March 26, 2005
Topic: Food and Fibromyalgia This months meeting was held on March 26, 2005, and the main topic was food and fibromyalgia. Well we got a little off topic. We will need to come back and revisit this topic at a later meeting. Anytway, here is some background information that should be useful. 
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The Basics Research has not yet proven that any specific foods affect fibromyalgia. But we do know eating a good balanced diet helps the body function at its best. Just this year USDA updated the stalwart food pyramid. As should be expected, they did a reasonable job of delivering guidance on what to eat that better reflect current research. 
A Look at the New Food Pyramid On-line you can access personalized pyramids based on your recommend caloric intake. mypyramid.gov In addition the USDA has a website were you can assess your diet and exercise, and actually logon and track your improvements. mypyramidtracker.gov
Variety, balance and moderation are keys to a healthful diet. Variety usually means eating more grains, fruits and vegetables than most Americans do. A good diet includes some choices from each of five different groups of foods: breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meats.
Now some notable pyramid differences:
Exercise has been added as a prominent part of the food pyramid. Americans do not exercise enough. This is even more prevalent for those with fibromyalgia where pain and fatigue can be a substantial obstacle. Nevertheless good health depends on exercise.
The "food" part of previous pyramid was also flawed. It promoted the consumption of complex carbohydrates and severely limited all fats and oils. All fats are not bad for you, and certainly not all carbohydrates are good for you. In an attempt to be simple and straightforward, the pyramid was misleading.
Nutritionist now know that some types of fat are essential to health and can actually reduce the risk of heart disease. Limit saturated (solid) fats and especially trans-fats (saturated fats produced when processed fats and shortenings are hardened). Instead, unsaturated (liquid) fats, like olive oil, should be used for cooking. Replacement of saturated fats with polyunsaturated oils in the American diet has greatly contributed to improved coronary health in the US. Also something to remember: the best way to control weight is to LIMIT YOUR TOTAL CALORIES, not just the fat calories.
Carbohydrates are the basic energy supply for our bodies. But not all carbohydrates are equal. Simple carbohydrates such as refined sugar are digested quickly and give quick energy but little nutrition. They tax our bodies ability to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Complex carbohydrates - fruits, vegetables, whole grain products that have not been refined - are digested more slowly and create a feeling of fullness. One caution though, overeat either type of carbohydrate and the body converts the excess to fat. Eat your vegetables is still sound advice.
For those that are interested, download USDA's nutritional recommendation:
USDA Guidelines
Food and Fibromyalgia
You probably can't alleviate your fibromyalgia entirely by watching what you eat. There are no large scale studies that have defined what foods are good or bad to eat. But, some general consensus has emerged. Many suffers agree most fruits and vegetables (especially berries) and plain cereals are FMS-friendly. Milk chocolate (ouch!), citrus fruits, caffeine, alcohol, and food additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame can aggravate symptoms.
Many books address food allergies as a mitigating factor for fibromyalgia. But, all people with FMS are not allergic to foods. One way to figure out whether specific foods make you feel worse is to keep a diary of the food you eat and how you feel - collect details for at least 2 weeks. If you start to see a pattern try to eliminate the suspicious food for at least a week to see if there is a connection.
Another way is to eliminate potential allergens from your diet then gradually reintroduce them into your diet. This is perhaps more straightforward but also harder to do. The most common foods implicated in allergy and other adverse reactions are wheat/gluten, dairy products, eggs, corn, soy/tofu, peanuts, citrus fruits, yeast, refined sugars. Pretty broad list isn't it. A diet removing all these possible allergens is very difficult to stick to long term.
For any prescribed diet (pick any from the shelves of books), evaluate the diet claims.
- Does the diet eliminate any essential food group from the food pyramid?
- Does it stress only a few foods or eliminate certain foods?
- Does it claim to cure fibromyalgia?
If the answer is yes to any of these, be suspicious. As an example, there is no evidence that an Atkins-like diet improves the symptoms of fibromyalgia, and experience with my friends indicate most people do not stick with a very low-carb diet.
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