Using Nutrition to Treat Fibromyalgia

If you have fibromyalgia, chances are you've tried lots of different approaches to help ease the pain. Any therapy that will help you relax, get a good night's sleep, or have more energy sounds like a good therapy. Unfortunately, not all of the products and therapies out there are good for you. Many are a waste of money and time. To make things even more complicated, in fibromyalgia not all patients respond the same way to the same treatment.

Nutrition is often advertised as the key to better health regardless of what ails you. Fibromyalgia is not exception. It seems everyone has different nutrition advice for you, and it can be hard to sort through what works, and what doesn't. Probably the most basic advice is to cut back on alcohol, sugar, and caffeine. This certainly can't hurt. Alcohol, sugar, and caffeine can all put stress on the body. In fibromyalgia more stress equals more pain. Cut out the stressors, and you will have an easier time of dealing with the necessities and joys of life. Another basic recommendation is to take a standard multi-vitamin regularly. This can't hurt either. There is always the chance that you are not meeting all your needs with food so a multi-vitamin daily is good insurance that you will not have a deficiency. What about some more specific advice? Is there anything that you can do further to reduce your symptoms?

Omega-3 fatty acids are important to your health. They help relieve inflammation and therefore can have a positive effect on the muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia. Try adding flax seed and flax seed oil to your diet. They are excellent sources of omega-3's and are easy to add to muffins or other baked goods, or your morning cereal. Fatty fishes are also high in omega-3's. A side effect of getting more omega-3's is that you will lower your risk of heart disease.

Hunger is another stressor that can contribute to fibromyalgia pain. Although many fibromyalgia patients need to lose weight, it is also important that you avoid getting overly hungry. Eating several small meals a day, making sure that each meal has adequate protein and fiber, is a great way to avoid hunger jags. Eating healthy food more frequently may help you lose weight too because you will be less tempted to binge on junk food. Each person is different. Try to increase the foods that satisfy you and decrease the foods that don't fill you up. This way your hunger will be kept to a minimum.

We all know that we should eat well, but it can be difficult to implement in your daily life, especially if you are tired and in pain from fibromyalgia. Think ahead. Make sure that you have nutritious choices on hand that you like. Experiment and find out what works for you. As with all lifestyle changes, you should also discuss dietary changes with your doctor. He or she may have more advice for you, and it will be good to have someone to monitor any health changes.