Food and Fibromyalgia Syndrome: It's Time to Help Ourselves!

Nutritional therapy for Fibromyalgia can help reduce stress, free the body of toxins, and restore nutrients which have been stripped away.  Supplements can be helpful, but right now, I want to focus on diet.

FM patients need to watch what we eat because there are many foods that exacerbate our symptoms.  I know how hard it is - especially in the carbohydrate category, because I LOVE pasta, potatoes and chocolate.  Unfortunately, one of the first things recommended in a nutrition program for FM sufferers is reduction of carbohydrates and adding more protein.  I can handle adding protein, but take away my carbs? UGH!  Maybe you can identify.  The fact is, if we want to feel better and restore our mental and physical function, it is a necessity.

Since we (FM sufferers) already have a compromised immune system, a diet that includes the list of “no-no’s” can cause your body even more suffering.  Also, certain foods have been found to cause fatigue. So, to avoid further destruction we need to follow the “fibro nutrition rules”.

Some Fibromyalgia sufferers have a low carbohydrate tolerance or reactive hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that strikes after eating carbs. This can cause problems with carbohydrate metabolism, which in turn creates the inability to lose weight, fatigue, worsening symptoms and carbohydrate cravings.  Carbohydrates stimulate insulin production. Excess insulin can cause an increased absorption of sugar into our muscles and liver, which can be stored as fatty acids in fat cells, and prevent carbs from being metabolized.

We need to lessen our consumption of unsaturated fats.  It is recommended that we increase our intake of vegetables, whole grains, fruits and essential fatty acids found in cold-water fish, nuts and seeds.

Saturated fats should be reduced. You can do this by choosing fat-free dairy products, increasing vegetables or trying soy products.  Also, red meat, in particular, is hard to digest and increases cholesterol.  So, we should exercise caution when it comes to the amount of red meat we consume.

It is important to avoid alcohol, caffeine, and limit our sugar, salt, fat and the  intake of specific additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Eating foods rich in antioxidants like vitamins A, C, E may be used to combat stress and support the immune system.  Foods rich in magnesium help support your muscles and vitamin B-rich foods can help with stress, energy/metabolism and mental clarity.  The best food sources of magnesium are legumes, tofu, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables.

Some “fibromytes” find that foods high in acids like citric acid, trigger more muscle pain.   Some examples are tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, red meat, cow milk products, brown and white wheat flour products, sugary foods, coffee, and yes, chocolate.

Acidophilus and associated "good" bacteria can help balance the flora in your intestine. Some plain yogurts have active cultures that can help. You can also find other sources of "good" bacteria at health food stores like Kefir.

Fibromyalgia patients are more sensitive to food, drugs, chemicals and pollutants.  With the myriad of common issues such as allergies, gastrointestinal issues and migraines we tend to have, there are foods that can trigger these symptoms or make them worse.  It might require a little detective work to figure out what foods are a problem for you. 

Use the process of elimination when you suspect that a certain food might be a triggering factor for you.  Remove it from your diet for a couple of weeks and see if you start to feel better or the frequency of your negative responses decrease.  Known foods that aggravate FM symptoms are the same as listed above but we need to also consider processed foods, fried foods, artificial sweeteners, bottled juices and diet soda.  Processed foods are full of additives, preservatives, colorings, salt and sugar.  These foods are what I like to call a “death trap”.  I know, it sounds over-dramatic, but if we can think of them this way, we might be able to train our brains to reject them.  We know our bodies already do because of the pain, fatigue and unhappiness that comes with a bad diet.

If your detective work doesn’t provide results, you might want to try a hypoallergenic or gluten-free diet.  With a hypoallergenic diet, you eliminate one food group at a time.  You can start with removing a single item each week and see how you feel.  If nothing happens, remove another food the next week.

A gluten-free diet isn’t easy because it requires you to completely eliminate all wheat products.  Since wheat is so common in a variety of foods, you will have to plan your diet it and follow it carefully. You can find wheat replacement products at health food stores. It is suggested that you don’t drink any liquids with your meals, avoid smoking, and avoid long periods of direct sun.  You need to drink eight glasses of water each day between meals.

Just like medications and therapies, each FM sufferer will respond differently to specific foods than another.  Some have certain food allergies that others do not.  Food allergies can interfere with your nutrient intake.  It is recommended that we keep a food diary to help identify our triggers.  Write down everything you eat and at the same time track your FM pain.  Comparing the two might help you determine what foods may trigger allergies or pain.

There is another diet method that has proved helpful for FM patients called Food Combining.  The theory is that certain foods should not be combined because they work against each other.  This diet is definitely worth looking into!

It is my hope that by changing our nutritional life-style, we can begin to feel better and regain as much of our mental, emotional and physical function as possible.