Suffering with Fibromyalgia

[Krista]

I am over 300lbs and I am hoping to feel so much better, and loose this weight. My Fibro has been getting worse over the years, and I have been gaining more and more weight as well. I am having a problem with my blood sugar level when I eat raw. I find that I have to eat very frequently to stop the shaking. Raw food doen't last long in the body. I am not a diabetic that has been checked, but I am wondering what to do about the shaking.

Thank you
Krista :confused:

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi and welcome Krista!

YES, eating raw can definitely help your body to heal from fibromyalgia, and can also help you reach your weight goals. Alissa's body healed from fibro, many here did as well! Also, check out http://dyingtogetwell.com for a truly inspirational story of one woman's battle with fibro, how the doctors (both traditional as well as natural) could not help her and how eating raw changed her life! You can either purchase the soft-copy or download the ebook for free!

When you first start out with raw, yes it does take your body some adjustment time to get used to eating lighter and you will find that you'll need to eat several small meals throughout the day and perhaps not the traditional "3 meals a day".

What are you eating? Do you have Alissa's book? Are you making transitional raw recipes or trying to eat simply?

You might want to eat heavier, more dense raw foods such as nuts, avocados, bananas, etc.

Tell us a bit more about your diet when you eat raw...we're here to help and support you anyway we can!

[earthmama]

Hi Krista, welcome!!! I too have fibromyalgia, along with CFS, asthma, arthritis,Gastric reflux, hypothyroid,high blood pressure etc. now I didn't say all that to complain, but to give you an idea what raw can do. So far I'm not 100%. Still struggling with breads etc. And fatigue and pain in the evenings that so far by the time I prepare my families food, I give in a eat some cooked things. AND even with that I have lost 17 lbs in about 6 weeks, I not longer have acid reflux if I don't eat cooked, and it's better even if I do. My blood pressure meds have been decreased twice, to the lowest dose possible. My asthma is better, my arthritis is improved. Now I still have the fibro, and CFS, but I've been sick for over 30 yrs and I expect that it will take a little time, but I'm sure will improve greatly when I get 100%. As for the blood sugar, like Rawkenlocs says, we need to know more about what you are eating. But I'd suggest the nuts and dense foods should help keep the blood sugar more steady. If you are eating all raw(or mostly raw) the weight will come off, and the blood sugar should stabilize. Good luck and congrats on finding the way to health. Blessings Earthmama

[earthmama]

Dear Rawkinlocs, I'm sorry I just realized I spelled your name wrong. Sometimes my fingers and my brains don't communicate. I even manage to reverse the letters in my daughters name sometimes.LOL. Thanks for all the encouragment you give all of us. Blessings Earthmama

[GlimR]

Hi Krista~
Make sure you are eating enough food. As long as it's raw eat what you need to feel satisfied, as often as you need. Alissa says in her book, that doesn't mean one orange, it might mean 5, not one banana but 5 or 6 if that is what it takes to fill and satisfy you. Your body will adjust after awhile. I was 340 at one time and you will be amazed at how much better you feel as the weight comes off. Even 20 lbs. is a huge burden lifted off the body and will make a tremendous difference. It did for me without a doubt.
Wishing you the very best~

[sweetgoddess]

Here is a great article for you earthmama!

Eat Your Pain Away!
By Jackie Graff

If you have fibromyalgia, the solution to your pain, fatigue, sleep problems, brain fog, headaches and other common symptoms can be as close as your kitchen!

Eight years ago I was obese, had joint pains, fatigue, depression, high blood pressure, chronic headaches, allergies, memory and concentration problems, hot flashes, and sleep problems. Although I was never diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I think that I was just a pizza, cookie, or ice cream cone away from this diagnosis. All of these conditions or symptoms have gone away since I started eating a diet of raw food eight years ago.

I’ve been a nurse for 37 years. I know many individuals suffering with fibromyalgia who relieved their symptoms and returned to a functional life by changing their diet. How does it work?

Let’s look at the likely causes of this devastating chronic illness. Then I’ll show you how a diet of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds can reduce the inflammation and provide nutrients to heal the body.

Inflammation

As scientists delve into the causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma, overlapping conditions of fibromyalgia, and arthritis, they have started to see links between these disorders and an immunological defense mechanism called inflammation, which is a lifesaver most of the time. Doctors are finding evidence that inflammation plays a greater role in chronic diseases than they thought.

One of the most potent weapons produced by inflammatory cells are free radicals. These free radicals destroy or damage anything that crosses their path. There are antioxidants in foods that can neutralize these free radicals and heal the body with phytonutrients. There are hundreds of phytonutrients, but the benefits of the following have been well researched.

Flavonoids found in apples, grapes, cranberries, strawberries, and grapes eliminate carcinogens, inhibit blood clots, and guard against heart disease and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Carotenoidsfound in carrots, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, dark leafy greens, corn, pumpkin, and beets are also excellent for combating inflammatory conditions. Lycopene is a type of carotenoid that can prevent skin and lung cancer. Luten, another carotenoid, can reduce the risk of blindness or macular degeneration.
Turpenesfound in citrus, spinach, and tomatoes eliminate cancer-causing free radicals and reduce blood levels of LDL cholesterol, lowering heart- disease risk.
Allyl sulfides found in garlic, chives, leeks, and onions reduce blood cholesterol and help the liver eliminate cancer-causing free radicals. They also have antibacterial properties.
Isothiocyanates found in cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, kale, turnips, mustard greens, and chard trigger enzymes that suppress cancer- related DNA damage.
Why does a diet of raw food decrease inflammation?

