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The sweet fruit that sours fibromyalgia symptoms
There are some health disorders that, while terribly real for the people who suffer with them are treated with skepticism by those that don’t, often including the medical community.
People with these disorders grow used to hearing the phrase, “It’s all in your head.”
Fibromyalgia is one such condition, and for those that experience it, the pain is all too real, and often debilitating.
People with fibromyalgia will often say that they “hurt all over.” That’s because they experience pain in nine pairs of “trigger points” throughout the body.
These points in the neck, back, chest, elbows, hips, buttocks, and knees cause excruciating pain when touched, even lightly.
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia include extreme fatigue, memory problems, anxiety and depression, digestive problems and headaches.
Treating fibromyalgia has proven challenging. But now, new research offers an unusual way to ease the pain and other symptoms, wrapped up in a tropical fruit with a “sour” name that doesn’t match its delicious flavor.
Soursop: the sweet and vitamin-rich fruit you need to try
Also known as graviola and guanabana, soursop is a South American fruit that is anything but sour!
It’s a member of the biological family annonaceae, also called the “custard apple” family. The fruits in this family have a soft, creamy feel when eaten, and include banana and coconut.
The soursop fruit is quite large: the 10- to 15-pound oval can reach up to a foot in length! It’s used in desserts, smoothies, and is loaded with potassium, Vitamin C and fiber.
Soursop can be hard to come by. It’s sold mostly in specialty produce and whole food markets. If you can find it, eat this sweet fruit in moderation: a cup of soursop pulp has 30 grams of sugar!
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Relieve fibromyalgia symptoms with soursop leaves
Traditional herbalists in the Andes Mountains of South America have long used the leaves of the soursop tree to treat stomach ailments, parasitic infections, and hypertension.
Now, researchers from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Seville in Spain have published a study showing that feeding young rats a diet supplemented with an extract of these same leaves prevented fibromyalgia symptoms.
The study was carried out over a period of one month. Sixty rats were divided into six groups and had their diet supplemented with different amounts of the plant extract.
Based on their observations, the scientists concluded that the pain, anxiety, and depression of fibromyalgia could be relieved by consuming enough of the extract on a regular basis.
The next step will be to run clinical tests with humans to confirm its effectiveness and establish a dose that is both safe and effective.
Other ways to ease fibromyalgia pain
There are other natural, side-effect-free ways to ease fibromyalgia pain.
My colleague, Dr. Mark Wiley, offers some lifestyle changes that can help make you more comfortable.
Studies show that practicing yoga releases more of the hormone cortisol, which can help control the pain of fibromyalgia.
Surprisingly, serious efforts at finding nutritional solutions are slow in coming. Recently, though, rheumatologists and physicians in other medical disciplines have been taking a closer look at the possible connections between food and fibromyalgia.
Muscle pain, the hallmark of fibromyalgia, has been associated with deficiencies in the minerals selenium and magnesium, as well as with low levels of Vitamins B and D.
Foods rich in selenium include brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, fish, poultry and beef. And magnesium is readily found in many of the foods we think of as “superfoods”: dark leafy greens, salmon, dark chocolate, avocado, broccoli, and whole grains, for a start.
Mercury toxicity can interfere with the absorption of these vitamins and minerals. Here, Dr. Isaac Eliaz warns you about some common sources of mercury poisoning, and how to rid your body of this toxic metal.
Editor’s note: Did you know that when you take your body from acid to alkaline you can boost your energy, lose weight, soothe digestion, avoid illness and achieve wellness? Click here to discover The Alkaline Secret to Ultimate Vitality and revive your life today!
Sources:
- 18 Points Used to Diagnose Fibromyalgia — Health.com
- Annona muricata (Annonaceae): A Review of Its Traditional Uses, Isolated Acetogenins and Biological Activities — International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Everything You Need to Know About Fibromyalgia — Healthline
- Fibromyalgia and nutrition: Therapeutic possibilities? — Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
By Joyce Hollman
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