How I Cured My Fibromyalgia With Food, Faith, & Fun

First, I just want to say that no one is truly cured of fibromyalgia. There is no cure. If I stop doing what I’m doing, all my symptoms come back. So, I cured my fibromyalgia through lifestyle and dietary changes that have become permanent. I don’t take any medications, either. However, I do use some natural supplements, which I’ll talk about later in my post. Just remember, my story is just that, my story.

Do not go off medication without medical supervision. Remember, my story is not medical advice and should not be taken as such.

My Story

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2015, but the triggering event happened in fall of 2014. Prior to the trigger, I had a long history of battling multiple chemical sensitivities, food allergies, hay fever, gut issues, fatigue, mental health issues, skin issues, and recurring pain and stiffness. I had long since addressed some of these issues by switching out household toxins and living in an old house, rather than problematic new construction. I had also addressed the food allergies years before, but still ate a few of the offending foods from time to time. However, I had not anticipated the stress that I would experience by agreeing to participate in a parent-run theater program.

In order for my older two children to participate, I had to volunteer my time. Because I know how to sew, I got costume duty, one of the most time-intensive positions. So, I was sewing costumes and making alterations, driving my two oldest to frequent practices, homeschooling all four of them, dealing with the objections tantrums of the younger two from all the car rides, and doing all my other usual mom/wife/teacher stuff. Oh, and all of them had special needs. Oh, and let’s not forget church and co-op stuff, too. I remember being annoyed, angry, discouraged, and frustrated a lot.

Well, first, the back pain started. Then, the neck. Now, down into the shoulders and a week before opening night, I couldn’t move my head and it hurt to sit, walk, and lie down. I put on the happy face because the show must go on. No one knew of the performance I was giving.

Fast forward to several months later when, as usual, I was doing research online so I could learn how I cured fibromyalgia. I committed myself to not to take drugs. My mother’s battle with fibromyalgia showed me that drugs didn’t often work and instead, gave her new problems. I cured my fibromyalgia drug free.

Food

Big surprise, right? Food played a huge role in how I cured my fibromyalgia. I had to go on a Paleo AIP diet. That meant no:

grains
pseudo grains, like quinoa
legumes (peanuts, soy, kidney beans, etc.)
milk
sugar
nightshades (peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant)
and for me, be careful with nuts, seeds, eggs, and coffee. (Some people have to avoid these altogether).

I already avoided processed foods, artificial colors, preservatives, unhealthy oils, fake or chemical ingredients, and anything with high fructose corn syrup. But, apparently that wasn’t enough to save me from developing fibro anyway.

Of course, in my usual fashion, I went crazy buying cookbooks and signing up for newsletters. I wanted to be fully equipped and ready! Here are some of my favorites.

How I Cured My Fibromyalgia with Faith

Without faith, life with any chronic illness can feel depressing and hopeless. While diet played a huge role in how I cured my fibromyalgia, I wouldn’t have had the courage to move forward without Christ. He has always been my hope in chronic illness. After I had my pity party in the initial weeks after my diagnosis, I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit reminding me that there was nothing that I was going through that Christ hadn’t been through, too. I remembered that Paul had asked the Lord to remove a physical malady, a “thorn in his side,” and God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Was I willing to lean on him day by day, was I willing to trust him for my daily bread of self-discipline and endurance? Would I draw on him for the strength to resist temptation?

I had no health coach to help me and in fact, faced a lot of criticism and disbelief from people in my circle. No. I had to figure it out on my own, regularly facing holiday dinners and church buffets full of delicious things I could not eat. Without Jesus, success was not possible.

Fun

Because fibromyalgia is often triggered by some sort of stress–whether it be trauma, infection, chemical exposure, or a stressful event–it is super important to find ways to calm down. I had a lifetime of stressors. That event in 2014 just tipped the balance. I had to find ways to diffuse the stress. After all, homeschooling wasn’t going away and my kids’ various challenges weren’t going away, either. I had to make some choices about some of my other responsibilities and learn to say no. I also had to learn to forgive because I had a lot of bottled up resentment and anger.

So, a big part of how I cured my fibromyalgia had to do with letting go–letting go of “shoulds” and letting go of past hurts and disappointments. My faith played a significant role in that process, of course. But, I still needed to help my body learn to let go of tension, stiffness, and anxiety. That led me to Pilates, learning to kayak, and going for more hikes. Since then, I have also added a favorite from my younger years, distance cycling, although the distance is more like 20 miles a day instead of the 70 miles I used to do, haha.

I also started indulging some of my other interests more, things like music, arts & crafts, and storytelling. And, recently, I have added deep breathing and mindful moments. All of these things help me relieve stress and experience more joy.

A few other helps in how I cured my fibromyalgia

Well, I would be remiss in not sharing some of the other helps I have used along the way because it wasn’t just food, faith, and fun. In the beginning, I also incorporated a few supplements.

Because I read Dr. Teitelbaum’s work on fibromyalgia, I thought I’d try his recommendation of D-Ribose. It seemed to help get me over the hump when diet wasn’t quite enough. After a while, I didn’t have any muscle pain and I thought maybe I didn’t need the D-Ribose anymore. Well, I noticed the difference.

I tried Turmeric, Boswellia (which is Frankincense), alpha Lipoic Acid, and Coenzyme Q10 and I have to say that for me, they didn’t seem to make a difference. I’m sure they help some people, but I couldn’t detect a noticeable change. Maybe it was because I was eating a nutrient-dense diet already.

However, whenever I got a headache (which wasn’t often) Frankincense essential oil or Migraine Support helped, especially if I caught it just as it was starting. But what has made the biggest difference besides the D-Ribose is CBD. I use it topically when I do happen to have some back pain and I use it internally to help with alleviating pain. I also take it occasionally for sleep and for helping me stay calm. See my What I Use page for more information about the variety of CBD products I include in my routine.

I cured my fibromyalgia with food, faith, fun, and a little bit of support from a few supplements. I do have occasional mild flare-ups, especially when I don’t get in my outdoor activities or let stress get the better of me. I’d love to work with you to help you have better days, too. Click the button above and let’s talk!