Recently the National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) released their inaugural issue of their magazine, Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE. I was so excited to check it out since I used to enjoy and rely on Fibromyalgia Aware, the magazine that the National Fibromyalgia Association used to publish. I think it is important for there to be a consistent, dependable resource that the fibromyalgia community can look to for current news and community. This new magazine is a free, digital bi-monthly magazine that offers “the latest news and information for, about and by the fibromyalgia community and related chronic pain conditions.”

.

This premier issue starts by recapping some of the major things the NFMCPA has done over the past year – starting newsletters, Fibromyalgia Awareness Day focus, Fibromyalgia MOM of the Year contest and their participation in the Institute of Medicine Report on Pain, etc… Helpful articles give pointers for preparing for Social Security Disability hearings and ways to deal with “fibro fog” while in school. Their cover story, “Wrapped in Pain: The naked truth about living with fibromyalgia” is a human interest story as well two other pieces.

One of the magazine’s largest articles, entitled, “Could potatoes be affecting your fibromyalgia symptoms?” is about food sensitivities. You know that I’ve been talking a lot about this over the past 6 months. Over the summer I did an elimination diet and found that I am sensitive to soy. Eliminating it from my diet greatly reduced my Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms. The article focuses mostly on nightshade vegetables causing troubles for those with fibromyalgia, but luckily that was not the case for me. It also offers information on how elimination diets work and the Cocoa Pulse Test.

Vice President of the U.S. Pain Foundation, Nicole Hemmenway, contributed an article on a recent legislature victory in Connecticut. She explains a newly passed law that puts restrictions on step therapy practices and other bills regarding the issue. Another article discussed research that shows the need to further explore the connection of “fibro fog” and balance problems.

Overall, the first issue of Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE seemed like a great starting point. I’m optimistic about future issues and am so glad that the NFMCPA has filled this void in the fibromyalgia community.

What do you hope the NFMCPA covers in future issues?

This post was written as a guest post for ChronicBabe.com and was shared on The Wall Street Journal, website.