Diet | Orange Studio

This is a subject that always seems open to much controversy. With all of the different recommended diets and conflicting information, it can be very challenging for anyone to know what to follow. The content provided is designed to provide you with quality research so you can come to your own informed decision as to what is right for YOU. Recommended diets for fibromyalgia vary considerably and no one diet is best for everyone. It is best to minimize foods that exacerbate symptoms and consume nutritious foods that help you to feel your best.

One diet that many people with fibromyalgia find beneficial is the ketogenic (keto) diet. The ketogenic diet is a diet that limits carbohydrate intake and increases consumption of healthy fat. Carbohydrates come in the form of starches, grains, fruits, and vegetables. The idea behind the keto diet is to have the body turn to fat for its main energy source. On the keto diet, carbohydrates are limited to 40 grams per day or less and 70% of calories come from healthy fats. Research suggests that a ketogenic diet reduces inflammation through the increased production of adenosine.

An anti-inflammatory diet also shows health benefits. Although it is very different from the ketogenic diet, some people find it very effective in helping to manage fibromyalgia symptoms. On this type of diet, an emphasis is placed on eating whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, and olive oil.

Both of the above mentioned diets show benefits to health. In order to determine which type of diet is best for you, tracking your diet for 10 days is recommended.

The chronometer app is a useful app that breaks down your calorie, macronutrient, and micronutrient intake. This will help to ensure you are getting the recommended daily amounts. It is also helpful to keep note of how you feel after eating a meal, so you can avoid foods that may cause a flare in symptoms.

IMPORTANT: Eliminating foods is not meant to be a long term solution. These “trigger” foods should slowly be added back into your diet one at a time. Give yourself about 5 days before introducing a new food again. Make sure you take notes to keep track of which foods agree with you and which ones do not. If there is a food you still can not tolerate, eliminate it and try that food again at a later time. Do not try to introduce more than one food at a time back into your diet.

Pay close attention to how the foods you are eating correlate with how you feel, your weight, and important measurements, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Keeping a diary or using the chronometer app is the best way to sort out all of this information.

It is important to keep an open mind when it comes to trying new ways of eating. It has been reported that changing how you eat can have a significant impact on your symptoms.

The information provided is not intended to promote weight loss. The only intended purpose is for your own health benefit and to improve symptom management.