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Fibromyalgia Monthly Newsletter
January 2004 - Fibromyalgia Newsletter
Thanks for signing up to get the Fibromyalgia newsletter. This month we are focusing on reducing inflammation in the body. This is in response to many questions I have received on specific diet and herbal supplements that will reduce fibromyalgia pain.
Many people ask me what causes the pain of fibromyalgia. One of the consistent recommendations I make is to use diet and herbs to reduce an underlying inflammation in the body. A low-grade inflammation will cause auto-immune symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and digestive problems.
Recommended Anti-Inflammation Diet
Compose your meals of approximately 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% healthy fats. Rotate your foods so that you eat each food no more than 5 times per week. Plan your meals ahead of time and try to find at least 10 recipes you enjoy. Eat as many organically grown fruits and vegetables as possible since they have 2 to 5 times more nutrients and you will have less exposure to pesticides. There is no restriction on the amount of food you can eat. The foods listed are only examples of foods to eat.
Follow this diet for 8 weeks minimum. Most people notice a difference in 4 to 6 weeks.
Steamed vegetables:
· The primary reason for using steamed vegetables is that steaming improves the utilization or the availability of the foods nutrients allowing the body to begin repairing itself. Use minimal raw vegetables except as a salad. Include at least 1 green vegetable per day.
· Eat a variety of any and all vegetables (except tomatoes, potatoes) that you can tolerate. It is best to try and eat mostly the lower carbohydrate (3% or 6%) vegetables. For example:
3% - asparagus, bean sprouts, beet greens, broccoli, red and green cabbage, cauliflower, celery, Swiss chard, cucumber, endive, lettuce (red, green, romaine), mustard greens, parsley, radish, spinach, watercress.
6% - string beans, beets, Bok Choy, Brussel sprouts chives, collard greens, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onion, parsley, red pepper, pumpkin, rutabagas, turnip, zucchini.
15% - artichoke, parsnip, green peas, squash, carrot
20% - yam
Fruit:
· Eat only 1 or 2 pieces of fruits except citrus. If possible, it is preferred to eat the fruit baked (like baked apple or pear). Eat the low carbohydrate fruits most often:
3% - cantaloupe, rhubarb, strawberries, melons
6% - apricot, blackberries, cranberries, papaya, peach, plum, raspberries, kiwi
15% - apple, blueberries, cherries, grapes, mango, pear, pineapple, pomegranate
20+% - banana, figs, prunes
Grains:
· Eat one to two cups of cooked grains per day of those you tolerate, unless you have indications of high insulin levels such as overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
· Allowed grains include: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati, or brown rice, or rye.
· Other grain foods that may be eaten are rice crisps or wasa crackers.
Legumes:
· Eat a variety of any legumes that you are able to tolerate. Soak for 48-72 hours and cook slowly: split peas, lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, fermented soy (tempeh or miso), mung beans, garbanzo beans, aduki and azuki beans.
Fish:
· Poach, bake, steam or broil deep-sea ocean fish (not farmed): cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, summer flounder, wild Pacific salmon. No shellfish: shrimp, lobster, crab or clams.
Chicken / Turkey:
· Eat only the meat and not the skin of free-range or organically grown chicken or turkey. Bake, broil or steam in pressure cooker.
Red meat:
· Buffalo, venison, and elk.
Sweeteners:
· Occasionally maple syrup, rice syrup, barley syrup, raw honey or stevia - use ONLY with meals.
· Absolutely no sugar, Nutrasweet, or any other sweetener is allowed.
Seeds and Nuts:
· Grind flax, pumpkin, sesame, or sunflower seeds and add to steamed vegetables, cooked grains, etc. You may also eat nut and seed butters - almond, brazil, cashew, sesame, etc.
Butter / Oils:
· For butter, mix together 1 pound of organic butter and 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Whip at room temperature and store in the refrigerator.
· Use extra virgin olive oil for all other situations requiring oil.
Spices:
· Add whatever spices your enjoy to add flavor to your foods.
Drinks:
· A minimum of 6 to 8 glasses of spring, bottled, filtered or reverse-osmosis filtered water every day. Drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water daily. Sip the water; try to drink 1 glass per hour. A few drops of chlorophyll will add a pleasant taste. NO distilled water.
· Small amounts of soy, rice, or oat milk are allowed ONLY on cooked grains or in cooking.
Avoid the following foods for two weeks, then re-introduce them one at a time for one week, and watch for changes in symptoms:
all animal milks
all animal cheeses
all corn products
commercial eggs
potatoes - red or white
tomatoes
citrus fruits
all fruit juices
all dried fruit
peanuts / peanut butter
any processed foods
Avoid the following foods all the time:
fried foods
pork and any smoked or processed meat products
all caffeinated teas, coffee
alcohol
all wheat products including breads and any foods containing white flour
Herbs for Inflammation
Aloe vera contains over 70 essential nutrients including most vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids. Aloe vera is one of the most potent sources of Vitamins E and C, and it contain many beneficial plant chemicals that help to improve the immune system. Internally, aloe vera is commonly used for many types of digestive disorders, such as ulcers, heartburn, indigestion, constipation, and hemorrhoids.
A study in the Journal of Alternative Medicine showed that aloe vera juice was effective for treating inflammatory bowel disease. Ten patients were given two ounces of aloe vera juice, three times daily, for seven days. After one week, everyone's diarrhea was gone, four had improved bowel function, and three experienced increased energy.
Aloe vera turns on the immune system by activating white blood cells that get rid of bacteria and viruses. It also can screen out radiation that causes skin damage. Aloe can prevent arthritis and reduce inflammation in joints. It's high antioxidant and its plant chemical levels also inhibit autoimmune reactions.
Aloe vera helps improve the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream, while removing toxins at the same time. When aloe vera is combined with ionic minerals and herbs it acts as a catalyst in moving the nutrients into the cells quickly. This combined action of cleansing and rebuilding really helps to naturally heal from many of today's health challenges.
Other herbs that are commonly used to reduce pain in the muscles are ginger, turmeric and boswellia. These herbs improve the circulation and help the liver detoxify. Ginger and turmeric are known as digestive herbs and spices that are used to increase circulation and reduce inflammation. Boswellia is an Ayurvedic herb that nourishes the soft tissues by improving blood supply to the muscles to help reduce stiffness. This herbal combination is available as Inflavonoid Intensive Care at Dr. Jane Oelke's Meta E-Health website It is important that you begin taking any herb slowly to avoid any reaction with other substances you may be taking. After 3 months, evaluate the effectiveness of the herbal supplement. This should give your system time to see the benefits of the herb. When using ginger, turmeric, and boswellia, it is best to increase the dosage to the maximum allowed for at least a couple of weeks to get the full effect of the herb and then reduce the amount to a maintenance dose.
Book Recommendation:
Since we are talking about inflammation, one good book on the subject is The Inflammation Syndrome by Jack Challem. He discusses the affects of inflammation on causing heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and allergies. ISBN number: 0-471-20272-1, published by Wiley Publishers in 2003.
Featured Product:
Last month the featured product was EPA-DHA. It is the first supplement I recommend for fibromyalgia, because it can reduce inflammation. This month, I am recommending Omega-EFA, another essential fatty acid supplement that included EPA, DHA, and GLA. The addition of GLA (gamma linolenic acid) to the essential fatty acid supplement helps with dry skin often found during the dry winter months. If you have skin problems or stiffness in your joints, the addition of GLA will help relieve these symptoms. These can be ordered at Dr. Jane Oelke's Meta E-Health website.
Next month we will be focusing on various forms of calcium and ways to improve calcium and mineral absorption.
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