Vegan and Plant Based Diets for Fibromyalgia – Do they work? | Medical Doctor Explains with Research

vegan plant-based diets for fibromyalgia Do they actually work and what’s the best way to maximize your results in this video we’ll be breaking down everything you need to know about vegan and plant-based diets for fibromyalgia and how they measure up to other dietary options We’ll go over common mistakes food to focus on and what to avoid and how to effectively monitor your progress for optimal results So stick around Hi I’m Dr Chan Doser a surgeon dedicated to reducing inflammation caused by gut microbiome imbalances I myself struggled with digestive dysfunction and autoimmune inflammation in my early 20s and successfully put together a methodology that works not only in me but also my patients My method is called the mind gut immunity approach and has resulted in thousands of successes over the years If you or someone you know struggles with fibromyalgia and wants to rid themselves of inflammation for good check out our website mgic clinic.com and schedule a discovery call with me I’ll walk you through some very practical steps for fibromyalgia recovery and how to achieve lasting results in just 6 weeks On the website you will also see multitudes of free resources on how you can eliminate fibromyalgia naturally to help get you started So check out the link in the description below and get started Also before I forget please like and subscribe to receive more content such as this All right let’s jump in Here’s a 2021 review analyzing six studies on vegetarian and vegan diets in fibromyalgia patients These diets showed significant improvements in pain sleep quality biochemical markers and overall health And here is the 2023 review exploring how dietary approaches impact chronic muscularkeeletal pain particularly focusing on specific diets or components It found that vegetarian and vegan diets can produce pain in conditions like fibromyalgia likely by lowering inflammation through plant-based nutrition Most rheumatologists will tell you that diet doesn’t matter for fibromyalgia So how do we know what truly works as I mentioned in my other video called Ideal Diet for Fibromyalgia I advocate for customized phytonutrient-based diet plans that cater to each individual’s needs I use four criteria to evaluate whether a diet will work for fibromyalgia or not And these diets don’t need to be vegan or entirely plant-based To recap the four criteria are phytonutrients macronutrient requirements microbiome specificity and food sensitivity And if you’re looking to do a deeper dive on these topics check out the ideal diet for fibromyalgia For now I’ll give you a quick summary First let’s explore plant-based diets and how they compare to other options like the phyto diet which I recommend for fibromyalgia A protein is basically a bunch of amino acids connected together When the protein enters our digestive system enzymes in our intestine break up these into individual components called amino acids which then get absorbed You can also have problems with saturated fat causing inflammation And here’s an article that looks at the role of saturated fats in producing inflammatory cytoines like TNF alpha and interlucan 6 So what’s clear is that many animal-based foods contain complex proteins cholesterol and saturated fats which contribute to arachidonic acid production and TNF alpha and interlucan 6 These factors collectively increase autoimmune inflammation Additionally certain meats and dairy products can harm the gut microbiome And this is why vegan diets sometimes help with fibromyalgia They reduce these inflammatory foods However vegan and plant-based foods also have drawbacks which I’ll explore later in this video The vegan diet for fibromyalgia revolves around plant-based foods and typically prioritizes higher fiber and carbohydrate intake over fats and proteins Although lacto or oovearian diets exist we’ll focus solely on fully plant-based diets here The vegan diet is a plant-based regimen that excludes all animal products including meat dairy cheese and honey It focuses on a variety of plant-based foods to meet nutritional needs And here’s a detailed summary The biggest pitfall I see is many people who aren’t consuming enough protein which leads to protein calorie malnutrition A serious issue when you’re trying to heal inflammation especially in the gut This diet allows for substitutes for traditional animal-based foods such as vegan meats cheeses and butter alternatives Many of these substitutes are cashew based soybased or coconut based and are designed to replicate the flavor and texture of animal-based products Examples can include Beyond Meat Impossible Meat Dia cheese and plant-based milks like soy oat or coconut milk The purpose of this diet is to minimize the inflammatory effects commonly linked to meat and dairy products But here’s the catch Remember the four criteria we outlined earlier let’s talk about how well this diet aligns with those benchmarks over time Let’s dive into the first criteria Phytonutrients Phytonutrients are compounds found in plant-based superfoods These powerful nutrients are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help individuals with fibromyalgia by reducing inflammation and supporting energy levels Here’s a 2020 study exploring the impact of a tryptophan and magnesium enriched diet on psychological variables and sleep quality in women with fibromyalgia And here’s a 2024 study that investigated the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in fibromyalgia and evaluate the effects of polyphenols in modulating it Phytonutrients fall into several important categories such as polyphenols tarpen thiocyanates fiber resistant starches omega fats and alkoids These compounds are essential for reducing inflammation and improving overall health starting with the gut When adopting a vegan or plant-based diet for fibromyalgia it’s possible to consume a large quantity of phytonutrients But this depends largely on you making thoughtful food choices For example if your diet is full of processed flour sugar or fake meats and cheeses These foods may lack phytonutrients Instead include additives that worsen gut microbiome related inflammation So this approach would be terribly counterproductive