http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x47822This, from the cooking and baking forum on Skins's island:
BOSSHOG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 10:40 AM
Original message
Cooking for people with Migraine Headaches
My wife gets terrible migraines every now and then and she is altering her diet per stuff she reads about foods that promote migraines. Does anyone have any experience with this or recipes to cook for people with that ailment? Unfortunately (or fortunately) I have no such maladies and can eat damn near anything.
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 10:50 AM
Response to Original message
1. First, she needs to find out what her triggers really are by an elimination diet. It takes a very long time to do that and keeping a migraine diary is essential. She also needs to record where she is in her monthly cycle, if that still applies. A lot of migraines in women are purely hormonal.
Environmental things can also be triggers, anything from furniture polish to cigarette smoke to some molds and pollens.
Only by keeping a migraine diary will she be able to see what her triggers might be.
Migraines are horrible. My triggers are hormones, alcohol, cigarette smoke, and large quantities of chocolate. So much for a social life.
I wish her the best on finding her triggers. Once you identify them and eliminate them, you'll see the number of migraines decrease.
BOSSHOG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 10:54 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. Thanks for that information
I'm pretty sure hers is related to "hormonal." She avoids as much food processing stuff (MSG's etc) as possible and has recently taken citrus drinks out of her diet but your diary idea is a great idea and avoids the hit and miss stuff. She may have more info then she needs. Thanks again.
supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 11:13 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. Caffeine is a common culprit
But yes, keeping a diary of foods and your reactions is the best way to figure out what is happening to you.
BOSSHOG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 11:16 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. Catch-22 kinda
she gets headaches when she doesn't drink coffee in the morning. She is finding out what causes migraines instead of finding out what causes HER migraines. We will alter our search pattern accoringly.
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 12:17 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. Caffeine dependency is producing those headaches
Stopping a regular dose of caffeine suddenly will produce an intense headache often lasting a couple of days.
Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 12:16 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. Caffeine will also abort a migraine in a lot of people if you take it early enough, which is why Excedrin advertises it's for migraines.
The warped primitive's favorite word, above.
supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 10:58 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. Yes, I get auras
vision disturbances with my PMS.
These are usually quick, about an 1/2 hour or so. Though they don't feel good, they don't incapacitate me the way I know others suffer. It is worse if I've been drinking a lot of red wine and/or eating chocolate or caffeine for several days prior. But usually an aspirin will clear it up. I've had them since I was about 13/14.
Hmmm. Why do women tend to blame everything on PMS?
Don't they consider the real possibility it's not PMS, but that they're being hypochondrial?
kestrel91316 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 01:54 PM
Response to Reply #3
9. I usually just get the headaches. Twice in my life (both in the past 9 years)
I have had the visual disturbance with NO HEADACHE ATTACHED, lol. And only once have I ever had them together.
Until I had them together I didn't actually figure out I had MIGRAINES, lol. Just thought the headaches were part of life and the visual disturbances were, well, ZOMG A BRAIN TUMOR!!!
kestrel91316 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Wed Aug-13-08 01:51 PM
Response to Reply #1
8. I had one recently that I'm sure was caused by a combination of red wine, a lot of dark chocolate, and smoked herring.
Hmmmm.......won't be doing THAT one again anytime soon........
