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The Sweet Spot: I have Fibromyalgia and I feel wonderful

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I had just finished seeing my last fibromyalgia patient of the morning, and I was getting chicken salad out of my lunch bag and had time to take a deep breath and check in with myself. Ahh, my body felt great–my muscles moved easily and I didn’t feel pain anywhere. I had plenty of energy, my mind was clear, and looked forward to the afternoon and the weekend.

I had hit the “sweet spot,” the spot where my system was in balance. How did I, someone with fibromyalgia, achieve this balance? I try to practice what I preach: in order to have the best chance of recovery from fibromyalgia symptoms I find that I and my patients need to:

1. eat foods that help you feel well–we are what we eat, it is that simple.

2. get consistent aerobic exercise–we all need at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise 4 times a week to feel well. Put comfortable shoes on and get moving. You will build new mitochondria over time which will give you more energy and help you feel better.

3. clear well on the guaifenesin protocol–this treatment has proved so successful for me and many of my patients.

Do I feel wonderful all day every day? No, but I feel a heck of a lot better now than I felt 7 years ago when I was first diagnosed. Do your best to follow the 3 guidelines to give yourself the best chance to hit your sweet spot. This is my wish for you.

 

Food, Glorious Food

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One of my daily challenges is food. In order to feel my best, I know I need to eat healthfully, and when I was the sickest 21 months ago, all I wanted to eat was ice cream and cookies. Come to think of it, even when I wasn’t sick, chocolate was one of my major food groups. But when you are exhausted and your brain is foggy, the idea of planning, buying and making 3 nutritious meals was a chore. And I wanted to make healthy meals not just for me, but food my family would enjoy.

As my recovery is proceeding, I am learning. I have learned to ask my husband to help with meals on weekends (and he is great about cleaning up every night). I have developed a handful of family favorites that are healthy and easy to make. I have learned where to buy less expensive healthy prepared foods, for the nights I just can’t deal. I guess my pediatrician told my mom that there was “a lot of nutrition in a cookie.” So I just try to do my best.

The Perfect Diet

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Of course there is no perfect diet for anyone. But we are what we eat, so it is even more important for those of us who have a chronic disease like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome to consider what goes into our bodies.

Eat what makes you feel good. Not just for a minute, or an hour, but until you are hungry again. Most of us with fibromyalgia have different degrees of irritable bowel syndrome, so certain foods are harder for us to digest. Years ago I went on a raw food diet for its health benefits, and I did feel great. I had more energy and slept well. But my intestines couldn’t handle the raw foods. After 11 days, I was visiting the bathroom so much I wasn’t really able to do much else. So we have to find a balance. Some raw foods agree with my system, I just have to limit the amount. I make sure I eat plenty of organic fresh fruits and veggies (easy for those of us living in California) and only grass fed beef. These are the right choices for me. Our monthly food bill is a lot, but we cut back on other things. Because I have such a sensitive system I think organic food/grass fed beef is a way to keep me healthier. Plus it is better for the planet. My mom feels guilty about the nitrate/nitrite-laden meats and products with artificial flavors and dyes she fed us when we were kids, but that was what was in fashion then. Now we have more healthy choices, and I am glad of it.