I screwed up.

I bought a diet coke.
I don’t know what I was thinking, but I let the cravings take over and decided to reward my good behavior with poison. Within one hour  finishing it, the dull familiar headache returned. I craved another pop, and bought one right away. I will not be doing this tomorrow.
I know know that Cola is one of my triggers for sure. ( and one of my biggest weaknesses!)

Caffeine Addiction

In an effort to cut back on the rebound headaches caused by daily caffeine intake, I’m quitting caffeine.  Soda and espresso are my main sources of the drug. Some days I was consuming 6 or more cans of Coke Zero plus 2 double espressos with Splenda.
Diet soft drinks are loaded with caffeine, artificial sweetener, dyes and salt.  While I did notice having a soda would take a slight edge off a headache,  it would always return much worse.   I always craved pop. when I was drinking it, sort of like cigarettes.

With the start of this migraine elimination diet, I weened myself off pop  starting last Monday. I started by having only one Soda a day for 3 days, then switching over to a high quality flavored oolong tea. I noticed since I stopped drinking soda, I’m eating less snack foods, and not thirsty all the time. (This is obviously due to the insane salt content in diet soft drinks)

Here are some tips if your thinking about doing a similar switch:

• Try buying flavored teas. Many of the fruity ones can be served cold.
• Make fresh fruit juice and dilute it with water, sweeten with a bit of honey.
• Always keep a pitcher of water in the fridge.

Chilly Berry Dessert

I used fresh berries picked from my backyard

This delicious  blend of colorful berries should satisfy you of your ice cream cravings.  The blend can also be frozen in trays with sticks for healthy fruit pops! Store bought popsicles often have added dyes, and synthetic flavoring. If any of the berries listed are your known triggers, omit for other fruit purees that work for you.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen Raspberries
• 1/2 cup frozen Strawberries * potential trigger for some*
• 1/2 cup frozen Blueberries
• 3 tsp Organic Honey
• 3 tsp ground Flax seeds

Preparation:

With a blender, puree raspberries, 1 tsp of honey and 1 tsp of ground flax seeds.
Drain excess water and reserve in small bowl.
Rinse blender and continue with other frozen berries, following the same steps as above.
For presentation, layer a few spoonfuls of each berry puree into a clear glass.
Top with sprinkled flax seeds or a few frozen berries.
Served 3-4

Migraine-friendly Chicken Noodle Soup

Day 3, and still feeling very ill.
I put together a simple chicken noodle soup using none of the PTF ( potential trigger foods).
Normally when I’m sick I just rely on canned soup which is full of MSG and preservatives.
This recipe is simple, plain and easy enough for a sick person to whip together.
Whats Vermicelli? A pure rice noodle popular in Asian cuisine, I’m using it to replace the traditional pasta/egg noodles.
Its gluten free, and widely available at grocery stores. Ideal for wheat free diets.

Ingredients:

• 900 ml container of Organic chicken broth
• 1/2 cup baby-cut carrots cut into bite sized pieces
• 50 g Rice Vermicelli
• Dash of freshly Cracked pepper

Preparation:

In a medium sized pot, bring Chicken broth to a boil.
Add carrots, and cook over medium heat until tender. ( approx 10 min)
Add Vermicelli noodles, cook until soft.

Serve immediately with cracked pepper.

I’ve paired this with Organic Spelt Bread with wild rice.
Serves 2

Summer Garden Salad Recipe

Camera phone, much more yummy in reality!

 Remember not to use lemon, cheese, crutons, store-bought dressings, spinach, tomato, raisins or onions in your salads.

*Feel free to add any fresh vegetables not included on the trigger foods list.
*Possible trigger foods used: organic apple cider vinegar.

Summer Salad

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 large pieces of Romaine Lettuce
• 1/2 Cucumber
• 1/2 Pepper
• 1 grated Carrot
• Pinch of grated Ginger ( optional)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Braggs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar ( yes, vinegar contains tannins! But organic is the best)
• Pinch of fresh cracked black peppercorns
• Pinch of  ground sea salt.
• Pinch of dried chili flakes (optional)

Cut vegetables into bite sized pieces, mix in a medium sized bowl
Create dressing in a bottle with a lid, add ingredients and shake to emulsify.
Serves 2
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Tags: apple cider vinegar, salad

Natural Cough Syrups

Photo by Justmakeit@Flickr

I woke up today with an awful sinus cold.
Cough, sore throat and my head feels like a balloon.
If your like me, and on a cocktail of preventative migraine medications, cold releif must be done naturally. Many over the counter cold and flu meds come with large drug contradiction lists. If you do plan on taking something else, check with your doctor always.

Its times like this that I rely heavily on herbal teas, low soduim soups, honey and apple cider vinegar. I keep reading conflicting articles on the pros and cons of apple cider vinegar. Some claim it as a cure-all, others include vinegar on the list of potential trigger foods. It’s a bit of a dilemma, but when you feel awful and can’t take cough syrup this might be the next best thing.

