Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Vulvodynia? Fibromyalgia? Try a Diet Change

As a follow-up to my last post, I'd like to say that if you have vulvodynia, or, for that matter, fibromyalgia or other chronic pain, try changing your diet. Try it for a week. I kid you not, I saw results two days after cutting out wheat.

Where to start? Maybe I'm biased, but I'd say start with gluten. Everything I've learned about food over the past sixteen months has indicated gluten as one of the biggest villains. Gluten is a protein found in grains, but the gluten that people mean when they say "gluten-free" is from wheat, barley, and rye (and, by way of cross-contamination with wheat, most oats). Check out glutenfreeforum.com for stories about gluten and pain -- including vulvodynia.

I'm not saying a diet change will relieve everyone's pain, and it certainly didn't (or hasn't yet -- optimism!) cure mine, but it's worth a shot. It's a few days of eating carefully, and if you don't see improvement in whatever amount of time you're able to keep it up, you can go right back to those Cheez-Its (mmm...have some for me?).

Hey, I loved Donuts to the end of the Earth before going gluten-free, and now I don't even care that they exist. That's how much better I feel: Endless Donuts Better.

3 comments:

  1. Hey I know this is an old post but I felt obligated to comment. I too cut out all gluten, corn, and sugar from my diet earlier and I have to say that if you can make it one whole week without sugar... sweet things just lose their luster. Seriously, I've eaten icecream several times since I first gave up sugar and I remember thinking "this isn't at all satisfying" What's more, it made me sick to my stomach.

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  2. I am trying a gluten free diet this week! You blog gave me the willpower to give it a try...that and my burning lady blossom : (

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  3. Good luck Halahheart! Check out my cousin's blog for great gluten-free info & recipes...

    Gluten Free is Life

    Kate T, a very belated thanks for the comment! I am totally with you.

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