Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
Any of you tried organic, "clean" eating? Or, better yet, what diet changes have you tried and what has worked??
I am trying to go organic. Already cut out gluten and dairy which has elevated my gastritis and gadtroenteritis. Successfully integrated fresh garlic or Cooke into dishes along with turmeric and ginger because gastro doc told me to go on anti inflammatory diet. My gut has gotten better, but it's trial and error at this point. I'm also taking supplements like whole enzyme which has our magical pineapple bromelain enzyme in it that Leo talks about. Need to add omega and some others I have read abput. Turmeric seems to be in everything I read abput. Leo, that stomach elixir from your grandma, oh yea, magical. Ginger and camomile teas good along with aloe Vera juice to heal the gut helping. Switching over to plant based diet eith plant protein powder gives my gut a rest. But, in thinking of going on a juice fast.
Resting my digestive system has come to mind eith, i think, autumn's suggestion. In Siberia, studies have shown 2 week fasts can recalibrate our system. My layman or lame, lol, version of understanding! But, I don't think I can handle nothing to eat or even protein shakes. I like to eat too much for one and 2. Not good for a healung body?
Ok, gotta go, arm numb agsin.
Hugs to all, jp
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Years ago, I won a mirrored armoire from my job. It's in my bedroom but I rarely stand in front of it. Yesterday, I had to have a dexascan done so I had to change into a gown. There was a full length mirror in the changing room. I'm aware that I gained 5 to 7 pounds over the last year from cheating on Keto but I didn't know what it looked like. It was a reality check.
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Also, read much about magical matcha green tea. Had to cut out coffee, but this is supposedly a safe gut beverage.
Manuka honey us supposed to have some kind of magical benefits, beyond me really, but at $35, not that magical! Hehe. Guess I'm lucky to live in Austin where a lot of this stuff is even deliverable on prime from sprouts, 365 whole foods or Amazon. There is a shift in the grocery store to to have more affordable wild caught gish, grass fed beef...though still too expensive and red meat too harsh for me.
I digres...but heard what Leo said about n9n hmo years back and made that shift already. My body likey ;))
Ok back to rest. Xoxo, jp
Oooh Garlic...I forgot to tell my son to pick some up at the grocery store. It's a food group isn't it? (LOVE garlic. I've always had pretty good health...I don't know that I'd say that that is why though.)
One of my favorite dishes are lightly steamed green beans, with oil and lots and lots of fresh chopped garlic. (My ex FIL and I bonded over them. If there's not enough for everyone, screw the rest of the family, him and I were splitting them!!!)
To rest the digestive system, there's nothing like pureed foods. Easier to digest, absorption of nutrients, etc. That's why baby food and elderly food is pureed. That's why we have PEANUT BUTTER OH JOY RAPTURE TO THE HEAVENS! .... Sorry,d istracted. PB was originally figured out as part of an effort to get the nutrition intot hose without teeth:-)
(JP, which one of Grandma's elixirs? LOL. I've got about a dzoen in my head at any given time. Oooh, and there's this one...
A friend is promising to give me an infused oil recipe that she swears helps her body stay in synch. If/when I get it, I will share!
Look to Nature, is all I can say. There's very little we can't fidn in diet alone to help us to *some* degree. Not necessarily to cure, but general health / nutrition never goes wrong.
Ooooh, garlic! Onion. I want a herb pesto now. Garlic, fresh herbs, just gotta see what we have. Parsley and a pinch of lemon with garlic in olive oil is like heaven on a lot of yummies. And celery is good, and... OK, now I'm like *starving*!
Canola is, btw, the only oil I use other than olive. I use olive uncooked, and canola for cooking.
OK, I'm rambling, but yummmmmmmm.... fooooood health.....
There is an extensive list on fruits and veggies to stay away from. I'm pretty sure papaya is safe because it's not a "stone" fruit like peach, mango, etc. We have papaya trees and I love eating them. I also love starfruit and luckily it's on the "safe" list :). I'm sure the diet isn't a cure, but just something that helps manage the symptoms.
Patti, omgosh, love that recipe for green beans. Green beans are a safe food for me. Yea, I made garlic dressing with fresh garlic, apple cider vinegar, dijon, olive oil. Delish! Onions not to happy with my belly so i used onion powder sea salt and pepper. Need to get more Himalayan salt.
Leo, the recipe is something like baking soda, turmeric pinch salt and water to soothe upset belly with gerd. I used to drink it last year when out of medicine. But it was better than otc crap.
Patti and Leo, oh good on oils, I've only got canola oil and extra virgin cold pressed evoo now. Vegetable oil...bad and it's in mayo. Didn't know mayo was bad until recently reading. So thinking of getting avocado mayo or making my own in my blender.
Celery good, ok. Hmm, okay so I could do plant protein smoothies. Cur the garlic out to see if I improve further.
Blue, I was never given ANY info on ibs diet, thank you! I was doing a low fodmap diet for ladt one to two years thinking I have crohns. I just started practicing "as if" and my symptoms got better. Like no onions broccoli, no processed foods, no garlic until recently. How weird brie is on safe list. I think I've intuitively eaten foods my gut gets along with. I added garlic back in to get some probiotics action going again and it worked. My high dose vsl#3 costs $40/month and garlic well, $3 clove!
