Friday, June 22, 2012

Migraine Musings

My week started with the most horrendous migraine. I have had migraines since I was a little girl. I'm 36 now and am just beginning to understand what triggers my migraines: FOOD! Here's a list of the foods I suspect are causing my migraines:

Wheat -- anything that is made with wheat, from bread to pasta. White or wheat... it all makes my gut unhappy and my head even worse. So I am thinking that I am super sensitive to GLUTEN.

GLUTEN-sensitivity is only now emerging, in recent years, as a common diagnosis. My grandmother used to prepare gluten all the time as a protein replacement in some of her meals (even though there's no protein in it). Her religion called for vegetarianism. I was never very fond of the gluten and now that I know I am sensitive to it, I have dropped the consumption of it.

MEAT - particularly BEEF. Beef causes a serious migraine for me but it is also my favorite protein. In terms of taste, Beef is IT for me. Short Ribs (my favorite cut), Chuck Roast, Spencer Steak, Corned Beef, Rib Steak, London Broil... I could go on and on. Why would such flavor be such a menace to my brain? **sigh**

QUINOA - I just started putting this on the menu at home. The couple of times I ate it at Down To Earth, I remember getting a terrible migraine after consuming it but did not make the connection until I started preparing it at home. I was going to make this grain a regular part of my diet but I quickly learned that this grain is soooo not for me!

Anyway, many of the ailments we all have can be linked back to food. So, I suggest that maybe you start keeping a food journal and take particular note of how your body feels during and after consumption. My migraines feels like my brain wants to explode out of my skull. I feel like if I stuck a needle in my eye it would relieve the pressure. I get nauseous and completely sensitive to light and sounds. Having a migraine is just not a good place to be. If I can prevent it, I will do so at all costs!

1 comment:

The Songer said...

Beef & Gluten? Crazy! I love those two things waaay too much!

My 2nd child has actually been going through the same experience for the past two years..and after putting her through every single kind of test this past year, we finally just found out last week that her migraines are triggered by milk! They found out that every time she drank milk or ate milk product it would fill this cavity close to her sinus chamber with mucus that would put pressure over her right eye and cause a migraine there! As foreign and crazy as food allergies seem to me.. I am so grateful to find the culprit..

I would not wish Food triggered migraines on anyone.. Glad you figured yours out!