Hola Scribblings! *comes in with freshly cooked rice* sit down and lets chat a bit, eh?
So if you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know that I have a chronic condition known as fibromyalgia.
If you don’t know what that is, here’s a quick run down.
Fibromyalgia is, at it’s core, a nervous system issue. Our central nervous systems are out of whack. Think of our nervous systems as our electrical system. In my case it isn’t connecting.
Dr. Daniel Clauw remarked that “Not only do abnormalities in the brain and central nervous system seem to “spill over” into the body and produce the collection of symptoms we know as fibromyalgia, but there is also evidence that injuries. Illnesses, or other major stressors in the body can overwhelm the brain and CNS and cause different symptoms.”
What symptoms do people with fibromyalgia face? You may ask.
*laughs and cries* oh sweet summer child. Come here. The symptom list for fibromyalgia is so vast and long—mainly due to symptoms exchanging out for one another like some people borrowing books from a library. But also because not every person with fibromyalgia has the exact same list of symptoms.
But here are a few symptoms.
From depression and anxiety to wide spread flu like pain and randomly feeling like someone is using you as a pin cushion, fibromyalgia has it all. And for only 3 payments of $25.99— I’m kidding! Lol 
.
You can’t buy fibromyalgia and there is definitely no return policy if your genetics gifted it to you.
*takes bite of rice* so yeah that’s a mini crash course on fibromyalgia.
Back to the main topic: I’ve been sick a lot! *gestures above* it’s due to this beast—also Taming the Beast is a fabulous fibromyalgia book I’d recommend to anyone!!— and one of my constant fibro symptoms is food sensitivities and a lowered immune system.
*scratches the back of my head* honestly I haven’t been sure on what to do about it all. I was taking loads of vitamin C everyday but that backfired spectacularly.—long story but side note you should look up oxalates!— and honestly it didn’t help much.
And I’ve done the whole food diary thing but it hasn’t really ever given me solid results…
So I’ve been praying about it and in November I decided that I wanted/needed to do an Elimination Diet!
Now there are MANY different ‘protocols’ for this diet but the main thing is to cut out any food you think might be a trigger for your body—and if you aren’t sure then you cut back ALOT of food *cries in foodie*— and for 21-30 days you eat only safe foods.
Then phase 2 begins where every week you reintroduce a food/ingredient slowly—say walnuts. You’d eat 2-3 walnuts day 1 and then 3-5 day 2 and then 6-8 day 3 and then stop the rest of the week to see if any symptoms come or go—
To say a food diary is Uber important for this journey is an understatement. And to say that this is going to take up more than 6 months to reintroduce everything back into my diet is an understatement as well.
But it’s gonna be worth it!!
Since there isn’t a fibromyalgia elimination diet protocol I’ve pieced together my own custom one like Frakenstien’s monster.—He seriously didn’t even name his son/creation.—
I’ll be sharing more on this in later posts! 
Another thing that I have to remember is to mind my body’s boundaries. Since joining our new church I’ve developed fledgling friendships I want to nurture and see grow! But I have to keep in mind that I can’t socialize too much otherwise I’ll be tossed into a flare up and no one likes that.
While I’m on this journey I’ll be continuing to reintroduce exercise! Exercise has—sadly—been linked to helping keep fibromyalgia under control. *grumpily crosses arms* it’s just so hard to get in the habit of it!! Us fibro’s feel AWFUL the first few weeks of exercise as it makes our symptoms exasperated. But if you can get past the hump in the beginning, it’s supposed to REALLY help in the long run.
So there are a few of the things that I can and am doing to help with my condition. I’m going to bed at the same time—ish— every night to help migraine attacks lessen—though if you have insomnia off and on like me, it’s a hit or miss if this works—I’m starting to spend more time outside even though it is freezing where I live. And I’m taking supplements, drinking water, being kind to my body, and keeping an eye on persistent symptoms.
What are a few things you’ve started/feel like you should start? Do you feel God’s gentle guidance leading you to some hard but good things?
I’d love to know.
‘Till next we meet!
~Tiffany Michele
