Recovery: Happy Third Anniversary To Me!

Yesterday was a happy milestone for me. On Sunday, December 6, I celebrated three years of freedom from fibromyalgia. When I was first diagnosed with this horrible disease, I never anticipated writing those words. Every doctor I saw and everything I read about fibromyalgia sent discouraging messages my way:

"There is no cure." 
"This will last for the rest of your life."
"Get used to feeling horrible every day."
:"You will have to adjust to your new norm of being chronically ill."

For the first year, I muddled along trying to cope with the symptoms that overwhelmed me.I had severe constant pain. I was tried on all the medicines used to moderate the pain but I had side effects and couldn't take any of them. I had unremitting fatigue, pain in multiple joint and muscle groups, insomnia, an inability to concentrate, and spiking pain in my knees, elbows, back, legs, hands, neck, and hips.I was barely able to complete the simplest tasks of daily life. It wasn't long before I tumbled into depression at the thought of feeling that awful for the rest of my life.

At first, I kept hoping that maybe I would wake up one day and miraculously feel better. But an entire year went by, and the symptoms were getting worse each day. After that first year, I finally climbed out of the fibro fog long enough to ask myself, "Now what?"  I had two choices: resign myself to living the rest of my life as a semi-invalid, or start looking for better ways to cope. I read everything I could find on chronic illness, in general, and fibromyalgia in particular. My laptop became my constant companion. The internet was both a blessing and a curse.There was endless information available but how in the world was I supposed to find the right path for me in the middle of such a deluge of data?

I am a person of faith, so I prayed for spiritual guidance as I continued my research. Slowly a sensible plan that seemed logical to me began to emerge. I decided my filter for trying different therapies would be, "First do no harm."  Some of the suggestions I read about were bizarre, potentially dangerous, or came with too little information about possible complications. Whatever I tried also needed to be practical. I didn't have the energy or resources to implement exotic and unrealistic ideas.

I kept seeing one thing over and over again that intrigued me.Some researchers are studying the possibility that fibromyalgia and other autoimmune diseases may be triggered by exposure to toxic chemicals that are ubiquitous in our modern world. They are in our environment and in things we use every day like cleaning products, makeup, personal grooming products, and processed foods 

I couldn't do much about the chemicals that were in the environment outside. But I could certainly work on the ones I was being exposed to in my own home. The plan I eventually developed required me to be willing to change a lot of things in my lifestyle, but there was nothing about it that could harm me.  

I made three primary lifestyle changes:

I eliminated as many potentially harmful chemicals as possible from my home.

I stopped eating most processed food.

I started eating whole food with lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.


This was a process that took time. I had to look for less toxic cleaning products, personal grooming items, and makeup to use. I became an avid label reader of all the products I used. I read ingredient labels on food packages.I stopped eating things that came in boxes that listed preservatives, artificial dyes, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and other potentially harmful substances as ingredients. I learned which real foods are the most nutritious. I eventually added other secondary steps: movement, resetting my sleep pattern, adjusting my focus, removing toxic people and situations from my daily life, and surrounding myself with a support group of encouraging people.

My expectations were extremely low. I was simply looking for a way to survive living with a chronic illness. My depression over being so sick improved as soon as I became proactive and started looking for ways to cope. My symptoms were still there but I felt less helpless once I started looking for possibilities. It took almost a year to figure out everything I needed to do. Six weeks after I had all the pieces of the puzzle in place, the totally unexpected happened. 

My symptoms had been improving a little each day for a year. I still had pain and fatigue but it was not as severe as it had been previously. On the morning of December 6, 2012, I woke up, got out of bed, and was sleepily staggering toward the bathroom when I suddenly noticed something quite astounding: my fibromyalgia symptoms were completely gone. I had no pain, no fatigue, none of the other symptoms that had plagued me for three years. I was shocked, amazed, and beyond grateful. Every morning since that day, I wake up counting my blessings and giving thanks to God for this surprising gift.

I was extremely ill for three years. Yesterday, I celebrated my third year of being symptom free. I was told that I would never be well. I want to encourage you that recovery from fibromyalgia is possible. If that sounds too good to be true, I completely agree. I wouldn't believe it myself, except for this: it happened to me. 

Want to stay connected?

Like my Facebook page: Practical Healing in a Toxic World  to find lots of practical ways to move toward a healthy life.The page has recipes, tips on chemical free living, fibromyalgia facts, and spiritual encouragement. 

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Exploring Unknown Territory

I recently visited the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.  The soaring sculpture is located on the approximate site where Lewis and Clark begin their westward journey of exploration to map unknown territory for those who would come after them.  

I have been on my own trek of discovery the past few years.  When I started searching for a possible cause for my fibromyalgia symptoms, I was definitely exploring unknown territory.  It is my hope and prayer that all those who are currently suffering from fibromyalgia or other autoimmune diseases will benefit from what I have learned.

