Fibromyalgia Flare Up Diet – More than 6 million Americans suffer from symptoms of fibromyalgia, and 90 percent of those with fibromyalgia are women. It is still up for debate why more women than men get fibromyalgia. Some health professionals say this is due to a decrease in serotonin levels in women’s brains.
Unfortunately, people with fibromyalgia struggle with pain, fatigue, depression, and other common symptoms of fibromyalgia before diagnosis.
Fibromyalgia Flare Up Diet
As with other chronic conditions, including adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome and many rheumatic conditions, there is usually no immediate treatment to relieve debilitating symptoms. In fact, these conditions share many of the same symptoms and may occur together for some individuals.
Natural Fibromyalgia Treatment (a Guide To Eliminate Your Pain)
The severity of fibromyalgia symptoms varies from person to person, and often, symptoms go away and then return. Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic and widespread pain in the muscles and connective tissues without a specific cause.
Research has shown that fibromyalgia can actually make pain worse by affecting the way the brain processes pain signals. (2) In addition to pain, common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
Are these fibromyalgia symptoms chronic? In many cases, yes. And while the pain associated with fibromyalgia is difficult for many people, the “fibro fog” and sleep disorders add to this challenging diagnosis. Sleep disorders are common and can include sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome. Inadequate sleep is associated with decreased cognitive functioning, depression, and anxiety.
In addition, some patients experience morning stiffness, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, as well as increased sensitivity to loud noises, bright lights, and temperature. (3a) Some patients also experience fibromyalgia with other underlying conditions, including TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction), endometriosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, tension headaches, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
Fibromyalgia And Diet…taking Every Inch I Can Get!
Meanwhile, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a form of fibromyalgia “in which there is pain and stiffness in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments throughout the body, accompanied by other general symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood disorders , and mental difficulties.” (3b)
Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult, as there is no specific laboratory test. While blood work and other tests may be ordered to rule out other conditions, doctors often rely on the feedback they receive from the patient.
In general, patients should experience widespread pain or muscle pain that lasts for at least three months. A “tender point” physical exam may be performed where the doctor presses on 18 specific points to measure pain and tenderness. Tender points include the neck, chest, arms, legs near the knees, the groin and just below the buttocks. (4A)
Some fibromyalgia patients may actually suffer from neuropathy, as one study found that nearly half of patients suffer from small nerve fiber neuropathy. (4b) This is simply nerve pain caused by damage to the small nerves that carry pain and other signals from your skin to your brain. Therefore, neuropathic fibromyalgia may be more common than previously known.
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Risk factors for fibromyalgia include genetics, being female, and having rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. For some individuals, symptoms begin after a significant psychological stress event, infection, surgery, or other physical trauma. Others may have no evidence of a triggering event, and fibromyalgia symptoms accumulate over time. (8)
Most recently, a 2017 study found that patients with fibromyalgia (FM) have brains with abnormal hypersensitivity, otherwise known as explosive synchronization (ES). Researchers from the University of Michigan and Pohang University of Science report that the hypersensitivity experienced by fibromyalgia patients may result from oversensitive or overactive brain networks.
The researchers analyzed the resting state electroencephalograms (EEGs) — tests that record the brain’s electrical signals — of 10 female fibromyalgia patients to investigate known ES conditions within the brain’s functional networks. Then, the researchers tested whether a brain network model with ES conditions responded to external perturbations or electrical stimulation. From this research, external perturbation is highly related to chronic pain intensity, further supporting the data that networks with ES conditions are more sensitive to perturbation than brains without ES networks . In addition, explosive synchronization may be a mechanism of fibromyalgia brain hypersensitivity, according to study findings. (5) This testing and research model may aid in future fibromyalgia therapies that may convert the fibromyalgia hypersensitivity network into a stable network using noninvasive brain modulation therapies. (6)
Traditional treatments for fibromyalgia include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), anti-seizure medications, pain relievers, and antidepressants. Lyrica (pregabalin) is one of the most common medications approved by the FDA for fibromyalgia. Commonly prescribed fibromyalgia medications do not cure the disease, and taking them can cause potentially serious side effects.
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NSAIDs can cause ulcers, stomach or intestinal bleeding, digestive upset, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and even life-threatening skin reactions and allergic reactions. (9) While inflammation is a problem, there are better natural alternatives.
