To Overcome Fibromyalgia symptoms, many of us would do anything, from severe diet change, to extra medications, self medicating… BUT What if there was a Doctor who has Fibromyalgia and spent his life researching and studying the best way to Naturally Overcome Fibromyalgia? This is my personal review of “The Vital Plan”
“I have been given The Vital Plan Protocol as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in now way influenced by the company. ”
Are you “Sick and Tired” of being “Sick and Tired? I know many of us with Fibromyalgia feel that way!
That we have Suffered Long Enough, and we need a cure. At least that is what William Rawls M.D., who has mostly Overcome Fibromyalgia, but Lyme disease as well as CFS/ME has titled his book.
So with that said, I have been on the three month “Vital Plan” Protocol, of vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as partially on the diet. Now I could go into the in’s and out’s of the science behind it, but why when you can go to their website, and read it for yourself? Instead let me tell you how it has worked for me, the mistakes I have made, and the things I have learned from being on this program.
1: Start Slow!
That’s right, there is a ton of details to this program, but you are in control! If you start out on the full pill regimen, and dive right into the diet and lifestyle changes, you have set yourself up for failure! So start slow, let your body learn what works and what will not.
I know when I started the “Vital Plan” I was worried about the “Prevention Plus” as I was to take 3 in the am and 3 at night. Now it has a ton of vitamin B, so I took 1 in the am and NONE at night, as the last thing I wanted to chance was messing with my sleep hygiene. After a week, with no bad effects, I increased it to two in the am, and still none at night. Week 4… I was at three in the morning and one at night. Over the course of this three months, I am now at three in the morning and only two at night. Why? Because if I take three before bed I am up all night, but with just two I could sleep, (excluding of course pain flares).
As I said above, start slow, as there may be something in one of these four formulations that your body does not like. So if you have an adverse reaction, back off all, then add just one at a time to try and figure out what caused it. This is something I had planned on before the Plan arrived. I was very happy to read in Dr. Rawls book, as well as the Vital Plan instructions, much the same as I have said here. NOT EVERYTHING WORKS FOR EVERYONE!
As an example, many of the people I know who have Fibromyalgia or other Chronic Illness’s swear my CBD or Marijuana treatments. I have in my youth, eaten, smoked, ingested, etc… and I found that no matter what form it is, Marijuana makes me violently ill… hello porcelain telephone. So where many find that it helps to overcome fibromyalgia symptoms, for me it is not an option. That and from studies marijuana does help with symptom control, but is it treating the root cause of Fibromyalgia or your illness? There is little to no research on this. However with the Vital Plan, there is research, and proven results, not only in symptom reduction but for overall heath gains.
2: The Diet!
Is it really a diet? No it is a way of eating. Everything we eat is our diet, however as the old saying goes, “Garbage in equals Garbage out”! Now of course I am not a dietitian nor a doctor, however I can say thru my own research pre and post working with Dr. Rawls team that there are foods that can be inflammatory to our systems, and/or just down right toxic. So their team has researched what foods are good and which are bad.
NOW THE GOOD NEWS… Just because this new way of eating may take out foods you love, (For me it was eggs), that does not mean you can never have eggs again. As a matter of fact eggs can be good. What Dr. Rawls and his team stress with their daily e-mails, books, and information, is that… being chronically ill, be it from Fibromyalgia, Lyme, etc… we need to help our bodies detoxify and reset into a healthy pattern, before we can rebuild. Think of it like a Military Boot Camp… Got to be broken of old ways and habits before they can teach you new ones. It is the same for our bodies.
3: Has the Vital Plan helped me Overcome Fibromyalgia?
Yes and No is the short answer. I know that sounds like a cop out, however here is why I say it like that.
Vital Plan HAS Increased my energy and reduced my brain fog. Sometimes it is hard to tell if something is working as the changes can be so gradual that you don’t notice them until you remove yourself from that diet or situation.
When I started the Vital Plan, literally that week my wife and I had to head out to Michigan as my Father In Law was in the hospital. Three weeks later we were back again for his funeral. Now after two rapid fire trips, over stimulation, high emotions, and definitely STRESS, you would think my Fibromyalgia flares would have been through the roof! They were not… That does not include regular day to day stress and life changes of which there were excessively many this past three months.
This is not to say for two days after returning I was not slow, in higher pain, and sluggish, for indeed I was. BUT I was not in a Fibromyalgia crash like I would have been in the past, unable to even get up to make myself some food.
So the “Vital Plan” Restore protocol has indeed helped me overcome Fibromyalgia fog and fatigue, to a point. I still get fatigued and have bad days, but on average I can be more active mentally and physically. As for the chronic pain that comes with Fibromyalgia? I am sad to say I have seen no change there. HOWEVER with chronic back and neck issues from military injuries and motor vehicle accidents, I have to ask is it Fibro pain or just joint and muscle issues?
4: Wrapping it up:
So in full, if you don’t give 100%, you cannot expect 100% back. I have not stuck to the diet, and feel like I very barely skimmed the edges of it. With my Father in law passing, my wife’s new job at reduced pay, and overall life craziness, I had to just roll with the punches. Heck I even had a week where i did not take my Vital Plan supplements. THAT was when I saw the HUGE decrease in energy and increase in fog. So I KNOW IT WORKS…