Did you know that:
- An unhealthy diet contributes to almost 680,000 deaths in the U. S. each year?
- Fewer than 1 in 10 people eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables?
- An estimated $147 billion is spent annually on health care for obesity?
Staggering statistics to say the least.
If you’ve read my blog in the past, you know I have had fibromyalgia for over 20 years now and I prefer a holistic approach over taking prescription medications to cope with my condition.
March is National Nutrition Month here in the U.S., designed to help people make informed choices on what to eat, and build better habits for eating right and moving more. We’re all given just one body to get us through this life, so it’s best we take care of it the best we can. As such, I thought I would just link up some of my favorite and most popular posts on nutrition, supplements, exercise, and building habits, that enable me to live a life without pain medication.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Tweet
Nutrition and Fibromyalgia
I have long said that if I eat “crap” I feel like “crap,” so I adopted healthy eating habits when I discovered this link for me. My all-time most popular post is on fighting fibromyalgia with your diet. Here are some other posts on nutrition.
- Fight Fibromyalgia with Your Diet
- What to Eat with Fibromyalgia
- Can Your Diet Affect Chronic Pain?
- Clean Eating: Smoothie Round-Up
I love smoothies and smoothie bowls because they taste great and pack a nutritional punch. You can sneak all kinds of veggies, fruits, fiber, vitamins, and anti-oxidants into this one meal!
Supplements and Beverages
Another important component in helping with chronic pain is making sure you are getting all of your nutrients, as it is sometimes difficult to get everything solely from the foods you eat. Maintaining proper hydration and avoiding trigger foods or too much of anything like sugar or caffeine is also critical.
- Magnesium and Fibromyalgia
- Magnesium for Pain Relief
- Why You Need Collagen
- Hydration and Fibromyalgia
- The Correlation between Caffeine and Pain
- Hyperbole: Sugar Is the Root of All Evil
Exercise
While fibromylagia is characterized by widespread pain and fatigue, it often seems counterintuitive to exercise. However, that can often be just what is needed to overcome the pain. But it’s a balancing act. Too much exercise can trigger a flare and create that vicious cycle. Not enough movement can lead to atrophy of muscles, weight gain, and yes, even more pain.
I used to be a treadmill warrior, but have had to give that up due to ongoing hip and back issues. I have found walking the dog, yoga, and riding a recumbent bicycle are much more tolerable by me and amenable to bringing on additional pain or flares.
Habit Building
Finally, by taking on too many new things /changes at once, you are probably setting yourself up for failure. Sometimes it is best to start slow and incorporate one new thing at a time, and then add on to it. Three years ago I tried a 30 day journey for yoga, and chronicled my experiences with that. Last year, during the pandemic, I was able to lose over about 15 pounds just by going back to those healthy habits and incorporating them again.
You can read my 7 Tips to Build New Habits, which also has links to my personal 30 day challenge series. Hopefully you will find a tip that might help you.
Start Somewhere
If you decide it is time to make some changes to your diet or exercise routines, I hope you find some inspiration in my experiences. Starting with a nutritious breakfast is the best way to start your day off on the right foot. It sets you up for success! You can also check out the Nutrition Month link for a variety of ideas.
What habit or change are you going to incorporate to improve your health? Do you have any other tips to share on what works for you when trying to build new habits?
My Inspired Fibro Life 
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