Fibromyalgia Nutrition

If you are afflicted with fibromyalgia, we need to get down to the basics of nutrition. Yes, that means diet. Pain is usually caused by one or more forms of inflammation and the correct diet can take down that inflammation. Get rid or severely limit the following foods/drink.

Coffee
Tea
Any pop or soda with caffeine
Chocolate
Alcohol
Fried Foods
White Flour
Sugar

We want more of these foods:
Vegetables
Fruits
Water
Yogurt
Seafood

When it comes to fibromyalgia nutrition, we must first start with a basic balanced diet as mentioned above and then move on to some supplements that can also help bring down inflammation and help to reduce pain. Unfortunately in today's society, when someone starts to feel pain they immediately run off to get drugs from their doctor. The drugs usually just mask the pain and bring a range of side effects. You stop taking the drugs and the pain comes back. Supplements on the other hand can bring nutrition into the body which is exactly what the body was missing.

One such supplement is MSM or Methyl Sulfonyl Methane. MSM is an organic sulfer which is known to help ease the pain of arthritis and muscle soreness. You can find MSM in cow's milk, meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. You can take MSM in either capsule or powder form and there are some creams on the market. MSM is also known to be a detoxifier. What that means is that it helps to get rid of the bad. When taking MSM, you may notice some initial side effects. This may come in the form of a rash, mild headaches, feeling wigged out, or feeling like you have slight flu like symptoms. Don't freak out though. This is usually just the body's way of telling you that it is getting rid of the bad stuff.... that is the bad stuff that is in your body. What you may feel is that if you start at 1000mg or 2000mg (1 gram or 2 grams) of MSM, but they go away after a couple of days, you can increase the dosage of MSM and get more benefits/less pain.

MSM is a very close cousin of DMSO, so if you would like further help, make sure you ask about DMSO.

Another barely known supplement to help fibromyalgia pain is called 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan). 5-HTP comes from the seeds of the Griffonia simplicifolia and helps to raise serotonin levels. If serotonin levels are not balanced, it can lead to depression and/or insomnia. While that may not mean a lot to the lay person, in effect what it does is combat the lifestyle that most of us lead. That lifestyle includes lack of sleep, too much caffeine and sugar, lack of exercise, obesity, and depression. In studies, 5-HTP has shown to help the following maladies.

Fibromyalgia
Depression
Insomnia
Obesity
Carbohydrate craving
Bulimia
Narcolepsy
Sleep apnea
Migraine headaches
Tension headaches
Chronic headaches
Premenstrual syndrome

Specifically in regards to fibromyalgia, studies of 5-HTP have shown positive effects on:

Morning stiffness
Sleep patterns
Anxiety
Number of painful areas
Fatigue

So, if you are looking to supplement your diet with something specific for fibromyalgia nutrition, look to 5-HTP for some help. It can be purchased in capsule form.