Top 5 Best and Worst Foods For Fibromyalgia
Despite what we’re told, Fibromyalgia, or any type of pain issue, can be helped with the proper diet! Your nutrition should focus on anti-inflammatory foods and be tailored to your specific needs.
How Chronic Inflammation Fuels Pain
First, let's talk about inflammation. Inflammation is actually a good thing! It’s your body’s natural reaction to a stressor, but chronic inflammation, which has many causes, including a poor diet, infections and toxins, is like a fire in the body that won’t go out. It contributes to all kinds of ailments including chronic fatigue, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, hypertension and more.
Our gut is where the inflammation starts! When there’s long-term inflammation in the gut, this sends signals to the brain via the trillions of nerves in the digestive tract and hypersensitivity can result.
5 Best Foods for Fibro
Bone broth
Bone broth is an incredibly healing food and should be a staple in your diet if you have chronic pain! It contains gut-healing nutrients like glutamine, proline, glycine and collagen to promote the healing of the intestinal lining, which is crucial for overcoming fibromyalgia.
(I’ll be posting a recipe and more about bone broth benefits in the fall, so follow me on social media @flourishnaturalwellness so you don’t miss it!)
Turmeric
Turmeric contains curcumin, the key compound that gives this eastern spice its anti-inflammatory power. Stir-fry it with vegetables, add to smoothies, mix it into sauces or enjoy a comforting mug of Golden Milk.
Ginger
Ginger is another fantastic anti-inflammatory spice to keep on hand! Ginger is great for reducing inflammation in the joints and is a digestive aid, helpful for cooling inflammation in the gut.
Colourful, Non-Starchy Vegetables
A diet that is rich in antioxidants is essential for reducing pain because it helps counteract oxidative stress in the body that contributes to inflammation. Oxidative stress is like internal “rusting” that promotes pain and aging. Focus on non-starchy veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, spinach, asparagus and cucumbers.
Probiotic Foods
All those veggies will help support the diversity of bacteria in your gut, but probiotic foods are another essential to reintroduce good bacteria and increase healthy colonization in the gut.
5 Worst Foods for Fibro
Sugar
Refined sugar is the worst thing someone with chronic pain can consume and should be avoided as much as possible. Sugar fuels inflammation in the gut, nervous system and joints and is food for pathogens like bacteria and viruses that may be contributing to pain. Natural sugars like honey should be reduced or eliminated for a time also.
Gluten
For those with fibro, it’s critical to eliminate gluten from the diet. Gluten has the ability to increase intestinal hyperpermeability (leaky gut) and cause overreactive immune responses to foods and other substances; even the body’s own tissues in the case of autoimmunity, where fibromyalgia would be categorized. One study involving 20 non-celiac patients who eliminated gluten for 3-15 months, experienced significant improvements in chronic, widespread pain and 3 patients were able to stop their opioids.
Processed Oils
Industrial oils like canola, corn, safflower and cottonseed are some of the worst foods to be eating for our health. They create massive amounts of free radical damage and are like putting gasoline on the fire. Make to simple switch to coconut oil and other healthy oils I talk about here.
Dairy
The reason I don’t recommend dairy is NOT because of it’s fat content, if someone was going to eat dairy I would only recommend high-fat, organic, fermented products. But dairy is inflammatory for people with fibromyalgia due to underlying sensitivities and there is commonly cross-reactivity with gluten.
Refined Grains
All processed grains should be eliminated from the diet as they spike insulin and inflammation and increase oxidative stress.
Remember…
Nutrition is not one size fits all! Certain foods, such as eggs, soy and nightshades may also be triggers for pain due to sensitivities, so it’s important to listen to your body! Short-term elimination diets are really the best way to check for sensitivities, but we also provide Food Sensitivity Testing at Winnipeg Nutrition, which is an easier, hassle-free way to check which foods you may be reacting to. Contact me if you’re interested!
Asher Kleiber
Registered Holistic Nutritionist™
Despite what we’re told, Fibromyalgia, or any type of pain issue, can be helped with the proper diet! Your nutrition should focus on anti-inflammatory foods and be tailored to your specific needs…