Wisdom and common sense says, if one thing doesn't work try something else. That's what I did. This is a part of my story that I haven't as yet shared.
Personally I am convinced that many of the people out there who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia and are given drugs with potential horrendous side effects to combat the pain are really suffering from food allergies/sensitivities. But does conventional medicine test for food allergies? NO!
This is only my opinion, but it is also my experience.
Aside from the health issues of benzodiazepines (read My Story) there was other stuff going on in my body that was unexplained - nebulous pain, muscle cramps that would stay locked in for days and hypersensitivity to OTC pain relievers and prescription drugs. I became terrified if I needed even a simple antibiotic not knowing how my body would respond.
My God directed appointment.
I had been wanting to find a doctor closer to home who could manage my natural hormone replacement therapy and discovered a new doctor in town who also happened to be a naturopathic doctor. The first visit with her became my life changing God directed appointment. After addressing the primary reason for my visit, HRT, she began asking routine questions regarding the new patient health forms I had filled out. A few minutes later she recommended I be tested for food allergies/sensitivities. Figuring I had nothing to lose I agreed and one month later I discovered, after being tested for 200 foods, I had sensitivities to 51 of those foods or their components. That's 25%! Many of which had been a regular part of my daily diet - dairy, wheat, coffee, chocolate (heartbreaking) just to name a few of the most common.
Not all health foods are healthy!
We hear on a regular basis how good olive oil is for us and should be the primary oil in our pantry which is exactly what I'd done not knowing that having it in my daily diet was like taking poison. It has been eye-opening to realize many of the things that modern society has come to believe are good for us have actually been causing me health issues. How many advertisements tell us whole wheat should be a daily part of our diet? Or, eat our "leafy greens" for good health. Well one of the most common leafy greens, spinach, is NOT good for me - nor are tomatoes, sweet potatoes, olives (olive oil), cranberries, cherries, I could go on but I will spare you the whole list of 51. You get the idea, right?
Chocolate - my neurotoxin.
I've now come to consider chocolate a neurotoxin! After having removed it completely from my diet for about 9 months I decided to treat myself (well, really I binged but that's beside the point) and ended up with a leg cramp that lasted for 10 days! OK, now I know - chocolate is poison in my body, unless of course I want to suffer the consequences. No, thank you, I'd rather live without the pain. Pain is a great deterrent!
So, by now you may be asking, What does this all have to do with my opinion of fibromyalgia?
It's all in my choices.
What is the definition of fibromyalgia but unexplained widespread pain! The pain and the associated muscle cramps would often leave my medical care givers scratching their heads. They had no explanation for what was happening to me. I would get a chiropractic adjustment to realign my spine and before I could make the 10 minute drive to the massage therapist it would be all pulled out of alignment once again by the muscles! The physical therapy, chiropractic and massage therapy were only temporary solutions at best. HOWEVER, after eliminating the offending foods from my diet for one month all these issues began to go away. I can now live pain free and free of muscle cramps if I chose to eat right.
A little networking, and I've begun to hear similar stories. I even mentioned it to my naturopathic doctor and she couldn't disagree. My heart breaks for all those out there who are suffering chronic pain when it is possible their condition is being caused by what they are eating and it could so easily be remedied by eliminating certain foods from their diets.
If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and think it would be worth getting tested for food allergies I strongly urge you to seek out a naturopathic doctor and request the test. It could be life changing.
I'm praying for you.
2 comments:
Food Allergies and sensitivities cause more medical problems than we realize. I say try this approach BEFORE drugs, who knows...it may be your solution! What do you have to lose except the Pain!
SL - I agree, even though my insurance didn't cover most of the costs it has paid for itself. I see the chiropractor maybe once every 3 months now instead of weekly, physical therapy is no longer in the picture and the massage therapist is down to maybe once a month - I still deserve to spoil myself occasionally. :o)
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