Headaches, bloating, muscle and joint pains, leg cramps, fatigue, insomnia, cravings for sugars and carbohydrates and unwanted weight gain: all these have been associated with signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia, arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome.
You or someone you know may have experienced the frustration of seeking help from one doctor after another, only to be given prescription medications that temporarily mask the symptoms or, even worse, told that you'll simply have to learn to live with them.
In my clinical experience, I've found that many of these troubling conditions can be caused by food sensitivities and/or an overgrowth of candida that causes inflammation and toxicity in the body. Often, these symptoms can be greatly reduced or even eliminated with a good detoxification program, a controlled diet to identify possible food sensitivities, proper nutritional support and a good antifungal agent to reduce candida growth.
A Case Study
Recently, a 46-year-old patient came to me with a prior diagnosis of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. She complained of abdominal bloating, muscle and joint aches and pains, weight gain, insomnia and low energy levels that she said she'd been experiencing for the last five years. She had a history of antibiotic use for treatment of urinary tract and dental infections (the antibiotic use is significant because antibiotics can destroy the natural flora in our intestines that help maintain a healthy digestive system).
I put "Lucy" on a meal plan that included food elimination to help identify foods that could be causing inflammation. The plan also incorporated a yeast-free diet to eradicate the overgrowth of yeast she might have. Along with the diet plan, I also prescribed an antifungal medication to reduce candida (depending on the severity and number of symptoms, prescription medicines may be necessary; often, a nonprescription herbal antifungal can be very effective as well).
To aid the detoxification process, I suggested the use of a castor oil liver pack and some antioxidants to combat the release of toxins. I also offered her a probiotic to re-establish the good gut flora that had been destroyed from years of antibiotic treatments and overuse of refined carbohydrates.
The patient was amazed at the results...
Within ONE WEEK, the patient reported that 80 percent of her joint and muscle aches and pains were gone. She exhibited an increased range of motion, an increased energy level, a decrease in abdominal bloating and much-improved sleeping patterns.
Within four weeks, the patient reported that up to 90 percent of her pain was gone. She had no return of her urinary tract infection or her frequent sinus drainage. She was continuing to sleep well, had a weight loss of 10 pounds and reported that her sugar cravings had decreased significantly.
After seeing these excellent results in the improvement of Lucy's condition, we began slowly reintroducing foods to her diet so we could pinpoint the specific problem foods for her to avoid in the future.
This could be the solution you're looking for
This patient described her results as "miraculous." The fact is that the answer to her health problems was as basic as finding the right combination of foods and dietary supplements and appropriate antifungal treatment for her individual needs. If you are currently suffering from the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia or have many of the symptoms described in this article, this may be the answer to your problems.
Dr. Tina Marcantel is a naturopathic doctor practicing in Gilbert, Arizona. For more information about her practice and to read many more articles by Dr. Marcantel, please visit her Web site at http://www.drmarcantel.com.