Article of the Month

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity. Fatigue plagues the large majority of patients with fibromyalgia and sleep disorders are common in fibromyalgia. This widespread pain has no known cause and primarily affects women and as many as 10 million people suffer from the disorder in the United States.

Many sufferers are affected with a variety of other conditions such as:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Irritable Bladder
• Chronic Fatigue
• Chemical Sensitivities
• Depression
• Migraines and other headaches
• Ringing of the ears(tinnitus)
• Headaches
• Sleep Disturbances

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

No one actually knows, however brain scans of people with fibromyalgia have offered evidence that the pain is real. Poor diet and lifestyle factors can contribute to these diseases as well as imbalances in the body which need to be corrected so a person can heal. According to experts such as Dr. Frederick Wolfe, the director of the National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases and the author of the 1990 paper that first defined fibromyalgias diagnostic guidelines, now believes fibromyalgia is mainly a physical response to mental and emotional stress, depression, and anxiety about economic and social issues.

Many doctors are now prescribing the drug Lyrica since most painkillers dont help fibromyalgia patients which is very dangerous and is not the answer. This drug has many dangerous side effects such as weight gain, Edema, Dizziness and Sleepiness. According to Dr. Mercola in a 3-month trial of the drug, 9 percent of patients had a weight gain of more than 7 percent, and their weight kept rising steadily over time.

People with fibromyalgia may experience reductions in their symptoms by eliminating the following:

• Processed Foods containing additives and preservatives
• Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. in your home and workplace
• Chemicals such as paint
• Household Cleaning Products such as bleach, drain openers, bathroom cleaners, etc. (only use organic chemical-free cleaning products)
• Commercial Personal Care Products such as shampoos, dyes, cosmetics, deodorants, etc.. that contain large number of chemicals. Be sure to read all the labels carefully.
• All White Carbohydrates
• Corn
• Wheat
• Dairy
• Citrus
• Soy
• Nuts

While diet can certainly help one must deal with the emotional element. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 85 percent of all diseases have an emotional element. For example; if you focus on the positive and put energy into positive healthy lifestyle choices your body will naturally feel better. According to W. Clement Stone who was the most financially successful student of Napoleon Hill and was a billionaire firmly believed that most of the negative events that occur in your life can be viewed from the perspective of life trying to teach you something that will ultimately improve you. We are what we think.

Toxins

Our world is filled with toxins from the air we breathe to the food we eat and to help rid your body of the toxins try the following:

Since you wonʼt be able to completely avoid toxins in our society you have to regularly help your body get rid of these toxins and the first step is to take a fiber supplement every day such as Psyllium, Natureʼs Three or Everybodyʼs Fiber. Fiber helps bind the toxins and carry them out of your system. It also helps to do a cleanse at least once or twice a year such as a Tiao He Cleanse which helps cleanse the liver. Some other great products for general support of cleansing that should be taken daily are All Cell Detox, Enviro-Detox and Heavy Metal Detox. For other cleanses try Para-Cleanse or Clean Start.

White Carbs

White carbs are refined carbohydrates that include refined sugars, white bread and products made with white flour or polished white rice. Nutrients have been stripped out of all white carbs so eating them depletes the bodyʼs stores of nutrients as well as spike sugar levels. It is best to keep these white carbs out of your diet and prevent diseases such as heart disease, hypoglycemia and diabetes. Eliminating these white carbs out of your diet is much easier said than done and for many the constant craving for these carbs is a daily part of life. Once you break your addiction to them you will no longer crave them. To break the addiction can take months to years depending on your commitment level. To start you can try a Para-Cleanse to kill the candida and I recommend doing one cleanse for 10 days and take 10 days off and do the second cleanse after the 10 day break. Breaking the physical addiction takes about two weeks, breaking the psychological addiction can take years, For more information on breaking the Addiction to Sugar please see the Candida Article under All Articles. You can also find great recipes under the recipes section for desserts such as Chocolate Zucchini Bread that can help you by giving you the feeling of having a delicious dessert without sugar. Also, you can try using Xylitol as a sugar replacement as well for your sweetener. Xylitol is made of corn and is all natural.

Good Fats

Be sure to eat good fat such as organic butter, wild fish, grass fed animals, flax and hemp seeds, nuts like walnuts and almonds, avocados, cream from grass fed cows and natural oils like olive oil and coconut oil. You may also want to take an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as a Super Omega. Avoid all nonfat and low fat products because they are much higher in calories and sugars and good fats are actually better for you.

Stress

Stress has a very negative impact on our body and our mind. Patients with fibromyalgia are usually in the middle-to-upper earning brackets and are ambitious, hardworking perfectionists. This suggests that stress plays a major role in their health problems. The body is only able to handle a certain amount of stress and when you combine stress and nutritional deficiencies from a diet of refined and processed foods the body becomes depleted more quickly.

