Category: Nutrition

You may have heard the talk going on right now about the nutritional supplement N-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC. But, unfortunately, the FDA wants to impose regulations on this supplement, which would change how it is allowed to be sold and consumed. So they are trying to take it off the market as a supplement.

What is NAC?

NAC is derived from the amino acid L-cysteine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and our body needs them to function. You can find cysteine in some foods, but you can only get NAC as a supplement or in drugs as it is not contained in any foods. It is considered an essential amino acid. It is made from other amino acids, but higher amounts can be beneficial. NAC is also a powerful antioxidant. 

Why is NAC so valuable to our bodies?

NAC is the building block for our Master Antioxidant, glutathione. It is essential to many functions in our bodies, including:

• Your Immune System
• Liver Health and Detoxification
• Reducing Side Effects of Over-the-Counter pain meds
• May Help Reduce Symptoms of Respiratory Issues
• Boosting Brain Health By Protecting Neurotransmitters

Top 5 Benefits of NAC

1. Antioxidant Effects and Helps Form Glutathione: NAC is a precursor to glutathione, known as the body’s Master Antioxidant, and is arguably the body’s most important antioxidant. Not only is it a powerful antioxidant, but it also helps reduce inflammation. This is because it can increase glutathione levels, scavenge free radicals, and reduce oxidative stress. For this reason, it has the potential to help with disorders that result from free oxygen radicals like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, liver disease, and even cancer.

2. Helps Respiratory Problems by Breaking Up Mucus: NAC can help reduce coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, as well as mucus and phlegm. This is why it is helpful when you have conditions such as a cold or the flu and even bronchitis. 

3. Protects the Liver and Kidneys: We already mentioned NAC’s ability to fight free radicals, directly benefiting the liver and kidneys. NAC can also help control the side effects of certain medications, also protecting the liver and kidneys. For example, it can help treat acetaminophen toxicity and acute liver failure. 

4. Can Help Lift and Stabilize Your Mood: One of the contributing factors in mood and mental conditions is believed to be an imbalance of glutamate. NAC can be a complementary treatment for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues because it impacts glutamate, a neurotransmitter in the brain.

5. May Help Prevent the Development of Cancer: NAC has not been shown to be a treatment for cancer; however, evidence shows it may be beneficial. This is because it may help neutralize free radicals that damage DNA. There are several ways that NAC helped in cancer treatments that were shown in clinical studies. These include:

• • • Regulating the expression of genes involved with oxidative stress and inflammation
    • Reducing inflammatory cytokines and proteins
    • Increasing antioxidants

It can also aid in helping with the side effects of cancer treatments.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are some significant benefits to NAC. It is hard to imagine why they would want to regulate this supplement, being that it can help so many people and is known to be very safe. Who knows what will happen, but if you would like to stock up on some just in case you can no longer get it in the near future, you can get a high-quality brand here. I have checked, and as of the time of writing this, they are still in stock!

 

You may have heard the talk going on right now about the nutritional supplement N-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC. But, unfortunately, the FDA wants to impose regulations on this supplement, which would change how it is allowed to be sold and consumed. So they are trying to take it off the market as a supplement.

What is NAC?

NAC is derived from the amino acid L-cysteine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and our body needs them to function. You can find cysteine in some foods, but you can only get NAC as a supplement or in drugs as it is not contained in any foods. It is considered an essential amino acid. It is made from other amino acids, but higher amounts can be beneficial. NAC is also a powerful antioxidant. 

Why is NAC so valuable to our bodies?

NAC is the building block for our Master Antioxidant, glutathione. It is essential to many functions in our bodies, including:

• Your Immune System
• Liver Health and Detoxification
• Reducing Side Effects of Over-the-Counter pain meds
• May Help Reduce Symptoms of Respiratory Issues
• Boosting Brain Health By Protecting Neurotransmitters

Top 5 Benefits of NAC

1. Antioxidant Effects and Helps Form Glutathione: NAC is a precursor to glutathione, known as the body’s Master Antioxidant, and is arguably the body’s most important antioxidant. Not only is it a powerful antioxidant, but it also helps reduce inflammation. This is because it can increase glutathione levels, scavenge free radicals, and reduce oxidative stress. For this reason, it has the potential to help with disorders that result from free oxygen radicals like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, liver disease, and even cancer.

