Nutrition and Fibromyalgia video series from the Support Fibromyalgia Network. In this video, we’ll review basic Nutrition 101 for health and wellness. There is a lot of information on the internet that contradicts each other when it comes to general nutrition. For fibromyalgia nutrition it’s also very confusing. The goal is not to add overwhelm or stress when you are thinking about nutritional changes. Find something that works for you and feels good for your body. Take a look at recipes before jumping into a diet or protocol to see if it’s attainable.
Stay tuned for more videos in this series. If there is a topic you would like us to cover please let us know!
Food Is Medicine!
– Food gives information to our body. If the body is not given the right information, it will not function well and we see health decline.
– Nutrition varies from person to person. It’s personalized! Our goal for this series to create awareness around food and nutrition.
– Food has the ability to turn on and off genes that control disease risk, lifespan, and metabolism.
Similar Goals
Most nutritional roadmaps and diets want to help patients decrease the disease impact. Patients report that nutritional changes can help decrease symptoms, how that happens is unique to each person. Top level goals are decreasing inflammation and balancing blood sugar. Other common goals for a majority of diets include:
– Add in more nutrient-dense vegetables and fruits. Eat a rainbow of color on your plate.
– Minimize processed foods.
– Reduce intake of refined sugar (keep a look out for added sugars).
– Personalized and sustainable approaches are recommended.
– Any movement towards nutrient-dense foods is a positive win!
What is blood sugar?
Blood sugar is how your cells in your body get energy. When you eat food, your body breaks down the molecule into glucose. Your pancreas releases insulin to prepare your cells to utilize the glucose as energy. When we have too much glucose, our body stores it. If we consistently have too much glucose in our bloodstream (high blood sugar) we can develop insulin resistance, where our cells need more insulin in order to be able to absorb the needed energy (glucose). This leads to a lot of the cardiometabolic diseases we see. Notice how different foods affects blood sugar over time. Do you notice crashes, getting sleep after meals, cravings even after eating a meal, do you get hangry, jittery, or does your anxiety increase? Blood sugar can also affect our sleep and we may be waking up in the middle night with our glucose dropping.
Proteins, Fats, and Carbohydrates are the main types of Macronutrients that provide the body energy.
Proteins include animal and plant sources. Proteins repair cells, support muscle development, tissue repair, and can help stabilize blood sugar.Sources of protein can include chicken, turkey, beef, bone broth, eggs, fish, diary, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Try eating protein at every meal and as snacks to distribute protein throughout the day.
Fats provide support for brain health, connective tissue, and support digestion. We need fat to absorb Vitamins A, D, E, & K. Distinguishing between fats is important. Unfortunately in the 80s fats got labeled as bad so all the products went low fat. Like with everything in the food industry, they take something out they need to replace it something, and they will usually do with some type of ingredient that makes the product even yummier. Sugar was added to many more products. We have learned that is was the combination of added sugar and trans fats with contributed to obesity and heart disease. Trans fat should be avoided as you work to lower inflammation. To get in healthier forms of fats look to add in avocado slices to meals or use as a snack. Top your salads with a drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil. If you can tolerate nuts and seeds, those can be added as a snack.
Carbohydrates are used by the body for energy right away. Whatever your body does not use, gets stored in your muscle cells or fat cells. Look for carbohydrates that provide the body with vitamins, phytonutrients, polyphenols, fiber, and minerals. Vegetables are great sources of carbohydrates because they are packed with various nutrients and they are high in fiber. Additional sources of carbs includes fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, and dairy. We do want to limit carbs coming from refined grains and sugars, like the carbs we find in heavily processed and convenience type foods. Refined added sugars will contribute to chronic inflammation.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant food. Not eating enough fiber can contribute to imbalanced blood sugars, digestive symptoms, high cholesterol, and hormonal imbalances. Try eating plant foods in their whole food form to benefit from all the nutrient rich fiber. Aim to eat 5-10 servings of vegetables per day.
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