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Discovery health recommends this simple recipe for homemade cough syrup:

During a period of cold or flu, make your own cough syrup to have on hand.

Mix 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, and pour into a jar or bottle that can be tightly sealed. Shake well before each use.

Take 1 tablespoon every 4 hours. If the cough persists for more than a week, see a physician

Discovery Health
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/uses-for-vinegar-home-remedies-ga.htm

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Another thing I’ve used is Nin Jiom Cough Syrup. Its sold at herbal stores and some pharmacys (like Shoppers Drugmart). Its natural, but check with your pharmacist to see if you have any drug contradictions. 
Nin Jiom tastes like honey, and moves very slowly down your throat. It has a coating sensation-I immediately notice relief from coughs!

Nin Jiom
http://www.ninjiom.com/hongkong/index.php?lang=en

Tags: Recipe, Sick

Elimination/Low-amine Diet List

So many foods, so many potential triggers?

My strict diet will begin on July the first. I’m currently making slight changes to meals, and reducing my caffine intake. The following list is roughly based on Dr. Jeffery Warber’s  plan. I have arranged it by food type and put in brackets which chemical it contains. I have also added wheat and all dairy to the list, based on an article by Vincent Pedre, M.D.

I will be including some of the listed foods in my diet, while monitoring how they effect me. They may appear in my recipies, but I will warn you. Its been said that a true elimination diet is not possible or nutritionally rich. I beleive its true. I my opinion the best thing is to reduce the majority of the major triggers, and keep a detailed diary of the few you’ve chosen to eat.
The foods on the list that I will be eating will include:
Tofu and soymilk ( I’m a practically a vegetarian I need these things)
Strawberries ( while in season)

Dairy:
*I will be taking a calcium substitute and eating lots of broccoli.
All Dairy
Aged Cheeses   (tyramine)
Cheese    (histamine)
Yellow Cheeses    (phenylethylamine)
Cheesecake    (phenylethylamine)
Yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, dried milk   (tyramine)

Meat/Substitute:
*This leaves you with organic chicken, and organic eggs for protein. I eat a lot of tofu, so it will be a bit of a switch for me.
Chicken liver ( histamine)
Fish, shellfish   (histamine)
Processed meat   (histamine)
Beef, Pork   (histamine)
Tofu,soy sauce, miso, tempeh   (tyramine) + (histamine)
Smoked, cured or pickled fish or meats   (tyramine)
Peanuts   (tyramine)
Nuts   (tannin)

Bread & Grain:
*I’ve found a few breads with no yeast or wheat!
Wheat
Yeast
Barley   (tannin)

Vegetables and fruits:
*this list is very disappointing for me. So many of the foods I love, and eat often are on it.
Berry Pie filling, canned berries    (phenylethylamine)
Spinach   (histamine)
Strawberry   (histamine)
Tomato   (histamine)
Citrus fruit and oranges   (tyramine)(phenylethylamine) + (histamine)
Banana (histamine) +  ( ripe bananas contain tannin)
Grapes, raisins   (tyramine)
Plums, prunes, figs   (tyramine)
Pineapple   (tyramine) +  (histamine)
avocado   (tyramine)
Beans   (tyramine)
Peas   (tyramine)
Eggplant   (tyramine) + (histamine)
Sauerkraut   (tyramine) + (histamine)
Bruised fruits   (tannin)
Red Skinned Apples, Pears    (tannin)
Berries, Cherries   (tannin)
Alfalfa   (tannin)
Apricots    (tannin)
Kiwi   (tannin)
Pomegranates   ( tannin)
Onions

Other:
*This list is not complete.
Tea and coffee   (tannin)
Chocolate   (tyramine) + (phenylethylamine)
Coca    (phenylethylamine)
Alcohol,red wine    (phenylethylamine)
Beer of wine   (tyramine) + (histamine) + (tannin)
Cola drinks   (tyramine)
Caffine   (causes rebound headahes)
Pickles ( contains food additives)
Aspartame
Sodium Nitrate
Msg
Yellow Dye #5

*for further information please see:

Dr Jeffery Warber
http://www.jeffreywarber.com/hc%20pages/migrainediet.html
Vincent Pedre M.D,
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecomii_healthy_living/115/the-elimination-diet-discover-your-migraine-triggers.html
Shapero Headache Clinic Elimination Diet
http://shaperoheadache.com/self-help-tools/migraine-elimination-diet
Migraine Trigger List
http://www.ehow.com/facts_4840255_foods-that-cause-migraines.html
Food Additives
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/headache/could-food-additives-cause-my-migraines.htm
Food Additives & Migraines
http://www.headacheexpert.co.uk/foodadditivesandmigraineswhatyouneedtoknow.html

Tags: Histamine, Tyramine