2. Helps Respiratory Problems by Breaking Up Mucus: NAC can help reduce coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, as well as mucus and phlegm. This is why it is helpful when you have conditions such as a cold or the flu and even bronchitis. 

3. Protects the Liver and Kidneys: We already mentioned NAC’s ability to fight free radicals, directly benefiting the liver and kidneys. NAC can also help control the side effects of certain medications, also protecting the liver and kidneys. For example, it can help treat acetaminophen toxicity and acute liver failure. 

4. Can Help Lift and Stabilize Your Mood: One of the contributing factors in mood and mental conditions is believed to be an imbalance of glutamate. NAC can be a complementary treatment for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues because it impacts glutamate, a neurotransmitter in the brain.

5. May Help Prevent the Development of Cancer: NAC has not been shown to be a treatment for cancer; however, evidence shows it may be beneficial. This is because it may help neutralize free radicals that damage DNA. There are several ways that NAC helped in cancer treatments that were shown in clinical studies. These include:

• • • Regulating the expression of genes involved with oxidative stress and inflammation
    • Reducing inflammatory cytokines and proteins
    • Increasing antioxidants

It can also aid in helping with the side effects of cancer treatments.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are some significant benefits to NAC. It is hard to imagine why they would want to regulate this supplement, being that it can help so many people and is known to be very safe. Who knows what will happen, but if you would like to stock up on some just in case you can no longer get it in the near future, you can get a high-quality brand here. I have checked, and as of the time of writing this, they are still in stock!

 

According to the CDC, over 54 million Americans suffer from arthritis. But if you’re part of the 54 million, you’re not stuck with achy joints forever. Nutrition for arthritis is essential to keep your mobility and reduce inflammation. 

How can you eat for the health of your joints? Let’s dive right in. 

Specific Nutrition for Arthritis-

Fish

Whether or not you have arthritis, fish should be a staple part of your diet. With arthritis, the omega-3’s and fats in fish can help ease inflammation. 

However, it takes a lot of fish to get the recommended amount of omega-3’s. So unless you live close to the water and have access to a lot of high-quality fish, it can be helpful to supplement with fish oil capsules as well. When it comes to choosing a fish oil supplement, the quality of that supplement matters. We can help you get the right supplement for you.

Collagen

Collagen works to strengthen your hair, nails, skin, and, most importantly, for arthritis, the collagen between your bones. This collagen that makes up the cartilage is what arthritis wears down on, so adding more to your diet can help strengthen your joints. 

Most collagen is taken from chickens, which may not be the best quality. If you want, you can add a collagen supplement to your diet. Just make sure you get the highest quality version. We recommend collagen from grass-fed cattle.

If you prefer using whole foods rather than supplements, incorporate bone broth into your diet to naturally boost your collagen levels.

Bone broth has a lot of other benefits, on top of collagen. You may want to add it to your diet anyway. 

Anti-Inflammatory

Arthritis acts when inflammation occurs in your joints. By following an anti-inflammatory diet, you can keep some of this at bay. 

Unfortunately, an anti-inflammatory diet isn’t a one-size-fits-all prescription. What inflames you will be different than what causes inflammation in others. 

To avoid inflammation, avoid processed foods and refined sugars. Other common offenders include gluten, cheese, eggs, or dairy. You may want to try an elimination diet to see if it helps, and slowly add these foods back in, one at a time. We also have food sensitivity testing to help narrow down foods that don’t work well with your body.

What can you eat to fight inflammation? Try tomatoes, fruits, nuts, leafy greens, olive oil, or berries!

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables should be a staple in any holistic diet, but they are particularly beneficial for nutrition and arthritis patients. 

Why? Fruits and vegetables have the most nutrients, the most vitamins, and the most anti-inflammatory properties to keep arthritis at bay. On top of that, by filling your plate with non-processed foods, you’re cutting out the unhealthy fats that can cause inflammation to spike. 

Choose Natural Oils

As a rule, processed fats in foods will only cause inflammation to spike and make your arthritis worse. However, natural oils such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil can ease inflammation. Grass-fed butter is another good source of healthy fat.

To easily incorporate more healthy oils into your diet, consider cooking with low heat or adding them to a salad as a dressing with vinegar. High heat can damage many healthy fats making them more inflammatory.

