Remember: you and only you are responsible for your health and well being. Take care of your body, take care of your mind. Eat right and exercise! Relax: our sister site: mountaingems.net sells healing gems, stones, cyrystals and jewelry that can help you focus on being well.

Here is an easy way to start on the path to your recovery:
RSD/CRPS/Fibromyalgia and Arthritis diet and life style changes that really work: The reward of the following diet and life style changes can really help you take control of your life again, ease symptoms and free you from the chronic pain, depression and helplessness often associated with chronic pain conditions.

Once you start to feel better, the easier it is to follow this guide.

Give your body time to adjust and detox from your usual diet. Always try to use organic vegetables and foods as much as you can. Eat raw, whole foods daily.

Here are some basic guides to follow:
Most Important! No CAFFEINE, or anything that contains caffeine (including chocolate, OK OK you can cheat once in a great while with the chocolate if you watch all other intake) caffeine stimulates the nerves. If you are addicted to caffeine the most painless way to stop is to drink ginseng tea, (found in most grocery stores) it gives a lift and eases caffeine withdrawals such as headache and irritability. Eventually you should give up the ginseng (a mild stimulant) and drink caffeine free herbal teas.
No Alcohol
Stop Smoking nicotine is a nerve stimulant, tobacco has a poison called solanine, that causes pain in muscles. There are nicotine free cigarettes that contain passion flower, a muscle relaxant, and other natural ingredients that if you really need to smoke, you can satisfy the cravings until you kick the habit.
Click here to e-mail me for info on cigarette replacements.
Do not use nicotine patches or gum, they can cause a worsening of symptoms.

Foods you must avoid:
Wheat and foods containing gluten. (oats, barley malt, modified food starch, etc.). Substitutes: corn and rice pasta available at health food stores, as well as rice, sprouted grain bread and other wheat free breads (spelt, millet).
Avoid foods in the night shade family: tomato, white potato, eggplant, peppers, and tobacco, they contain solanine. Solanine is a poison, a natural carcinogen causing pain in the muscles, and aggravating symptoms. (Red skinned potatoes are recommended)
Sugar substitutes: aspartame, saccharine
Avoid food preservatives and additives as much as possible.
Animal protein: avoid red meat, avoid antibiotics in poultry & eggs if possible in your area.

Read all food labels so you know exactly what you are consuming.
Foods you must avoid at first: then slowly add one at a time back into your diet. It's recommended to keep a journal of symptoms when you introduce a food and avoid ones that cause trouble.
Dairy products and foods containing dairy: use Rice Dream or Almond milk to substitute.
Sugar: check all food labels other names for sugar include: brown, granulated, powdered, dextrose, fructose, galalactose, glucose, glycogen, lactose (milk sugar) maltose, mannitol, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, sorbitol, sucrose, barley malt, honey, maple syrup, molasses, maple sugar, date sugar, turbinado sugar. Use stevia in replace of sweeteners.
Nuts: peanuts, pistachios, and walnuts
All fruits: and fruit juices, start back slowly to fruits by eating apples, grapefruits, strawberries, and melons.

What you can eat freely unless you are allergic:
eggs
all vegetables and legumes (except mentioned above)
fish/shell fish
whole grains: kamut, millet, brown rice, wild rice, spelt, teff
nuts: almond, brazil nut, filbert, macadamia nut, pecan, pine nut
poultry: chicken, turkey, Cornish hen, duck, goose, game birds

Eat four to five small meals a day this gives the body the fuel it needs otherwise the body will rob the muscles of essential nutrients.
Drink water a gallon a day if you can, distilled only.
Psyllium: take one Tbls in large glass of water with aloe juice 2X a day to promote and maintain healthy bowels and rid the body of toxins.
Essential Supplements: use nondairy, gluten, yeast, artificial color and flavor free only. Click on supplement names to purchase
A 5,000iu (protects the cells)
B complex, high potency, time released (helps restore healthy nerve function)
C at least 2000mg-5000mg a day (antioxidant, reduces inflammation & pain)
Calcium 2,000mg a day (strong bones, aids in neuromuscular activity)
Coral calcium if you can get it
D 400iu daily (relieves muscle spasms and pain)
E 400-600iu daily (antioxidant, maintains healthy nerves)
Glucosamine 1.5g a day (joint health, involved in formation of tendons ligaments, and bones)
Chrondroitin 1.2g a day (important in creating cartilage in joints)
Magnesium 750-1000mg a day (prevents: depression, dizziness, muscle twitching and weakness)
Lecithin 1,200mg 2X a day (helps nervous system, and is involved with neurotransmitters)
Herbal Supplements:
Primrose oil (essential fatty acid, anti-inflammatory) take as directed
Acidophilus friendly bacteria use non dairy formulas (maintains healthy digestive tract)
Spirulina high protein microalgae (contains nutrients that cleanse and heal the body)
Coenzyme Q10 100-200mg a Day (improves tissue oxygenation)

Topical Remedies: Rosemary oil and lavender oil diluted with water or witch hazel rubbed onto the skin can relieve pain.
Zoltran* (Caspian cream) made from hot peppers can relieve pain (caution! apply with cotton this cream is hard to get off and really can burn) it works to inhibit substance P thought to be linked to pain.
Moderate Exercise is crucial in for recovery, in addition to physical therapy walking or hydrotherapy, depending on where you have the RSD/CRPS, at least three times a week (do not overexert yourself to much, this can aggravate symptoms) followed with gentle stretching. Try to stretch every day, click here for stretching exercises.

Fibromyalgia patients exercise is a must, it will help with insomnia and remove the toxins trapped in the muscles. Symptoms will improve after your body gets used to exercise. (Candida infection click here is common in people with fibbromyalgia). In addition to the above listed supplements you should take Melatonin, sustained release formula is best (promotes a sound sleep) take 1-2 hours before bedtime, use as directed.

Please show this information to your Doctor and get approval before following this advice.

Are you depressed? It is common for RSD/CRPS and Fibromyalgia patients to suffer from depression. Seratonin levels in the body get depleted very quickly with chronic pain, talk to your doctor about this. There are many low dose antidepressants that work well restoring Seratonin levels, and can help ease chronic pain. Anyone with chronic pain should be taking some kind of medication to keep the Seratonin levels normal.