Fabulous Fibro Flare Foods

Happy Thursday Friends!!

It has been a very tough week for me but I am almost back to normal. I had a mild seizure on Sunday morning, still cant figure out what triggered it, but then my Fibromyalgia flared out of control and it has been a real struggle this week and I have found that it is affecting every aspect of my being, not just me physically. The physical stress has only added to the mental stress and the fact that I cant exercise and have been forced to take some of the pain medications I have been able to avoid for month I noticed that my weight has gone up again too – which does nothing for my depression and mental health. Thankfully, I have gotten myself back on track with my diet thanks to my Nutrimeal shakes and the new tasty chocolate snacks that make me feel better without adding to the weight gain issues. I was able to run a very slow 2 miles yesterday, so that gave me a much needed boost of confidence but I know it will be a few more days before I am back to lifting weights and pushing my body to the limits.

But there was one unusual benefit to having to deal with a flare of this magnitude – I remembered some of my super easy, really healthy go-to Fibro Flare recipes and so here I am to share with you! This flare really affected my hands (usually its my legs) and so cooking was a bit difficult. I didn’t want to go to the store and I sure didn’t want to resort back to my old lifestyle of fast food (Fat Food). So I scrounged around the kitchen and here are two super easy recipes that can be made with the things that you probably already have in your cupboard!!

Toasted Gruyere and Apple Sandwiches

* 1 Fresh Baggett – cut into ½” slices

* Sliced Gruyere Cheese (This is a hard yellow cheese with a rich smoky flavor and is really high in         proteins and very low in fats – I know you will   enjoy this!)

* 1 small Apple Sliced (any kind of apple will suffice, I like hard apples though)

* Butter (I like the stuff made from Olive Oil)

Spread a little butter on the outsides of one side of Baggett slice. Place in warm skillet, butter side down. Place Gruyere cheese slices on the bread and then a layer of apple slices (I like to place another layer of cheese on top of the apples since it make the apples stick to the bread). Butter the outside of another slice of bread and put on sandwich, butter side up. Toast until golden brown on one side and then carefully turn and toast the other side.

This is a very light and filling sandwich that won’t completely throw off the weigh loss. Even better, it only take about 5-8 min to make – so when you aren’t feeling well, it takes less time than ordering a pizza! But speaking of pizza….oh yea, I am a pizza fanatic!

Baggett Pizza Rounds

1 Fresh Baggett – Cut into 1” slices

Tomato Pasta Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Parmesan Cheese

Pizza toppings

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place each bread round on a baking sheet and brush with Olive Oil. Spread 2-3 Tablespoons of Tomato Sauce on each slice and sprinkle with Mozzarella Cheese. Add your favorite pizza toppings (I like low fat turkey pepperonis) and then top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-15 min or until the bread is light brown and the cheese melted. Allow to cool for a few minutes and ENJOY!

I know I try to do No Carbs but lets face it, your BRAIN needs carbs to function and while these carbohydrates can come in the forms of grains, veggies, or nuts and seeds, the key is to avoid processed or “enriched” foods because these are modified carbohydrates and tend to cause the gastric bloating and even some of the swelling in our joints and muscles. As with many things, MODERATION is the key. When we are flaring it is sometimes hard to remember that we need to eat clean and healthy to maintain our health and minimize the effects of the Fibromyalgia. Create a list of simple foods that you or your family can make when you are flaring, that way you get your healthy meal without increasing the fatigue factor. I will try to get some of my favorite, super easy crock-pot meals posted so that you have some more Fabulous Fibro Flare Foods.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Rachel

Just a happy thought for the Fibro Fighter!