There are days I wake up feeling refreshed and crave more sustenance than my usual dietary fare.  It is during these days that I am brought back to the simple art of home cooking made easy. Nothing satisfies an early morning craving than Simple Eggs Over Easy with Fried Potatoes.  

I must admit I do not use Teflon pans any longer.  In fact, much of my cookware is cast iron.  No invasive metal pieces will be proliferating my body anymore as I am on a quest to purge the toxins that may have intensified this illness in the beginning.  

Believe it or not, cast iron cookware is quite easy to assimilate to!  All you need to do is heat the pan on medium/low heat for a minute or two, add a bit of butter, and let it swirl around the pan filling those noticeable grooves.  You're set!  And, yes, you can swirl that egg around just as you do on those toxic Teflon pans!

Here's a simple recipe for those days you want some 'meat' on your bones.

1-2 organic eggs at room temperature preferably
1 medium to large potato
butter
Himalayan salt
Organic pepper

Take your potato and microwave on high 3 minutes.  Allow to cool and slice to 1/4 inch sections.  You may peel it first if you like.  Add butter to cast iron pan that has been heated as stated above.  Add potatoes, salt, and pepper.  Cook, turning until potatoes cast a delightful golden brown hue.  Take pan off stove, rinse with water and wipe with paper towel.  Place back on the stove and add a bit more butter to your liking, swirling pan.  Don't allow butter to brown.  Crack one or two eggs adding a bit more salt and pepper. As edges cook and middle becomes slightly solid, turn over eggs for one minute.  Immediately remove from pan and serve.

As my body begins to heal from lashing me with constant painful flareups, I am tempted to add new foods to my diet.  As I explained on Phase II Finding Relief, your body knows and will actually crave new foods as it begins to reverse.  I do stay constant with the Fibromyalgia Breakfast soup, but at times I crave a simple oatmeal breakfast cereal or eggs over easy near some delicious fried potatoes.  

You'll note that most of these recipes are LOW in carbohydrates. Too many carbohydrates at one meal wreck havoc by taking precious digestive time away from the healing process.  

1/4 cup organic oatmeal
1`/2 cup rice milk
2 tab. raisins
2 tab. sunflower seeds
1 medium banana 
raw honey

Place oatmeal and milk in a bowl.  Microwave on high for one minute.  Set aside.  Slice banana into 1/2 inch slices.  Top oatmeal with banana, raisins, and sunflower seeds.  Drizzle a tad of raw honey on top. Sprinkle a little more rice milk around the edges.  Serve immediately.

I had a recent discovery lately that had me perusing the Internet for days trying to understand why I've felt such elated relief from fibromyalgia.  Every year around the end of spring and the beginning of summer I take a delightful bike ride daily along A1A taking in the breathtaking coastline.  There is something calming and invigorating that envelopes me as I peddle away.  After 30 minutes or so, I bring my old mat and lie on the beach taking in a few rays of sun.  This activity always melts away any joint pain and tension allowing my mind a good breathing spell.  

For some reason this year, the ocean is unbelievably warm.  Normally, I'd wait until mid July to take a cool dip immersing myself and dashing out due to shocking coldness still present.  But for some reason, the ocean temp has been hovering around 80 degrees.  This makes one just want to frolic in the waves for unknown periods of time forgetting that the minutes are ticking away.  After a week or so of doing this relentlessly, I was shocked and unaccustomed to feeling very little pain and the clear mind in the hours that followed.  I knew it was directly correlated to the ocean water!

I knew it had something to do with osmosis.  Osmosis is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a partially permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration, in the direction that tends to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides.  Just as my body drinks in my skin care regiment, it was taking in the ocean water that I was swimming in!  I was propelled to see if I could find answers to my better health.

What I came upon was non short that amazing.  I read several articles on The Water Cure.  The Water Cure is another in a long list of alleged miracle cures discovered by “lone geniuses” who are allegedly persecuted by a resistant medical establishment. 

Dr. Batmanghelidj was imprisoned for political crimes in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison. A number of his fellow prisoners had previously been diagnosed with peptic ulcer disease (PUD). Their symptoms recurred in jail and didn’t respond to Cimetidine and antacids. Dr. Batmanghelidj gave a prisoner with unbearable pain two glasses of water. The pain disappeared completely after 8 minutes.

