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What is the difference betwen GMO & NonGMO?

6/29/2016

Here in Canada food companies are not made to label whether or not their products contain GMO or genetically modified organisms. For some, this isnt' a big deal but most consumers would prefer to know what their food contains. This "Ask Dr Pam" Q&A answers some of the questions around GMO's and the pro's and con's.

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Natural Solutions When Living with Fibromyalgia

6/14/2016

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Symptoms tend to manifest differently for different people, here are a few examples of common ways people living with fibromyalgia:

Persistent fatigue, sleep dysfunction, impaired concentration/memory, sensitivity to light/sound/tough, muscle & joint pains/aches without signs of inflammation, IBS, etc.

Fibromyalgia is largely a diagnosis of exclusion, there are some theories as to what an underlying cause may be:

Connection with latent viral infections (EBV, HHV-6, CMV)
Chronic sleep disturbances
Central nervous system sensitivity
Under-functioning HPA-axis (hypo-adrenalism, underactive thyroid)
Increased intestinal permeability

Risk Factors

Family history (3x as likely to develop if mother has FM)
Psychological stress in childhood
Being female aged 20-60, type A personality

Treating fibromyalgia needs to be multi-factorial, there is no one size fits all. Here are some treatment strategies to consider:

1. Dietary Considerations

Avoid refined sugars/carbohydrates (< 10 tsp of sugar/day)
Identify food sensitivities—can increase inflammation and exacerbate symptoms
Focus on nutrient dense foods
Limit/avoid AGE formation when cooking—lower temperatures in presence of water (boil, poach, stew)

2. Herbs and Nutrients to help support sleep

Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Valerian
Jamaican Dogwood
Melatonin
Siberian Ginseng

3. Herbs to Reduce Pain:

Jamaican Dogwood
Wild Yam
St John’s Wart *
White Willow Bark
Devils Claw
Boswellia

4. Five Strategies to Reduce Stress:

Find one thing to be thankful for each day
Schedule time for yourself (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)
Laugh several times per day & practice mindfulness
Avoid multitasking & burning the candle at both ends
Do your best to eliminate, simplify, delegate, automate!

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What is the difference betwen GMO & NonGMO?

Natural Solutions When Living with Fibromyalgia

Dr. Pam

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