Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by a generalized, aching pain. About 3.7 million Americans or 5 percent of the population suffer from fibromyalgia, mostly occurring in women of childbearing age. Little is known of the cause of fibromyalgia, but the following dietary changes may prove beneficial, as all can stimulate the body’s natural healing response:
- Eat well. A diet rich in organic fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will fortify your body's natural defenses and healing system.
- Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening, all partially hydrogenated oils, and all foods (such as deep-fried foods) that might contain trans-fatty acids. Use extra-virgin olive oil as your main dietary fat.
- Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Eat ginger and turmeric regularly.
- Take supplements. In addition to a daily antioxidant regimen, take 250 mg of magnesium and 500-700 mg of calcium daily to help relax and maintain nerves and muscles. (However, I don't recommend calcium supplements for men.) Boswellia and malic acid have also been reported to be beneficial as a fibromyalgia treatment.
Next week, I’ll present lifestyle changes that can help manage this challenging condition.
A Healing Diet
The anti-inflammatory diet can help your body to minimize inflammation. Start treating your body right - begin your free trial of Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging today.
Supplement Combo Lowers Cholesterol, Triglycerides
Red rice yeast extract plus fish oil seem to lower cholesterol as well as prescription statin drugs. A Pennsylvania research group just published a study showing that the two supplements lowered LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 42.4 percent compared to 39.6 percent for statins and also led to a substantial reduction in triglycerides. The investigators followed 74 patients whose cholesterol was high enough to justify statin treatment. Each patient was randomly assigned to a group that took the supplement combination or to a group that took 40 mg of a statin daily. The first group also attended educational meetings led by a cardiologist, dietitian, exercise physiologist and alternative or relaxation practitioners. The statin group received printed diet and exercise recommendations. The researchers noted that a bigger, longer study is needed to see if patients can comply with the supplement regimen long-term, citing that up to 40 percent of patients prescribed statins stop taking the drugs within a year. This recognized non-compliance is perhaps because of cost, side effects, poor understanding of the benefits or reluctance to take any drug long-term. They added that good compliance of the supplement group in their study might be due in part to the intensive follow-up and education provided. The findings were published in the July 2008 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
What Supplements Should You Take For Cholesterol?
Find out - visit Dr. Weil’s Vitamin Advisor for a free personalized recommendation. When you purchase any of your recommended supplements in July, take $10 off!
Write Quickly, Eat Slowly to Lose Weight
Those findings come from two separate weight loss studies. Food diaries are not a new concept to help lose weight, but the fact that participants in an Oregon study who recorded their daily intake lost twice as many pounds in six months as those who didn’t keep a diary is pretty persuasive. The study was published in the August 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. As far as eating slowly is concerned, researchers at the University of Rhode Island asked 30 women to eat the same pasta-based meal on two different occasions. The first time the women were told to eat as fast as they comfortably could. The second time they were instructed to take small bites, put down their spoons between bites and chew each mouthful 20 to 30 times. When eating slowly, the women consumed 70 fewer calories from the same meal and felt fuller and more satisfied afterwards. One possible explanation: eating quickly doesn’t give appetite-related hormones time to kick in and signal the body that it’s had enough, so the faster you eat, the more likely you are to overeat. The study was published in the July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Caring for Body, Mind and Spirit
That is the basis of Dr. Weil’s My Optimum Health Plan. See if this 8-week plan is right for you - visit today, and get a free recipe!
Pasta e Fagioli
This traditional pasta and white bean soup is an Italian classic. Be sure to cook the pasta until just al dente, keeping it a bit chewy or "toothsome." It makes a wonderful supper when served with a large tossed salad of romaine lettuce with red peppers, olives and sliced cucumbers and a dessert of plump dried fruit and roasted almonds.
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Healthy Aging Tip
Courtesy of Dr.Weil on Healthy Aging
Seasonal Foods - Beets. A healthy addition to any summer meal, beets are a good source of folate, manganese, potassium, fiber and vitamin C. They contain nutrients that help protect against heart disease, birth defects, and certain cancers. Their sweet, earthy flavor is wonderful in salads, on a cheese plate, or pureed in a cool, summer soup.
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Healthy Aging Workshop with Andrew Weil, M.D.
October 26 - 29, 2008, Tucson, Ariz.
During this three-day workshop you'll learn techniques that will help you thrive in every stage of your life. Join Dr. Weil and his personally selected group of experts from various fields (nutrition, fitness, movement and more) pertaining to healthy aging. There are a limited number of openings for this extraordinary opportunity to meet and learn from Dr. Weil himself, the founder of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. For more information, or to register visit Miraval's Web site.
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