Consider Soups for Fibromyalgia Nutrition
Many studies on eating soup are very positive, showing that levels of carotenoids, vitamins and minerals are increased when soup is consumed daily. The amount of soup served in these studies is small — one cup or less — yet the benefits are great. Consider the following when making and eating soups for fibromyalgia.
Not Too Much Salt
Excess salt and sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure in those who are salt-sensitive. This isn't meant to say avoid all salt — your adrenals need salt to survive, and very little is not good either. It just means watch the salt — especially in canned soups.
Plenty of Herbs
Flavor your soup with herbs. There are so many herbs you could use that contain hundreds of positive medicinal actions in the body.
For example, why not add curcumin to your soup for an exotic flavor? The curcumin is loaded with anti-inflammatory actions you need when you have fibromyalgia. Or you could add onions and garlic, which will provide a boost for your immune system; it's bad enough to suffer from a fibromyalgia attack without being sick from cold or flu on top of it.
But don't stop there with these herbs; add oregano, rosemary, thyme, savory, dill, and whatever else you have in your kitchen.
Colorful Vegetables
Carotenoids are the substances in fruits and vegetables that give them their red, orange and green colors. Carrots and tomatoes, as well as leafy greens, are full of carotenoids, and these substances have been found to increase your cognitive function (memory, thinking ability) even up to 13 years later.
Start adding generous portions of these vegetables in your soups. Even doctoring up canned soups is a good way to get your daily veggie intake, so go for it and add one cup spinach leaves to the next soup you are eating. It will help when you get brain fog.
Avoid BPA
Stay away from soups that are high in bisphenol-A. Unfortunately, BPA content is not listed on a food labels, so you'll have to investigate this further and find out which canned foods are high in the chemical.
BPA disrupts your hormone levels and your body doesn't need any more disruption. Stay away from tuna — don't ever add it to your soups, as tuna is not only one of the highest sources of BPA, but is also high in mercury.
Anti-Inflammatory Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin is one of the most anti-inflammatory vegetables you can find; thus, it is one of the most important vegetables you can eat during the fall and winter. Pumpkin is loaded with carotenoids, even more so than carrots.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium-sized pumpkin, cut into bite-sized chunks after seeds and outer skin is removed
- 1 bunch celery, sliced
- 2 red sweet onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 apples, cored and diced
- 2 pear, cored and diced
- 1 bunch watercress, sliced
- 1 bunch parsley, sliced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, diced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon basil
- 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
- 1⁄2 teaspoon savory
- 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed
- 2-1/2 quarts water
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:
- In a saute pan, saute the onions, celery and garlic in the olive oil.
- Slice the pumpkin into chunks. Add to soup pot.
- Add sauteed vegetables, apples, pears, watercress, parsley, ginger, spinach, basil, oregano and savory to the soup pot.
- Next add water to cover all vegetables. Salt and pepper to your taste.
- Cover soup pot with lid. Simmer on low heat for one hour.
Variations:
- Add your choice of protein to the pumpkin soup — either chicken, turkey, beef, or even wild meats such as buffalo or venison. If using buffalo or venison, increase cooking time by 30 minutes.
- You could also eliminate the basil, oregano, savory, and ginger and squeeze the juice of one lemon into the soup right before serving.
- Eliminate the fruit and add other vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, parsnips and kale.
- Blend the soup and add milk to it, turning it into a cream soup.
- Add cheese on top of the soup right before serving.
- Add sliced cooked steak with the meat juices to the soup.
Bon appetite!