Insomnia, pain, fatigue, brain fog, and irritability… if you suffer from even two or three of those things, you’ve probably driven your doctor crazy demanding a diagnosis so you can do something about it! Your doctor may have recommended diet, exercise, or given up, and given you a diagnosis of fibromyalgia (which is sometimes its own thing, and sometimes a catch-all category doctors use for pushy patients… “I give up. Take this pain pill prescription and give me a break!”).
But a lot of people still find themselves suffering. They try different medications, switching between brands, the generic version, and different doses. They take up yoga, meditation, and get tested for chronic lyme disease, checked for inflammation, and on and on and on…
Here is something I found out recently from a few friends diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but still suffering pain and more: you should get tested for MTHfr. In short, it’s a small genetic variation that makes your body unable to handle cheap vitamins and minerals… and I don’t just mean the low-quality daily multivitamins available at the grocery store, it also includes many breads, cereals, and more, which are fortified with those same cheap vitamins.
Let’s go one step further: you know the gluten intolerance trend? Where people give up gluten, because their friend has Celiac’s/IBD and swears by their diet? At least some of those people probably feel better because they’ve eliminated a different culprit: fortified foods.
The test for MTHfr can be pretty expensive. If you don’t want to get it, you can just focus on eating a healthier, higher quality diet, which benefits everyone, so it’s not a waste!
Get your folic acid from fresh/raw greens, rather than children’s cereal. (Folic acid is the main culprit in MTHfr). You can also continue to take a daily multivitamin, as long as it’s high-quality, and contains what’s called the bioavailable versions of the ingredients, which are easier on your body/gastrointestinal tract, and which won’t make you sick!
Avoid fortified foods (if this seems weird or crazy to you, let me offer a different perspective: fortified foods are only necessary because of the standard American diet, where school kids are more likely to eat doritos and skittles than an apple and chicken. In some European countries, fortified foods are banned or strictly limited).
Have you been tested for MTHfr? Did it explain a lot for you?