Cherries

As with other berries, cherries have anti-inflammatory properties. These same properties can also be seen in other red or purple fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. 

The anti-inflammatory properties come thanks to anthocyanins.

Fun fact: anthocyanins are what give these foods their blue or purple color. 

Vitamin D

Too little vitamin D increases your risk for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore it’s essential to get plenty of Vitamin D to prevent further joint damage. 

The best food sources for vitamin D are oily fish, fortified milk, or orange juice. A free and easy way to increase Vitamin D is to add a 10-minute sunscreen-free sunbath. 

Unfortunately, that may still not be enough Vitamin D to protect your joints, so consider a supplement as well, and talk to a doctor to see if your levels are normal or too low. We check your Vitamin D levels as a part of our standard blood work.

Beans

Since you’re cutting out low-quality meat to fight inflammation, you need to add protein back into your diet. Beans are a perfect substitute. 

Beans are chock-full of everything you need from fiber to folic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium. All of this helps to fight inflammation and boost your immune system, resulting in a happier, healthier you. 

To help you digest your beans better, soak them for at least 24 hours before you cook and eat them.

Ginger

So far, most studies of ginger and arthritis have been performed on animals, but the results are promising. Adding ginger to your diet definitely won’t hurt unless you’re allergic. 

Ginger is another excellent anti-inflammatory food to add to your diet. Ginger is particularly popular in Asian cuisine, so it may be time to break out the recipe book and try a few new things. 

You may also want to try ginger tea. The taste will be potent, but it creates a lovely drink. 

Green Tea

Green tea is another great choice for arthritis patients. Green tea has natural antioxidants, which can fight inflammation and strengthen your cartilage.

Green tea is especially important for rheumatoid arthritis nutrition since a natural compound in the tea called epigallocatechin-3 or EGCG stops the production of molecules that lead to joint damage.  

Turmeric

Another anti-inflammatory, turmeric, is a yellow spice traditionally found in Indian cuisine. But since it’s an anti-inflammatory, it can prevent joint swelling and keep your arthritis from acting up. 

If you decide to use a supplement, quality and your body’s ability to use it are essential. We can help you find the right turmeric supplement for your body.

Dark Chocolate

Yes, you are reading this right. Dark chocolate contains compounds called flavanols. Flavanols are potent antioxidants and can significantly reduce inflammation. Here is the catch, the chocolate you eat needs to be made with 70% cocoa or greater to get these essential compounds. If you can find a bar of dark chocolate with less sugar, it is even better!

Nutrition for Arthritis Management Is Under Your Control

Understanding nutrition for arthritis doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow the core of what creates a healthy diet, and focus on incorporating anti-inflammatory foods and foods that support joint health. 

Unfortunately, there’s still no cure for arthritis, but following a healthy nutrition plan can keep your weight manageable and ease your symptoms. 

Are you ready to see we can help you ease your arthritis pain and symptoms? We can help you dial in your nutrition plan today and help you live the life you have always wanted!

Please schedule an appointment with us today

 

According to the CDC, over 54 million Americans suffer from arthritis. But if you’re part of the 54 million, you’re not stuck with achy joints forever. Nutrition for arthritis is essential to keep your mobility and reduce inflammation. 

How can you eat for the health of your joints? Let’s dive right in. 

Specific Nutrition for Arthritis-

Fish

Whether or not you have arthritis, fish should be a staple part of your diet. With arthritis, the omega-3’s and fats in fish can help ease inflammation. 

However, it takes a lot of fish to get the recommended amount of omega-3’s. So unless you live close to the water and have access to a lot of high-quality fish, it can be helpful to supplement with fish oil capsules as well. When it comes to choosing a fish oil supplement, the quality of that supplement matters. We can help you get the right supplement for you.

Collagen

Collagen works to strengthen your hair, nails, skin, and, most importantly, for arthritis, the collagen between your bones. This collagen that makes up the cartilage is what arthritis wears down on, so adding more to your diet can help strengthen your joints. 

Most collagen is taken from chickens, which may not be the best quality. If you want, you can add a collagen supplement to your diet. Just make sure you get the highest quality version. We recommend collagen from grass-fed cattle.

If you prefer using whole foods rather than supplements, incorporate bone broth into your diet to naturally boost your collagen levels.

