The quality of your health depends upon many pieces that not only include the health of your bodily systems, but also include a healthy diet, exercise, and spirituality.

Diet. Treatment of fibromyalgia may center on developing general healthy dietary guidelines, in addition to making some key adjustments in your relationship with food.

Dietary recommendations for fibromyalgia include:

• Add foods to your diet that have high antioxidant power such as blueberries, and dark green, leafy vegetables.
• Choose high-quality, organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free “grass-fed” meats.
• Eat foods that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as ground flax seed, fish oil, wild-caught salmon, minimal-mercury albacore tuna, and sprouted walnuts
• Eat raw, organic vegetables.
• Add high-quality fiber to your diet, such as organic flax meal.
• Add healthy saturated fats to your diet, such as organic extra virgin coconut oil.
• Choose sprouted whole grain products that contain important enzymes for digestion.
• Eat nutrient-dense, unprocessed raw foods, such as nuts and seeds.
• Choose organic, cage-free eggs.
• Choose unpasteurized, raw dairy items that have live, active cultures (probiotics), such as yogurt and kefir.
• Drink purified water throughout the day.

Foods to AVOID include:

• Nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers (green, red, yellow) – These appear to aggravate pain in people who suffer from pain and inflammatory disorders.
• Excessive caffeine intake – While moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial for boosting metabolism, excessive consumption of caffeine can disrupt sleep patterns. Fibromyalgia patients are particularly vulnerable to sleep disorders and should monitor their caffeine intake so that it doesn’t disrupt deep sleep.
• Carbonated soft drinks that cause blood pH levels to become acidic
• Sweetened fruit juices that spike blood sugar levels too rapidly
• All simple or refined carbohydrates (white flour, white rice, white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, processed snack foods, etc.) – Read more about good carbs and bad carbs.
• All foods containing refined sugar or artificial sugar-substitutes such as aspartame, Splenda^®, etc. Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet™ instead.
• Alcoholic beverages in excess since they hinder the functioning of the immune and digestive systems
• Limited cheese and wine
• Fungi such as mushrooms
• Pickled foods
• Bottom-crawlers such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury
• Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury. Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead.
• Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets
• Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer
• Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils found in many processed foods, deep-fried foods, fast foods, and junk food – Read more about good fats and bad fats.

Other tips for fibromyalgia sufferers:

• Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and biofeedback have proven to be helpful.²
• Join a support group that deals with chronic pain.
• Try therapeutic massage. Look for a massage therapist that specializes in pain disorders. Getting a traditional, deep-tissue massage from a health spa may end up being extremely painful.
• Try meditation, guided imagery, relaxation, and breathing techniques. These are all great techniques for coping with pain.
• Do whatever it takes to avoid stress in your life. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are severely aggravated by chronic or high levels of stress.
• Discuss heavy metal toxicity with your healthcare professional before receiving any diagnosis or treatment for a serious chronic condition.Read more about heavy metal toxicity
• If you have “silver” dental fillings, get an evaluation from a mercury-free dentist who specializes in the safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings. Mercury is a neurotoxin that can cause wide-spread damage throughout the body, and especially to the neurological system. Find a mercury-free dentist in your area now!

Exercise. Exercise is crucial for fibromyalgia sufferers. You may not want to move around at all due to chronic, widespread pain; however, gentle stretching exercises actually help manage pain effectively. Examples of light exercise include yoga, light aerobics, gentle walking, and water aerobics. The key to help relieve pain is to not over-exert yourself with strenuous activity, but instead incorporate light exercise into your daily lifestyle.

Additional Information about Fibromyalgia

1. Fibromyalgia Overview
2. Common symptoms of fibromyalgia
3. Common causes of fibromyalgia
4. Natural and alternative treatments for fibromyalgia
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of fibromyalgia
6. Cited Sources and Additional Reading for fibromyalgia

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