updated August 2008

Fibromyalgia is a disease of the modern era.  As I have said numerous times, this indicates the two most likely culprits are essential elements that have been leached from our soil and are consequently not in our food and an increase of environmental toxins. This includes those seemingly innocent poisons like hydrogenated vegetable oil.  Doctors will tell you they don’t know the cause and that there is nothing that can be done for FM except prescription antidepressants. 

 What they really mean is that no one is looking for a 'cause' and they can't find anything to treat the symptoms that can be patented for profit. Billions are spent looking for new patent-able drugs.  How much is spent on nutritional and herbal research?  Oh let me see... NONE!  …Or very little.

 Just about the only way to cure an ailment is to provide an environment for your body conducive to self-healing.  So, FM, like probably every disease requires a four-pronged attack:

        1.        Maintain a healthy gut to protect you from disease and toxins, plus provide for proper absorption of nutrients.

2.        Provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals to include the 70 plus trace elements, many are commonly leached from our soil.

3.        Boost and or stimulate the immune system (this includes the antioxidants).

4.        Specialty herbs, supplements, or nutrients for the particular disease; however, if you do the first three properly, the fourth is likely superfluous.

 Maintain a healthy gut by doing these five things:

 1.        AVOID TOXINS --

2.      Flax Seed & Krill / Fish Oil

This seed, ground fresh in a coffee grinder, is a very cheap way to get the required amount (almost nonexistent in the US diet) of "Omega three" fatty acids.  Always eat it immediately in something cold because air and heat degrade Omega three.  The research that I've done indicates that if healthy people ate 2 or 3 tablespoons of freshly ground flax seed every day they would probably NEVER develop ANY kind of bowel disease, cancer, or MS.   This is because the Omega-3 (and the superior form of fiber found in ground flax) promotes good flora and fauna for a healthy gut.  One of these "good" bugs converts lignans (...an anti viral/bacterial substance found 100 times more in flaxseed than in all other plants...) into two of the strongest cancer inhibitors known to science (particularly good for breast cancer)!  Additionally, Omega-3 supports the structure and the function of the myelin sheath to combat MS, and protects us from heavy metals and other toxins (MS sufferers average seven times the mercury content as others!).  The improvement in the gut not only inhibits cancer and MS, it also protects us from virtually every other ailment to include arthritis (remember: almost every disease comes through the gut or is because of a sick gut).

Krill Oil & Fish Oil have the superior form of Omega-3. EPA and DHA (the two forms found in krill/ fish oil), each have magical properties. EPA is the precursor to the beneficial prostaglandin 3 (see "Fat Facts" paper) which reduces inflammation, platelet stickiness, high BP and allergic reactions. DHA is the "brain food for babies" fatty acid. Every pregnant and nursing mother should take supplemental DHA...also good for old people's brain.. 

3.        DIGESTIVE ENZYME FORMULA -- This is essential for a healthy gut and good digestion.  I would use a formula with plant derived bromelain instead of the animal derived pancreatin.

4.       PROBIOTICS  like ACIDOPHILUS -- I recommend the kind that are Heat-Stabilized.  ACIDOPHILUS, etc. replaces the good bugs in your gut.

5.        OLIVE OIL -- Use it for everything.  Stay away from hydrogenated vegetable oil, period.  Homo erectus evolved eating animal fat but never saw poison like hydrogenated vegetable oil. 

Provide all the necessary vitamins by doing these three things: 

1.       A good multivitamin/mineral

Almost all the popular brands at your local grocery store have major problems. Here are just a couple.

a.     Avoid the synthetic form of vitamin  E, "DL" Alpha tocopheral (the "L" in the "DL" cannot be used by the human body and appears to inhibit the absorption of the natural ("D" portion) of the vitamin E . Always use the non-synthetic  form "D" Alpha tocopheral or natural mixed is even better.

b.       Avoid mineral forms that are inorganic salts like carbonate, phosphate, and oxide.  They are extremely difficult to absorb.  In particular watch for the inferior, however ubiquitous, calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide.  Always use organic chelation like citrate, malate, amino acid, Krebs cycle, etc.

You need to spend just a little bit more at a health food store or on the web and get a good multi-vit/mineral your body can use in stead of wasting money on a cheaper brand with some ingredients that are next to impossible to absorb.

2.      Calcium/Magnesium

Take 800mg to 1000mg of Cal. & about 800mg to 1000mg Mag.  Always try to take at this 1to1 ratio instead of the 2to1 ratio found in 90% of the Cal/Mag Complexes .  Take in addition a multi-vitamin with vitamin D which is necessary for Cal/Mag absorption.  The multi-vitamin will have a small amount of cal/mag; however, you need the additional amount previously mentioned.  Citrate, Amino-Acid Chelated & Kreb's Cycle are my favorite forms, but there are many other good forms, as long as you avoid the following:  Carbonate, phosphate, oxide, dolamite, bone, or clamshell.

I recommend a smaller 800mg dose of Calcium, as opposed to the general recommended dose of 1200mg.  Just taking bigger doses of Cal. is not the answer & can actually cause problems...the solution is take several, smaller doses BUT insure you get plenty of the other things critical for Cal/Mag absorption, like:

(a).. Vit.D-3 -- take a minimum of 800iu of D-3, avoid the inferior D-2, found in milk.  If you have a choice, please use the sun for D-3 instead of supplements.  If your shadow is shorter than your height then the sun will be high enough to produce D-3.  Try to get at least 15 minutes daily on as much skin as possible.