I found my first clue doing research online.  I read an article describing the enormous quantity of toxic chemicals that are used in products with fragrances.  These include VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) used to bind fragrances to whatever they are being added to; plus a whole lot of other toxic substances. I had a history of allergic reactions to fragrances so the following sentence immediately captured my attention:

“The National Academy of Sciences reports that 95% of the chemicals used in fragrances today are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, including known toxins capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.”  “Chemical Sensitivities and Perfume”. Medical News Today.  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/9682.php

Having fibromyalgia and a history of allergies turned out to be a gift.  Of course I didn’t think that during the time I was sick.  My mindset was more along the lines of, “Oh great.”  “Just what I needed.”  “Something else to deal with.” (Feel free to insert your own favorite phrase dripping with sarcasm here.)

I learned that the chemicals in scents cause all kinds of responses in our bodies.  Since these reactions can occur several days after contact with a fragrance and because some of the damage is caused on a cellular level that is not readily obvious, many people are unaware of how dangerous the chemicals used in scented products are to their overall health and well-being. 

I know a lot or folks who are very sick with a variety of autoimmune diseases who have responded to the idea of a chemical cause for their illness with, “Oh, chemicals and fragrances and those kinds of things don't bother me. That can't be it."  Because I had reacted to scented products previously with symptoms of dizziness, nausea, and headache, I knew that they could cause problems.  So right away I considered the possibility that exposure to chemicals might be one of the culprits in my development of fibromyalgia.

This little nugget of truth nudged me to think about just how many chemicals we are exposed to each day in a wide variety of items including fragrances, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, pesticides, insecticides, and processed food.

Some researchers have developed a theory that exposure to multiple chemicals over a long period of time is one of the primary factors in the development of numerous autoimmune diseases.  The theory is that long term exposure to these chemicals causes the autoimmune system to malfunction.  When we are exposed to a physical, emotional, or mental stressor such as heart disease, surgery, an injury, a nasty divorce, etc., this triggers a response that our chemically poisoned immune system cannot overcome. If we do not get the chemicals out of our environment and food, there is a cascading effect.  We can never get well as long as the exposure to chemicals continues. 

Doctors who have recognized this connection are encouraging their patients to make changes in their lifestyles to get chemicals out of their environment and food and to eat a diet rich in whole foods full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. They have seen dramatic improvement and often complete resolution of the symptoms in people who have suffered for years with chronic autoimmune diseases such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, sjogren’s syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome.

If you have no health problems at the moment, making these changes can keep you healthy.  If you are currently sick and want to feel better, take a thorough survey of your home.  How many products that contain fragrance do you use every day?  Read the labels on your cosmetics, cleaning products, laundry detergent, and lotions. What chemicals are you breathing in each day?  How many chemicals are being absorbed through your skin?  Read the labels on boxes, cans, and bottles of processed food. What chemicals are directly entering your body through what you eat and drink each day?  How many years have you been exposed to these multiple sources of toxicity?

I had been using chemically laden products and eating processed food for over five decades without giving a single thought to how this might adversely affect my health. But because I didn’t want to live out the rest of my years with daily excruciating pain and constant debilitating fatigue, I was highly motivated to make lifestyle changes that otherwise I never would have considered.  I am thankful that being so sick with fibromyalgia eventually led me to make healthier choices for the rest of the time I have left here on earth.

My symptoms have been in complete remission for over eight months with the exception of a one-time occurrence when I used sunscreen without thinking. That incident provided additional evidence of the chemical connection. (You can read about this in an earlier post). 

We don’t have to resign ourselves to a life of misery.  The truth is out there for anyone who wants to find it.  Making a few simple lifestyle changes can make a world of difference in your life and your world.   

Stop using products that contain fragrance.

Get rid of cosmetics and cleaning products that contain harmful chemicals.

Stop eating processed food.

Start eating whole foods that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

It took Lewis and Clark over two years to complete their journey,  With all the information and resources at your disposal, you can  map out your road to recovery in considerably less time. Westward ho!

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To Snack or Not to Snack? Hmmmm.

I enjoy eating snacks and treats. I've eaten far too many of the wrong kind for decades.  But I knew myself well enough to know that I wasn't about to give up snacking completely.  It was obvious that I could not continue to eat the prepackaged cookies and candies I had been consuming because of the chemicals and additives they contain. But the truth is I was trying to find a food plan I could live with for the rest of my life. On a practical level, I knew I did not have the time or the inclination to make every single thing I eat from scratch. 

I use some packaged foods. I have become an avid label reader. The things I buy tend to contain only a few ingredients. The brand of dried cherries I buy has one ingredient: cherries.  I stay away from items that contain dyes, preservatives, trans fats, and other harmful chemicals.  I have found that if I eat whole foods 95% of the time, I can tolerate some packaged foods the other 5% of the time.  You may discover a different formula that works for you.  I got well and I have stayed symptom free on this plan.

