Alternative Factors to Consider with Fibromyalgia

Currently, studies have shown that genetic predisposition accounts for approximately thirty percent of all autoimmune diseases. The other 70 percent, are due to environmental factors, including toxic chemicals, dietary components, gut dysbiosis, and infections. I have discussed diet, stress, gut bacterial balance and inflammation in my previous articles. This article will focus on other factors which may be a trigger for some people including; mycotoxins, environmental toxins, dental health and tick-borne infections.

Let’s consider Mycotoxins which are mainly produced by moulds found in water damaged buildings. This is an area which has only recently been considered and may actually be affecting far more of the population than previously thought. Mycotoxins are known disruptors of mitochondrial function, mitochondria being the power houses of the cells, and this is where energy is produced. A research study in 2013 found that urine specimens from 93% of patients were positive for at least one mycotoxin with exposure histories indicated current and/or past exposure to water damaged buildings in over 90% of cases. Water damage and moulds are often hard to see with the majority of the growth happening away from visible surfaces, but if you are aware that there has been a water leak in either your current or previous home, it is worth investigating your mycotoxin status, particularly as the symptoms of mycotoxins are very widespread and mimic many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Symptoms can include fatigue, unexplained pain, digestive symptoms, brain fog, numbness and tingling, hormonal disruption, difficulty losing weight, respiratory and sinus symptoms and some mycotoxins may interfere with neurotransmitter production and function.

Common environmental toxins are also worth considering. Bisphenol A (BPA) a compound used in the production of plastics, may also have a potential link to autoimmune diseases. More than 93% of subjects tested were found to have detectable levels of BPA in their urine. BPA is thought to be an endocrine disruptor, i.e., it can imitate the body's natural hormones and interfere with their function. It also appears to activate many immune pathways involved in both autoimmune disease and autoimmune reactivity provocation. The main areas to consider are water bottles, BPA free ones are widely available to buy. Also consider how you store your food, try to store food (particularly fatty foods) in glass containers rather than plastic ones. BPA is also used to create epoxy resins, used to line the inside of tinned food containers to prevent the metal from corroding, so cutting down on tinned food should also be considered.

From an environmental toxin point of view, Dental amalgam is a commonly used material that contains approximately 50% elemental mercury (Hg). Studies have shown that chronic Hg exposure from various sources including dental amalgams is associated with numerous health complaints, including fatigue, anxiety, and depression--and these are among the main symptoms that are associated with fibromyalgia. In addition, several studies have shown that the removal of amalgams is associated with improvement in these symptoms. If you do have mercury fillings and your symptoms are not improving, it may be worth consulting a biological dentist who is skilled at safely removing amalgam fillings.

Another area to consider is a Tick-borne infection. Lyme disease is the number one vector-borne spreading epidemic worldwide, and its symptoms mimic the symptoms of Fibromyalgia (FM), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and MS, as well as psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety. The CDC in America recently released new statistics showing that 10 times more individuals have been affected by Lyme than previously suspected. Since the blood tests for diagnosing Lyme disease have notoriously been shown to be very unreliable, it is suspected that a certain percentage of those diagnosed with FM are in fact suffering from Lyme disease or one of the closely related tick-borne infections. It is now thought that about a quarter of people who have Lyme, do not remember ever being bitten by a tick.

Fibromyalgia almost always has several factors to its onset and the articles that I have written over the last 12 months have discussed many of those factors, which may or may not be relevant to you. Unpicking triggers yourself can be transformational, but sometimes it needs a skilled practitioner who can look at you as an individual and suggest the factors that are most likely to be your triggers. Often, it is a little like pealing the layers of an onion and addressing each layer and this takes time, but the time and effort are definitely worth while in allowing you to take control of your health.

This month’s recipe is a super easy, delicious fish dish which includes 2 of our 5 vegetables a day and uses wholegrain basmati rice and quinoa. It does use butter rather than olive oil, but if your butter is organic it tends to come from grass fed cattle and this is now thought to produce butter with a much better health profile. The recipe includes leeks which are at their best in February.

Brown-butter cod loin with leeks, spinach and grains

Serves: 4

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
4 cod loin fillets (about 130g each), patted dry
2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
250g pouch brown basmati and quinoa
½ a pointed cabbage or about 200g of spring greens
4 tbsp mustard mayonnaise

Method

1. Heat the butter in a heavy-based, non-stick frying pan until foaming. Season the cod and cook on one side over a medium-low heat until golden and almost cooked through (about 8 minutes); turn down the heat if it’s browning too much. Flip and fry for 2-3 minutes more, until cooked. Set aside, covered with foil.

2. Put the leeks into the pan and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until soft and golden. Then add the cabbage or spring greens and continue cooking until soft but still with a little bite. Add the grains and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, season. Add any juices from the rested fish to the grains. Serve with the fish, mustard mayonnaise and some lemon wedges, if liked. 

Adapted from Waitrose.com