My three top tips for living with fibromyalgia

Imagine if there was a single pill for all fibromyalgia symptoms! If only! 

Fibromyalgia can be a complex condition to manage given the wide range of really different symptoms it presents. From chronic widespread pain and migraines to irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue and insomnia, this myriad of symptoms and how they affect us means there’s no one solution for every patient. No surprise how challenging it is managing this multi-tentacled beast! But there’s always hope and lots that we can do to manage it.

Together with the wonderful community of fibromyalgia bloggers from Fibro Blogger Directory I’m pleased to share our top recommendations for fibromyalgia in time for Fibromyalgia Awareness Month this May.

My top tips 

Get turmeric root in your diet

Long before turmeric tea was a fad, I grew up sipping milky cups of this tea when we needed a ‘cleanse’ but also consuming it often in our Indian-Trinidadian curries. Studies show that turmeric root is effective in treating inflammatory conditions like arthritis due to a property in it called curcumin. I can’t imagine coping without turmeric root.

Epsom salt baths

My Mama Claire swore by this. Now I do. The magnesium in Epsom salts, help alleviate pain and inflammation, and produces serotonin which helps us sleep and relax. My favourite brand now has epsom salts with lavender, jasmine and valerian. It’s heaven! Read more here.

Be your biggest advocate

I mean so many things by this. Listen to your body and what it needs each day. Rest as much as you need to but also find a reason to get out of bed to keep your muscles going. It’s a tricky thing not knowing how you’ll feel when you wake up. That’s why you can’t apply the same expectations that you would of a healthy person. So you have to listen to you. Find a support group. Be kind to yourself. Eat natural and see what works for you. Hope, and don’t give up. 

Here’s what works for my fibromyalgia blogger friends

• Cynthia from The Disabled Diva shares her top tips
• Shelly from ChronicMom blog shares her #1 recommendation
• Australian Sacrificial Home Keeper on tricks to help cooking  
• Mandy and Michele on their preferred medication
• Lee Good, who is discovering what works to help Fibromyalgia at Fibro Files 
• Katie from Painfully Living shares what’s worked for her
• Sue at Rebuilding Wellness blog shares her top tips
• Carrie shares her top tips at My Several Worlds blog
• Bettina shares what works for her in the hope that it will work for you
• Nikki from the Brainless Blogger shares her top tips
• Bethan from Hello Fibro Blog shares what she’s learnt since diagnosis
• Looking for the Light blog lists three recommendations for you to try
• Cynthia from My Inspired Fibro Life shares her tips
• Donna over at Fed up with Fatigue writes about the beneficial fibromyalgia treatments she’s used since diagnosis