Fibromyalgia (also known as Fibromyalgia Syndrome) is an tragic chronic illness estimated to affect around 5 million people (Source: N.I.H.). It's exact causes are unknown, creating a perplexing problem for doctors treating patients suffering from a range of threatening symptoms that seem to have no origin. Modern medicine unfortunately seems to have little affect on Fibromyalgia, as modern medicine generally treats the effects while ignoring the source of the problems. It is common knowledge that the food you put into your body has a direct effect on your health. How many times have you felt amazing and full of energy after eating a cheeseburger or fries? In order to treat a health problem or improve the health in general, the most logical approach would be to start at the source. So in order to mitigate the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, one should, without question, carefully monitor one's diet. And because Fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder, someone who suffers from such a syndrome should focus on eating foods that strengthen the nervous system (as well as, of course, foods which strengthen the immune system.) NOTE: It is important to note that a multivitamin might seem like an easy supplement, however this notion just seems too good to be true. Humans have, for thousands of years, been taking in vitamins by eating certain foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. If you want to make sure you're getting the requisite amount of vitamins, it would be wise to eat take them in their natural form rather than ignoring the diet and taking the "easy way out". The idea taking a multivitamin to instantly improve one's health just seems to good to be true. So without further explanation, here is a short list of essential vitamins (and what foods contain them) that are crucial to alleviating the crushing symptoms brought about by Fibromyalgia. B Vitamins In addition to being central to the generation of energy, the intake of B vitamins is crucial to a healthy nervous system. According University of Maryland Research Center, B vitamins affect a wide range of proteins in the body, specifically those that play a role in the central nervous system. Vitamin B6 and B12 seem to be the most important for strengthening the nervous system. According to The University of Maryland: "Vitamin B6 helps the body make several neurotransmitters, chemicals that carry signals from one nerve cell to another. It is needed for normal brain development and function, and helps the body make the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which influence mood..." (Source: University of Maryland Medical Center). Vitamin B12 is central to the formation of nerve cells themselves and as such might be the most important vitamin listed in this article that mitigates Fibromyalgia symptoms. An additional benefit from taking in B vitamins is an enhanced mood. Vitamin B6 aids your body in the production of serotonin, a chemical that affects your general mood. Good sources of B vitamins include spinach, sunflower seeds, carrots, brown rice, tuna, oysters and beef. Calcium Calcium is essential to the entire body, helping everything from your skin to your nervous system. According to Bistro M.D., the intake of calcium is crucial to the nervous system because without it, certain channels are blocked, leading to the hyper-excitation of nerves and muscle spasms. This may be a crude comparison, but calcium seems to be comparable to motor oil in a car: it keeps everything running smoothly and without it, the car will backfire. Good sources of calcium include dairy products such as yogurt or milk. It is important to note here, however, that opting for organic in the dairy category is pertinent. Milk not labeled as organic generally contains hormones, pesticides, and a range of other chemicals bad for the health. The best alternative is almond milk. Other sources of calcium include collard greens, soy (best taken in the fermented form for the most nutrients), and molasses. Vitamin C Vitamin C is essential to a healthy immune system, so those suffering from Fibromyalgia would be wise to consider increasing their levels of the vitamin. According to an article published by Wintergest ES, et al., "Supplementation of vitamin C was found to improve components of the human immune system such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity." So according to the article, vitamin C helps your body to fight infections and keep the immune system strong, both being essential to mitigating the effects of Fibromyalgia. Good sources of vitamin C include oranges, tomatoes, broccoli, red peppers and brussels sprouts. In summary, when suffering from an dreadful illness such as Fibromyalgia, the best health tip is to make sure and eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables. This will ensure a healthy amount of vitamins will be delivered to your body to aid in its fight against the syndrome. The best tool your body has for fighting pain and infection is what it already has, and upping your daily dosage of healthy food will equip it with the necessary tools to mitigate your pain the suffering levels. It is essential to mention that while you're eating healthy foods such as those mentioned above, it is absolutely critical to eliminate junk food from your diet. Avoiding typical junk food (anything fried or processed, soda, etc) will ensure that your body is functioning as best as possible. One could even make an argument that eating junk food will effectively cancel out any healthy food that you ate on that particular day. The decision you must make is: what is your health worth to you? Is it worth forgoing comfort food in favor of fresh, healthy unprocessed food? Ultimately, the decision is yours. I can only provide the information- what you do with it is up to you. Source