Bone broth has a lot of other benefits, on top of collagen. You may want to add it to your diet anyway. 

Anti-Inflammatory

Arthritis acts when inflammation occurs in your joints. By following an anti-inflammatory diet, you can keep some of this at bay. 

Unfortunately, an anti-inflammatory diet isn’t a one-size-fits-all prescription. What inflames you will be different than what causes inflammation in others. 

To avoid inflammation, avoid processed foods and refined sugars. Other common offenders include gluten, cheese, eggs, or dairy. You may want to try an elimination diet to see if it helps, and slowly add these foods back in, one at a time. We also have food sensitivity testing to help narrow down foods that don’t work well with your body.

What can you eat to fight inflammation? Try tomatoes, fruits, nuts, leafy greens, olive oil, or berries!

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables should be a staple in any holistic diet, but they are particularly beneficial for nutrition and arthritis patients. 

Why? Fruits and vegetables have the most nutrients, the most vitamins, and the most anti-inflammatory properties to keep arthritis at bay. On top of that, by filling your plate with non-processed foods, you’re cutting out the unhealthy fats that can cause inflammation to spike. 

Choose Natural Oils

As a rule, processed fats in foods will only cause inflammation to spike and make your arthritis worse. However, natural oils such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil can ease inflammation. Grass-fed butter is another good source of healthy fat.

To easily incorporate more healthy oils into your diet, consider cooking with low heat or adding them to a salad as a dressing with vinegar. High heat can damage many healthy fats making them more inflammatory.

Cherries

As with other berries, cherries have anti-inflammatory properties. These same properties can also be seen in other red or purple fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. 

The anti-inflammatory properties come thanks to anthocyanins.

Fun fact: anthocyanins are what give these foods their blue or purple color. 

Vitamin D

Too little vitamin D increases your risk for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore it’s essential to get plenty of Vitamin D to prevent further joint damage. 

The best food sources for vitamin D are oily fish, fortified milk, or orange juice. A free and easy way to increase Vitamin D is to add a 10-minute sunscreen-free sunbath. 

Unfortunately, that may still not be enough Vitamin D to protect your joints, so consider a supplement as well, and talk to a doctor to see if your levels are normal or too low. We check your Vitamin D levels as a part of our standard blood work.

Beans

Since you’re cutting out low-quality meat to fight inflammation, you need to add protein back into your diet. Beans are a perfect substitute. 

Beans are chock-full of everything you need from fiber to folic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium. All of this helps to fight inflammation and boost your immune system, resulting in a happier, healthier you. 

To help you digest your beans better, soak them for at least 24 hours before you cook and eat them.

Ginger

So far, most studies of ginger and arthritis have been performed on animals, but the results are promising. Adding ginger to your diet definitely won’t hurt unless you’re allergic. 

Ginger is another excellent anti-inflammatory food to add to your diet. Ginger is particularly popular in Asian cuisine, so it may be time to break out the recipe book and try a few new things. 

You may also want to try ginger tea. The taste will be potent, but it creates a lovely drink. 

Green Tea

Green tea is another great choice for arthritis patients. Green tea has natural antioxidants, which can fight inflammation and strengthen your cartilage.

Green tea is especially important for rheumatoid arthritis nutrition since a natural compound in the tea called epigallocatechin-3 or EGCG stops the production of molecules that lead to joint damage.  

Turmeric

Another anti-inflammatory, turmeric, is a yellow spice traditionally found in Indian cuisine. But since it’s an anti-inflammatory, it can prevent joint swelling and keep your arthritis from acting up. 

If you decide to use a supplement, quality and your body’s ability to use it are essential. We can help you find the right turmeric supplement for your body.

Dark Chocolate

Yes, you are reading this right. Dark chocolate contains compounds called flavanols. Flavanols are potent antioxidants and can significantly reduce inflammation. Here is the catch, the chocolate you eat needs to be made with 70% cocoa or greater to get these essential compounds. If you can find a bar of dark chocolate with less sugar, it is even better!

Nutrition for Arthritis Management Is Under Your Control

Understanding nutrition for arthritis doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow the core of what creates a healthy diet, and focus on incorporating anti-inflammatory foods and foods that support joint health. 

