Like Jemima I've tried and now do a combination of many diets, but they didn't change my fibro in any way, I do them for general health & genetically high blood fats (to hopefully get/keep off of statins).
1. I'd get used to tracking your symptoms with a food diary, esp. any IBS-type symptoms, those & their triggers may give you ideas.
2. just eating even healthier would improve your health generally, as
@sunkacola would say. Weight might also be an issue.
That would mean unsaturated fats (olive oil, or better still omega 3 from flaxseed oil, plus 1-3 tbl./day linseed oil) rather than saturated, complex carbs rather than simple (like sugar), 5 smaller meals, not too late in the evening (or if blood fats are high 3 meals spaced apart). The Mediterranean diet is considered as one of the most generally healthy. More veg than fruits, more green veg than coloured, wholemeal, praps organic, more plants. Many people say no/low sugar, coffee (
@Jemima excepted
) and alcohol (as well as drugs & meds).
3. I'd watch for where it'd hurt most, cravings, like chocolate, and praps have a look at that, e.g. Trudy Scott about that & amino acids.
4. Careful with anti-inflammatory herbs & spices (ginger, cumin, garlic etc.) if you have IBS (I don't tolerate any of them).
5. I'd actually start where it hurts least - that might be a clue and also be easiest, to get under way.
6. Like
@Jemima I'd do it elimination diet wise - only I've been doing that for decades due to my IBSD long before fibro.
7. Overview of the relevant & acknowledged types I've found to date ( I do about half of this, plus mainly raw food):
a.
No: fructose/fructans, gluten, grain, nightshade, sugar, dairy, meat, dairy & meat, dairy & grains.
b.
Low: Carb incl. Keto(genic), FODMAP, incl. fructans and candida; histamine, oxalate, salicylate.
c.
Combinations: paleo, AIP, plant, virgin, Mediterranean, pegan, elimination, Hay, organic, whole food; fasting. (Ask for quick details.)
BTW - US grain types are apparently less 'natural' than European.
Recent research has no clear evidence for pain improvement, needs to get better, but the articles below recommend:
- vegetarian, dairy-free, then both: vegan (lots of nuts & tofu/soy),
- gluten-free,
- Mediterranean, which pretty much involves low fructose/-ans, then go low FODMAP anyway.
Not sure if this is the "easiest order" for these, it was mine, after having tried all I do 80% all of them.
@Jemima?
Pagliai, 2020: Nutritional Interventions in the Management of Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Supps: Vitamin D, magnesium, iron and probiotics.
Diet: olive oil, replacement diet with ancient grains, low-calorie, low FODMAP, gluten-free, monosodium glutamate & aspartame-free diet, vegetarian, Mediterranean.
Lowry 2020: Dietary Interventions in the Management of Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Best-Evidence Synthesis
vegan, low FODMAP.
Supps: with Chlorella green algae, coenzyme Q10, acetyl-l-carnitine or a combination of vitamin C and E
Lattanzio, 2017: Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Metabolic Approach Grounded in Biochemistry for the Remission of Symptoms: explains low fructose/fructans (serotonin).