Fibromyalgia Food And Vitamins
You need to make the right choice of fibromyalgia food to avoid vitamin deficiencies. The use of chemicals in agriculture makes it difficult to get enough vitamins into your diet. The custom of cooking food for too long leads to even more loss of nutrients.
Therefore it is important to take daily supplements in the form of capsules or tablets, available at health stores, drugstores or special vendors. For maximum absorption food supplements should be taken at the beginning of the meal.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants. Vitamin C ensures healthy bones, teeth and gums, it helps wound healing, the absorption of iron in the intestines, the production of stress hormones and it promotes the immune system.
Vitamin C is broken down by smoking, alcohol, surgery, trauma, stress, exposure to toxins and the use of certain medications.
Good food sources are: citrus, strawberries, black berries, tomatoes, broccoli, green melons, potatoes and peppers. Since vitamin C is quickly destroyed by heat and processing, vegetables are best eaten raw or steamed.
A lack of vitamin C can cause bleeding gums, swollen and painful joints, nosebleeds, a decreased appetite, muscle weakness, slow wound healing, anemia and poor digestion.
The government recommended amount (RDA) is 60 mg. The RDA for people with fibromyalgia is 1000 mg.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is also a powerful antioxidant. This vitamin reduces the susceptibility to infections of the nose, mouth, throat and lungs.
Good food sources are: carrots, sweet potatoes, wart melon, papaya, pumpkin, watermelon and mango.
A deficiency of vitamin A can lead to susceptibility to infections, a rough, dry, scaly skin, loss of smell and taste, fatigue, damaged teeth and gums and retarded growth.
Vitamin A should not be taken during pregnancy.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E supplies oxygen to all organs, which reduces fatigue. This vitamin also fuels the cells, strengthens the walls of capillaries, protects red blood cells against toxins and helps maintain proper nerve and muscle function.
As with other supplements, people taking blood thinners should consult a doctor before taking vitamin E supplements.
Good food sources are: oil, seeds, grains, avocados, flaxseed, almonds, Brazil nuts, pecanoten, walnuts, asparagus, broccoli and dried plums.
Deficiency of vitamin E leads to dry skin, broken red blood cells, decreased libido, abnormal fatty deposits in muscles, degenerative changes of the heart and muscles and the beginning of auto-immune diseases (fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacksis healthy tissue such as muscles, ligaments and tendons).
When suffering from fibromyalgia, food choice is important and supplements like Evening Primrose Oil and extra vitamins can be very helpful.