Unfortunately, there’s still no cure for arthritis, but following a healthy nutrition plan can keep your weight manageable and ease your symptoms. 

Are you ready to see we can help you ease your arthritis pain and symptoms? We can help you dial in your nutrition plan today and help you live the life you have always wanted!

Please schedule an appointment with us today

 

Are you or someone you love living with Fibromyalgia? If so, you aren’t alone. In fact, over four million US adults, roughly 2% of the population, have been diagnosed.

This disorder can cause widespread pain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, headaches and migraines, emotional and mental distress, and abnormal pain perception. Though, surprisingly little is known about what actually causes it.

Thankfully, many natural remedies can help reduce the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. And, nutrition plays a major role. Keep reading to learn what you should eat and avoid to improve your daily lifestyle with Fibromyalgia.

Start With the Facts

If you want to improve Fibromyalgia symptoms, the first step is finding out exactly how your body is being affected. A comprehensive way to find out is through detailed blood analysis as part of a larger natural treatment plan.

Once the different imbalances in your body have been identified, you’ll be able to map out a symptom-reducing Fibromyalgia diet. This approach is known as functional medicine or nutrition- and it’s a research-backed drug-free way to help you feel better!

This type of nutritional evaluation can reveal more than just vitamin and mineral deficiencies, helping to understand which foods are triggering inflammation in the body. And, managing inflammation is the secret to reducing the painful symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

What to Eat

Eating a well-balanced diet is essential, even for perfectly healthy people. But, as part of a Fibromyalgia nutrition plan, it’s absolutely mandatory.

You should focus on foods that are rich in antioxidants and essential vitamins. And, you should ensure that each day’s meals include a healthy mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Because Fibromyalgia can make you feel tired, it’s also a good idea to eat for energy. Combining carbohydrates with protein and fats can help choose fresh, whole foods that are high in fiber and don’t contain added sugar. Instead of sweets, reach for broccoli and dark leafy greens, avocado, oatmeal, tofu, beans, seeds, or nuts.

Some recent studies also indicate that eating a vegetarian diet may help with symptom reduction. 

Essential Elements

Even if you maintain a healthy diet, there is a chance that you are missing out on a few essential vitamins. Some of these vitamins can be linked to chronic health issues – for example, Vitamin D.

While there is no evidence that this vitamin is linked to Fibromyalgia, some patients with deficiencies have reported similar symptoms. Vitamin D deficiencies can also lead to a wide variety of serious health concerns impacting the body’s immune system.

Likewise, a shortage of Vitamin B12 can lead to serious symptoms. Lack of B12 is a fairly common concern, even among people with a healthy diet. And, the symptoms of a B12 shortage can include exactly what people suffering from Fibromyalgia hope to avoid – fatigue and low energy levels. 

Antioxidants are beneficial because they slow the process of oxidation and reduce free radicals that can damage the body’s cells. One specific antioxidant, Coenzyme Q10, is essential to cell function. Some early studies have found evidence that adding it to the diet may improve fibromyalgia symptoms.

What to Avoid

If you only read one of our tips for living with Fibromyalgia, make it this one! Stop eating junk. Simply put, unhealthy and processed foods can contribute to your symptoms – and while it might sound like a challenge, cutting them out entirely is the best approach.

As part of your Fibromyalgia lifestyle, it’s best to avoid low nutrition foods and foods with excessive amounts of unhealthy fats. These foods include anything that has been processed or fried. It is also beneficial to reduce the amount of refined sugar in your diet.

These changes can also help moderate body weight, which may be a factor when it comes to Fibromyalgia. In fact, some research indicates that even minor weight loss and changing to a low-calorie diet can reduce pain and inflammation and improve quality of life.

Other Inflammatory Foods

In recent years, gluten-free diets have gained popularity. And they might be beneficial to people living with Fibromyalgia.

Some studies show that a non-celiac sensitivity to gluten may be an underlying cause of Fibromyalgia. This same research indicated that people with Fibromyalgia who tested negative for celiac disease still saw significant symptom improvement when following a gluten-free diet.

FODMAPS, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, have been known to contribute to inflammation for decades. Gut bacteria ferment these carbohydrates in the digestive tract. This process may promote Fibromyalgia symptoms in some people.