(b).. Vit.K --  not found in most Multi's so take a supp' of Vit.K as directed or eat lots of green leafy veggies (nutritionally weak Iceburg Lettuce hardly counts...use Leaf-lettuce, Romaine, Kale, etc.).

(c).. Boron -- not found in most Multi's so take a supp' of about 2 or 3mg of Boron in an organic form like citrate, amino-acid chelated, glycinate, etc.

(d).. Silica -- not found in most Multi's so take a double-dose of the herb HorseTail.

(e).. Whey Protein Isolate and/or raw egg yolks -- your bones need more protein than Calcium, for the bone-matrix.  Most Veggie protein is weak in 1 or 2 amino acids (like methionine) & most cooked meat is highly denatured so the best forms of digestible protein are Whey &/or raw egg yolks.  Soft scramble the whites to convert the glycoprotein found there that binds to biotin.

3.       Red Wine

One small glass of dark red wine with the evening meal.  This is very effective for gut maintenance and good digestion.  Good digestion is essential for joint function, protection and repair.  The alcohol free red wine has all the "good" stuff (antioxidants, tannins, etc); however, it does not give the same slight beneficial rise in HDL. 

4.         TRACE MINERALS -- Many of the 70 plus trace elements like chromium and selenium have been leached from the soil we grow our food in.  90% of the population is deficient in chromium. .  I recommend a soluble liquid plant-derived colloidial trace mineral supplement.  I would avoid those forms that contain lead, mercury, and aluminum.

 Boost or stimulate the immune system by doing these six things:

1.       AVOID TOXINS -- See "avoid toxins" above...

2.        GARLIC --  This stabilizes blood sugar and boosts the immune system.  Many herbalists recommend aged garlic; however, the latest research indicates, the closer to fresh the better due to a much higher rise in HDL.  I like garlic oil with parsley in soft gel capsules. 

3.        SPIRULINA -  This microalgae is truly an extraordinary multi-purpose nutrient.  It stabilizes blood sugar, boosts the immune system, reduces cholesterol, and fights cancer.  

4.        Grape seed extract.  A powerful antioxidant that protects the muscles and enhances immunity. 

5.         R-FRACTION Alpha lipoic acid.  Enhances the effectiveness of other antioxidants found in your multivitamin, like E and C. 

6.        Astragulus.  A very potent antioxidant that boosts the immune system.  

Take the following five specialty herbs and supplements: 

1.        Vitamin B-12 – Essential for normal brain function. The previously mentioned multivitamin will have a small amount (10 to 25 mcg) of Vitamin B-12 in the most popular form (cyanocobolamine) which is fine; however, in addition, you should take a large dose (1000mcg to 5000mcg) Vit. B-12 in the preferred form, methylcobolamine.  It will aid digestion and repair nerves, and it comes in a very cheap sublingual form.  It is synergistic to take with 400mcg of folic acid.  So, if taken with your multivitamin, it probably has the 400 mcg of Folic acid -- but check.

2.        SAMe -- I can personally vouch for the efficacy of SAMe for improved liver function and joint maintenance; however, it is expensive, so only use if you can afford it.  A regimen I recommend that is a little more expensive at first, but cheaper in the long run, is as follows. 

For seven days take double the recommended daily dose 400mg twice a day for a total of 800.  Then, for fourteen days take the recommended daily amount 200 milligrams twice a day totaling 400.  Finally (for the rest of your life) take half the recommended daily dose 200 milligrams once a day.  At half the daily dose you can keep the price down to about 12 to 15 dollars a month.

3.  Ginko Biloba – Improve circulation and helps alleviate  "foggy brain".  If you want to know why the latest research shows that GB doesn't work is bogus -- call or email me and I'll explain why.

4.  Valerian and Melotonin to improve sleep.  You MUST take melatonin only at bed- time or you will screw up your circadian rhythm.

5.  Sunflower seeds – A cheap natural source of the very expensive SAMe. .

6.  Alfalfa   -- A good source of Vitamin K and chlorophyll. Alfalfa also has all the necessary joint support minerals and helps deposit them into the bone matrix.

7.  Eat sulfur containing foods like asparagus, garlic, and onions.  Sulfur is critical to the aforementioned repair process.

8.  Avoid Dairy - with some exceptions.  Visit www.mercola.com to get his opinion on raw milk and cheese. Avoid caffeine, sugar, TUMS, and carbonated drinks.

9.  Do not take an iron supplement.  Instead, eat a variety of vegetables, especially the cruciferous kind, like    broccoli and cauliflower.

10. Fever Few and ginger are very good natural pain relievers.  

11. Cetyl Myristoleate --  Cetyl Myristoleate facilitates joint fluidity.

12. THE # 1 GUT SUPPLEMENT,  L-Glutamine -  Take as large a dose as you can stand or afford (it is very cheap) ...take minimum of 2 or 3 grams daily on an empty stomach (wait at least an hour before eating).  However the doses that weight-lifter's use is what I recommend for people with virtually any chronic disease...like 8 or 10 grams in a couple of divided doses.

Large doses of L-Glutamine will, within hours, accelerate the growth (length) of the Intestinal Villi.  This increases the surface area of the gut for better absorption & toxin protection. 

The best form is the pure powder form because you can avoid the Magnesium stearate that is used as a fluffer in most capsules <HOWEVER> you must be very careful to avoid moisture contamination when using the powder form - so no wet hands when scooping it out or leaving the lid off any longer than necessary.  For this reason I use the capsule form.

 Finally, with regard to FM, try to avoid Tums and  carbonated soda.  They destroy valuable stomach acid.  This is a very doable regimen for you to feel relief from fibromyalgia AND (probably) any other disease that comes to mind.  In other words, it’s a blueprint for life.