This mysterious pain gains an FDA-approved drug.
Fibromyalgia is far from new -- its symptoms seem to be described in the Bible's Book of Job. Yet as recently as 10 years ago, when sufferer Lynne Matallana co-founded the National Fibromyalgia Association, doctors often made light of its painful symptoms as "all in your head."
But fibromyalgia is real. Thought to be genetic, it's often triggered by a physical trauma, like surgery, childbirth or a car accident. "It's a life-altering disorder," says Matallana, co-author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fibromyalgia." "It can change your ability to work and have relationships, and challenge your own self-confidence."
However, a medication offers new hope. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the drug Lyrica to treat the pain. Still, nutrition and lifestyle modifications remain important, Matallana says. These include reducing stress, doing low-impact exercises and following dietary guidelines if you also have one of the often-overlapping conditions, such as lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome or celiac disease.
And attitude matters. "It's a bit of a Catch-22," says Matallana, who saw 37 doctors in the two years before she was properly diagnosed. "You don't want to give in to it, but you also don't want to push beyond what's realistic for you."
Think you may have it? The major symptom is unexplained, widespread pain for more than three months in all four quadrants of your body (above and below the waist; right and left side). For tips on how to find a fibromyalgia-savvy doctor, visit fmaware.org and click on "article of the week."
-- By Susan T. Lennon
Do you know about these heart risks?
Think you know how to minimize your risk of deadly heart disease? Think again. The usual suspects (smoking, hypertension, cholesterol) don't tell the whole story.
Here are three surprising risks that you -- and your doctor -- might not know about, says Stephen T. Sinatra, a board-certified cardiologist and the co-author of "Reverse Heart Disease Now" (Wiley, $24.95).
SUGAR. "Most people think of high cholesterol as the main culprit," Sinatra says, "but sugar blows cholesterol out of the water." He says sugar inflames the blood vessels, which leads to increased clotting, pre-diabetic insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity. What you can do: Avoid high-glycemic foods, maintain a trim waist size (he suggests less than 38 inches for men and less than 32 inches for women), and eat a high-fiber diet.
FATS. Fats have a bad rap, but "eliminating them is like throwing the baby out with the bath water," Sinatra says. He explains that fats belong to one of three groups: the good (mono and polyunsaturated), the bad (saturated) and the enemy (trans fats). What you can do: Read food labels, include good fats (wild Alaskan salmon, walnuts) as 30% of your calories and eliminate trans fats.
TOXIC BLOOD. Blood-thickening elements that age you inside and out are a "very significant cardiovascular risk factor, especially for women," Sinatra says, "even if cholesterol is normal." What you can do: Ask your doctor to check your blood for elevated homocysteine, lipoprotein (a), C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and ferritin.
-- By Susan T. Lennon