Side effects of prescribed anti-seizure drugs include liver failure, kidney stones, ovarian cysts, as well as severe decreases in white blood cell and platelet counts, aplastic anemia, and problems with cognitive function. (10)
Prescription antidepressants can cause weight gain, decreased sexual desire, fatigue, insomnia, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability, and restlessness. (11) Many of these possible side effects are similar to common symptoms of fibromyalgia. There are several supplements available to help relieve depression and anxiety (see below).
Treating fibromyalgia symptoms naturally requires a healthy diet, lifestyle changes, and complementary therapies. Because fibromyalgia can cause chronic pain and fatigue similar to arthritis, some experts may recommend a fibromyalgia patient see a rheumatologist. Although there is no cure yet, there are natural remedies that can help reduce symptoms and increase the quality of life for those with fibromyalgia.
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Many clinical studies suggest that treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia requires a multi-pronged approach that includes changes in diet and nutrition. A collaborative study by researchers in Italy found that patients with fibromyalgia can benefit from specific dietary changes and nutritional supplementation. (12)
This study found that eliminating gluten has the potential to improve fibromyalgia symptoms. This result is echoed in another recent study published in Arthritis Research and Therapy, where researchers studied the effects of a one-year gluten-free diet in patients with co-occurring IBS and fibromyalgia. (13)
In fact, one of the subgroups in the study experienced significant improvements in all symptoms and improvements in quality of life scores.
Gluten is clearly one of the most important foods to avoid when treating fibromyalgia. The researchers of both studies above encourage more research and further study of dietary and nutritional changes recommended for fibromyalgia patients.
The Fibromyalgia Diet
In addition to eliminating gluten, it is important to limit caffeine intake, as it can contribute to restless sleep and insomnia, anxiety, muscle tremors, and depression—many symptoms experienced by patients with fibromyalgia every day.
Remember, caffeine is present not only in coffee, tea and cola but also in energy drinks, non-cola flavored sodas and even some over-the-counter pain medications. Currently, the FDA does not require caffeine to be listed on nutrition labels. This makes it difficult for individuals trying to limit or avoid caffeine.
Beware of chocolate bars, as some manufacturers add caffeine to their recipe, as well as diet pills and some deceptively processed foods marketed as “perky” or “morning spark.”
I advise all my patients to avoid artificial sweeteners at all costs. Made from harmful chemicals, many common artificial sweeteners available on the market today contain compounds linked to cancer, thyroid conditions, memory loss and seizures.
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While fighting the symptoms of fibromyalgia, it is important not to provoke additional complications and medical conditions. Reducing your body’s toxic load by eliminating gluten, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, processed foods and partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats can make a difference in how you feel and in your quality of life. life.
Let’s now look at a healthy fibromyalgia diet. Replace the foods mentioned above with nutritious clean proteins, raw dairy, fermented foods, organic fruits and vegetables and other foods listed in my healing diet plan.
Many fibromyalgia patients have underlying nutritional deficiencies and may be deficient in key nutrients, including vitamins B12, C, and D, as well as folic acid and the essential mineral magnesium. The goal is to reduce inflammation and build the body’s natural defenses. In other words, it requires a change in diet, a radical change for some people.
Magnesium-rich foods: To increase magnesium levels, include plenty of green leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, yogurt or kefir, almonds, and avocados in your diet. Aim for at least three servings of these foods a day to help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with fibromyalgia. (14)
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Foods rich in melatonin: Because sleep disorders are common with fibromyalgia symptoms, it is recommended to increase the sleep hormone melatonin. Melatonin supplements are generally considered safe, but they can interact with certain medications, including immunosuppressants, birth control pills, anticoagulants and diabetes prescriptions. (15)
Fortunately, there are many foods you can eat to get melatonin! Foods that contain melatonin include the following:
Studies show that deficiencies in zinc, magnesium and folate are associated with lower melatonin levels. (16) This is why consuming foods rich in essential nutrients is essential to a fibromyalgia diet.
Foods rich in tryptophan: The body needs tryptophan to produce serotonin, which is associated with deep sleep. When people think of tryptophan, they usually think of turkey but there are other healthy foods with high levels of tryptophan — including nuts, grass-fed dairy, wild-caught fish, free-range chicken, sprouted grains and sesame seeds. Contains seeds – which may help you sleep.
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