There's been more research allotted to food allergies or sensitivities for fibromyalgia patients.  Your primary care physician may think it would be unlikely that you are wrong about food having an impact on your disorder.  If you noticed, changes in your emotional of physical well-being after eating a certain food type then your gut feeling could be right. Many patients experience problems that arise in connection with something they’ve eaten. Often their stomachs are fine in the morning or in situations where they avoid food intake. But after meals they feel gassy, uncomfortable, with pangs of pain, or anxiety.

The problems appear to be linked to intake of carbohydrates that are hard to digest.  Other onsets could be linked to foods that are offensive in the digestive system.  Medical researchers are also hunting for special compounds from digestion in blood samples from the patients. They think the cause of food intolerance and
the three disorders will be found in the intestines. They suspect the culprit is intestinal flora. Indigestible carbohydrates, which recreate the patients’ symptoms, are not absorbed in the small intestine but are fermented by microbes in the large intestine.

One way to see if your symptoms may be the result of food allergies is to ask your PCP provider for a simple blood test and try to avoid those foods that come up positive even if the totals are minimal.  A blood test can measure your immune system's response to particular foods by checking the amount of allergy-type antibodies in your bloodstream known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. For this test, a blood sample taken in your doctor's office is sent to a medical laboratory, where different foods can be tested. However, these blood tests aren't always accurate.

To get a more accurate assessment one should be referred to an allergist.  Be prepared to tell your doctor a history of your symptoms which foods, and how much, seem to cause problems, and whether you have a family history of food allergies or other allergies.  A scheduled food allergy skin prick test may be ordered.  A skin prick test can determine your reaction to a particular food. In this test, a small amount of the suspected food is placed on the skin of your forearm or back. Your skin is then pricked with a needle to allow a tiny amount of the substance beneath your skin surface.  By avoiding any foods that may be suspected, you may find your flare-ups decrease over time.

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas will leave you haning on the edge of your seat waiting for those twists and turns to subside.  Packed with an unexpected ending, you'll be left to contemplate the true meaning of life.

This movie is so amazing, it shows how a heart may be healed no matter the difficulties that happened or how past events influenced a present  painful situation.

Performances are brilliant, locations are really well  chosen, that really make you get into the plot. It's a very nice version of the  actual book.

I just love it! - Amazon.com/review
 
Katie Wilkinson has finally found the perfect man - but one day he suddenly disappears, leaving behind only a diary written by a new mother named Suzanne for her baby, Nicholas. In it she intimately reveals the romance between herself and the child's father, her hopes for their marriage, and her unparalleled joy
in motherhood. As Katie reads on, she realizes that the man she loves is Suzanne's husband. Now, filled with terror and hope, Katie must struggle to understand what has happened - and find out if her new love has a prayer of surviving.- Amazon.com

If you need a movie to navigate you to the eternal oasis of the ocean then Adore is a must for you.  Packed with inescapable perils, you won't be able to turn it off.

This was at times odd, uncomfortable, and disturbing-.but yet strangely enjoyable to watch. It draws you in and tosses you around a bit. At first, I was appalled at the "crossed lines" and seemingly lack of good judgement and self control, but then as the story continued I got use to the idea of it all, and came to the conclusion that there is nothing inherently wrong with four people who want nothing more than to love, be loved, and experience an intense connection with another. This movie wouldn't have worked had it not been for the strong performances, especially by the two actresses, who would be beautiful at any age. - Amazon.com/review

Two friends, two sons, two shocking and intense love affairs . . .

Roz and Lil have been best friends since childhood. But their bond stretches beyond familiar bounds when these middle-aged mothers fall in love with each other's teenage sons—taboo-shattering passions that last for years, until the women end them, vowing to have a respectable old age. With Adore, Doris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, once again proves her unrivaled ability to capture the truth of the human condition. - amazon.com

If you loathe going to the dentist since the onset of fibromyalgia you are not alone.  Normal people run screaming at the thought of a root canal or other invasive procedures.  Add a chronic illness, and you have formula for disaster. Many fibromyalgia patients complain of extended tooth pain after such
procedures.  

It's common for us to feel worse after getting dental work, or any medical procedure for that matter.  Your body might have a delayed or prolonged reaction to the medication, and you might also have post-exertional malaise.  Furthermore, if your dental work was extensive, tooth sensitivity can ensue for a much greater period of time than the average person and show up with no root cause.

