You may have discovered this on your own, or your doctor (or specialist) may have been kind enough to tell you about this…but what you eat can affect your fibromyalgia. There are specific foods that can make your pain worse. Not many people want to hear this. Even fewer of you will want to restrict these foods. Why? Well, these are the comfort foods like sugar and chocolate and caffeine and lots of the goodies that give us a temporary feeling of relief.

However, when managing a chronic illness like fibromyalgia we have to learn to accept the fact that what works in the short term can have horrible, long-lasting impact in the long-term. Fibromyalgia is a life-long (chronic) and cumulative disease. What you do today will have consequences tomorrow and perhaps for the rest of your life.

What you eat now can hurt you down the line. This concept may be hard to accept, but it’s true so it bears repearting. WHAT YOU EAT NOW CAN HURT YOU DOWN THE LINE.

Following is a list of foods you should consider avoiding as a person with fibromyalgia (PWFM). Most of these foods are not healthy anyway. They are high in sodium, sugar, processed carbohydrates and/or fat. Some will make your pain worse. Others will inflame you or make you tired and so forth.

If you need even more specific reasons why you should stay away from these foods, you may wish to discuss your concerns with a certified nutritionist, preferably of the holistic variety.

• Chocolate
• Sugar
• White flour
• Processed Carbohydrates
• Non-nutritive, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Splenda
• Dairy (Swap out soy and eat green, leafy vegetables to get your calcium)
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Tomato
• Citrus
• Corn
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Wheat/Gluten-containing foods (* Gluten is wheat protein … it’s found in a large variety of baked goods, bread products, crackers and so forth!)

Of course, experts will disagree on this list. Some patients will alter this list as they can tolerate certain items on this list much better than others. Undergoing allergy testing may make sense for the fibro patient to help assist in the process of determining which foods to steer clear of. If staying away from all of these foods at once is too daunting for you, try choosing one food at a time and keeping it out of your meal plan for 21 days. Three weeks, as the experts say, is how long it takes to create a habit.

Then move on to the next list. Keep a notebook of your symptoms. Determine if your symptoms improve or worsen during this time period. Include information about your mood as well. Obviously, we’ll talk more about keeping a food diary, practicing elimination diets, foods PWFMs should eat for to assure their optimal health and setting up fibro meal plans elsewhere on this site.

The most important thing you can do starting today is to begin reading labels and learning all about what you are putting into your body. For example, caffeine is present in lots of sodas and herbal teas, even the ones that you wouldn’t think it would be in. Sugar runs rampant even in so-called energy drink and healthy ‘elixirs’. Low-fat foods often contain more sugar than normal to make them taste better.

Make it your mission to educate yourself about good nutrition so that you can get better at putting better food in your body. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself if you struggle with fibromyalgia.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this web site is provided for your general information only. This site does not give medical advice or engage in the practice of medicine. Under no circumstances does fibromyalgia-info.org recommend particular treatment for specific individuals and in all cases recommends that you consult your physician or local treatment center before pursuing any course of treatment.