Spread the Word

In my last blog post I shared what I have learned about the role of visceral fat in contributing to chronic inflammation on a cellular level.  So, what causes the chronic inflammation to morph into a disease process like fibromyalgia?

The current research indicates that some type of stress on the body is usually the culprit.  We set ourselves up to get sick by constantly exposing ourselves to chemicals in our environment and eating processed food.  I spent decades consuming packaged cookies, candy, ice cream, and other processed foods that had most certainly increased my visceral fat and cellular inflammation levels to extremely high numbers.  But I didn't get sick for a long time. There has to be some type of trigger to make the chronic inflammation spike to cause a full blown disease.

I know what my trigger was because I know exactly when I got sick.  I had a severe allergic reaction to shellfish which sent me into anaphylactic shock.  My body was stressed further when I had to take three injections of epinephrine to bring the anaphylactic shock under control. The next week I had a virus.  This combination of events overwhelmed my immune system, caused the chronic inflammation to go through the roof with no possibility of going back down, and left me suffering with severe fibromyalgia pain and debilitating chronic fatigue.

I know other people with fibromyalgia who have experienced some kind of physical and/or emotional stressors prior to the onset of their symptoms.  Here are some possible stressors:

Suffering severe bodily injury in an automobile accident

Having major surgery

Having a severe allergic reaction

Dealing with ongoing difficult family problems

Being seriously injured from a fall

Having a prolonged viral illness

Okay, so this is rough stuff.  But there is good news to share.  You can get better!  When you stop eating the chemically laden processed food that keeps the inflammation going and start eating healthy whole food filled with antioxidants, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory goodness, you stop the inflammatory cycle and you get well.  I know this is true not because I read it in a book or because some researcher said so.  I know it is true because I was horribly sick for three years and now I am symptom free.

I need you to help me spread the word.  Pass this information along through social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.  Tell everyone you know who suffers from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome that there is hope.  There is something you can do to get better.  I have to go now.  I'm trying to figure out a way to shout it from the rooftops.  

Let the Good Food Roll

I was exhausted from being tired all the time and I was tired of constantly having to think about things to eliminate from my life.  I had zapped all the chemicals from my environment, my food, and my daily routine.  My world soon devolved into too much don't, don't, don't and no, no, no.  On the other hand my fibromyalgia pain was a lot better. So I couldn't complain.  (But I did anyway on days when my chronic fatigue symptoms were unrelenting and overwhelming.) 

I had taken positive steps to add more whole foods to my diet.  Now it was time to dive into the adventure of finding foods that might actually help strengthen my immune system, reduce my symptoms, and kick this disease into remission.  I was scrolling through my Facebook feed one morning when I came across the list posted above. I seldom make smoothies and I have found a lot of ways to use these foods besides in soups and salads although they are certainly delicious and easy to incorporate into those dishes.  I eat as many things off this list as I can creatively work into my menus each day.

Here are some ideas:

Sprinkle dried cherries and almonds over organic granola and mix with Greek yogurt.

Add chopped garlic to crock pot dishes, spaghetti sauce, casseroles, meat, poultry, vegetables, and,well honestly, just about everything you cook.

Make fresh ginger tea. I drink at least one cup of this each day and often enjoy two or three cups. Here's the recipe:

Fresh Ginger Tea

Use a micro plane grater to grate 1 T of fresh ginger

Put the ginger in a large mug.

Add a couple of tsp. of raw local honey.

Add the juice from one slice of lime.

Add 1/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon.

Add your favorite tea bag.

Wait for the teakettle to whistle.

Fill the mug with boiling water.

Steep for three minutes.

Remove tea bag.

Here are some tips for using and storing fresh ginger. Peel only as much as you need before grating. Never store in plastic containers or plastic wrap.  It will stay fresher longer if you pop the unused pieces into a plain brown paper lunch bag and keep in the vegetable crisper in your refrigerator. Gotta run.  For some reason I'm suddenly craving a cup of ginger tea.