Stress depletes the body of B-vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium. The adrenals get affected as well which causes fatigue, affects sleeping patterns and other chronic health problems. We need a minimum of 8-9 hours of sleep each night and most americans only get 6-7. They rely on caffeinated beverages such as coffee and soda to get going and to keep going throughout their day but what they really need is more sleep and less stress.

To combat stress and to replace nutrients try Nutri-Calm and Magnesium for mineral deficiencies. You can also reduce stress levels by using adaptagenic herbs and formulas such as eleuthero root, Mineral-Chi Tonic or Adaptamax. While supplements can be helpful the most important thing is to reduce stress and take time for pleasure and time for yourself.

Prescription Drugs

Most americans rely on prescription drugs for their health issues as well as to sleep but these drugs can cause many problems. These medications only give temporary relief and donʼt get address the cause. Also, since most drugs are inorganic, toxic substances, the body has to treat them like environmental toxins and get rid of them. This requires extra nutrients and leads to further depletion and toxification of the system. Wherever possible itʼs best to deal with a health problems using natural remedies which actually promote health rather than just treat the symptoms.

If you do need a drug to stabilize a medical condition, you should still work on the underlying cause of the disease, not just rely on the drug. In some cases, a drug is absolutely necessary, but you can take steps to help minimize the damage itʼs doing to your body by replenishing the specific nutrients and vitamins that the drug is depleting your body of.

Many people also rely on alcohol, tobacco and caffeine to relax and take their mind off things which puts even more stress on the body. An occasional glass of wine or cup of coffee wonʼt hurt anyone but to rely on these daily will affect your health. Try a cup of herbal tea instead and donʼt rely on these bad substances to feel good. It is best to deal with whatever it is you need to deal with and move past it than by masking it as it only prolongs it.

Leaky Gut

Our small intestines play an important role in protecting our body. They can become chronically inflamed due to environmental toxins, chronic yeast infections caused by antibiotics, birth control and sugar. They become porous and allow toxins and microbes to enter into the body unchecked. Leaky gut is a major underlying factor in many chronic diseases such as arthritis, asthma, allergies, skin problems, and environmental illness. It is a major factor in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

To create a healthy border for your body start by taking fiber to absorb intestinal toxins. You should also consider taking digestive enzymes like Proactazyme Plus or Food Enzymes.

Formulas that help to soothe the intestinal inflammation and reduce the leakiness of the intestines include Intestinal Soothe and Build, Una De Combination, and Kudzu/St. Johns Wort. Yeast/Fungal Detox may also be needed to eliminate yeast overgrowth. A parasite cleanse such as Para-Cleanse may also be necessary.

Liver

The skin and membranes are the first line of defense for the body and the liver is the back-up system should these become compromised. Suffering from deficiencies of nutrients and overloaded with toxins, the liver conspires with the intestines to create internal toxicity which destroys our health.

This is one of the most overlooked factors because moderate liver dysfunction doesnʼt usually show up on laboratory tests. Some of the signs that the liver is compromised include feeling nervous and irritable (especially in the evening), feeling groggy and tired in the morning, feeling bloated, frequent headaches or migraines and a general feeling of being run down of fatigued and ill health. Try a liver cleanse such as TiaoHe Cleanse. Another good formula is Liver Balance, Milk Thistle Combo, All Cell Detox or Enviro- Detox. Try eating an all organic, pesticide free diet and avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages as much as possible.

Thyroid

A sluggish or Low Thyroid is usually a sign if you feel depressed, have a lack of sex drive, dry sin, weight gain and fatigue.

Low Thyroid can be overcome with supplements that support the thyroid and supply iodine to the system. Thyroid Activator and Thyroid Support are good formulas for improving thyroid function. Concentrated Black Walnut and Liquid Dulse are two great ways to get more iodine to your system.

Iodine is a vital nutrient for metabolizing fats and is essential not only for low thyroid function, but also for breast and reproductive health. Low iodine levels may be a factor for breast problems including breast cancer, prostate and uterine cancers. Many cases of fibromyalgia have been improved by increasing iodine in the diet as well.

Adrenals

The adrenals perform very important tasks in the body. They give us energy to get things done and help regulate fluid and mineral balance. They also help regulate blood sugar and play a role in immunity.

People who are constantly tired, get sick easily and have restless sleep usually have taxed adrenals that are not functioning to their potential. When we experience chronic stress the adrenals take a hard hit and when this stress is combined with the use of stimulants like caffeine and sugar they can become exhausted. Tired adrenals rob us of both energy and sleep. We have a feeling of not being able to cope with everyday problems and stress of life.

To help the adrenals try using Adrenal Suport, Licorice Root, Nervous Fatigue Formula, Adaptamax, Pantothenic Acid and Vitamin B-12.

Modern medicine has no cure for this widespread problem of fibromyalgia, so treatment is primarily symptomatic. Like so many other illnesses it is best to focus on rebuilding overall health, rather than just trying to relieve the symptoms.

Sources: Dr. Mercola, Dr. Steven Horne (Treelite), MedicineNet