Baked Cinnamon Pears
FibroCare Recipe
Dessert
Ingredients:
4 Bosc pears
2 cups apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
Preheat oven to 400. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each pear to help keep them standing upright in a baking dish. Pour fruit juice into the pan. Add cinnamon stick and cloves. Roast the pears, basting every 15 minutes, until tender and brown. Place pears on serving plate and use liquid from pan to drizzle on top.
Healthy Chicken with Yogurt
FibroCare Recipe
Main Dish, Entre
Ingredients:
4 skinned boneless chicken breasts
3 ounces of low sodium chicken stock
3 tablespoons of grated Locatelli or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup of plain low fat yogart
1 tablespoon of brown mustard
1 heaping tablespoon of flour
Arrange 4 boneless chicken breasts in a baking dish. In a seperate bowl mix the flour and yogart together and then add all other ingredients. Stir until mixture is well blended. Evenly spoon the sauce over the checken breast and cook in a preheated 350 degree over for approximately 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked.
Distinguishing Between Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Chronic Myofascial Pain
Fibromyalgia involves many different body systems and therefore is more “systemic” in nature than Chronic Myofascial Pain. That is why Fibro patients often have irritable bowels, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, irritable bladder and a host of other complaints. One of the main criteria for Fibro is that pain is not localized but more diffuse and often in all 4 quadrants of the body. Fibromyalgia patients have tender points located in very specific areas designated by the American College of Rheumatology. These tender points do not refer pain elsewhere when pressure is placed on them but they do cause severe localized pain.
In Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP), the patient usually complains of more localized or regional pain. CMP patients have what is known as trigger points not the tender points found in Fibro. Trigger points differ greatly from tender points but often to an inexperienced practitioner they can be difficult to differentiate. The primary thing doctors need to observe is what is known as a referral patern. With trigger points and Chonic Myofascial Pain, the pain is referrred in a very specific pattern. FMS patients do not have this radiating pain patern when pressure is placed on a tender point.
Another important factor is that with Fibro, there is usually some degree of CMP that co exists. We call this co morbidity because it is one condition layered on top of the other. When patients present themselves with CMP, we often find that is all they have and Fibro is not present.
This is a very crucial point for people to understand because the treatment for these conditions is vastly different. CMP is much easier to treat because it is not systemic and is more a primary condition of the muscles. The trigger points that develop in CMP can easily be worked on and often when the trigger point is ‘broken up” the pain referral zone calms down and symptoms disappear. With Fibro, the treatment needs to be a more inclusive, overall approach because the condition involves many factors, numerous body systems and multiple causes. This is why it is vitally important to get an accurate dignosis by someone who has a good amout of experience telling these two conditions apart.
Balsamic Broccoli with Garlic
FibroCare Recipe
Vegetarian side dish
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of Broccoli (cut into florets)
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
black pepper or red pepper flakes if desired
Combine olive oil with garlic in a bowl. Place Brocolli florets on a baking tray and drizzle olive oil and garlic mixture over top. Roast in a 450 degree over for 12 – 15 minutes turning once to coat with oil and brown evenly. You can then sprinkle with black pepper or lightly with red pepper flakes if you desire your dish a bit spicy.
*This is a delicious side dish to serve with chicken or fish.
Tossed Romaine Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
FibroCare Recipe
Ingredients:
1 head of Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup olive or walnut oil
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cranberry juice concentrate
2 tbsp. local honey
1 tsp. fresh sage, minced
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Whisk oil, vinegar, cranberry juice concentrate, maple syrup and fresh sage. Add a pinch or two of sea salt and a shake of black pepper. Mix well with lettuce.
Adversity Introduces a Man to Himself – unknown
Since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1996, it has become my personal quest to acquire as much knowledge as possible about this condition. I have spent the vast majority of my time in research, and in developing a balanced treatment program. My present FMS symptoms have improved dramatically since incorporating this program into my own life. It has been my greatest pleasure to share this knowledge with so many suffering from FMS. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and I am now certain that my own FMS was necessary in order for me to develop my deepest passion; helping as many people as possible with Fibromyalgia.
I’ve included this video which I feel describes what it is like to be not only a treating doctor but also one who has suffered and understands.