He treated other PUD patients with remarkable success. One patient was semiconscious from pain but after drinking water he recovered in 20 minutes. (One wonders about the wisdom of making a semiconscious patient drink, since there is a risk of aspiration). Patients were advised to continue drinking 1500cc of water daily for 6 weeks, allowing time for the average ulcer to heal. Symptoms did not recur.

During treatment, urine volume increased and patients had to get up at night to pee. Dr. Batmanghelidj assumed this meant that they were losing sodium so he added salt to their treatment.  Dr. Batmanghelidj decided that the real problem was dehydration: dehydration was the sole cause of pain so the pain was relieved by drinking water.

Dr. Batmanghelidj eventually got out of prison and came to the US, where he developed his ideas further and wrote a series of books. His philosophy expanded. Although water alone had worked for his initial patients, he added Celtic sea or Himalayan salt to supply trace minerals. 

He claims the water cure will:

1. Prevent and reverse premature aging
2. Eliminate pain, including heartburn, back pain, arthritis, colitis, angina, and migraine headaches
3. Cure asthma in a few days, naturally and forever
4. Cure hypertension without diuretics or other medications
5. Lose weight effortlessly and naturally, without strict dieting

The Water Cure:

The water you drink must be free of all impurities.

The water you drink must be warm.

The water you drink must contain salt.

Sea salt is best. Celtic sea salt is the best sea salt. One quarter teaspoon of salt per one quart of drinking water.  One quart is 32 ounces. 

Drink your salted water throughout the entire day.  Sip your water. Don’t drink 6-8 oz at a time. Drink 1-2 oz at a time. Go slowly.

You must consume half your body weight in ounces of water per day, each and every day to recover from the symptoms of long term, chronic, unintentional dehydration and to prevent it from happening again.

The outflow of urine should be equal in volume to the inflow of water. The color of your urine should be very light yellow like the color of lite beer.

I am not a doctor, but I do realize that a possible reduction in symptoms may be occurring due to my body taking in more salt water if Dr. Batmanghelidj's principles hold true.  I am in the water for quite sometime allowing body to "drink in" all that healthy sea water.  Sea water is highly concentrated with salt so the ratio of actually drinking the Water Cure to swimming in it may be slightly the same.  I believe when the ocean water is no longer available due to a decline in temperature I may be tempted to try the Water Cure.  

I do not recommend trying anything without your doctor's approval especially for those who are on a low salt diet.  Check with your practitioner first.  But, since this a site for alternative disciplines, I do want to "throw" it out there for your inspection.

I believe it is through movies like these that inspire each of us to go on and trust in God.  There are times life becomes just too overwhelming and lying still with a good flick such as this brings us back into reality.

About the Director:
T. C. Christensen has made several films about Latter-day Saint founder Joseph Smith. Among these are Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration and Emma Smith: My Story, both made in cooperation with Gary Cook. Other Mormon-themed films include his biography of President Gordon B. Hinckley. Christensen was the coauthor and director of Only a Stonecutter, the story of John R. Moyle, the father of James H. Moyle. Christensen has also been the cinematographer for many films, including Rigoletto, The Testaments, Forever Strong, Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy, and The Work and the Glory.

Product Description: 
As part of the Willie Handcart Company, Levi Savage (Jasen Wade) feared that leaving late in the season would lead to despair and death. What he learned was that for every tragedy, there was a multitude of miracles. Brought to you by filmmaker T. C. Christensen (Praise to the Man; The Work and the Glory), 17 Miracles will open your eyes to the unbelievable but true stories of the Mormon pioneers as you have never seen them before. Films by T. C. Christensen have received recognition in several film festivals. His Pioneer Miracle received the Best in Show award from the Houston International Film Festival in 2004. Seasons of the Heart, for which he was both director and cinematographer, also received multiple awards in film festivals. - Amazon.com

The Mayo Clinic recognizes that patients with fibromyalgia use more dietary supplements in hopes of treating their symptoms, according to Connie Leudtke, registered nurse in the Mayo Clinic Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Clinic. You may try everything from essential minerals like magnesium, which when taken with malic acid may help improve pain, to Gotu Kola, an herb used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to help relieve anxiety. Supplements should be taken only under the supervision of a doctor, and the Mayo Clinic staff stresses that using complementary therapies and lifestyle changes can better help you cope with fibromyalgia.  Here's a few more supplements you can add to your "to do list".


