Acceptable Foods for a Salicylate-Free/ Fibromyalgia Diet

You may have heard of firbromyalgia and salicylate sensitivity if you've going to your doctor for other digestive problems such as IBS or chronic indigestion. Your physician or nutritionist most likely gave you a list of foods to stay away from, or told you some foods that you should avoid in order to relieve your symptoms and ease the pain and discomfort of fibromyalgia. But what about the foods you can eat? And, what is the best way to prepare these foods? These 'safe' foods will help you to stick to your diet, and still eat balanced and interesting meals.

Fish. Fish is great to eat when you're on a restricted diet, since it is rich in protein and omega-3s. These substances help to strengthen your bones, give you energy, and can even give your skin a healthy glow. However, you should be careful how you prepare your fish, so that you won't contaminate it with substances that may be harmful to your body. For instance, sautéing or preparing the fish with olive oil (which is perfectly healthy for most people) will give you a reaction, so be sure to use canola, sunflower, or soy oil instead. In most cases, fish is prepared with olive oil in restaurants, so be sure to ask your server to have the chef prepare your meal differently. You can pair your fish with 'safe' vegetables, such as green beans, asparagus, or peas, and you can season the fish with natural ingredients such as garlic and onion. Seasonings can be a little tricky to find (items like black pepper and cayenne pepper can cause a reaction) so use celery salt and/or white pepper to give your fish dish a boost.

Fresh fruit. While most of the salicylate-filled items on your 'unacceptable' list are fruits, there are a few that you can still enjoy. Bananas have been proven not to cause a problem in fibromyalgia patients, as well as papaya, pear, and limes. Makes sure that you peel the pear before eating it, and depending on your sensitivity level, you may be able to eat other peeled fruits as well, such as peaches, plums, and kiwi, on occasion. Even though your fruit selection may be restricted, you still need to make sure you're getting at least 2-3 servings in per day in order to get adequate fiber and fight off infection. You can also use the fruit that is safe for you as a dessert; a banana and papaya smoothie, or grilled pear with a syrup sauce is a great way to end a meal.

Nuts, Seeds and Grains. Even though most of the nuts in trail mix are not safe for patients with fibromyalgia, you can still enjoy things like poppy seed muffins, cashew chicken, hazelnut milk, pecan pie, and sunflower seeds. These items are rich in protein and minerals, and will help to maintain a balanced diet, whether you're eating them alone or with 'safe' fruit. These nuts and seeds will also help to increase your fiber intake, which is very important when it comes to removing toxins from the body.

For grains, you can eat most things except for corn products-corn meal, polenta, and corn flour tend to be unsafe, and could cause bloating and fatigue. Oatmeal with a banana makes a great breakfast, and you can use any type of rice to pair with fish or chicken for dinner.

Once you get more familiar with foods that are acceptable to eat, you'll begin to see a vast difference in your health. And, it won't be so frustrating to go grocery shopping. For more great recipe ideas, visit http://salicylatesensitivity.com/recipes.