Posted 12/10/2011 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
Dear almost medfree,
Bravo for focusing on eating well and having the strength to avoid the strong meds! I'm trying to do the same and often wish I didn't start narcotics, a slippery slope of dependency. I've been reading for over a year now on diet and its affect on FM. Your observations on avocados are spot-on. If you can buy organic, it would be even better. Here's the research plus other foods that may help. I also went for a food sensitivity IGg blood test which really helped reduce the number of flare-ups. Thanks for bringing focus on the subject, it's been a rough last couple of days with a migraine and fatigue. (I react to the recent barometric change here in Ontario, Canada ... the snow is sticking around!)
Avocados are one of the top two food sources that help produce glutathione in the body. In general terms, eating avocados gives the body the nutrients to make the cells work better. More specifically, glutathione is a tripeptide, formed within our cells from the amino acids cysteine, l-glutamic acid, and glycine. It is found in all cells and provides energy to our body while fighting off free radicals ... basically it acts as an anti-oxidant making our bodies stronger, providing protection from damaging toxins like pollutants, pesticides, cigarette smoke, etc. Toxins deplete our levels of gluthathione. Although we don't know the cause of FM, it is theorized that it is an auto-immune disorder, so eating good foods and supplements will help fight off the pain-flares caused by a lowered immune state. Glutathione levels also help arthritis and RA.
The top two foods that help with producing glutathione are avocados and asparagus, next best are watermelon, peaches, grapefruit, acorn squash and potato. Other foods that help are garlic, bilberry, strawberries, orange, tomato, cantaloupe, broccoli, okra, peach, zucchini, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, walnuts and spinach. The spice turmeric raise glutathione levels. Raw meat and raw eggs help, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless your having sashimi in Japan!
Since one cannot eat glutathione, the body must make it inside the cells from the above food suggestions. Antoher way is through supplments which are the amino acid precursors. There's literature indicating the following help: N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), Immunocal, MaxGXL, LipoCeutical Glutathione (Liposomally protected glutathione supplement), and S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAM). I understand in the medical community, people with HIV/AIDS have had success with the NAC supplement, as well as those with angina and respiratory illness (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/cysteine-000298.htm).
Personally, I prefer to eat a healthy diet as some the supplements above are unproven with the exception of NAC. I do take lots of vitamins for health and brain function as I find our food sources are lacking in nutrients from our farming practices, plus being in pain, somedays I have no appetite to eat the quantities to get enough nutrition. Sort of like a security blanket, I guess!
Laura
ps It's possible you feel worse after eating eggs as it's one of the top food allergies and food sensitivities. Some of the vaccines we get as kids were cultured on egg and caused our bodies to react to both the polio deadened virus and to eggs. Being sensitive to eggs can happen in childhood or develop as we get older. The reaction could happen shortly after eating eggs, which means it's definitely an allergy, or one to several hours later, which means it's a food sensitivity. With food sensitivities, often the tongue gets swollen or red. Also, some who are sensitive to eggs are also sensitive to chicken meat. Using one or two eggs in baking may be ok, where eating a concentrated amount at breakfast would not. To be sure, getting the IGg blood panel would show it. You may have to get this through a naturopath as some doctors don't believe in the IGg panel, it can show false results.