Do you wake up with body ache and stiff muscles everyday? Then read this

Fibromyalgia is a common condition that can be chronic. When a health illness or condition is chronic it simply  means it is long-lasting. Fibromyalgia,  causes pain and swelling in more than a dozen points all over the body, affects as many as millions of people. Because doctors are still unsure of the cause of fibromyalgia, treatment can be frustrating (and often a process of trial and error). Even though fibromyalgia is frequently referred to as an arthritis-related condition, it does not cause joint damage or inflammation, as arthritis does. Neither does fibromyalgia cause damage to muscle and other tissues. However, it is similar to arthritis because it can causes severe pain and tiredness, and can sometimes undermine the patient's ability to go about his daily activities. Fibromyalgia is seen as a rheumatic condition. A rheumatic condition is one that causes joint and soft tissue pain.

Common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• Morning stiffness

• Fatigue, body ache (especially in neck, shoulder, back.)

• Headaches

• Irregular sleep patterns

• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

• Painful menstrual periods (Dysmenorrhea)

• Hands and feet tingle and can feel numb

• Restless Leg Syndrome

• Sensitivity to cold or heat

• Fibro fog (memory problems, cognitive problems).

Quite a number of people wake up with one or more of these symptoms every morning and find it difficult to understand why. How do you explain waking up tired and feeling all beaten up like you wrestled all night?

Fibromyalgia has no known cure as doctors are unsure of the causes. Usually the prescribed drugs are pain killers and anti depressant. This is why a lot of affected people are experimenting with alternative treatments, including dietary changes. Forty-two percent of fibro patients reported that symptoms worsened after eating certain foods, and though much of the research is in its preliminary phases, there’s some evidence that a change in diet may ease or eliminate the pain. Here are a few things you can do to help yourself or loved one in this condition.

1.  vitamin D
Quite a lot of adults are deficient in vitamin D to begin with, "Vitamin D deficiency can mimic some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. The evidence has been mounting for years that too-low levels of vitamin D may play a role in fibro pain. Scientists have long known that vitamin D deficiency causes bone and muscle pain, and more than half of us don't get enough of this super vitamin. One 2008 study from the Mayo Clinic found that chronic pain patients with inadequate vitamin D levels required medication dosages that were twice as large as those who got enough D; they also felt worse. It is recommended that taking a supplement, especially during cold weather is important.

2. Avoid food additives

Common food additives such as monosodium Glutamate(MSG) commonly found in seasonings or stock cubes, and aspartame commonly found in flavoured drinks, can act as exitotoxin molecules, a chemical group that has the ability to activate neurons that increase sensitivity to pain. One small study of four patients found that eliminating MSG and aspartame resulted in a reduction of fibromyalia symptoms.

  

 3. Go fish 

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, like salmon, tuna, sardine and nuts like walnuts, and flaxseed, are known to reduce inflammation and help prevent cardiovascular diseases. However, their soreness-reducing traits may also help pain fibromyalgia patients. A 2007 study found that after just 3 months of supplementing omega-3 fatty acids, symptoms such as morning stiffness and painful, tender joints decreased.  Try adding sardine fish or walnuts to your diet, or, if you don’t like those foods, try the Omega 3 supplements especially the ones containing sardine or tuna oil

 4. Cut out the caffeine

Because difficulty in sleeping is commonly associated with fibromyalgia, it may be tempting to fuel up on coffee to get through the day. This, however, may be a mistake. "Some patients use caffeine to compensate for not sleeping well, which can lead to a circular problem where the ‘solution’ of taking caffeine to stay awake is actually causing the problem of not sleeping at night," says Holton. Caffeine can set you up for a crash and, if sipped later in the day, may disrupt sleep schedules. Antioxidant-packed decaffeinated green tea or coffee is a healthier alternative. see Liven alkaline coffee

5.     Veggies, veggies and more veggies

Some researchers speculate that oxidative stress may be a cause of fibro symptoms. Oxidative stress occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough antioxidants to fight out cell-damaging free radicals in the body. Eat  fruits and veggies  packed with important antioxidants, like vitamins A, C, and E, which fight free radicals to keep your cells healthy and energized. Certain studies also show a raw vegetable diet can improve symptoms, but that’s difficult for most people to follow. 

      For a supplements that give you all the antioxidant you need to fight fibromyalgia see more than 5 a day