Though there is still some debate over whether or not it is an inflammatory or a neurological condition, or some combination of both, most everyone will agree that fibromyalgia is a severely debilitating health condition that robs its victims of their energy, their strength and ultimately their lives. But the good news is that there are a number of natural remedies that individuals with fibromyalgia can use to help keep the chronic illness under control, and maybe even cure it altogether. Here are five of the most effective ones:
1) Fish oils. There are numerous theories as to what actually causes fibromyalgia, but it is generally recognised that the poorly understood condition often results in what appears to be systemic inflammation for many of the people that suffer from it. Because of this, it is important that fibromyalgia sufferers stick primarily to an anti-inflammatory diet that includes plenty of fish oils.
Since one of the marked characteristics of fibromyalgia is intense muscle and joint pain, supplementing with high-grade salmon oil, skate liver oil, or a fermented cod liver and butter oil blend, for instance, can provide amazing relief for fibromyalgia sufferers, as these oils help lubricate the muscular system and fortify the body with necessary omega-3 fatty acids, which feed the brain and quell inflammation.
Fibromyalgia is also marked by neurological damage in the brain, particularly as it involves the normal production of brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin. By regularly supplementing with therapeutic doses of high-grade fish oils, fibromyalgia sufferers may be able to help restore proper neural function and balance out their central nervous systems’ response to pain and other sensations.
2) Turmeric. Another powerful anti-inflammatory food with amazing pain-relieving properties is turmeric, an ancient spice commonly used in Indian and Asian cuisine. As it turns out, turmeric works better than many pain killer drugs at relieving joint pain, stiffness, arthritis, muscle spasms, and many other debilitating pain symptoms commonly associated with fibromyalgia.
A natural painkiller and COX-2 inhibitor, turmeric has been shown in a number of studies to be a safe and effective remedy for treating both arthritis and fibromyalgia symptoms. This is due to its ability not only to halt inflammation, but also to suppress nerve-related pain. From both a neurological and inflammatory standpoint, in other words, turmeric is a powerful weapon in the fight against fibromyalgia.
3) Fermented foods and beverages. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and various other forms of gastrointestinal upset often go hand-in-hand with fibromyalgia, which is why it is vitally important for individuals with the disease to actively work towards restoring floral balance in the gut. One of the best ways to do this is to consume plenty of fermented foods like raw sauerkraut and kombucha tea, both of which have helped many fibromyalgia sufferers to avoid the headaches, brain fog, and systemic pain they would otherwise face.
Kefir, which can be made from either dairy or water, is another fermented food that can greatly relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, particularly when taken in conjunction with other probiotic-forming, fermented foods like kombucha tea and kimchi.
4) Juiced marijuana leaf. From a neurological perspective, fibromyalgia can also come about as a result of neurotransmitters throughout the central nervous system failing to properly communicate, which in turn can lead to the over-sensation of pain throughout the body that is characteristic of fibromyalgia. This is where juiced marijuana leaf comes in. Rich in neural-repairing cannabinoids, juiced marijuana leaf can help complete the positive feedback loop in the brain that, when obstructed or damaged, causes chronic inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and various other problems often associated with fibromyalgia.
In its raw form, marijuana and marijuana juice is not psychoactive, which means it can be used safely and effectively without getting a person “high.” Marijuana is also far more medically potent in its raw form than when it is heated or smoked, possessing up to 60 times more therapeutic content per volume.
5) Avoid wheat gluten. Eliminating wheat and other gluten-containing foods from the diet has helped many people with fibromyalgia all but eliminate their condition and its corresponding symptoms. Most modern wheat varieties contain high levels of complex gluten compounds that greatly upset the digestive tract, which is where many inflammatory and neurological conditions like fibromyalgia are thought to begin.
Eliminating gluten from your diet, along with refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and other unnatural compounds, can go a long way in alleviating fibromyalgia. Other common food allergens like soy and corn are also worth eliminating from the diet as well as these ingredients, particularly when derived from genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), can trigger an inflammatory response in individuals with fibromyalgia.