SAMe (s-adensylmethionine)

SAMEe is a chemical compound found naturally in the body produced from methionine, an amino acid found in high protein foods, and adensosine triphosphate (ATP), a substance involved in the production of energy in the body.  SAMe reduces pain, tenderness, fatigue, and depression.  It is used by the body to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood and pain regulation.  Three out of four RCTs investigating SAMe in the treatment of fibromyalgia reported that SAMe was more effective than a placebo in reducing both the number of tender points/or the degree of tenderness felt, as well as symptoms of depression.

Eleuthero

Eleuthero is a plant that grows in southeastern Russia, nothern China, Korea, and Japan.  The parts of the plant used are the root and rhisomes (underground stems).  It is also known as Siberian ginseng or Devil's shrub.  It helps to beat fatigue and imporves mental alertness.  The active ingredients include eleutherosides and complex sugars, which help the body produce energey.  In a study published in Psycological Medicine in 2004 concluded that eleuthero both reduced fatigue and improved energy levels in people with chronic fatigue.  A review published in Phytotherapy Research in 2005 clamied that adaptogens like eleuthro can reduce pain, boost energy and improve sleep in fibromyalgia suffers.  

I use Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer.  I make a coffee cup full each morning with one tea bag, strain, place in a coffee mug with a closed lid, and sip throughout the day.  Works wonders!

St. John's Wort

St. John's Wort is a hedgerow plant with yellow flowers.  It has an antidepressant effect similar to those of SSRIs and MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors).  It also helps ease nerve pain and has antiviral properties.  St. John's Wort boosts levels of the brain chemical serotonin, low levels of which have been linked to fibromyalgia.  The active ingredient, hypericin, is thought to keep the brain chemicals linked to positive mood, such as serotonin and noradrenaline, in the brain for longer.  It does this by blocking the effects of an enzyme that destroys them.  Serotonin and noraderenaline are involved in the regulation of pain.  

Red Montmorency Cherries

Red Montmorency Cherries are a type of tart cherry grown in North America.  They help maintain muscle strength, ease pain, and improve sleep patterns.  These cherries are rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins and flavonioids which reduce inflammation.  They are also rich in the 'sleep homrone' melatonin.  In 2011 researches at the Oregon Health & Science University reported that drinking tart cherry juice helped to maintain muscle strength and reduced overall pain.  Another study in 2011, at the Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research at Northumbria University, found that volunteers who drank red cherry juice slept more soundly for a longer periods of time.  

Vitamin D

I personally live off the beaches of sunny Florida and get enough of this vitamin manually by lying my achy body on the closest beach.  But, if you can't, this is one essential vitamin for fibromyalgia suffers.  

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin know as the sunshine vitamin.  Most of your vitamin D can be had from being in the great outdoors for at least 20 minutes each day.  It is also found in foods like oily fish, eggs and liver, as well as fortified cereals and margarine. Lack of vitamin D can cause symptoms linked to fibromyalgia, including muscle pain, fatigue, low mood, and sleep and digestive problems.  Vitamin D relieves muscle pain, boots mood, and promotes a sound sleep.  It improves absorption of calcium, which low levels are associated with muscle and bone pain. Calcium is also needed for a healthy nervous system and a calm disposition.  It is also involved in the production of serotonin, from which the body also makes the 'sleep hormone' melatonin.

Joyce Carole Oates weaves a tale of absolute heartache any parent can feel.  This story will have you hugging your own beloved each page read.  

A New York Times Notable Book and a former Oprah Book Club® selection Moving away from the dark tone of her more recent masterpieces, "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates turns the tale of a family struggling to cope with its fall from grace into a deeply moving and unforgettable account of the vigor of hope and the power of love to prevail over suffering. The Mulvaneys of High Point Farm in Mt. Ephraim, New York, are a large and fortunate clan, blessed with good looks, abundant charisma, and boundless promise. But over the twenty-five year span of this ambitious novel, the Mulvaneys will slide, almost imperceptibly at first, from the pinnacle of happiness, transformed by the vagaries of fate into a scattered collection of lost and lonely souls. It is the youngest son, Judd, now an adult, who attempts to piece together the fragments of the Mulvaneys' former glory, seeking to uncover and understand the secret violation that occasioned the family's tragic downfall. Each of the Mulvaneys endures some form of exile--physical or spiritual--but in the end they find a way to bridge the chasms that have opened up among them, reuniting in the spirit of love and healing. Profoundly cathartic, Oates' acclaimed novel unfolds as if, in the darkness of the human spirit, she has come upon a source of light at its core. Rarely has a writer made such a startling and inspiring statement about the value of hope and compassion. - Amazon.com

 Multiple tender points, fatigue and pain in the muscles and tendons, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and irritable bowel syndrome tend to co-exist with fibromyalgia. Certain supplements can help reduce inflammation, pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms, but some supplements are toxic in high doses, check with your healthcare professional before adding any of the following suggestions.

