Fibromyalgia Podcast®

What are the things you once loved that fibromyalgia is now keeping you from doing? What would it feel like to be able to take joy in those things again? In this episode, we do more than just tell you how this is possible. Tami will lead you in an interactive exercise that will open the door to your joy and greatest pleasures once again. Download the Joy List Worksheet and start adding the fun things back into your life! Key Points What are the things that you love to do, that feed your soul, that make you happy, that bring joy into your life and fill you up, so that you have something to give? This episode walks you through creating your own Joy List. You will end up, right now, adding something back into your life that brings you joy, something that you've had to say no to before. If you've said yes to too many other things, you might be saying no to the things that bring you joy. Another common barrier to joy: We feel guilty taking time for ourselves. This is not about making yourself another to do list because we all have way too much to do. What we really need is to do more BE-ing. We need to do more relaxing into life and becoming the person who has the life that we want to have. It is totally possible to have a life you love, even with fibromyalgia. Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/books. Joy List Worksheet

It can be super tough to say, "No, I can't do that." It's so easy for fibromyalgia to feel like an enormous taking away of things. We can't do the job we used to do. We can't do the activities we used to do. We can't eat the foods we used to be able to eat. But we can do a little mindset shift and realize we're doing it for a reason. It's never about saying No. You learn to say "No" so that you can say "Hell YES!" to other things: the things that really matter to you, the things that will help make your life feel rich and rewarding and fun again. Key Points It's very natural to push yourself to do all of the things you want to do, the things you feel like you need to do, the obligations that you have, or even pushing yourself so you can help somebody else. Saying No sometimes is very emotional. Sometimes, for some people, it really feels like a failure. Are you giving yourself the space to heal, or are you trying to continue on in the exact same way, at the exact same pace, doing the exact same things, as you did before fibromyalgia? "It's not that hard to choose between good and bad. What's hard is choosing between good and best." When it comes to fibromyalgia, we have been given the gift of being aware of the fact that we can't do everything. We've been given the gift of having to choose. This means we have the gift of making those choices count. How do you go about saying No when there are so many expectations and obligations? Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/books. Joy List Worksheet

Do you dream of travel and adventure, but the thought of going out-of-town, even for a short weekend, feels defeating — and almost sends you into a flare just thinking about it? Traveling with fibromyalgia can be challenging! These tips from Tami will show you how you can take that summer vacation, visit distant family, or even holiday in Spain, without all of the pain and overwhelm. Key Points The healthier you can start off at the beginning of your trip, the better off you'll be at the end, when you've used up a lot of extra energy Don't be afraid (or ashamed) to ask for help when you need it. Know when and where it is smarter NOT to save money when you travel. How to save weight, wear and tear on your body while you travel. When packing light is NOT a good idea. Plan to use facilities and amenities that can help your body feel better. Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/books. Evernote: try a free month of Evernote Premium using this affiliate link TSA Pre✓ Global Entry Oska and Quell devices Travel vacuum bags PillSuite Small travel bottles Blog Post: "Accepting Assistance" by Melissa Swanson of Fibro Warriors ~ Living Life, as published on ProHealth.com Blog Post: "Seven Keys To Savy Traveling With Fibromyalgia"

Every 10th episode is a special one, where Tami answers YOUR burning questions. Our first listener question is one that Tami hears quite a lot: "Does the weather affect fibromyalgia?" Listen in for some of the science behind the answer, as well as how our own bodies may know things that science hasn't figured out yet. Key Points "If I'm in a windy place for just a few minutes, it leads to so much pain for days." "Normal room temperatures are not normal for me. Whenever I sit in a class, listen to a lesson or a lecture, I feel cold and that starts to cause more body pain." When we talk about "weather", we are talking about a lot of things. We are talking about if it's rainy or dry, what the humidity is, if the sun is shining, if it's cloudy, what the temperature is, and along with it, there are things like barometric pressure changes. The term "weather" actually represents a lot of different things! How does the weather affect our fibromyalgia symptoms? How can you help your body feel better, regardless of the forecast? Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/books.

If you put a gun to my head and said, "Tell me the one thing that turned your life around with fibromyalgia, and you can only choose one." That one thing would be learning the fine art of self-care, learning how to listen to my body and give her what she needs so she can heal. This is the #1 thing that will make the biggest difference in how you feel. It is also the hardest part of the job. Taking care of yourself when you don't feel good or when you're frustrated with your body can be so, so challenging. Key Points Self-care means self-love, but it goes beyond an emotion we feel. Self-care means treating ourselves the way we would treat someone that we care about and treating ourselves the way we would treat someone who we are responsible for taking care of. A caring environment is always healthier than a bullying environment, which is actually what most of us are providing ourselves when we try to make ourselves feel better. You just can't heal if you are always berating yourself or pushing yourself to your breaking point. We are teaching others how to treat us by how we treat ourselves. We are also teaching others how they should take care of themselves by how we take care of ourselves. Saying NO, and practicing good self-care, is what allows you to spend your energy, brain power, and good days on the things that are most important to you. Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/books. Access the bonus resources and worksheets from this episode at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/resources.

