Articles

Welcome to the Stems From The Gut articles hub.

Here you’ll find plain-English fibromyalgia articles and chronic pain blog posts on sleep, flares, gut–brain health and pacing, written to respect your limits.

How to use this hub

Use this page to find our latest posts and the best “start here” guides. If you’re living with fibromyalgia (or overlapping ME/CFS symptoms), we keep advice realistic and pacing-friendly.

For fast browsing, jump to a topic below, or start with the three beginner links above.

Start here if you’re new

If you’ve just found Stems From The Gut, these are good places to begin. Browse our latest fibromyalgia articles below.

• What is fibromyalgia? (And what it isn’t)
• Fibromyalgia Sleep and Flares: How Bad Nights Turn Up Pain and PEM
• Authors & Medical Stance – who we are and how we use evidence

Browse our newest posts below. If you’re not sure where to start, try the ‘Start here’ links above, then come back and explore by topic.

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  Melatonin and Blue Light Blockers for Fibromyalgia Sleep: What May Help, What’s Overhyped?
  A calm, evidence-led guide to melatonin and blue light blockers for fibromyalgia sleep. What may help, what’s overhyped, and what matters more.
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  Microbiome Tests & Probiotic Supplements: What’s Worth It (UK)
  A calm, UK-focused guide to microbiome tests and probiotic supplements. Learn what the evidence supports, what’s overhyped, and how to decide what’s worth trying safely.
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  Gut Recovery After Antibiotics or PPIs: A Gentle UK Guide
  Gut health after antibiotics or PPIs can feel “off” — bloating, loose stools, constipation, or just not feeling like yourself. Here’s what actually helps (and what’s overhyped), with a gentle plan for sensitive digestion.
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  Fermented Foods for Gut Health: A Gentle Guide
  A calm, evidence-led UK guide to fermented foods for gut health. Learn what may help, what to try first, how much is sensible, and how to start gently if you’re prone to bloating or IBS-type symptoms.
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  High Fibre Foods UK: 15 Easy Picks (Without Bloating)
  A simple UK-friendly list of high fibre foods, plus a gentle step-by-step way to increase fibre without bloating, gas, or digestive discomfort
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  Prebiotics vs Probiotics vs Postbiotics: 7 Simple Truths
  Confused by prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics? This gentle guide explains the difference and shows what actually helps sensitive guts — with a simple decision tree.
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  What Is the Gut Microbiome? A Simple Beginner’s Guide (and Why It Matters)
  A plain-English beginner’s guide to the gut microbiome: what it is, what it does, why it matters, and what actually helps (without hype)
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  PEM-safe sleep tools for fibromyalgia and ME/CFS insomnia
  Living with fibromyalgia or ME/CFS and stuck in “tired but wired” nights? This guide shares PEM-safe sleep tools that respect pacing and gently support calmer rest.
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  Fibromyalgia body clock
  Plain-English guide to how your fibromyalgia body clock, morning light and realistic routines can gently support pain, fatigue and brain fog, without chasing perfect sleep
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  Fibromyalgia Sleep and Flares: How Bad Nights Turn Up Pain and PEM
  You know the pattern if fibromyalgia sleep flares are part of your life. A night spent tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, or waking every hour. Then morning arrives, and with it comes pain that feels sharper, brain fog… Read more: Fibromyalgia Sleep and Flares: How Bad Nights Turn Up Pain and PEM