It's funny how in the beginning throes of fibromyalgia you become obsessed with medical testing.  Tests upon tests blanketed with co-pay after copay, forces one into the self realization that this chronic illness is best approached through personalized symptom reduction.  Pharmaceutical medications work in some areas of distress; but overall, the more pills you take, the more disillusioned you become, and the less zest for life you have.   

The best defense is a good offense to reducing painful flare-ups.  The following supplements have been known to reduce symptoms in fibromyalgia patients.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B Complex is a group of vitamins that re found in a wide variety of meats, fish, dairy products, vegetables, and whole grains.  If you are a vegan or under a lot of stress, you may be short on this vitamin.Research suggests that many fibromyalgia sufferers are low in vitamin B1 (thiamine),

B Complex vitamins are needed for normal muscle function, energy release, a healthy nervous system and for the production of serotonin.  Fibromyalgia symptoms have been linked with high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid produced in the body.  Supplementing with vitamin B complex has been shown to lower homocysteine levels.  

I personally use the Ultra Woman 50 Plus from Puritan Pride.  There are other Ultra Woman vitamins available depending on your age.  Their vitamins are reasonably priced and they offer free shipping and buy one get two days.  

Capsaicin Gel

Capsaicin gel is extracted from chillis.   It eases tenderness associated with fibromyalgia.  The tenderness is due to high levels of a protein called substance P, which is involved in the transmission of pain signals from the nerve endings of the brain and inflammation in the joints.  Capsaicin gel reduces these protein levels.

5-Hydorxytryptophan (5-HTP)

The body uses 5-HTP to make serontonin.  5-HTP supplements are usually made from the seeds of the Griffonia plant from west Africa.  These seeds ease pain, clear 'fibro-fog', boosts mood, and promotes sleep.  Serotonin helps to regulate mood, pain, and sleep.  Research suggests that people with fibromyalgia have low levels of serotonin.  In a study published in Alternative Medicine Review, research concluded that supplementation with 5-HTP may help relieve fibromyalgia-related pain, stiffness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.   

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is deficient in many who suffer from fibromyalgia.  It is speculated that chronic fatigue affects levels of a growth hormone, which in turn affects magnesium levels.  A shortage of this nutrient is thought to contribute to muscle pain and fatigue.  Magnesium boosts mood and energy levels, relaxes the muscles, and eases muscle pain.  Magnesium is involved in the production of energy and mood-boosting serotonin which is needed for healthy muscle and nerve function.  Magnesium malate, found in apples and oranges, reduces lactic acid in the muscles which is linked to muscle pain and tenderness.

I use Cal-Mag from Puritan Pride.  This supplement gives me my daily quota of Calcium, magnesium, and zinc in a simple to take tablet.  A coupon is provided below for Puritan Pride.  Sign up today for great incentives that will be sent via email.  All their products are made at the facility and  closely monitored for peak freshness. 

I know that delicious cup of coffee has you scrambling to quickly read this in hopes of a simple stroll down to Starbucks for a delicious treat.  But before you do that, put some thought into those actions that keep you wanting that stimulating cup.  In fact, your morning delight may be setting you up for midday flare-ups.

Many fibromyalgia sufferers are tempted to drink a lot of coffee for that much needed energy boost to get through the day.  But do note that coffee contains the stimulant caffeine as do tea, cola, and chocolate. And, for the moment you may receive that much needed energy boost to get dressed in the morning.  But the stimulant effects wear off and your energy level begins to plummet only hours after receiving your first sip.  Furthermore, excess caffeine can make you jittery and anxious.  It can also affect your ability to fall and stay asleep at night. Caffeine is also addictive and your body craves it each day to function.

Many Americans consume caffeine-containing products on a daily basis. Caffeine is digested, enters the bloodstream and stimulates the central nervous system. Specifically, caffeine can increase energy and alertness. However, excessive caffeine intake is known to cause anxiety, insomnia, muscle tremors, depression and difficulty sleeping. In addition, caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and vomiting. Caffeine is not stored in the body and is excreted in the urine a few hours after consumption, states Medline Plus, of the National Institutes of Health.