When cooked food is eaten, leucocytosis occurs. Individuals experience a rise in the white blood count, the body’s natural immune response. Check your temperature before eating and again 30-40 minutes after eating a meal of cooked food as the immune system goes into overdrive. This constant defense mechanism of the body has been proven to cause inflammation to many organs of the body. Many people eating a junk food diet have a chronic low-grade temperature.

A raw food diet consists of organic uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It is more desirable to eat them uncooked because heating these foods above 110 destroys most vitamins and all of the enzymes, and deranges the caloric nutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates).

All fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds contain varying amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Calories are not changed by heat, but fats are transformed to trans fatty acids. Carbohydrates are caramelized, and proteins, which are made up of amino acids, are coagulated—making them difficult to digest and assimilate. The immune system then has to treat them as foreign invaders. This can exhaust the immune system.

The Body Can Heal Itself

The body can heal itself. A raw food diet gives the body nutrition, but not food that’s difficult to digest and assimilate, which can cause problems or toxicity. Physicians agree that most chronic diseases can be prevented, overcome or improved by a change in the diet.

The more raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds added to the diet, the healthier the person will become. Cooked foods have low nutrients in comparison to the calories they contain. Raw food is high in nutrients and enzymes compared to the calories.

A raw food diet eliminates items such as pasta, potatoes, bread, sugar, unhealthy fats, meats, and dairy. When I have gone back to eating cooked food, many of my symptoms recurred. I was addicted to cooked food, but now I am addicted to feeling good and being able to live life to the fullest.

There are some side affects to the raw food diet…… such as weight loss, more energy, smoother, glowing, more youthful skin and shinier hair. This lifestyle also reverses aging: eyesight improves, blood pressure drops, sinus problems and snoring disappear, digestive problems go away, breast lumps disappear, blood sugar normalizes, depression lifts, aches and pains are diminished or disappear, and thinking becomes clearer.
I know, because I experienced all these changes after going on a diet of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. These are good side effects; compare them to some of the bad side affects of medications.

How do you establish a raw food diet?

First, get rid of all processed junk food in your diet. Eliminate sugar and trans fatty acids, colas, caffeine, alcohol and preservatives. Eat only whole foods.

Add as many uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds as possible to your diet. It can be as simple as eating fruit and salads. To prevent boredom and a return to cooked foods, you can have raw pie, cake, cookies, nut loaf, pizza, lasagna, tacos, and many other delicious recipes all made with raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

The following are quick and easy ways to get more raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds into your diet:

Blend your favorite fruits together for a breakfast fruit smoothie
Eat fruit for breakfast
Blend a bunch of your favorite vegetables for a lunch vegetable smoothie or soup
Eat a big salad for lunch
Make salad dressing from a lemon and olive or flax oil
Take a bunch of your favorite vegetables, fresh fruit, a mix of organic raisins, dates, figs, and apricots, or a mix of raw nuts and seeds with you for snacks on the go
Drink plenty of water.
Drink a fresh (not pasteurized) vegetable juice every day.
The more raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds you add to your diet, the better you will feel.
Some may think this is too restrictive. But being sick with a chronic, debilitating disease like fibromyalgia is more restrictive. Go to the market and eat your way back to health!

NOTE: Consult with your doctor before initiating any dietary changes.

Jackie Graff, RN, has 37 years of experience in patient care and education. National Fibromyalgia Association
2200 N. Glassel Street, Suite A
Orange, CA 92865
Phone: 714. 921.0150
Fax: 714. 921.6920
www.FMaware.org (http://www.fmaware.org/)

[earthmama]

Hey Sweetgoddess, thanks for the article. I was a nurse for over 20 yrs until I had to retire 10 yrs ago because of illness. One thing they don't teach a lot in nursing school is nutrition(even then it's SAD nutrition). It's good to see a nurse that is educating people on raw and getting well.
Hey Krista, ready to go for it??? today is day one of 100% for me. Lets get well together. Then we can spread the word. Blessings Earthmama

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Hi Krista,

I know you asked about the shaking, but thought I would share something that happened to me recently.

I have/had Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, etc., My symptoms were caused from thyroid disease. Once I switched from Synthroid to Armour Thyroid all my symptoms went away. THEN I learned about eating raw. So I'm eating high raw. About 2 months ago my doctor cut my thyroid meds back for the 5th time (Yea!!!! - I'll get off of them yet) and my Fibromyalgia came back. Very mild compared to what it was when I went on Armour Thyroid. Anyway, I didn't put 2 and 2 together and couldn't figure out why my joints were all hurting again. Then it hit me. I upped my raw food and the aches are almost all gone. Eating raw WILL eventually get rid of all your symptoms, even the shaking. I see some others gave you some ideas on how to help with the shaking in the meantime via what you're eating. I just wanted to share my story on how the raw foods does help the fibro and other symptoms.

If interested, here is my whole story: http://www.shazzie.com/raw/transformation/helen.shtml

Note: I couldn't lose weight until I switched meds, then it really started to drop once I started eating high raw. Even now at 150 pounds, when I eat 100% raw, I'll lose 1/2 to 1 pound a day. Cool . . . now if I could only stay 100% RAW!!!!

I'm so glad you found/learned about eating RAW. You are going to see and feel things you never thought possible!!!!

<>< Helen of Tennessee

[kmik]

Hi Krista!

I'm sorry I have no answers for you, but I just wanted to say hi, and say you're destined to succeed, cuz you've got the best name ;)

~Krista