Maintaining enough energy throughout the day is important for everyone, but more so for those with chronic health conditions, such as fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a disorder defined by widespread musculoskeletal pain that is followed with fatigue, memory, and mood issues. It is a condition that is difficult to diagnose due to the similarity in symptoms to other health conditions and once diagnosed it can prove even harder to treat. According to the National Institute of Health, nearly 5 million Americans, mostly women, suffer from fibromyalgia.
To help make healthful snack choices, we recommend adding the following fibro-friendly snacks to your daily diet:
1. Eat for energy
It is very common for fibromyalgia patients to have low energy days since a prevalent side effect of the disease is fatigue. Instead of reaching for another cup of coffee or eating sweets, hoping for a rush of energy, patients should consider consuming certain foods that are known to increase energy. The temporary energy boost that you get from sugar can leave you feeling even more tired once the sugar crash begins. Instead, opt for foods that give you continuous stamina, like combining protein or fats with complex carbohydrates to slow down their absorption in the body. Try a few snacks such as:
- A handful of raw almonds
- A hard boiled egg with a dash of paprika or a spoonful of guacamole
- Turkey roll ups with hummus, spinach, and shredded vegetables
2. Eat whole foods, avoid processed foods
Processed foods are loaded with additives, preservatives, and generally, they have less fiber and fewer nutrients.Refined carbohydrates like white flour and pasta have been stripped of their naturally occurring nutrients. Instead, choose whole grains like brown or wild rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, or plain potatoes. As a healthy snack loaded with fiber, we recommend enjoying a small bowl of oatmeal with slivered almonds and fresh blueberries.
3. Try the Mediterranean or DASH diets
Both the Mediterranean and DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diets have shown to benefit patients with fibromyalgia. These diets can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. They are both rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, seeds, nuts, and legumes. They incorporate anti-inflammatory foods that are helpful in managing the symptoms of many chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia. A couple snacks to try that follow the Mediterranean and DASH diet principles include:
- Fruit skewers with yogurt dip
- Oven roasted chickpeas with cumin and garlic
4. Dark leafy greens for magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that has a profound effect on every body part. It has been credited with maintaining heart, bone, and kidney strength, and according to one study women with fibromyalgia have lower rates of magnesium than healthy women. Magnesium can be found in dark leafy greens, spinach, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds, but the magnesium levels lowers when the foods are cooked in anyway. We recommend snacking on a spinach salad made with avocado, raw pumpkin and sunflower seeds with a balsamic vinaigrette.