Foods high in FODMAPS include dairy products, beans, bread and pasta, barley and rye, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, and some fruits including apples, peaches, and pears. 

Excitotoxins are used to add extra flavor to food by stimulating the tongue’s taste receptors. And, while there is no direct evidence that they contribute to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, some patients have linked them to pain and inflammation. It’s also worth mentioning that people have been reporting allergic-type symptoms, including inflammation to these additives, for ages.

Common examples of Excitotoxins include:

• MSG or monosodium glutamate
• the artificial sweetener aspartame
• altered proteins like those found in protein isolates and hydrolyzed protein. 

These ingredients are found in processed foods, so they will be easy to remove from your diet as part of a Fibromyalgia lifestyle plan.

Living With Fibromyalgia

Now that you know a bit more about how nutrition might be affecting your Fibromyalgia symptoms, it’s time to make a change. Cleaning up your act can be easy, so long as you make small incremental changes to your diet. And don’t get frustrated if you struggle at first—it’s totally normal!

Living with Fibromyalgia is a challenge, but you have the power to take back your life! Natural medicine like functional nutrition can help. 

If you don’t know where to start, contact us today for more information or to book a free nutritional evaluation. We can help guide you to down the path to decreased pain, more energy, and better health! Why not start today!

 

Are you or someone you love living with Fibromyalgia? If so, you aren’t alone. In fact, over four million US adults, roughly 2% of the population, have been diagnosed.

This disorder can cause widespread pain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, headaches and migraines, emotional and mental distress, and abnormal pain perception. Though, surprisingly little is known about what actually causes it.

Thankfully, many natural remedies can help reduce the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. And, nutrition plays a major role. Keep reading to learn what you should eat and avoid to improve your daily lifestyle with Fibromyalgia.

Start With the Facts

If you want to improve Fibromyalgia symptoms, the first step is finding out exactly how your body is being affected. A comprehensive way to find out is through detailed blood analysis as part of a larger natural treatment plan.

Once the different imbalances in your body have been identified, you’ll be able to map out a symptom-reducing Fibromyalgia diet. This approach is known as functional medicine or nutrition- and it’s a research-backed drug-free way to help you feel better!

This type of nutritional evaluation can reveal more than just vitamin and mineral deficiencies, helping to understand which foods are triggering inflammation in the body. And, managing inflammation is the secret to reducing the painful symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

What to Eat

Eating a well-balanced diet is essential, even for perfectly healthy people. But, as part of a Fibromyalgia nutrition plan, it’s absolutely mandatory.

You should focus on foods that are rich in antioxidants and essential vitamins. And, you should ensure that each day’s meals include a healthy mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Because Fibromyalgia can make you feel tired, it’s also a good idea to eat for energy. Combining carbohydrates with protein and fats can help choose fresh, whole foods that are high in fiber and don’t contain added sugar. Instead of sweets, reach for broccoli and dark leafy greens, avocado, oatmeal, tofu, beans, seeds, or nuts.

Some recent studies also indicate that eating a vegetarian diet may help with symptom reduction. 

Essential Elements

Even if you maintain a healthy diet, there is a chance that you are missing out on a few essential vitamins. Some of these vitamins can be linked to chronic health issues – for example, Vitamin D.

While there is no evidence that this vitamin is linked to Fibromyalgia, some patients with deficiencies have reported similar symptoms. Vitamin D deficiencies can also lead to a wide variety of serious health concerns impacting the body’s immune system.

Likewise, a shortage of Vitamin B12 can lead to serious symptoms. Lack of B12 is a fairly common concern, even among people with a healthy diet. And, the symptoms of a B12 shortage can include exactly what people suffering from Fibromyalgia hope to avoid – fatigue and low energy levels. 

Antioxidants are beneficial because they slow the process of oxidation and reduce free radicals that can damage the body’s cells. One specific antioxidant, Coenzyme Q10, is essential to cell function. Some early studies have found evidence that adding it to the diet may improve fibromyalgia symptoms.

What to Avoid

If you only read one of our tips for living with Fibromyalgia, make it this one! Stop eating junk. Simply put, unhealthy and processed foods can contribute to your symptoms – and while it might sound like a challenge, cutting them out entirely is the best approach.

