Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue are close related and may in-fact be the one in the same.  All autoimmune disease has the same cause. 

Article by Heidi Whitaker

Contrary what you have been led to believe, autoimmunity is not a disease. It is a consequence of modern day life. Most important of all, it is a consequence that can be avoided. Speaking of how sick I once was from autoimmunity, I often would tell people that I was “broken – very, very broken”. In actuality, I wasn’t broken at all because autoimmunity is not truly a bodily malfunction.

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Fibromyalgia Pain Relief Supplements

Fibromyalgia is a complicated condition and finding the right supplementation can be just as complicated.  Heidi Whitaker a well know autoimmune disease researcher has studied and tried numerous supplements and has found the following to be most effective.

Germanium, Life Balance 17, Shark Liver Oil, Whole Food Vitamin 9 a day, and Herbal Pain Relief Tincture

If you are in considerable pain I would consider taking this entire combination of supplements.

Fibrmyalgia Syndrome and Serotonin Levels

Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Epstein-Barr, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Chronic Lyme are often associated with low serotonin levels. Serotonin helps regulate sleep, appetite, and mood. Depression and anxiety are often caused by a serotonin deficiency and popular antidepressant drugs are prescribed for the purpose of increasing serotonin levels in the body.

The amino acid 5-HTP, which can be taken in supplement form, improves your body’s ability to manufacture serotonin. However, if you eat carbohydrate-rich meals or snacks at night, which causes your blood sugar to rise and then drop while you are sleeping, the 5-HTP will not be effective. In contrast, eating a high-protein snack several hours before bed can provide L-tryptophan, another amino acid, which your body uses to produce serotonin.

Note: It can be dangerous to take 5-HTP in conjunctions with prescription medications for anxiety and depression because you can increase serotonin to unsafe levels.

A dietary choice that can naturally increase serotonin levels is consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. According to a study published in the American Medical Association’s Archives of General Psychiatry, Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil increase the level of serotonin in a way similar to prescription anti-depressants. Other supplements, which may be helpful, include Ginkgo biloba, DHEA, Acetyl-L carnitine, St. John’s Wort, vitamin B-6, mangosteen, and SAM-e (S-adenosyl-L-methionine). Additionally, the aromatic oil frankincense may be beneficial.

Note: For me, St. John’s Wort was effective, but had the same unpleasant side effects as prescription antidepressants. However, others have used St. John’s Wort with few or no negative side effects.

Quality sleep is crucial to healthy serotonin levels. Sufficient sunshine is needed to allow the body’s internal clock to keep on its normal rhythm. WebMD suggests that you increase your exposure to sunlight or bright light to one or two hours every day.

For many people that live in northern latitudes, the sun’s rays are not intense enough to regulate serotonin or melatonin levels. (Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that causes you to fall asleep.) In the wintertime, this can result in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression. This inability to regulate melatonin levels can be corrected by “light boxes.” These boxes use what is called full spectrum lighting, which mimic the sun’s rays. Your doctor can write a prescription for full spectrum lighting or it can be purchased over the internet.

Note: At night, you should sleep in complete darkness. Any light in the room can disrupt your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin.

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Fibromyalgia Diet - Why choose Stevia or over Sugar or Honey

“The devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in health or we suffer in soul or we get fat.” –Albert Einstein

We Americans are eating an average of 153 pounds of sugar a year. Refined white sugar makes it more difficult for your body to absorb vitamins and minerals, a major contributor to the cause of autoimmunity. Sugar also suppresses immune function, leaving us open to infection. Just eight tablespoons of sugar, which is the equivalent to the sugar in less than one 12-ounce can of soda, can reduce the ability of your immune system to kill germs by up to 40%.

Like table salt, sugar is dehydrating to the body. Dehydration increases histamine, which can worsen asthma and any other autoimmune disease because histamine inflammation. As recommend by the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), sugars should be avoided because they can worsen the condition. Eating sugar also causes an insulin surge, which contributes to chronic inflammation.

