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Fibromyalgia & Weight Loss Diets

Fibromyalgia is a painful condition that affects nearly four million people in the United States alone. Although no specific diet has been "officially" recommended for individuals with fibromyalgia, patients have reported that some foods are better or worse at controlling symptoms. Thus, a proper weight loss diet for fibromyalgia sufferers will take this into account, tailoring a nutritional approach that will provide the best benefits to both weight control and disease management.

  1. Fibromyalgia

    • Fibromyalgia is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, the cause of which is still unknown. Individuals suffering from fibromyalgia have symptoms such as muscle pain, trouble sleeping, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome, among others. Women are by far the most frequent sufferers of fibromyalgia, as between 80 and 90 percent of patients are female.

    Fibromyalgia and Diet

    • Although there is no official diet for fibromyalgia, there are nevertheless a series of suggestions that have been found useful when dealing with the disease. In general, individuals with fibromyalgia have to consume a healthier, more natural diet than those without the disease, as processed foods often tend to trigger symptoms. This is hardly a negative when it comes to weight loss dieting, as half the battle in dieting is eliminating consumption of processed items.

    Implementing a Fibromyalgia Diet

    • The easiest solution to handle both the symptoms of fibromyalgia and weight control problems is to implement a low-glycemic index diet. The glycemic index (GI) is a scale that measures the effect of a variety of foods on blood sugar. As doctors have found that controlling blood sugar spikes is key to managing weight and fibromyalgia, a low-GI diet can kill two birds with one stone.

    Low-GI Diet Advice

    • According to the glycemic index, the carbs with he least impact on blood sugar are vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Thus, you should completely eliminate consumption of all carbs that do not fall into these categories. This includes all calorie-containing beverages, all processed (pre-prepared) foods, and all refined (white flour) items. Stick to a diet of lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats (such as oils and natural fats--almonds, avocados, and coconuts).

    Considerations

    • Consumption of essential fatty acids can also benefit fibromyalgia sufferers by reliving inflammation. These include omega 6 and omega 3 fats, but as you will be consuming plenty of omega 6 fats from meats, you only need to supplement with omega 3 fats like fish oil. Fish oil has also been shown to benefit weight loss, so this is another dual solution for individuals with fibromyalgia who are looking to diet.

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