7 Diet Tips for Reducing Fibromyalgia Symptoms

1. Eat an abundance of fresh, whole foods. Keep at a minimum consumption of processed foods and fast food. Including the “supposedly” healthy frozen meals. They actually contain a ton of preservatives and chemicals, which are toxic to your body!

2. Eliminate all sugar and artificial sweeteners. Stevia and Coconut palm sugar are the best options. Agave nectar in limited quantities is ok as well. You can also use Xylitol (which does not raise blood sugar levels).

3. Eat an abundance of vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage, etc. and fruits (that are alkalizing and low on glycemic index, like berries).

4. Decrease your intake of refined carbohydrates like pasta and white rice. Eat more whole grains such as quinoa. These are preferable to whole-wheat flour products, which have about the same glycemic index as white flour products. Choose sweet potatoes over white.

5. Decrease animal protein, increase vegetable protein. Eat more beans and legumes, like lentils. I use these often to make a mushroom and lentil loaf. It tastes even better than meat loaf!. Tempeh, seitan, and tofu are excellent sources of protein and can be substituted for meat in most recipes. Hemp seeds are also a wonderful source of protein. You can sprinkle them on your salads daily!

6. Reduce (or eliminate) your consumption of dairy. You will reduce your intake of saturated fat by eating less butter, cream, high-fat cheese. Also, avoid margarine, vegetable shortening, and all products made with partially hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. Earth Balance is a great butter substitute. Cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil is my favorite oil to cook with and can replace shortening in most recipes.Next to sugar and artificial sweeteners, I would have to say that eliminating dairy caused the most significant improvements in my health! It’s so easy to do. There are many delicious, healthy alternatives widely available now.

7. Add spices to your food like ginger, curry, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, etc. These tend to have an anti-inflammatory effect and they add a lot of flavor to many dishes without added fat and cholesterol.