It also helps to boost energy levels.
o Corvalen D-ribose: d-ribose helps to plainly overcome fatigue, cut the pain and soreness of tired muscles, and helps your body make adenosine triphosphate (Atp), the "energy currency" of the cell. It has been proven very flourishing in helping population with fibromyalgia.
For fibromyalgia, there is no magic pill; the treatment is not a prescription medication or a drug. While some medications may offer short-term symptom relief, fibromyalgia does seem to be mostly linked in one way or other with poor diet and nutritional deficiencies. What is mostly needed is changing the way you live and living in harmony with your genes. It is not using foods and chemicals that are working against you genetically. It is a matter of eating foods and nutrients, which are nourishing and building and that help to build inner and outer balance.
By Deirdre Rawlings, Nd, PhD, Mh, Cnc.
Fibromyalgia Food & nutrition