Both fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic myofascial pain (CMP) can have a large impact on dental care. It is essential to know that you may have various muscles constricted by myofascial trigger points
(TrPs) in such a manner as to change the occlusion, forcing the mandible to close unnaturally.  Hence, the feeling of overly worked nerves begin, with a heightened sense of anxiety, before the drill has touched the tooth. To make matters worse, unexplained toothaches can be caused after treatment by several TrPs, chiefly in the various muscles and nerves. Each TrP has its own particular toothache pattern.  Usually, a TrP-induced toothache is intermittent which is why your pain is not chronic as with a normally infected tooth.

Root canals can be torture. FMS patients feel pain earlier in the case of a threatened nerve and feel extreme pain longer, often when other patients would feel none at all (Staud, Smitherson 2002). Sometimes it is
impossible to eliminate all of the pain. It is vitally important to get all the pulpal tissue out of the tooth as
quickly as possible, and allow the patient frequent rest periods. Patients have reported cases of “myofascial neuralgia” after a root canal, with pain that lasted a month or more.

Be sure to tell your dental practitioner that you suffer from fibromyalgia.  This will alert him to possible inconsistencies in pain when you are anesthetized.  Often FMS suffers feel more pain during procedures due to overactive nerves.  Whenever possible, plan extra down time for yourself after you have something like this done, and take good care of yourself before and after the procedure to help your body recover.

Research now shows that fibromyalgia sufferers often have low levels of certain vitamins and minerals.  Furthermore, we are more likely to be overweight or obese.  By examining the role diet plays in this illness, we have the power to prevent or relieve symptoms by keeping blood sugar levels steady, preventing weight gain, and providing your body with essential nutrients to stay healthy.  You can help yourself if you understand the roles certain minerals play in your overall health.

Magnesium

This mineral has several crucial roles in the body.  It helps release the energy from foods and aides in the production of serotonin.  It keeps healthy muscle function and regulates pain.  It plays a huge part in the metabolism of B vitamins and essential fatty acids.  It also helps in the absorption of calcium.  Studies suggest that may fibromyalgia patients have low magnesium intake, which is not surprising, given the symptoms of deficiency include fatigue, muscle pain, poor mental functioning, headaches, migraines,
nervousness, and insomnia.


Foods that are good sources of magnesium:
Nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, kale, seafood, tomato puree, whole grains, oats, beans, peas, potatoes, bananas, and yeast extract.  Avoid drinking too much alcohol as it can hamper magnesium absorption.  Fizzy drinks should also be avoided because the phosphates they contain also hinder magnesium absorption.  Don't forget the Fibromyalgia Soak!

Calcium

Quite a bit of research shows that fibromyalgia sufferers are short on calcium.  This nutrient is needed for healthy muscles and bones.  Fibromyalgia affects the muscles and is linked to reduced mobility which can lead to osteoporosis.  Bones need weight bearing exercise to remain strong.  It is sensible to ensure yoru diet contains foods that supply this mineral.  Nutritionists recommend 1,000 mg. a day increasing to 1,500 mg for people over aged 60.

Foods that are good sources of calcium:
Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and hard cheese are the richest sources.  It is the watery part, not the creamy part that supplies calcium.  Small fish such as sardines, salmon, and anchovies are good sources.  But, you must eat the bones.  No animal products include almonds, Brazil nuts seeds, tofu, soya, seaweed, figs, dates dried apricots, purple broccoli, watercress, leeks parsnips, and dark green leafy vegetables. Beans and lentils are good sources too.  Probiotics seem to enhance calcium absorption.

Chromium

This nutrient helps balance the blood sugar by working with insulin to remove excess glucose from the blood.  Having your blood sugar dip can lead to physical and mental symptoms such as fatiuge, poor concentration, and memoy.

Food that are good sources of chromium:
Meat, whole grains, whole meal bread, lentils, mushrooms, and spices.

Zinc

The body uses zinc to make insulin, so it has an important role in maintaining blood sugar levels.  It is also needed for a healthy immune system, and is involved ni the production of neurotransmitters and growth hormones.  A lack of zinc has been linked to abnormal pain responses, confusion, and poor concentration.

Foods that are good sources of zinc:
Stress increases your requirements.  Best sources are nuts, seeds, meat, eggs, seafood, beans, peas, mushrooms, broccoli, squash, spinach, kiwi, and blackberries.

Of course it is also recommended you take a good multi supplement to reduce these painful flare-ups that can inundate your daily living.  Just knowing how each food source can help in maintaining your overall health allows you one step closer to pain-free moments.  If you are unsure how to combine your food sources order Phase I or Phase II Diet Plans. 

