A friend emailed me the other day and mentioned her husband Domino was having health problems. I somehow knew she was going to say it was Fibromyalgia and she wrote me back that it was. I’ve seen this happen many times. This is what I wrote to her: I don’t expect Domino to believe me; he doesn’t know me from Adam, but I feel he may be misdiagnosed and is instead having a chemical imbalance due to something he eats on a regular basis. That was my thought at the time I met him last year. Whether it’s a sensitivity to wheat or milk products, things that never bothered him before, I feel his immune system is a little weak right now and letting him experience a bunch of symptoms that someone who didn’t know any better thought was best labelled “fibromyalgia.” If it were me, I’d do a trial for 30 days eating just grilled or roasted meats with vegetables and salads. Potato and sweet potato for starches, eggs are ok, no butter or mayo, only 3-4 tbsp of olive or coconut oil a day to cook. No bread, no pasta, nothing made with flour or sugar, no coffee or black tea or cola, especially no diet cola, no alcohol. This is the important part for the 30 days is no processsed food, nothing with a label. The reason to do this is not only to give the body a rest, but to identify any problem foods when you add them back in one at a time.
I’d shoot a capful of apple cider vinegar (no honey) a few times a day either in juice or with a water chaser. I just discovered Jim Feldott’s Magic Juice and I like the flavor of it. I’d drink several cups of different teas a day as my medicine: I’d drink a cup a day of Throat Coat Tea since I am constantly talking and this keeps it from becoming too irritated. It also is good for fibromyalgia since its main ingredients are slippery elm and licorice root. It has a good taste and it’s good for the liver, too.
I’d make my own ginger tea and add tumeric to it, some kelp and cilantro and drink some of that each day to ease pain and aches, reduce inflammation and heavy metal toxicity, and support digestion. You can also use those ingredients with fresh garlic to make a soup that has the same benefit.
I’d go to an herb store since the bulk herbs may be cheaper and I’d buy some each of these herbs to use to make teas to drink during the day: St. John’s Wort, Passion Flower, Valerian, Chamomile for anxiety and to rest the system. I’d also daily drink some tea made from Eluthero, Rhodiola, Ashwaganda, Astragalus to nourish the adrenal glands. I feel like Domino’s adrenal glands may be crashing out right now. For him I feel it’s related to stress and diet, I don’t feel like he sleeps more than a few hours at a time, if that. If he’s taking meds for sleep I don’t feel they’re working or there’s something in them that is working the opposite way than it should. For some reason his system doesn’t behave the same as everyone else’s. He’s in the viscious cycle of weird hours, up too early, down too late, not enough sleep, not good sleep when he does sleep, processed food intake, worry about money and health.
I think in some ways his health is on the upswing and I feel he’s made a lot of changes in the past year with either diet or exercise or both. I feel he is discouraged over the progress and doesn’t realize the body is going to go through some weird sh*t on its way back to wellness. A lot of the ick he feels is his body detoxing itself, but it’s in a cycle due to the wheat and sugar, so it doesn’t go away. Ok that’s the end of my unsolicited reading
I know many people who have been diagnosed and have several friends who absolutely cured all their symptoms by following what Cecelia Avitable at The Herb Corner wrote in the April 2010 Horizons Magazine:
“The symptoms of fibromyalgia can be overwhelming. Aches and pains all over, constant headaches, muscles that twitch, sleep problems, weight gain, depression, menstrual irregularities and a weakened immune system. As of now there is no conclusive cause of fibromyalgia. What might have started as a simple injury or virus may have triggered a response in the muscular and nervous system causing the nerves to constantly over fire extending out to more nerves. Other possible causes could be heavy metal toxicity, parasites, candida or the disruption of pain receptors. Because there are so many possible causes it is best to find the root cause.
If you have fibromyalgia, avoiding citrus, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, margarine or fake butters, flavored coffees, creamers may ease some of the symptoms as they over stimulate an already overloaded nervous system. In their place foods, herbs or supplements that are rich in B vitamins can help to relax the muscles and support the nervous system. Malic acid taken with magnesium helps to fight fatigue if you are deficient in these necessary minerals as there can be breakdown of the proteins in the muscles that is needed for energy. Over time this deficiency causes fatigue, muscle spasms and pain.
Herbs can be used to both alleviate the symptoms and help ease the cause. St. John’s Wort, Turmeric, Boswellia, Ginger help to ease pain, reduce inflammation, ease muscle aches and support the digestive system. Passion Flower, Valerian, Chamomile help to reduce anxiety that goes along with the constant pain. They can also help with sleep and depression. Turmeric, Dandelion Licorice or Wild Yam support the liver and aid digestion in the proper assimilation of nutrients and with detoxifying the body. These along with Spirulina, Kelp, Cilantro, Bentonite Clay will help to reduce heavy metal toxicity associated with the possible cause of fibromyalgia.
St. John’s Wort, Pau d’ Arco, Garlic, Oregon Grape Root, Astragalus will help to support the immune system. These herbs have a greater effect on fighting viruses if there is a viral link to your fibromyalgia.
Eluthero, Rhodiola, Ashwaganda, Astragalus support the adrenal glands. Stress, lack of sleep, constant pain, insufficient absorption of nutrients, depression, poor bowel function and weight gain can all weaken the adrenal glands. One of the nicest things you can do for your body if you have fibromyalgia is to provide it with nutrient rich herbs like Burdock, Dandelion, Red Clover, Nettles, Oat Straw or Slippery Elm these will help with both the symptoms and the possible causes.
Don’t forget lifestyle modifications. Relaxation and meditation will help reduce stress and pain. Mild exercise can help ease muscle tension. Or a massage using a combination of essential oils like Rosemary, Camphor, Peppermint, Lavender and Wintergreen can be both relaxing and beneficial.”
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I posted this on Facebook and Cassandra Yorgey had a good point. “Fibromyalgia is diagnosed by exclusion, which means that it gets misdiagnosed more often because there is no clear cut test for it. There is also not enough known about it for there to be agreement in the scientific community so there can also be disagreements over whether or a not a patient is suffering from it between doctors.”
My friend and frequent Horizons Magazine columnist Kathy Lee wrote: “Everything, including hormones, (which I can relate to) starts off as an energetic pattern which then becomes manifest in the body physically. I know this. I am a healer but I have also been dx with Rhumatoid arthritis (97), fibromyagia (20…00), lupus(2009), and told to get a hysterectomy(2001). I did nothing medically. I am FINE! I never even took medicine! I work as a healer and LMT. You can REFUSE to accept the diagnosis of disease and change it on an energetic level. I always said, I don’t have time for this crap, therefore I have to get better, and I worked like crazy with affirmations and removing blockages. Yes, diet and exercise is important, but equally important is your mind and attitude and changing whatever beliefs caused the dysfunction to manifest. You have to get rid of the energetic blockage. Right now I am working on healing my back which was injured. My issues always comes from stress, inappropriately handled, which I am learning more and more how to handle better. Sorry for the soapbox but this is my passion and what I do. Empowering and teaching people that they can HEAL.
RELATED: Herbs and Supplements for Fibromyalgia
Apple cider vinegar taken a few capsful daily works for reducing symptoms