Conversely a well- balanced vegan diet that includes resistant starches fiber omega oils and a variety of herbs and whole vegetables can provide the phytonutrients necessary to support healing from fibromyalgia Next let’s talk about macronutrient requirements The vegan and plant-based diets for fibromyalgia often fail to adequately address macronutrient needs Macronutrients include carbohydrates fats and proteins By entering your height and weight and activity level into the calculator available on my website you can estimate your specific macronutrient requirements If you’re following a carnivore diet you’ll need to adjust by increasing fats and proteins while significantly reducing carbohydrates In general a diet that gets half of its calories from fat is normally a good thing Although I don’t particularly like the saturated fats and meats and certain plant-based foods because as I said earlier saturated fats are associated with inflammatory processes So I don’t like the animal-based cholesterol meat either which can lead to an increase in arachidonic acid in the body I describe both of these pathways of fibromyalgia in my other videos on my channel so be sure to check them out if you need a refresher When I design diets for clients they’re generally lower in carbs for obvious reasons Most of the fats come from plant-based omega sources so these problems are totally avoided I also ensure that at least 100 grams of protein is in the diet which can be challenging if you’re relying solely on plant-based foods You’ll likely need to incorporate protein shakes made with plant-based protein sources Additionally vegan diets for fibromyalgia often fail to balance macronutrients like carbohydrates fats and proteins They also tend to neglect fiber tracking which is crucial for optimizing gut microbiome health But now let’s look at microbiome specificity Let’s revisit this equation Bad bacteria and fungi feed on carbs leading to inflammation Vegan diets are often higher in carbs and some of these carbs are less beneficial So do vegan diets promote healthier bacteria the answer is a clear no I know this might sound controversial because many people on YouTube and Reddit claim that vegan diets improve gut microbiome diversity But let me give you a practical perspective I’ve reviewed hundreds if not thousands of stool studies over the years And in my career most of the time when people follow vegan diets for fibromyalgia they don’t appropriately select for good bacteria in their intestines through their diet The nature of fibromyalgia involves inflammation caused by a dysfunctional gut microbiome In fact at the start of our program we use patented probiotics from Japan to recalibrate the microbiome and eliminate harmful bacteria But how do you encourage the growth of good bacteria it’s not by avoiding carbs It’s by selecting the right ratios and quantities of phytonutrients This is where the mind gut immunity method truly excels We design diets that promote specific strains of beneficial bacteria which form a protective bofilm and eliminate harmful bacteria and fungi Over time this reduces pro-inflammatory markers like TNF alpha and interlucan 6 in the body The main issue with vegan diets for fibromyalgia is that it doesn’t tackle the root cause It often feeds bad bacteria non- selectively because there’s no focus on resistance starch or fiber Vegan diets also allow for plant-based sugars carbs and chemicals which can worsen symptoms I’ve seen people improve slightly for a short period of time but then face significant health issues later on because the vegan diets for fibromyalgia do not resolve the gut microbiome dysfunction However a plant-based diet can work for fibromyalgia if specific principles are followed This is where the phyto diet comes in It addresses the root cause microbiome problems associated with fibromyalgia This allows for long-term dietary flexibility including cheat meals without negative impacts I typically teach my clients how to incorporate cheat meals during the second or third month of the program because by then we’ve resolved most of the gut issues sustainably While the vegan diet may help during the flare-ups it’s not a viable long-term strategy compared to customized phyto diets that we create for our clients Over the years I’ve spoken to many people during discovery calls who’ve tried plant-based diets for fibromyalgia and struggled Most report temporary relief only to have symptoms return after reintroducing carbs and this is a story I hear often My hope is that the review of this vegan diet for fibromyalgia is to offer clarity While it may provide short-term benefits addressing the gut microbiome is key to long-term relief Next let’s dive into the final criteria food sensitivities Food sensitivities are an essential topic when managing fibromyalgia In my talks I often review the four primary tests for food sensitivity available which is the skin prick test the blood test the IGG4 blood test and the newer mediator release blood test For more in-depth explanation of these tests you can refer to my video on food sensitivity testing for fibromyalgia While vegan diets are plant-based they include many foods that still trigger sensitivities The most common offenders are processed foods like sugar sugar alcohols dyes chemicals and even whole food proteins like beans lentils and peas I’ve seen these repeatedly test positive in sensitivity assessments over the years This shouldn’t come as a shock but there’s a significant risk of being sensitive to one or more vegan or plant-based foods That’s why following a vegan and plant-based diet for fibromyalgia can be challenging It eliminates your food options and increases the chance of developing additional sensitivities All right that’s my video In the comments below share your experiences with vegan diets What has worked for you and what didn’t i would love to hear about your journey As you know I’ve had great success using the Mind Gut immunity method with my clients and I strongly advocate for customized phyto diets and focused gut microbiome recalibration to achieve lasting results If you found this video helpful don’t forget to like and subscribe for more content such as this As always this is Dr Chanu Daser with the Mind Gutm Immunity Clinic and I’ll see you next time