by Ivanhoe Newswire
December 5, 2001
Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted with permission from Ivanhoe Newswire.
Anywhere from 3 million to 6 million Americans suffer with severe pain all over their bodies. The condition is known as fibromyalgia. Doctors say the cause of the pain is unknown and there is no cure. However, some patients are finding relief by changing their diets.
A walk is how Darlene starts each day. It's something she couldn't do nine years ago. Darlene suffers from fibromyalgia. "Basically, five days out of the week I didn't get out of bed. Oh, a couple of hours during the day, but that's about it," she says.
After years of therapy and 13 different medications, Darlene tried a new treatment -- a changed diet. She eliminates two things -- aspartame and monosodium glutamate or MSG. Today her pain is gone.
Darlene says, "I woke up about three weeks later, and I didn't hurt when I got out of bed."
Family practitioner Siegfried Schmidt, M.D., had four other patients like Darlene try this diet. The patients suffered from allergies and fibromyalgia. He says the results surprised him.
"These people are back to normal life, which is, when you come from chronic pain, to be normal, this is a miracle," says Dr. Schmidt, of the University of Florida.
Dr. Schmidt thinks the chemicals in the food could affect the brain and cause the pain. He says, "To me, in a disease where we have no treatment, we don't know what it is, but we can eliminate it in some people with just a dietary regimen ... What are we waiting for?"
It is difficult for Darlene to think about the years she lost. "I get sad about it because I would have like to have known earlier," she says. At least now, she can finally enjoy life again.
Eliminating MSG and aspartame from your diet is more difficult than you may think. It can be listed under another name. Darlene says she has to read labels very carefully and eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. She says if she accidentally eats aspartame or MSG, the pain comes back within hours.
Source: Fibromyalgia Relief -- Research Summary Television News Service/Medical Breakthroughs ©Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. December 2001.
BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple tender points. Tender points are particular spots in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips, which hurt when pressed. According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia affects 3 million to 6 million Americans. It primarily occurs in women ages 20 to 50, but children, older adults, and men can also be affected. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown and there is no proven cure.
Often treatments focus on managing pain with a combination of exercise, medications, physical therapy and relaxation techniques. To diagnose fibromyalgia, the American College of Rheumatology developed two criteria in 1990: A history of chronic widespread pain persisting for more than three months, localized pain when light pressure is applied in at least 11 of 18 designated tender points at locations throughout the body.
DIET TREATMENT: Siegfried Schmidt, M.D., from the University of Florida in Gainesville, conducted a case study of patients who suffer from allergies and fibromyalgia. The four patients studied had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia for 2 to 17 years. All patients underwent multiple treatments with limited success. The patients were asked to eliminate monosodium glutamate, or MSG, and aspartame from their diet.
Within months, all of the patients had complete or nearly complete resolution of their symptoms. Also, all patients reported a return of pain when they ate MSG or aspartame accidentally. Dr. Schmidt says the elimination diet is not a cure for fibromyalgia. He says the diet does not work on all patients with fibromyalgia. Instead, he has found most patients who have the combination of allergies and fibromyalgia may find relief from their symptoms by eliminating MSG and aspartame. While it's not clear why this works, Dr. Schmidt says it may be because these substances can affect brain chemicals which control the pain a patient feels. Dr. Schmidt points out MSG and aspartame are not causes of fibromyalgia.
THE TOUGH DIET: Eliminating MSG and aspartame is tough to do. Many processed foods contain these items and the consumer may be unaware since they can be listed as other ingredients. According to the Truth in Labeling Campaign, the following substances always contain MSG: Autolyzed yeast Calcium caseinate Gelatin Glutamate Glutamic acid Hydrolyzed protein Monopotassium glutamate Monosodium glutamate Sodium caseinate Textured protein Yeast extract Yeast food Yeast nutrient
If you would like more information, please contact: Debbie Hypes Pain-Free Living P.O. Box 25 Lookout, WV 25868; (304) 872-4141.
Copyright © 2001 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|
