The Cleveland Clinic recommend an anti-inflammatory diet for those who experience chronic pain. An anti-inflammatory diet isn't a specific diet, but rather a set of principles and guidelines regarding food choices.
Examples of anti-inflammatory diet choices include:
- Eating eight to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Choosing colorful fruits and vegetables whenever possible ensures the greatest range of nutrients. Examples of especially nutrient-packed foods include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage.
- Choosing whole grains. Refined sugar and simple carbohydrates can have inflammatory properties. Examples of healthier whole grain foods include barley, buckwheat, oats, quinoa, brown rice, rye, wheat, and spelt.
- Limiting excess dairy intake. While dairy is a source of calcium, having too much in a diet can cause inflammation.
- Reducing red meat. Red meat should be an occasional food, not an everyday one. Replace red meat with turkey, fish, and vegetarian foods. Boneless, skinless chicken is also a good option, but may not have the anti-inflammatory benefits that some other foods have.
While an anti-inflammatory diet isn't necessarily a weight-loss diet, it is one that often helps a person maintain a healthy weight, which is of great benefit to those with fibromyalgia.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, food additives called excitotoxins may worsen fibromyalgia symptoms. Examples of these foods include glutamate, aspartate, and L-cysteine. These are often added to sugar substitutes such as aspartame.
Another food additive, monosodium glutamate (MSG), is often added to many Asian and frozen foods. Research hasn't fully concluded that these additives can make fibromyalgia symptoms worse. However, some people with fibromyalgia have found that they experience less pain when they remove these additives form their diet.
In addition to avoiding additives, some people with fibromyalgia have found relief by avoiding the following foods:
- Dairy products
- Gluten-containing foods
- Refined flour
- Sugar
While avoiding these isn't necessarily going to eliminate all symptoms, those with fibromyalgia may benefit from keeping a food journal and commenting on any symptoms they may experience after eating particular foods. If a person identifies patterns between foods they have eaten and painful symptoms, they may consider removing particular foods from their diet.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), taking vitamin D supplements may help to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms in people who are deficient in the vitamin.