But, my pain is at an extreme level these days. I was in such pain today bent over walking bedridden. Level 9. Ice and heat all day. Ice seems to help cramping.
The less I eat, the less I cramp. So, maybe smoothie route best option with plant protein. Leo, Peanut butter my favorite! But probably not best if trying to lose weight, lol. I need to get this 40 lbs. Off from all the meds and steroids. New, now old family doc had me on prednisone at first of year. Ugh, can you think outside the box and prescribe something other than prednisone?
Ok...thats all from here now. Send me more diet tips if y'all wish.
P.s. Leo, lmao, yea Siberian study on water only fasting...hmmm.i might want to rethink that one ;)
Back to the diet topic...just a little background on my condition: I was diagnosed with fibro 3mths ago my rheumatologist had originally diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis about 3yrs ago.
Anyways, about 4mths ago I decided to start eating a plant based diet. I cut out all meat, fish, poultry from my diet. I found I felt a bit better. I didnt have that "i wish I wore stretchy pants" full kinda feeling anymore. My pain was a bit better too. But my brain fog is crazy bad and I have had a constant headache. Not my usual migraine or stress headache. Hubby thinks my headache is bc I gave up meat. But My rheumatologist said it was bc of my fibro. (I had stopped taking my meds) so now I take cymbalta & lyrica daily. And tramadol & flexoril as needed... so daily lol...
So I guess not feeling uncomfortably full and having more good days is a good reason for me to continue with a plant based diet.
Again I thank y'all so much for posting recipes & what has helped you.
You may want to try a spearmint-rosehip-ginger tea. I make my own blend. High in vitamin C (rosehip) and both spearmint and ginger are GI soothing. Spearmint is weaker than peppermint, and so less likely to cause issues, which peppermint can do for some. It's equal parts of spearmint leaves, powdered ginger, and a couple of rosehips per cup of tea. (I use about 1/4 tsp each.) The rosehips sweeten it a bit, too. This was recommended by a German friend, and it's lovely on my GERD.
Big hugs!
Andrea, welcome to the group!!! I live that you eent plant based. My intuition has been telling me to do so based on how I feel. However, I am having serious gut issues undiagnosed and unresolved after 3 gastro docs, ugh.
Back to you, I was on almost same drug protocol as you until recently. I mean literally up to 10 meds and after 7 years of this I am changing the game. I will probably post another topic to discuss meds and I am desperately wanting to be functional again. When I first was diagnosed, I happenstance upon a functional medicine doc from Europe. She did a thorough workup. I had pericarditis at the time so we were looking for the virus that could have caused it. I believe we found it. I digress....anyway, she put me on Meyer's cocktails...google it, a supplement protocol of alpha lipid acid at high doses, DHEA,inflamed, omega, multivitamin multiminersl, separate calcium magnesium d3 and b12. I was feeling goid. I was even sailing hiking with the dog...a weekend warrior and working full time. I changed over to an Internist that fixed my heart problems...genetic and high stress for me..female and bladder pribs.l, then my poo insurance was canceled. I've had to navigate without insurance this year and reading when I can or watching docs on amazon. Leo will straighten me out with some of my crazy theories fortunately.
I tell you this because I want you to know, you are own best doctor when you listen to your body. I got away from that letting doctors tell ME and throwing more and more meds at me. Now i am starting over. I don't recommend it. Its only because temporarily list insurance but I've found put some really interesting things. Diet is a strong foundation. Whatever we put in our bodies, and I believe our bodies are extra sensitive, just my thoughts only, not science...has a cause effect. I need to do an elimination diet and found an integrative doc that will help me with. Agsin, I digress. Point being, good on you! You can always supplement with what not getting from your diet, imo.
Ok, good luck to you. Welcome to the board!!! Xoxo Jp
There are a ton of books on, Dr. Well has a free pyramid you can print put and I have been printing off the fruit and veggie list. Leo, I suppose what you were saying is that it's best to get the "whole food" instead of taking enzyme?? I guess that's why the whole foods grocery store guy is always saying that in his documentaries eh?
Ok, all, anti inflammatory diet, Google it.
any new things ppl have tried? love to hear! xoxo, jp
* correction above: Dr. Weil no well.
The things you are eliminating are good but you may need to take it a step further and go Low FODMAP. My hubby was put on this diet during the beginning of shutdown. With just two of us at home and being quarantined like everyone else, I figured that I would do the diet too. The diet has been a godsend for my own health. Prior to being on it I had an inflamed gut, I was overweight, chronic fatigue, and my nails were brittle, constantly splitting.
The first thing that happened was my intestines reduced inflammation and I lost inches off my waist. Then my chronic fatigue faded. I have lost 22 pounds so far. I sleep better and get more restful sleep. Because my body is less stressed I have fewer fibromyalgia flares and my flares are less intense when I do have them. I highly recommend it.
No, you can't have garlic, onions, celery etc. But what's better, using those things to try to fix problems in your stomach and gut? Or, not putting in the things that may be irritating your body to begin with?
It was a hard adjustment at first, but now I don't miss any FODMAP foods. And I certainly don't miss the health problems I was having before. I heavily considered going from full time work to part-time work because my health was so bad.