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January 20, 2011
Lisa M. McMahon
There is no specific diet for fibromyalgia that will miraculously make you well, but… that doesn’t
mean that it doesn’t matter what you eat. We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat” and in
the case of fibromyalgia it is true. As your system gets weaker, it can take 50 percent or more, of
your energy just to digest your food. That doesn’t leave much left for you.
Whenever our reserves are low it doesn’t take much to overwhelm them, so we need to limit the
battles our bodies need to fight. A healthy body with plenty of nutrient reserves can easily handle
an occasional fast food burger and fries but if you are already on the borderline, that burger and
fries may be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Or the last straw might be traces of a chemical
or some food like corn that triggers an allergic reaction.
Fibromyalgia Nutrition
One of the keys to dealing with fibromyalgia is to eat nutrient dense foods that are easy to
digest, free from chemicals and allergens. That may sound like a tall order in today’s world of
fast food, depleted farm soils with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It may take some extra
effort (which you may not think you have the energy for) but it will pay handsome dividends in the
long run.
One easy way for people with fibromyalgia to aid their digestion is so simple you will think I am
crazy to even mention it. But you would be amazed at how many people don’t do it! So what is this
simple secret to getting better nutrition with less energy? Simply to chew your food completely
before swallowing! It takes a tremendous amount of energy for your stomach to digest a big lump of
food… but if it is pulverized and mixed with enough saliva it will be much easier on your stomach.
Consciously chew your food until there is nothing left… try counting the number of chews for each
bite… aim for 40 to 50. If you have to take a sip of something to “wash it down” you didn’t chew
that bite of food enough! Undigested food can leak across the intestinal membrane and trigger an
inflammatory reaction.
Another way for fibromyalgia sufferers to absorb more nutrition from their food is to be sure your
digestion is at its peak. Other problems many people with fibromyalgia have are “malabsorption
syndrome,” intestinal permeability, digestive enzyme deficiencies, achlorhydria (no stomach acid)
or hypochlorhydria (or weak stomach acid). From the commercials on TV you would think stomach acid
is a villain. But it is a very important component in breaking down our food once it reaches our
stomach. Surprisingly, often “heartburn” is the result of too little stomach acid, rather than too
much. Often a simple pill of digestive enzymes will work wonders in aiding in nutrient absorption
for those with fibromyalgia. It is one key to absorbing more nutrients while expending less energy
in the digestive process.
Fibromyalgia Diet
You also may be suffering from a food allergy, food intolerance or food addiction. Sometimes the
food we crave is the one that is hurting us the most. To determine the source of the allergy
affecting you, the simplest test is called the “elimination diet.” It is a fairly drastic diet
because you eliminate everything that could be causing the allergy and then slowly reintroduce
items one at a time watching for reactions. Although it is tough, this is an excellent diet for
fibromyalgia patients to determine triggers.
The best fibromyalgia diet in the world probably won’t have all the nutrients you need to meet your
body’s current needs, fight the disease and replenish its reserves. According to Dr. Rodger
Murphree, “Fibromyalgia patients must supplement with vitamins and minerals in order to get well.
No one could eat enough healthy food to keep up with the needs of a fibromyalgia patient’s body
when her illness is in full swing.” So, although diet and food is important for a fibromyalgia
patient, supplementation with vitamins and minerals is also important.
With fibromyalgia, diet, nutrition, and food nutrient absorption are all key components of treating
the root cause of fibromyalgia.
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