Some day I may decide to make my own bread, mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, chips, dried fruit, granola, yogurt, and almond butter but right now these are things I purchase that someone else has made.

I had to learn to think a new way and be creative in my choices. Being willing to change was a key factor for me.  I'll admit that I had a serious internal struggle with this.  It was six months from the day I first read about chemicals in the environment and processed food as a possible cause for fibromyalgia to the day I finally decided to go for it and alter my lifestyle.  I felt so miserable and hopeless by then that I was willing to try anything to get better.  Today my fibromyalgia pain is gone.  My debilitating chronic fatigue symptoms are gone. And now I wonder, why in the world did it take me so long to decide to do this? 

Here are some snack ideas you might want to try:

Wash and freeze grapes.  Take out a handful to munch on at night while watching TV.  They are a cold, crunchy treat.  Red or dark purple are my favorites.  Fresh pineapple is also delicious frozen.  

Sprinkle organic granola over a cup of Greek yogurt.  Add walnuts, almonds, and dried cherries.

Have an apple, banana or an orange.  Drizzle with raw honey. Sprinkle with nuts and a spoonful of crunchy almond butter.

Spread chocolate almond butter on a graham cracker. Most graham crackers contain some partially hydrogenated fats but no other harmful chemicals.  I do well with them as long as I eat only two at a time and do not eat them too frequently. 

Have a single serving size bag of potato chips.  Read the ingredients label.  I eat chips that list three ingredients:  potatoes, oil, and salt.  Some brands also list food additives, preservatives, hydrogenated fats, food dyes, and other chemicals as ingredients.  I steer clear of those

Make ginger cookies with molasses and freshly grated ginger.  My favorite recipe makes about 100 cookies. Ginger is a main ingredient and it is an anti-inflammatory food.

I love chocolate.  Occasionally I make homemade brownies with walnuts.  Walnuts are on my good foods list.   I bake and freeze the brownies and defrost only one at a time.  I do the same thing with the cookies.

These are the four key points to my snack attack plan:

Limit refined sugar

Read the ingredient labels on every single package

Eat plenty of whole fruit

Find healthy substitutes for unhealthy foods

What is your favorite healthy snack food?

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.  

Visceral Fat and Inflammation

My husband, who retired from his private family medicine practice to teach medical students, just came home from a grand rounds lecture at the university.  That sentence sounds boring but I'm stoked, excited, and positively pumped over what he heard from a medical researcher today.

I've been pretty much flying by the seat of my pants trying to find possible causes for my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms and searching for a cure or at least a way to feel better.  I've ditched processed food and been eating whole foods especially focusing on those that have anti-inflammatory properties and contain antioxidants that help strengthen the immune system.  My symptoms have completely resolved and the lecturer who spoke today shared part of the reason why.

It has to do with visceral fat and inflammation.  Visceral fat is fat that you cannot see that wraps itself around your internal organs, especially organs in the digestive tract including the stomach, liver, and spleen.  This type of fat causes chronic inflammation on a cellular level that leads to a host of diseases including autoimmune diseases like fibro and CFS.  (It also contributes to aging, heart disease, diabetes, depression, sleep apnea, and a bunch of other illnesses, in case you were wondering.)

And guess what is one of the main causes of developing visceral fat and the subsequent inflammation?  Eating processed food full of corn syrup, dyes, trans fats, preservatives, and other chemicals. Wow!  The speaker is working on a research project about this and will publish a paper about it when they complete the study.  He said we should never eat anything that comes out of a box, bottle, can, or package.  He recommends eating the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods I've been eating.  He said eating the Mediterranean type diet is a good place to start.  All of the patients who have followed his advice have significantly improved.  Many of them are completely symptom free.  That's amazing!

All the people they have tested who eat processed food, drink soft drinks, and consume other packaged products have high levels of visceral fat even if they are not visibly overweight.  That is the bad news.  If you fall into that group, don't despair, you can change your ways, pick yourself up and move on toward getting better.  Here's how:

Do not eat any processed food.

Stop drinking soda.

Eat lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

Eat foods that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Eat foods that contain antioxidants.

If you want more information on getting rid of processed food in your diet, eating healthy foods, and clearing chemicals out of your life, check out previous blog posts.  I was sick for three years but after changing my lifestyle, I feel great.  The trade off of giving up certain foods for the blessing of feeling fantastic is a no brainer.  Nothing that I have eliminated from my diet tastes as good as I feel.

The researcher also recommends exercise to speed up getting rid of the visceral fat and inflammation.  We will save that to discuss another day.

What reasons could keep someone from eating a healthy diet?

Why does the processed food industry not want this information to get out?

