Lotus Center for Integrative Medicine - Sticking it to Fibromyalgia

07/24/2013

Stress is one of those things we can't escape. The good news is stress is subjective and you actually have some level of control over how you respond to certain stressors. When it comes to fibro, stress can exacerbate pain symptoms.

How can we control cortisol levels? Maybe we just need an attitude adjustment. A new study shows that having a more positive outlook can actually mean lower cortisol levels.

So next time you're driving and someone cuts you off, maybe you can just laugh at their inability to drive instead of getting upset. You just might be doing yourself a huge favor.

It's no surprise that those who tend to see a rose's blooms before its thorns are also better at handling stress. But science has failed to reliably associate optimism with individuals' biological stress response – until now.

06/12/2013

New study shows that weather does not uniformly affect those with fibromyalgia. While that's nice and all there are a few problems with this study. One, we know that the symptoms that accompany fibromyalgia are not uniform. Fibromyalgia sufferers may have similar symptoms but two people's symptomatic picture is never the same. Two, this study was a 28 day study, surely not enough time to see huge fluctuations in weather changes. What would be interesting if to have symptoms tracked over the course on an entire year and have participants span across the globe rather than isolated to one specific are. I would anticipate that the result would be much different.

Dutch researchers report that weather conditions including temperature, sunshine, and precipitation have no impact on fibromyalgia symptoms in female patients. Results published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggest that individual patients ma...

05/15/2013

Avoid GMO. This new app will help you make better food choices. You can scan grocery items and find out who is behind them (e.g. Monsanto). Interesting article that's worth the read. Let's make a statement and help change the world.

A new app allows you to scan a product in the supermarket aisle and learn who exactly is behind that box of cereal. More impressively, you can join user-created campaigns to boycott groups of companies who may have lobbied against a cause you believe in.

03/13/2013

Salt identified as autoimmune trigger.

We know that a diet high in salt can lead to hypertension but a new study reveals that a diet high in salt can trigger autoimmune diseases. This is important with regard to fibromyalgia because several autoimmune diseases have been found to be associated with fibromyalgia.

This is yet another reason to pay attention to what you're eating. Stick to whole foods and stay away from prepackaged foods. And even if you've already been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, diet can play a huge role in the severity of symptoms that are experienced on a day to day basis.

For the past few decades, health officials have been reporting increases in the incidence of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Now researchers at Yale School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute have identified a prime suspect in the mystery—dietary salt.

08/04/2012

Headaches found to be associated with oxidative damage in fibromyalgia patients (note, this is probably true for other diseases as well). They also found that coenzyme Q10 levels were low in these patients and when they supplemented with CoQ10, headaches were significantly improved.

Many studies on FMS focus on symptoms. This is another in this category. We have had excellent and lasting results with many cases of fibromyalgia and symptom management tends to be just that... it doesn't address the disease process or help much with the reversal of the disease. Rena Haley is our fibromyalgia specialist and is currently coauthoring a book with Brandon Horn on effective treatments for fibromyalgia.... stay tuned

PubMed comprises more than 21 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

07/26/2012

Study after study has shown exercise to be important in alleviating the pain of fibromyalgia. Tai chi, specifically, has been shown to be tremendously beneficial in fibromyalgia. Although this is old news, it's a good reminder that not only is exercise important for those with fibromyalgia, but that the exercise doesn't have to be strenuous or taxing. Tai chi involves slow, gentle and meditative movements helping with energy and blood circulation, a good option for those with fibromyalgia and fatigue.

Researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA reveal that a significant number of patients with fibromyalgia responded well to Tai Chi, experiencing alleviation of joint pains

06/26/2012

Although it sounds like it might make you feel better, ultimately it's not a longterm solution to the problem.

Here's what one study found....

Fibromyalgia patients have limited treatment options, but a Canadian study finds that those who self-medicate with ma*****na were more likely to have poor mental health and to seek other drugs.

06/26/2012

Pesticides damage the nervous system, endocrine system and immune system all of which results in symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Here's a quick guide to help make better informed choices in the pursuit for wellbeing.

EWG's 2012 Shoppers Guide helps you make informed choices about pesticides in your produce. Check our 'Dirty Dozen' and the 'Clean 15' to shop smarter.

06/21/2012

Feel better and optimize your vitamin D levels? Depression is closely associated with FMS. There's increasing evidence that exercise helps fight depression. Getting outside for a stroll in the park can not only help with depression but also help optimize Vitamin D levels. Low vitamin D levels is also associated with depression. So, when you're choosing what form of exercise you're going to do, choosing outdoor activities could be even more beneficial.

Walking is effective in helping to decrease depressive symptoms, according to a new review of studies. Research published in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity shows that "walking has a statistically significant, large effect on the symptoms of depression in some populations."

06/19/2012

Oh, chocolate... How we ever so love you. Now we can continue our love affair because we know that you really can make us feel better.

Many FMS sufferers also suffer from chronic fatigue. In this study, chocolate rich in polyphenols, specifically flavonoids, was found to reduce the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. The key is making sure the chocolate is rich in polyphenols. In this study the chocolate that improved symptoms was polyphenol rich chocolate containing 85% cacao solids. 15g square were eaten three times daily.

So now we have the green light to have our chocolate and eat it too. Keep it simple. Dark chocolate, low sugar, no fillers. Enjoy!

PubMed comprises more than 21 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.

06/14/2012

Technical difficulties. Let's try this one more time.... Here's the skinny of saturated fats and gut health.

The relationship between food and a gastro-intestinal disease might sound simple. But new research is revealing that what we put into our bodies can cause a ...

06/13/2012

Although with FMS the concern is typically IBS, this study is yet another example of how important gut health is and how nutrition affects it.