Sleep, HGH, Exercise and the Relationship to Pain
Much research has been done concerning the connection of FMS and sleep. The main issue seems to be that many people with Fibro have a disordered pattern to their sleep cycles. There are several different stages of sleep during the night. When we are in our deepest level of sleep (known as delta sleep) we have an inhibition of the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal axis (HPA) which helps the body manufacture somatomedin C, which is a growth hormone (HGH).
Growth hormone is not only important during our childhood but we need it as adults to help tissue heal. That is why the deepest levels of sleep are known as the levels of “restorative” sleep. When we move and exercise there are small microscopic changes or breakdowns in our muscles. These microscopic changes in people with normal growth hormone levels heal rapidly and there is no true discomfort. With FMS and lower levels of somatomedin C (HGH), the tissue doesn’t heal readily. Stiffness, pain and muscle fatigue result and this has a cascading effect on a person’s overall activity level. This is one of the main reasons why many with FMS become deconditioned. It is not because they are lazy or don’t want to exercise: it is because they truly can’t. It just hurts too much. The “post exertional soreness” that non fibro people feel after a “good” workout at the gym goes away in a day. In actuality many people even enjoy that slight soreness that happens after a “good workout” because they know that in a day or so, they will feel great again and be ready to hit the gym. Sadly this is often not the case for those with FMS.
In my office, I constantly see this as a major point of confusion even with many health care providers who wrongly minimize the patient’s true condition and dismiss them by suggesting that they are deconditioned and just need to exercise more. This point has become extremely irritating to me because I hear it repeated so often. With Fibro patients, less is more. If a patient with low HGH is told to work out harder in order to get in better condition, they will likely find themselves not only frustrated but often in a severe Fibro Flare. Only a patient with FMS can know the real frustration that comes when a health care provider or maybe a spouse thinks that they are lazy for not working out. This is the reason why there are times when I ask patients if they would like to bring their spouse along so that I can explain some of the true “chemical” reasons why people with FMS can’t just “work through the pain”.
So how does one go about getting a more restorative sleep and help boost their levels of HGH? Well, first and foremost, they should realize that it is not the quantity of sleep as much as the quality. Getting into those deep levels of sleep is what is most important because that is when most of our brain chemistry is manufactured. I realize that there are many prescription sleep aids that are now on the market and although they will make you sleep, they don’t seem to provide a “normal” pattern and subsequently do little to change HGH levels.
In my practice I first suggest a patient take 5HTP, which is a precursor to tryptophan. I also often will recommend 3mg. of melatonin 30 minutes before sleep. Both of these products are natural and help the body get into a “normal” cycle or pattern of sleep. DaVinci labs manufacture the best quality pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements.
Another incredibly beneficial aid to good restorative sleep is meditation and deep breathing techniques. This does more than just relax a person but helps to set the stage for someone to enter stage 4 delta sleep more readily. Again, this is the most important level of sleep for those needing an increase in those all important neurochemicals like HGH. I will often advise people to listen to some guided imagry CDs or download the CDs unto their IPODS. We recommend many meditative CDs offered through our Amazon A-store.
Though this is a very brief discussion of the science of sleep and the connection it has to FMS, I wanted to at least make people aware of that very important connection. I encourage you to become a member of our site as we will be getting into much more detail on this and more Fibromyalgia topics in our forums, our chats and podcasts.
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.