Anything that stimulates the central nervous system is not a productive dietary aid if you suffer from fibromyalgia.  If you seek to cut caffeine from your diet, do so gradually to avoid withdraw symptoms. Then plenty your diet with herbal teas and lots of fresh water.

In terms of reducing pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms, according to the latest review,  “Vegetarian diets and raw diets could have some beneficial effects."  Both vegetarian and raw vegan diets led to significant improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms in several studies.

I have long noted that anything eaten raw substantially reduces painful flareups.  Furthermore, I am dosed with a bit of renewal energy after consuming such treats.  I call them treats because there is a whole new taste experience out there for those that want to maneuver this wholesome highway.  

For two years I've consumed the following each day:

Fibromyalgia Juice Recipe

Vinegar Cocktail

Fistful of Almonds and Banana

Fistful of Almonds and Seasonal Fruit

Fibromyalgia Salad

Fibromyalgia Smoothie

In doing so, I've reduced my "cooked" intake to just under 35% of my daily diet.  One of the most noted after effects is when any of the above are consumed, I feel much more alert, less pain, and wrapped in an overall sense of well-being.  For some reason lately, my body feels propelled to incorporate more raw foods into my diet.  Presently, I am looking for snacks that may be utilized as meal substitutes when the desire unfolds.  Here are two great recipes that stock well in the refrigerator.  Be prepared for a whole new food taste adventure as these foods are packed with micro nutrients your body so desperately needs.

Sweet Potato Chips

1 large, one pound sweet potato
2-3 tab. cold pressed olive oil
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Slice scrubbed fresh sweet potato with mandolin.  Place in bowl and cover with oil and salt. Toss gently. Place on single rack in a food dehydrator for 10 - 12 hours until desired crispness is attained.  Store in air tight container for 7 days.  Your taste buds will be totally consumed on this one!  Amazing!

Raw Hummus

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 cup fresh squeeze lemon
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup tahini
3/4 cup cold pressed olive oil

Soak chickpeas for 10 - 12 hours replacing water every 3 hours.  Or place in refrigerator overnight for 12 hours.  In a food processor, blend pepper, lemon, garlic, cumin, and salt on high until smooth/chunky. Add chickpeas and process till almost smooth.  Add tahini and process more to break up chickpea clumps.   Process until desired consistency is attained.  Put olive oil in thin stream while processor is whirling and blend until delightfully smooth.  Store in refrigerator three days.  Serve with sweet potato chips.

Many fibromyalgia suffers are plagued with food in-sensitivities.  Adding probiotics may be a new ticket for better health.  Probiotics are good bacteria such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria, which play an important role in digestion helping to break food down further.  This makes minerals such as magnesium and calcium easier to absorb.  It also prevents more harmful strains of bacteria from multiplying by using up all the available oxygen and nutrients.

Problems begin when levels of good bacteria are reduced.  This can happen after a bout of gastroenteritis or a course of antibiotics, which destroy all types of bacteria.  With fewer good bacteria present, harmful strains such as pathogens can multiply and cause havoc to good health.  Research suggests certain chronic illnesses may be caused by bad bacteria such as E. Coli and clostridium in the gut which give off excessive amounts of waste products.  When these collide with other food sources they ferment and leave toxic chemicals in the gut.  This process is called malfermentation which some researchers have suggested could be the cause of food intolerances.  

Boosting levels of good bacteria in you gut may help you control food intolerances.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics are: 'Live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.'  WHO states for foods to be described as probiotic they should contain enough good bacteria that are alive and active until the end of use by the expiration date and can survive strong stomach acid.  

Getting lactobacillus, bifodobacteria, and streptocooccus thermophilus into your diet are the most beneficial.  Yogurt drinks such as kefir that contain numerous strains of helpful bacteria are recommended.  Probiotics that contain at least 10 million bacteria per dose is also suggested. But, if you suffer from severe food intolerances, opening the capsule and sprinkling on food throughout the day in a smaller dosage will be of great benefit, too.   

I use Kal as itemized below with great results.  I sprinkle on breakfast foods and again at dinner.  Keep this product in the refrigerator and use before expiration date to ensure bacteria are active.