Honey is sugar. It may be “all natural”, but it is still sugar. It is higher in calories than table sugar and can be contaminated by pesticides. Consuming “all natural” delicious tasting pesticides is not what you want to be doing.

A good non-toxic substitute for sugar is the nutritional supplement stevia. Stevia has been used by millions of people without reported side effects. In Japan, stevia sweetened products represent 41% of the market share of sweet substances consumed.

Stevia is an herb originally from Paraguay. South Americans use it as a sweetener and also for medicinal purposes. This herb is anywhere from 30 to 100 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia does not affect the blood sugar levels of most diabetics. Stevia also does not feed fungus in the intestines like sugars do.

Stevia has a strong, sweet flavor that can overwhelm a recipe, so it should be used sparingly. Because you only use such a small amount at a time, recipes must be adjusted for the lack of bulk. Stevia can often be purchased with helpful inulin added to it for bulk. Also, cakes and cookies sweetened with stevia do not brown as much as their sugar-sweetened counterparts.

Stevia cannot be sold as a sweetener in the USA. Stevia is, however, available as a dietary supplement.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and nothing that I say should be taken as medical advice, nor has it been evaluated by the FDA.

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Fibromyalgia Trigger Points

These are extra sensitive area for those who suffer with Fibromyalgia. 

Use Germanium, Shark liver oil, and herbs to lessen your pain.  Order Germanium, Order Herb Tinture for Pain

Fibromyalgia reasearch suggests a link with cytokines 

Article by Heidi Whitaker 

In the case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, MS, ALS, autism, Alzheimer’s, lupus, and Lyme Disease, inflammatory proteins called cytokines cross into the brain. They do so through weakened areas of the blood brain barrier (BBB). In the brain, they cause “brain fog,” sleep disturbances, and increased pain, depression, and anxiety. Certain cytokines can deplete the brain of tryptophan, which is necessary in the production of serotonin.

Low serotonin levels can result in non-restorative sleep, depression, increased stress, increased appetite, increased pain perception because of an increase in Substance P, and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). The decrease in serotonin and increase of Substance P may result in low Growth Hormone (HGH) production, which is characteristic of Fibromyalgia.

This tryptophan deficiency is especially detrimental in those who suffer from depression, anxiety, Chronic Lyme, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia sufferers, who already struggle with low serotonin levels.

It is important to strengthen the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) against cytokine invasion. Cytokines will only cross the BBB in an area that it is weakened. Low levels of vitamin B, a deficiency of certain essential fatty acids, and a viral infection, like a cold or flu can weaken the blood brain barrier. A study published in June 2002, in the scientific journal Differentiation, reported new evidence that mobile phone radiation can also weaken the BBB against harmful substances. (Cordless phones pose the same risk, but to a lesser degree.)

Diet and dietary supplements can strengthen the brain’s protective barrier (BBB) against cytokine invasion. Because vitamin C can strengthen capillaries and the blood brain barrier is made up of capillaries, it is reasonable to believe that vitamin C could provide the BBB with added protection. Additionally, animal studies show that flavonoids, like those found in blueberries, bilberries, and grape seeds can protect the blood brain barrier. These flavanoids can be purchased in supplement form. They are also anti-inflammatory, so they protect the brain by reducing cytokine levels and strengthening the BBB.

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Fibromyalgia Diet - Avoiding MSG 

MSG will futher slow down an already sluggish thyroid in those who suffer from Fibromyalgia.

One hieroglyph found in an ancient Egyptian tomb reads, “One-quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive.” I can’t help but believe that this is some type of ancient Egyptian prophecy pointing to MSG.

MSG is an inexpensive, great-tasting brain toxin. Because it makes their products taste so good, food producers are eager to use MSG as a food additive. You may think that you are avoiding MSG if you avoid Chinese restaurants, but this flavor enhancer actually is in almost every bottle, bag, or can on your supermarket shelves.