Do you always do exactly what your doctor tells you to? Or do you sometimes think, "You have NO clue what it's like to live in a fibromyalgia body? Do you realize what you're asking me?" Or do you just forget because you have brain fog? There are so many reasons why you might not be doing the things your doctor is telling you to do. A Certified Fibromyalgia Coach has been there, done that, and is trained specifically in fibromyalgia treatment and management strategies. Learn how that direct, personal experience can help you bridge the gap and feel better faster. Key Points I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2007. Between 2007 and 2009, I did not get better; in fact, I got worse. In those two years, there were lots of things my doctor was suggesting that I do, and I wasn't very good about doing them. Not because I didn't want to, but because I actually didn't know how. The turning point for getting better was hiring a health coach: a person to talk to, to strategize with, and come with new solutions. If you were going to climb Mount Everest, your first steps would probably be researching: HOW does a person climb Mount Everest? You would probably also start looking for somebody that had already done it, so that you could learn from them. A Fibromyalgia Coach is going to help you climb that fibromyalgia mountain, helping you get the very best results possible in the shortest amount of time possible. Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. For additional details on choosing the best coach for you, check out chapter 8 "Would Working with a Coach be Helpful" in Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain. Download a FREE copy at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com. "8 Tips for Choosing a Fibromyalgia Health Coach", MyRestoredHealth.com

As patients, we feel so powerless sometimes. We're at the mercy of our doctors. We're at the mercy of our insurance company. A health coach can help us realize that we have what's called "self-efficacy." We gain a sense of control over our pain, and we engage in our own care in a vitally powerful way. When we engage in our care and gain that control, it's really empowering. We understand that, "I am responsible for myself, and I have the ability to improve my pain." Key Points Sports has already figured out how important coaching is. Executive management has figured out how important coaching is. We need to apply it to health now. New studies show that patient pain levels and functional status improve dramatically with just a coaching model alone. A transformative care model: where you integrate coaching and patient training with treatment, using a team of medical professionals, a health coach, and technology. Additional studies demonstrate what happens when you integrate health coaching into routine care, estimating the reduction in health care cost would be at least 50%. Patient-centered care is really where it's at. How do we create a system with health care providers with care that really transforms patients and provides the care they need to actually get better long term? Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com.

You are the world's foremost expert at living in your body. No one is a bigger expert on who you are and how you feel than you. Your Mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take responsibility for your own healthcare. Discover how to develop a more collaborative relationship with our providers, and provide them with the right information, so they can make the right diagnosis and help us create the right treatment plan for our specific challenges… and then follow through on what we decide we need to do. Key Points Our providers' jobs are the easy 2%—telling us what needs to be done. Our job as the patient is the really hard 98%—actually doing the things it takes to feel our best. You have 100% control over how you are actively participating in a mental and emotional way, and how you are receiving what your providers have to offer. Use data to give a balanced, true picture of how we are doing when we are talking with our providers. If I say "I can't stand very long," that is very different than: "I can only stand for 5 minutes," or "I can only stand for an hour." You are the one living inside your body. You are the one who has to take care of it. How do you go about doing that really hard 98% of following through? Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a fibromyalgia coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com. Tracking tools mentioned in this episode are available here

She had to keep her own diagnosis secret, in fear of being harshly judged by her peers in medical school. While we have come a long way from the stigma that was once attached to fibromyalgia, there are still far too many of us suffering in silence. In this episode, Dr. Ginevra Liptan sheds light on the latest research and treatment options that give her hope. Key Points What is happening in the body with fibromyalgia like a chain reaction. Everybody looks at the scientific and research data a little bit differently, like blind men describing an elephant. The thing that most doctors focus on is the end result of the chain reaction, which is the hypersensitivity or increase sensitivity to pain. But that is just the end result. A whole host of things are happening in concert with that pain. We need more targeted research. The New England Journal of Medicine, which is the biggest and most widely read medical journal in the world, has published only ONE ARTICLE on fibromyalgia. We can educate people about our illness by how we live our lives, with what we say and what we do. If there's one thing I want people to take away from this interview, it is this: If you have fibromyalgia, talk to your doctor about sleep. Work with them on getting better sleep. Sleep quality is key. About Dr. Ginevra Ginevra Liptan, M.D. is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine, board-certified in internal medicine, and trained in functional medicine, a holistic approach that blends both western and alternative medicine. After developing fibromyalgia as a medical student, Dr. Liptan spent many years using herself as guinea pig to find successful treatments, and has fine-tuned her approach by treating thousands of patients. She is one of the few clinical specialists in the world to focus solely on fibromyalgia, and directs The Frida Center for Fibromyalgia in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Ginevra Liptan is the author of several books: The FibroManual: A Complete Fibromyalgia Treatment Guide for You and Your Doctor The Fibro Food Formula: A Real-Life Approach to Fibromyalgia Relief Figuring out Fibromyalgia: Current Science and the Most Effective Treatments To hear more from Dr. Liptan: Visit her YouTube channel Read her online blog Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, links to the studies referenced in this episode, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a Fibromyalgia Coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at FibromyalgiaPodcast.com/books. CBD: Dr. Liptan has many articles and videos on CBD on her blog and YouTube channel. She also has her own line of doctor-formulated CBD products at FridaBotanicals.com.

What is fibromyalgia? As of today, we don't really know what causes fibromyalgia, and there is no cure. However, I do believe that there is a lot that can be done. I believe your symptoms can be managed so well that you can live the life you want to live. Knowledge is power. Find out more about the background and history of fibromyalgia, as well as the cutting-edge scientific study that is re-defining how we think about and treat this disorder in today's Foundations episode. Key Points Fibromyalgia is NOT a woman's disease. Fibromyalgia is NOT a new disease. You will find the first full description of fibromyalgia and its symptoms in 1816. Fibromyalgia is MORE than a chronic pain condition. There are four primary symptoms of fibromyalgia, as experienced by the patient. Links & Resources FibromyalgiaPodcast.com is the digital companion to this audio magazine, where you can find full show notes, submit your questions for Tami Stackelhouse, and schedule a free consultation with a fibromyalgia coach. Get a free copy of Tami's book, Take Back Your Life: Find Hope and Freedom From Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Pain at TakeBackYourLifeBook.com. The FM/a Test