5 Ways to Treat Fibromyalgia Nutritionally

1. Replace Your Morning Coffee With a Fruit Smoothie

Dealing with chronic low energy can be difficult, but caffeine only provides a temporary boost of energy and also taxes liver and immune function, which will further strain your energy reserves. Instead of coffee in the morning, make a fruit smoothie with rice protein powder. The carbohydrates will give you energy while the protein will help slow their absorption into the bloodstream, giving a more sustained release of energy throughout the morning.

2. Take a Daily Multivitamin

Research shows that many people aren't getting adequate levels of nutrients from their diet, and those living with a chronic health condition like fibromyalgia are even more nutrient-depleted. Vitamins and minerals are the building blocks of all body tissues and it is imperative that we obtain enough of these essential nutrients for basic body function and tissue repair. Consume a high potency, high quality multivitamin-mineral supplement every day. Or try a powdered multivitamin-mineral supplement that you can add to your morning smoothie.

3. Add Lemon to Your Water

It sounds too simple to be of significant benefit, but lemon juice contains compounds that help to support the liver and assist with detoxification, important for those with fibromyalgia. You should be drinking adequate amounts of water to keep your body tissues and systems hydrated--8 glasses a day--so simply add a few squeezes of lemon to your water and you'll not only give your body extra antioxidant protection, you'll help your liver to deal with all the toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis.

4. Replace Processed Snack Foods With Vegetables

Reaching for those potato chips or other processed snack foods may cure midday cravings and seem to keep your energy levels up, but such foods are low in nutrients and high in calories. Unfortunately, these types of foods also make up the majority of the Western diet, which can partially explain the global increase in chronic disease of recent years. Since those living with fibromyalgia are already nutrient-depleted, processed foods provide only empty calories with minimal nutrient benefit. Keep cut vegetables on hand for when you are feeling hungry instead of reaching for a candy bar or bag of chips. Vegetables are high in complex carbohydrates that give you energy and also provide high levels of powerful antioxidants and other nutrients your body needs to repair tissues and fight infection.

5. Avoid Alcohol

Fibromyalgia symptoms can affect sleep and even cause anxiety. While alcohol may seem to help you relax, in reality it inhibits sleep while also weakening immune function and impairing the liver's detoxification abilities. Instead of that glass of wine in the evening to help you relax, sip on a warm cup of fruity-tasting passionflower tea. The warmth of the drink will soothe your digestive system, and natural compounds in passionflower help to induce a restful night's sleep.