Organic Cleaning Products

Chemical Free Cleaning Options

There are a lot of natural ingredients you can use to clean your house.

When I first recognized that the hundreds of chemicals I came in contact with daily could be contributing to my fibromyalgia pain and chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, I didn't realize how many things I was about to have to change.  It's a good thing I didn't or I might have given up before I got started.  However, since I was learning new things each day, I was able to make changes slowly one by one.  So pace yourself.  Don't feel like you have to do everything at once.  

After I had gotten rid of all the scented products in my environment, I focused on cleaning products next.  I encourage you to get out your current supply of cleaning products and read the labels.  These are the ingredients you are inhaling, touching, and covering the surfaces of your home with every time you use these products.

There are a lot of alternatives to prepackaged chemicals that you can use for cleaning your house.  Google "chemical free cleaning,"  "organic cleaning," "non toxic cleaning," or other similar phrases and you will have access to a ton of great ideas.  Here are a few of my favorites:

All purpose cleaner:  Mix 1 part plain white vinegar to 2 parts water and put in a spray bottle.  Vinegar at this concentration kills as many germs as most commercial products.  I use this mixture to clean surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, counter tops, mirrors, chrome fixtures, doorknobs, light switches, appliances, the stove top, sinks, and anywhere else you would use an all purpose cleaner. 

Air freshener:  Put baking soda or vinegar in a small dish and leave in the area where you want to absorb odors. If you want the kitchen to have a nice smell, try simmering water with cinnamon sticks and ginger on your stove. 

Garbage disposal cleaner:  Put a slice of lemon, lime, or orange in the garbage disposal and turn on just long enough to partially grind up the fruit.  Let it sit for at least one hour before grinding completely.  Then flush with cold water for a few minutes.

Drain cleaner:  Pour one cup of vinegar in your sinks.  Add a few tablespoons of baking soda.  Let sit for at least one hour. Then flush with cold water.

Grout cleaner: I am still discovering new cleaning options. I just read a hint about using hydrogen peroxide to clean mold from tile and grout.  It said to mix one part peroxide with two parts water and put in a spray bottle.  I have added hydrogen peroxide to my shopping list for this week so that I can try out this new idea.

There are natural alternatives you can use to clean every single thing in your house.  Once you find out which options you like the best and have made the switch, you will have eliminated a whole category of chemicals from your environment.  If there is one favorite chemical laden product that you just cannot bring yourself to replace, don't let that stop you from making at least some changes.  Every chemical you get rid of brings you one step closer to recovery.

Are there any non toxic cleaning products you recommend?

Going for the Cure

Recovery is possible.

There are many things you can do to increase your

chances for recovery from fibromyalgia.

I had been to the doctor for a checkup, had appropriate lab work evaluation, and been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  My doctor tried me on a variety of medications to help control the pain but I had adverse reactions to all of them. After living with severe pain and debilitating fatigue every day.for a year, I finally climbed out of the fibro fog long enough to ask myself, "Now what?"  I had two choices: resign myself to living the rest of my  life as a semi invalid or start looking for better ways to cope.  I started reading and researching everything I could find on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  The internet was both a blessing and a curse.  There was endless information available but how in the world was I supposed to find the right path for me in the middle of such an overwhelming amount of contradictory advice?

I am a person of faith so I prayed for spiritual guidance.  Slowly a sensible plan that seemed logical to me began to emerge.  I decided my filter for trying different therapies would be, "First do no harm."   Some of the suggestions I read about were bizarre, potentially harmful, or came with too little information about possible complications.  So ordering some exotic tea leaf from a foreign country over the internet that had no information about its contents or side effects was marked off my list.  So was wearing bracelets made of different metals and other similar ideas.

However, I kept seeing one thing over and over and over again that intrigued me.  Some people feel that fibromyalgia and other similar diseases may be caused by exposure to chemicals that are so prevalent in our modern world.  

These chemicals are everywhere

 in our environment

cleaning products

personal grooming products

processed foods 

Since I already had a problem with allergic reactions to a variety of chemicals, it seemed plausible to me that some of these chemicals could be causing reactions that were producing my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.  I couldn't do much about the chemicals that were in the environment outside.  But I could certainly work on the ones I was being exposed to in my own home.  This plan would take time and involve my willingness to change my lifestyle but there was nothing about it that could harm me.  

As time went on I discovered other ideas involving food choices, movement, sleep, medication, pacing, and attitude.  These also could be incorporated into my recovery plan without causing any harm.  Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome currently have no known cure.  But I decided to not give up or give in to despair.  I made a commitment to myself to at least try.  

It took two years.  Sometimes I wanted to quit trying because I saw no immediate results.   But I decided to stick with the plan.   It worked. Today my symptoms are gone.  I feel great.  I am amazed.  And I am thankful beyond words.

Have you read about any interesting possible causes for your symptoms?