dietary measures

[snapdragon928]

I was wondering if any of you found a reduction in symptoms with different dietary approaches. I read the gluten post and that interests me. My problem is my food choices are often limited by my income, I reliy on food pantries, mobile and otherwise, and my friend gave me a bunch of food and spices recently because she went on a strict diet. I have a possible lactose problem but havent tried eliminating it yet because sometimes I have symptoms and sometimes not. It depends on the day. Started when I had my gallbladder out and worsened after getting my appendix out. Stomach pain comes and goes with no rhyme or reason, I have Gerd and frequent diareha with no rhyme or reason. Theyve checked me out for my stomach and it came out alls good, just slightly inflamed esophagus. I dont have celiac disease according to my exam but I wonder sometimes if going gluten free would help. I tried it this year and did the fodmap diet but I wasnt totally strict with it. I am trying to limit my sugar intake but I had desert eating out tonight, I am in more pain now.

 

[Marie219]

A balanced diet can help us feel better, stay healthy and prevent chronic diseases. It is a positive step toward managing Fibromyalgia. Eating a variety of foods, with more grains, fruits, and vegetables, these help give us energy and keep bowels regular; most of these are low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates that help meet our body's energy needs.Then try to use sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol in moderation.

With the elimination of allergic foods, Fibromyalgia symptoms can be significantly reduced. For my personal diet, I avoid taking gluten, refined carbohydrates, caffeine (including chocolate that I like), red meats and processed foods. And to lessen my joint pains I eliminate tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplants.

I take calcium and magnesium daily to reduce pain and tenderness, these two minerals are usually deficient in people who have Fibromyalgia.
Anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids can be obtained from flax seeds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds and avocados.

And we can get natural endorphins (our body's natural pain-killing hormones) for free by singing, making movements with music, listening to jokes, watching funny programs that make us laugh. Laughter is a very good medicine that has no side-effects at all.

I hope you start feeling better and better.

 

[sunkacola]

while what marie says above is not bad advice, it should be noted that not all people need the same diet to be healthy. for instance, some people do not respond well to a diet that includes lots of grains. Others, like myself, cannot be healthy without a good percent of my diet coming from animal protein and healthy fat.

Also, ... For some, diet certainly makes a difference. But for others, it makes no difference what they eat or cut out. It is such an individual thing. Nothing works for everyone.

The important thing is to find out what works for YOU.
Being limited as you are, snapdragon, to food pantries and so on makes it far more difficult.
First....I assume you have tried to get food stamps? If not, apply for that. If you get it, you will then have your own choice of what to buy to eat and can eat far more healthy things, fresh fruit and vegetables, and so on.

Remember that if you are going to try an elimination diet, such as cutting out gluten or lactose, you have to be very diligent about it, and do it for long enough. You have to read ALL labels and make sure there's none of the thing you are avoiding. And you have to continue this diligence for at least 2 months. If you only give it a week or so, you won't find out anything in most cases. (Of course, if you start to feel a lot better after 2 weeks, you may have your answer sooner)

Some of your symptoms sound like gluten intolerance, which I have. You can test negative for celiac and still have gluten intolerance. Again, read every label because more things than you realize have gluten in them. You have to cut out wheat, rye, triticale, and barley completely and give your body time and see if that helps.

Sugar isn't healthy for anyone.
Nor is alcohol.

 

[snapdragon928]

Thanks sorry so slow to respond. I was getting fifteen foodstamps a month. They just upped it to one hundred eighty two. Thank God. Now I can buy what I need. I will try to see if dairy and gluten make a difference. Right now I have to look at what I eat because I've gained twenty five pounds this year. I started lyrica recently. My knees can't take the weight. Fresh veggies are a Luxery and hard for me to get down, but I need to go back to salads and fruit at lunch. And less snacks. I'm already overweight. I know I've tried going paeleo and low carb, those make me sick if I go to low carb. But gluten free will be tough as I like my sandwiches and crackers and I haven't found a gluten free sandwich replacement. Thanks for your responses. I have possible ibs too so trying to follow an ibs plan which cuts out dairy and wheat might help.

 

[snapdragon928]

I take magnesium and potassium at night, and calcium in the morning. Too. And either fish oil or flax seed oil.. I was taking b twelve but my multi I noticed has a hundred percent of my b vitamins now. I take five thousand units of vitamin d plus what's in my calcium and multi. I was at one time taking selenium too and glucosamine but it got to be too expensive. I've had a run of bad luck with my old car, low on funds for awhile now. But things are looking up.

 

[sunkacola]

snapdragon, I speak from my own experience. If you are going to try gluten free or lactose free, only do one at a time, and as I said before you have to be 100% diligent about it.

I am gluten free. You have to understand that literally all of my life, from babyhood, bread was my favorite thing to eat, and I ate a lot of it every single day. It was literally like coming off an addictive drug when I quit. I craved it! And it was about 6 months before I stopped craving bread every day; a year before I stopped craving it at all. Five years later, anything made of wheat, rye or barley just looks like poison to me. I'd rather eat dirt.

that was tough. but, people quit drugs, quit smoking (I did that too) and quit drinking. You just have to DO IT.
If it makes a difference in how you feel, it will be so worth it.

Sugar is very bad for everyone no matter what health they have. Avoid it!! Especially if you need to lose weight.
Also, do some kind of exercise, even if it is just a short walk. If you can manage it, that will help.

And, if you need to lose weight be very careful of the fat you eat. Fat itself is not bad. It's just that most kinds of fat in processed foods is bad. Only eat healthy fats like virgin olive oil, coconut oil, butter.

I know it is super hard when you are on food stamps, and it is hard to change your diet. But it is mind over matter. If you have the courage and fortitude to change it may make a huge difference. It did for me. Gluten free didn't do anything for my fibro but it almost cured a gastro-intestinal health issue I'd had for over 20 years.

 

[fletch96]

I have always been lactose intolerant. I'm in the process of cutting out gluten, soy, tree-nuts, and processed sugar. I had a reaction today from soy. Fibromyalgia is definitely food-related. I read the book The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum last night and did quite a bit of online research today. Fibromyalgia is a result of stress. I strongly believe you can get rid of symptoms by following a healthy lifestyle, after all the research I've done. That means no gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, fish, shellfish, sugar, tree-nuts, peanuts, GMOs, smoking, caffeine, alcohol, processed meat, or oil. Exercise, too, even if it's just going for a walk. I have been having a smoothie every morning with 1 avocado, 1/2 cup kale, 1 banana, and 1/2 cup of blueberries with 1/2 cup orange juice as a base. I am taking the orange juice out once I buy a vitamin D supplement. You need foods high in magnesium, iron, the B vitamins, etc. But yeah, especially magnesium and vitamin D. Also keep fruit limited to 2 pieces per day. Also stretch and get a massage. And zero stress.

 

[snapdragon928]

Thanks for the ideas. I really need to get rid of dairy first. One thing at a time. I can start with stretching and chair yoga. Again. Do maybe five minutes of dancing and build up or some kind of indoor walking program, I used to do aerobics when I was younger but that is out. I can't tolerate a lot if walking at the moment outside as it's too cold out but once spring hits and my knees cooperate I'll try. I am getting a Mri on my right knee soon, I could barely walk last week. Dairy first.