For all of the myriad of Fibromyalgia symptoms, each one seems to multiply into problems that are almost too many to mention. Whether they be outright physical symptoms like pain, burning, numbness, brain fog, inability to stand or walk or more subtle ones, there are a lot to deal with.

The two symptoms I would like to highlight today relate to individual, particular classes of hormones and bio-chemicals that are supposed to be regulated and steady in output and amount in the body. Without their proper regulation and distribution, your body can be thrown into total disarray. My body’s biochemicals (and hormones) have been topsy-turvy since the day I got sick over twenty years ago! Now, they are some better, but that is one “regulation” that I would like to conquer for the long term.

Note: this issue also relates to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, too.

Read the following to see if you are struggling with the following:

(Podcast is 8 minutes 5 seconds.)

When I think of hormones and bio-chemicals, these topics mean more than dealing with female hormones or (example) serotonin. Everyone everywhere has hormones at play at all the time- in your body, in your brain. And each individual, teensie bitsy one plays a role in supplying your body what it needs to stay healthy and balanced. Each one is truly a bio-chemical in its own right because it is manufactured by the body to do a specific job.

A hormone is a chemical released by a cell, a gland, or an organ in one part of the body that affects cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.

So how does that relate to someone with Fibromyalgia? When I began to be sick, I dreadfully lacked enough energy to work, maintain my family’s needs and sometimes, even to function at all. My solution? Eat. My diet underwent an abrupt change to foods high in fat and calories that gave me that boost of energy I needed so badly. When I crashed a few hours later, as I inevitably did coming off a sugar spike, I had to each more food. That wasn’t a good cycle to maintain, yet it continued each day until I fell into bed to sleep.

I thought it was only temporary; surely this huge energy deficit would pass. Little did I know at the time, but I probably had dysregulated hormones that controlled (or in this case, were not controlling well) my energy metabolism and how my body handled sugar.

Not until lately when I went to a doctor for advice in conquering this problem once and for all did I realize (after blood work confirmation) that I had an elevated level of insulin resistance and a lower than normal level of thyroid hormone. Neither of them are so out of whack that they merit immediate treatment. Neither of these separately are horrible. However, I believe that together they continue to aggravate my problem of having difficulty in controlling what I “crave” to eat.

Plus, according to Dr. Oz the other day, there is a good chance that my brain doesn’t manufacture enough dopamine. It’s the pleasure brain biochemical! If you don’t have enough, you want to eat to boost sugar intake and…..wait for it…..increase your dopamine!!

Folks, regulating your body and body biochemicals is definitely a balancing act. I know that I do better staying off sugar, eating more protein at balanced intervals and cutting down total calorie count. I’m back to that practice, plus following the guidelines of my weight loss doctor.

So far, it’s working and I’m feeling better. Weight coming down and I’m staying away from sugar. To keep my Fibromyalgia symptoms and problems at bay, I would do most anything, particularly if my actions improve my overall health.

Please share in a comment what you’re doing to achieve a good weight and energy level. Thanks so much for joining me today~~

Cinda Crawford, host of

The Health Matters Show