Foods to avoid when managing chronic fatigue and pain
Fibromyalgia is a chronic and often debilitating condition whose main symptoms include extreme joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are a number of ways to manage the condition through therapy and daily lifestyle choices.
One of these lifestyle choices is a healthy diet. As with any healthy diet, it is recommended that fibromyalgia sufferers eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables to boost immunity, aid digestion and maintain a healthy weight. They should also eat foods rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
However, in the daily management of fibromyalgia, knowing what foods to avoid can be at least as important as knowing what foods to eat.
Dietary Triggers of Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Through the systematic removal of specific foods from their diets, many sufferers have discovered what foods seem to worsen their fatigue or trigger painful flare-ups. Although which and to what degree certain foods affect their condition is different for each person living with fibromyalgia, there are a number of substances that both medical studies and sufferers have found are common culprits. These substances include:
- MSG. Besides potentially increasing the sensitivity of pain receptors, the high-sodium foods in which this flavor enhancer is found encourage water retention that can lead to uncomfortable swelling and inflammation.
- Aspartame. This artificial sweetener can aggravate the symptoms of fibromyalgia patients by further increasing their already-high pain sensitivity.
- Caffeine. They’re a common crutch for the sleep-deprived, and fibromyalgia sufferers may turn to caffeinated beverages more frequently to combat their chronic fatigue. Unfortunately, while they may feel the temporary effect of the stimulant, they are more likely to crash harder than most people once it wears off. Also, caffeine can severely interfere with the quality of their much-needed rest.