Those rotisserie chickens at the corner supermarket can be tempting to indulge when life is on the face track and making dinner seems impossible.  But have you ever noticed you may feel a bit achy, fatigued, and unsettled after dinner?   Sodium Phosphate may be the answer.

Sodium phosphate is a generic term that may refer to any sodium salt of phosphoric acid. They’re commonly added to food and may serve a variety of purposes. Phosphoric acid is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a syrupy consistency.  Food-grade phosphoric acid is a mass-produced chemical, available cheaply and in
large quantities.  According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group not affiliated with the food industry, only a small fraction of the phosphate in the American diet comes from additives in soft drinks. Most comes from meat and dairy products. Did you know phosphoric acid is commonly used for rust removal? 

Sodium phosphate may refer to any of three specific compounds, although it most  often refers to trisodium phosphate unless otherwise specified. Sodium  dihydrogen phosphate may also be called monosodium phosphate. Disodium  hydrogen phosphate may also be called disodium phosphate. All three forms of sodium phosphate can serve as an emulsifier. An emulsifier is  added to allow for the uniform dispersion of two or more ingredients that would  otherwise be immiscible. The most common specific purpose of an emulsifier is to  prevent oil from separating from the rest of the mixture. Sodium phosphate is  commonly added as an emulsifying agent to processed cheeses, processed meats, prepared foods, and  canned soups.

There has been evidence that fibromyalgia by be linked to excess phosphates in the system.  St. Amand is an endocrinologist by background and has fibromyalgia, as do his three daughters. He believes that chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, systemic candidiasis and vulvar pain syndrome are all one and the same thing: "energy deficient syndromes." He proposes that these conditions result from a build up of phosphates within the cells of our bodies, due to a failure to excrete phosphates successfully in our urine. Phosphate ions  accumulate in the bloodstream and when they fail to be excreted they are 
deposited in the bones, muscles and tendons, where they begin to interfere with energy production within the mitochondria of our cells.

There are many modifications on the causes of fibromyalgia.  One must keep an open mind on the foods we ingest that may contribute to this disorder.  Even though fibromyalgia has been classified as a nervous disorder, which is to say that certain toxins are not able to reach the core of the nervous system and plague our neurons causing them to misfire repeatedly?

It's no secret that ingesting more raw foods will make you feel energized and look younger.  So what is it that
makes eating more raw foods just short of miraculous?  The secret is Enzymes.   Enzymes are types of protein catalysts that have to be present for life to exist. They perform a multitude of  functions in the body, both metabolic and digestive.  A good analogy of this would be, “an enzyme can be compared to a skilled worker who has  been trained very well to perform a specific task. Without him, all work stops.”

In terms of reducing pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms, according to the latest reviews, raw foods could have some beneficial effects.  Incorporating raw and live foods into the daily diet led to significant improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms.  Hence, the best science to date suggests incorporating more of a plant-based, cultured food diet in its many forms for sufferers of chronic pain.

I can't stress the relationship with food enough for patients of fibromyalgia.  The importance of ensuring you eat food that supplies antioxidants, B vitamins, vitamin D, various minerals and healthy fats, as well as those that boost good bacteria in the gut is imperative.  Poor food choices can be linked to inflammation which increases sensitivity to pain and causes sufferers to be less acive, prone to sleep problems, and linked to overweight statistics.

Here is an example plan I follow to ensure my energy levels stay up most days.  This includes only the raw/live foods of my daily dietary intake:

Breakfast:

Fibromyalgia Juice Recipe

Mid Morning Snack:

Banana
Raw Almonds

Afternoon Snack:

Apple/seasonal fruit
Raw Almonds or hard cheese
2 ounces of Kefir
Fibromyalgia Salad

Evening Snack:

Fibromyalgia Smoothies

By eating small frequent meals each day you can ward off those intense sugar cravings that plague most fibromyalgia patients.  Once your diet begins to fill with more raw/live foods added, your consumption at other meals will dwindle to about 300 calories per sitting.  This diminishes the caloric overload from a typical setting that makes you feel achy, out-of-sorts, and all around fatigued.  Your nutrient intake becomes a healing mechanism that allows the body to begin curing its symptomology on a deeper level.  

I know it's hard to remember but there was once a day, long ago, you didn't have fibro.  So, apparently the body once kept its list of symptoms at bay, it makes one wonder, "How can I get my body back to its original state?"  Food my be an integral component offering vitamins and minerals that may have been lost on the way.