As part of your Fibromyalgia lifestyle, it’s best to avoid low nutrition foods and foods with excessive amounts of unhealthy fats. These foods include anything that has been processed or fried. It is also beneficial to reduce the amount of refined sugar in your diet.

These changes can also help moderate body weight, which may be a factor when it comes to Fibromyalgia. In fact, some research indicates that even minor weight loss and changing to a low-calorie diet can reduce pain and inflammation and improve quality of life.

Other Inflammatory Foods

In recent years, gluten-free diets have gained popularity. And they might be beneficial to people living with Fibromyalgia.

Some studies show that a non-celiac sensitivity to gluten may be an underlying cause of Fibromyalgia. This same research indicated that people with Fibromyalgia who tested negative for celiac disease still saw significant symptom improvement when following a gluten-free diet.

FODMAPS, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, have been known to contribute to inflammation for decades. Gut bacteria ferment these carbohydrates in the digestive tract. This process may promote Fibromyalgia symptoms in some people.

Foods high in FODMAPS include dairy products, beans, bread and pasta, barley and rye, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, and some fruits including apples, peaches, and pears. 

Excitotoxins are used to add extra flavor to food by stimulating the tongue’s taste receptors. And, while there is no direct evidence that they contribute to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, some patients have linked them to pain and inflammation. It’s also worth mentioning that people have been reporting allergic-type symptoms, including inflammation to these additives, for ages.

Common examples of Excitotoxins include:

• MSG or monosodium glutamate
• the artificial sweetener aspartame
• altered proteins like those found in protein isolates and hydrolyzed protein. 

These ingredients are found in processed foods, so they will be easy to remove from your diet as part of a Fibromyalgia lifestyle plan.

Living With Fibromyalgia

Now that you know a bit more about how nutrition might be affecting your Fibromyalgia symptoms, it’s time to make a change. Cleaning up your act can be easy, so long as you make small incremental changes to your diet. And don’t get frustrated if you struggle at first—it’s totally normal!

Living with Fibromyalgia is a challenge, but you have the power to take back your life! Natural medicine like functional nutrition can help. 

If you don’t know where to start, contact us today for more information or to book a free nutritional evaluation. We can help guide you to down the path to decreased pain, more energy, and better health! Why not start today!

 

Functional medicine vs traditional medicine, how do they approaches compare? Many people probably have never heard of Functional Medicine, but it is increasing in popularity in the medical field. What exactly is it, and does it work? Keep reading to find out more about how this approach to healthcare is not only growing but works.

Study Comparing Functional Medicine vs Traditional Medicine

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a landmark study about Functional Medicine/Nutrition. The researchers showed this approach provided patients with a significantly better result than those who visited a traditional family healthcare setting. JAMA is one of the most prestigious medical journals! 

The study was a 5-year study that compared 1,595 patients who received Functional Medicine care and 5,657 patients who visited a family health center. All patients had a similar range of chronic health problems.

The Results

The Journal summarized that patients under Functional Medicine care showed improvements in their overall quality of life scores and overall symptom relief. These scores were significantly larger than those who visited the family health center. The data points they looked at were at 6 and 12 months.

Yep, you read that right- significantly better outcomes with Functional Medicine/Nutrition! The results of this study are exciting. The cutting-edge approach helps people who are not getting results with conventional medicine. 

What Is Functional Medicine/Nutrition?

Functional medicine looks to address the root cause of disease instead of just the symptom. It looks at the body as a whole and how each part of the body affects the others. Conventional medicine usually focuses on treating the symptoms and individual parts of the body rather than the whole person. 

Functional Nutrition is the same idea as Functional Medicine. It uses vitamins, herbs, and other nutraceuticals- along with things like diet and exercise to address lifestyle- to help balance the body and restore health.

Which Chronic Conditions Can Functional Nutrition Treat?

The answer to this is MANY! Here are a few:

• Fibromyalgia
• Arthritis
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism
• Heart Disease
• Hypertension
• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
• Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, and other abdominal diseases
• Eczema, Psoriasis, and other skin disorders
• Autoimmune conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus
• Chronic Kidney Disease
• And More!

Here at Dody Chiropractic Center for Wholeness, we specialize in Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Arthritis, although we can help with many other conditions as well.

If you, or someone you know, suffers from one of these conditions, please give us a call at 303-794-1737 or schedule a FREE evaluation here.