A specific research on the effects of particular foods on patients with fibromyalgia has not been conducted, but it is widely accepted that healthy and balanced diet with plenty of energy-boosting and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables is foremost to self-management.
In fact, a lot of patients have reportedly managed their symptoms exceptionally well just by eating a good balanced diet that allows their body to function at its peak condition.
A diet low in fat and refined carbohydrates has been generally endorsed by dieticians to minimize lethargy; a generous helping of fruits and vegetables can help boost energy levels, alertness and immunity.
Although research are not yet definite, there are foods that experts say fibromyalgia patients must avoid so as not to aggravate their symptoms at the least. Unsurprisingly, these are the usual culprits in everyday diets that sneak in a lot of junk and empty calories into our system.
a. Caffeine in carbonated drinks and coffee
Coffee should obviously be avoided as its strong caffeine content is responsible for keeping most people awake at all hours. Fibromyalgia patients might feel a dire need for the energy boost supposedly gained from coffee to help them fight off fatigue, but the greater battle of sufferers lie in normalizing the body’s system of waking and sleeping; coffee will only serve to skew that.
Weaning yourself from coffee will take a long time and will give you withdrawal symptoms besides. But this dependence on coffee must be ultimately broken if your body is to regulate your sleeping pattern.
b. Sugar
Some people gorge on sweets when they are stressed out or feel that rewarding themselves with sweet treats will make them feel better. Sweets can indeed produce a spike in your energy level, but this is momentary; in a couple of hours or even much less, your body comes crashing down, oftentimes making you feel more tired than ever.
Additionally, sweets can stress out your adrenal glands, that which produces adrenaline by burning too much sugar in that “rush”. This process actually depletes the vitamins and minerals in your body, particularly Vitamin B – which, in turn, the body needs to combat fatigue!
Furthermore, the adrenaline rush can be quite addictive – and consequently perpetuates the cycle of ups and downs throughout the day – especially for people who are more vulnerable to its adverse effects such as those with fibromyalgia, adrenaline rush can possibly result in panic attacks.
c. Aspartame
Fruit drinks and other processed beverages, even those claiming to be low in fat and sugar, should also be avoided. The aspartame commonly found in these drinks is also an excitotoxin, which stimulates pain reception by opening up the pain receptor NMDA. There have also been indications that aspartame can cause memory loss. Other artificial sweeteners reportedly do not have the same effects on pain symptoms as aspartame.
d. Yeast and gluten
Yeast and gluten are commonly found together especially in baked goods. Yeast is thought to foster the growth and proliferation of fungus in the body, which in turn can aggravate joint, and muscle pains experienced by people with fibromyalgia.
Gluten on the other hand has been known to worsen gluten intolerance which leads to stomach and digestive problems. Gluten intolerance has also been associated with fatigue in fibromyalgia patients.
e. Fatty foods
Fatty foods taste great but succumbing to the temptation may mean more than just weight gain, they can shoot down your energy level making you feel like you’re plowing through the day on leaded feet.
But that doesn’t mean weight gain is of a lesser concern; those with fibromyalgia have more cause to watch their weight than anyone because of their reduced activity level. Be wary as well of food claiming to be sugar-free – they are still loaded with sweeteners that pack on loads of fats and calories that you might overlook.
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Medical Disclaimer: This information and advice published or made available through the Rapidfibromyalgiarelief.com web site is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