MSG is a nervous system stimulant and intolerance to it is not just an allergic reaction, but a powerful drug reaction. This reaction may mimic autoimmune disorders such as Fibromyalgia and can occur anytime from ten minutes to 48 hours after eating MSG-laced food. Even the FDA admits that MSG has been proven to induce asthma attacks in certain individuals because MSG causes a histamine response and the histamine increases inflammation. Additionally, over 85% of people studied with Type I Diabetes have tested positive for antibodies to MSG. In other words, they are allergic to it.

The toxin MSG also contributes to hypothyroidism by damaging the hypothalamus of the brain, which indirectly causes reduced thyroid production. Symptoms of reduced thyroid production (hypothyroidism) vary from person to person, but may include feeling cold, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, mood swings, difficulty losing weight, PMS, heavy periods, dry skin and hair, brittle nails, headaches, hair loss, difficulty with memory and concentration, constipation, low libido, frequent infections, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Avoiding MSG and the problems it brings means being a super-savvy consumer. Increased public awareness to the dangers posed by MSG has forced manufacturers to “hide” it on the label. MSG can legally be listed by more than 40 different names on a food label. Food labels can be misleading or even downright deceitful. The government allows a label to claim “No Added MSG” or “No MSG”, but still have a high MSG content if the ingredients are naturally high in MSG.

Besides Monosodium glutamate and MSG, this additive may be listed as Monopotassium glutamate, Glutamate, Glutamic acid, Gelatin, Calcium caseinate, Textured protein, Hydrolyzed protein, Yeast food, Autolyzed yeast, Spices, Yeast extract, or Yeast nutrient.

Anything listed on the label as a type of “flavoring” or “natural flavoring” might contain MSG; so can any form of “bouillon.” The word “seasonings” can mean MSG has been added. Any ingredients that have any form of “soy,” “protein,” “enzymes,” “Carrageenan,” “pectin,” or “Maltodextrin” in it may also have hidden MSG. Foods that are ultra-pasteurized or fermented can also hide MSG. Unfortunately, the earlier a questionable ingredient appears on a label, the higher the likelihood that the food contains MSG.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and nothing that I say should be taken as medical advice, nor has it been evaluated by the FDA.

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Fibromyalgia - Autoimmune Disease 

Contrary what you have been led to believe, autoimmunity is not a disease. It is a consequence of modern day life. Most important of all, it is a consequence that can be avoided. Speaking of how sick I once was from autoimmunity, I often would tell people that I was “broken – very, very broken”. In actuality, I wasn’t broken at all because autoimmunity is not truly a bodily malfunction.

To help you understand what I mean, let’s compare autoimmunity to a sunburn. When was the last time that you had a sunburn? At that time, did you consider your sunburn a terrible disease over which you had no control? Of course not! Most likely you accepted the sunburn as a natural consequence to prolonged sun exposure. Although painful, the burn was not a mysterious malady of unknown origin, but your body doing exactly what it was designed to do under those particular circumstances. I am sure you realize that the answer to not walking through life with red, irritated, or blistered skin is protecting yourself from the sun’s damaging rays. Keep your skin in a safe environment and you will avoid the pain that a sunburn brings.

Autoimmunity is a lot like a sunburn. It is also a natural consequence brought about by certain conditions in the environment. Only in this case, I am referring to the internal environment of the body and mind. The often painful result is the immune system turning against the body’s own tissue. Controlling those circumstances is more complicated than simply avoiding prolonged sun exposure, but the individual can control them. The goal is to change the internal environment and by doing so, avoid the pain caused by the immune system turning against the body.

The fact is that an autoimmune condition doesn’t just “happen” to you. It is both passively and actively created by your lifestyle and the greedy practices of food manufacturers, who lace your meals with toxins. You eat, drink, think, and expose your way to autoimmunity. With little exception, everything you put into your mouth and mind, your surroundings, and even the air you breathe is either making you healthier or sicker.

Earl Nightingale said, “Strange and marvelous things will happen with constant regularity as we alter our lives and begin to live in harmony with the laws of the universe.” Your immune system operates by certain laws. Understanding and living by these laws will allow you to take control of your own health.

