Women and Fibromyalgia

“Question everything”, Maria Mitchell

Frustrated that there is not much hope for relief from the usual medical system and its approach to fibromyalgia, many turn for help to practitioners who provide either complementary or alternative medicine (C/AM). The differences between the latter two is an artifical separation since they both entail using concoctions, therapies, herbs, or homeopathic remedies that are one and the same. The more interesting issue is how  they differ from the traditional scientific ‘western’ medical approach, or what has been known as ’allopathic’ medicine, or now commonly referred to as ‘evidence based medicine’ (EBM) of health care. However, within this discussion I do not refer to EBM as within the domain of CAM as many ‘alternate’ practitioners are prone to do.

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Eating can be one of life’s greatest joys. Eating for comfort can have an immediate effect on our moods, and it can often result in guilt. Eating can be a social event, or it can be done in private. Eating is sometimes only done to keep one alive. Eating a specific way is often done to either reduce weight, or gain weight. Eating often reflects cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and can be a way to show love to others. Eating and dieting go hand in hand and can bring about hope. So, is there hope for those who have fibromyalgia that in eating  particular kinds of food, and abstaining from others will bring about much needed relief? Is it realistic to give advice across the realm to those with FMS without taking individual factors into consideration?

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