When suffering from an illness, there is more that you can do than just take medicine to make it more manageable. Scientists believe that your diet plays a crucial role in your health, and that includes influence on fibromyalgia.
Using medication for fibromyalgia is one of the easiest ways to make the pain less severe. Many have found success in using CBD oil because of how it helps reduce pain. CBD oil elevates an endocannabinoid in your body called anandamide, which binds to your CB1 receptor in charge of your neurological functions. By strengthening the anandamide, CBD has the potential to reduce pain. But there are more steps you can take toward wellness, like changing your diet.
While we don’t know exactly what causes fibromyalgia or have a cure, research has found that foods links to inflammation may exacerbate your symptoms. By reducing your intake of these types of food and increasing foods that can combat inflammation, your diet may be able to help reduce your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Foods To Eat With Fibromyalgia
Fruits And Vegetables
Foods rich in flavonoids and antioxidants like fruits and vegetables have shown in studies to help reduce inflammation. Fruits are also made up of complex carbs, which means they can help give you a natural boost of energy to fight fatigue common in fibromyalgia patients.
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Avacado
- Pineapples
- Blueberries
- Tomatoes
- Apples
Healthy Whole Grains
Healthy whole grains have also been linked to reducing inflammation by inhibiting oxidative stress. Rich whole grain diets have also been linked to weight loss without disrupting the body’s insulin sensitivity or gut microbe.
- Barley
- Buckwheat
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Brown Rice
- Rye
- Wheat
- Spelt
Dairy Products
It was once thought that limiting your dairy intake would be more beneficial to your health in regards to inflammation, but studies show that there isn’t enough evidence to prove this hypothesis. Researchers have found that including dairy in your diet actually has anti-inflammatory properties. Do keep in mind what else is in your dairy product, like yogurts, to make sure there isn’t any refined sugar or saturated fats which can cause inflammation.
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Milk
Oily Fish
Omega-3 that is present in oily fish has shown in studies to help reduce inflammation. Whether it is canned, fresh, or frozen, the following fish added to your diet can prove to be very beneficial:
- Trout
- Sardines
- Salmon
- Kippers
- Eels
- Mackerel
- Tuna
Foods To Stay Away From When You Have Fibromyalgia
Refined Sugar
Refined sugar and carbohydrates have inflammatory properties. High blood sugar can cause oxidative stress causing inflammation, while a high carbohydrate diet with low energy content can cause inflammation as well. Try to cut the following things out of your diet:
- Soft Drinks
- White Bread
- Cookies
- Candy
- Cake
- Pasta
- White Rice
Reduce Red Meat
Having a steak every now and then may be okay but reducing your red meat intake may be able to help with inflammation. Studies have shown that eating a lot of red meat can cause inflammation, but decreasing red meat intake reduced the risk of inflammation by 20%.
- Beef
- Lamb
- Pork
- Veal
- Venison
- Goat
Talk To Your Doctor
If you have fibromyalgia, going over all of your treatment options with your doctor can help you find what works best for you. This could be diet restrictions or medicine like CBD hemp oil. Your doctor can help monitor your condition and help you pick the best route to manage your symptoms.
