The mysteries of fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects the body’s soft tissues and underlining muscles. The sufferers feel a constant pain throughout the body.
In addition they will have varies symptoms that present like other diseases, some of them including: autoimmune system, IBS, colon disease, irritable bladder, UTI, hormone deficiencies, depression and anxiety. For this reason fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed.
Besides the mimicking symptoms this disease doesn’t always present the same in all patients. This combination also leaves most fibromyalgia studies inconclusive.
One thing for certain suffers agree that certain foods increase their symptoms while others decrease them. Which foods should you avoid, and which one you should eat?
Bad food VS good food
Although studies remain questionable many doctors agree that certain foods trigger pain flare ups. Like the disease itself these foods reactions greatly vary from on patient to another.
What might cause acute symptoms in one person, may not in another. For this reason many physicians suggests to keep the food diary.
They recommend you to list everything you’ve eaten that day and how that food made you feel. Later, you and your doctor will review these notes and decide what foods you can eat safely.
Another suggestion is not to eat certain foods that you feel is causing you discomfort for a week.
Then slowly reintroduce these foods into your diet one at a time. Record how you felt after you ate them and throughout the day.
Although food reactions vary, there are a few foods that seem to increase pain in most fibromyalgia patients, they include: certain preservatives like MSG, eggs, gluten, diary, citrus, corn, soy, wheat and sugar.
Flour, yeast and sugar have shown to trigger inflammation in most patients which enhances pain.
Sugar will also boost your blood sugar level when the level drops back down the person will experience an increase in fatigue. My suggestion is to limit your intake on these items.
Since carbs create the same reaction as sugar, you should to cut back on your carbohydrate intake.
Sugar substances like aspartame often used in sugar free candy and some diet drinks has a chemical that increases your brains neurons which enhances pain sensitivity.
You need to avoid it. Another thing that increases neuron sensitivity is different additives especially MSG, it increases the glutamate levels found in your spinal fluid which in turn increases pain levels.
If you have diagnoses of high cholesterol level, high blood pressure, diabetes, or if you are overweight, you need to limit the amount of grains you eat.
When your body breaks down these grains, it metabolizes them similar to the way it does sugary foods. Some of the grains I suggest you should avoid include wheat, unprocessed and gluten grains. Because many fibromyalgia suffers also have stomach problems it’s a good idea to avoid caffeinated products and alcohol.
This includes energy drinks because they are known to have a substantial amount of caffeine and sugar. Alcohol products have both sugar and yeast. Another thing try to avoid is tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes. Better known are nightshade vegetables. They too have shown to increase pain. Foods containing Tran’s fat and saturated fat increases inflammation which increases pain
Tran’s fat is found in store-bought baked goods. While saturated fats are found in processed foods, cookies, crackers and many oils. You should limit junk food as well. These foods contain everything that you should avoid. Saturated fats, Tran’s fat, sugar and flour. These products will be irritating to your stomach; it will increase pain levels and cause you to put on excessive weight. In addition it could make sleep more difficult and decrease your immune system to fight of infections.
Some sufferers report that they have trouble with pasteurized dairy products but they don’t have any difficulty if these products are from grass-fed cows and it isn’t processed.
Less pain for a happier you
Anyone suffering with fibromyalgia knows that sometimes the pain is so excruciating that it even hurts to breath. There are foods that you can limit or avoid to decrease the pain. Some foods you should limit include: sugary, baked foods, carbs, and grain.
You should avoid things like additive preserves, proceed foods, caffeine, nightshade vegetables etc . You should eat fresh raw fruits and vegetables and include enough omega-3, vitamin D and water in your diet every day.
Experts also suggested eating slowly, in moderation and exercise daily. Eating too fast, or too much will put stress on your digestive system which will increase stomach pain other digestive issues. Daily exercise is important. It’s heart healthy and has shown to decrease pain levels in Harvard studies. Follow these suggestions I’ve mentioned and they will help you to decrease some of the discomfort associated with fibromyalgia.
For support and Discussion join the group “Living with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Illness”
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