Some laws involving the immune system are really simple. For instance, when you eat red meat, more of the protein responsible for the inflammation of autoimmunity is produced. The same is true of getting angry, not getting enough sleep, or not drinking enough water. If you recall negative memories, the part of the immune system responsible for virus control is suppressed. Guilty feelings will cause a similar suppression.

Like a great conspiracy led by those who would benefit from a sick population, the laws of the immune system remain mostly hidden from those who need it most. This is true despite the fact that many of these immune system laws have been known for decades or even longer.

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A magnesium deficiency is considered to be one of the most common, but treatable, causes of disease. An estimated 72% of Americans are not getting enough magnesium. Low magnesium levels are associated with several autoimmune disorders including Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthritis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and asthma. Reduced levels are also thought to be the reason for muscle pain in SLE (Lupus) patients.

A magnesium deficiency is connected to a host of other health conditions including: migraines, heart disease, mitral valve prolapse, sleep disturbances, over-sensitivity to light and noise, autism, depression, anxiety, PMS, and kidney stones. Insufficient magnesium causes an increase in a body chemical called substance P, which is responsible for pain perception. In other words, you will hurt more if you don’t have enough magnesium. (Fibromyalgia sufferers have on average three times more Substance P than normal.)

Magnesium is involved in thyroid production and protein synthesis. Magnesium is also necessary in the production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes, which are deficient in people with autoimmune disease. It is a powerful weapon in the autoimmune protection arsenal because magnesium can reduce inflammation.

In a six month 1995 study, patients with Fibromyalgia were given a daily dose of 200 mg of malic acid and 50 mg of magnesium. Patients who participated showed significant reduction in pain and tenderness. Since the study, the magnesium/malic acid combination has become controversial. Some practitioners believe that over time, the malic acid will do more harm than good.

Many factors can deplete magnesium in the body. Consuming sugar, starchy foods, and the seasoning monosodium glutamate (MSG) will deplete your body of magnesium. More contributing factors to magnesium deficiency are stress, mercury, and sleep deprivation. Vitamin B deficiencies, especially B12, can lead to the inability of the body to utilize magnesium, even when it is getting adequate amounts. Surprisingly enough, even loud noises can decrease magnesium availability, so turn the radio down.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of magnesium is 400mg. Dietary sources of magnesium include whole grains, nuts, seeds, cocoa, green vegetables, seafood, brown rice, and kidney and lima beans.

While this mineral is no cure-all by any means, magnesium has been shown to relieve muscle pain and fatigue in individuals with Fibromyalgia. This fact alone makes giving magnesium worth a try.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and nothing that I say should be taken as medical advice, nor has it been evaluated by the FDA.

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Fibromyalgia Treatments

Get Your Life Back:  What can be done to reduce these symptoms?

While there is no cure for Fibromyalgia, there are many things you can do to support your body and reduce symptoms.

1. Reduce all stress in your life
2. Prayer and meditation.  Imagion your body as whole and healthy.  How does it feel, what are you able to do.  Focus on this.  You must always focus on optimal health and not the illness. 
3. Choose to not be a victim.  Many with autoimmune disease have become a victim of the illness.   Take your power back and choose to be a victor.
4. Supplementation is very important.  Whole Food Vitamins, Life Balance 17, Germanium, Daily Minerals, Herbal Pain Reducers, Digestive Enzymes, Pro-biotics, and shark liver oil may be especially helpful.
5. Avoid processed foods.  Especially those containing MSG (which is most of them.) MSG is commonly labled as Spices. 
6. Eat raw organic fruits and vegatables as the main foods in your diet.
7. Do not eat red meats.
8. Spend 15-20 minutes in the sun every day.
9. Do not drink coffee, or soda or other beverages high in sugar or corn syrup.

10. Read this book for more great information ”It’s Time for Truth It’s Time to Heal” by Heidi Whitaker.  Download here.