Kitchen

[qualitygal]

Ok for sympathy, I'm sending hugs, and one more thought, can you see a nutritionist? Maybe they can help. ???? @house_cat

[violann]

Ah yes. The longer the restriction list, the harder to adapt the list to your previous eating style.

When I was faced with a somewhat similar situation, it helped me some to make a list of everything I COULD eat, and do meal planning from that perspective, instead of constantly reviewing what I COULDN'T eat.

Once you start to make progress getting your migraines under control, your lack of suffering will become reinforcement that will hopefully sustain your progress with your new eating regime. (Bold print unintentional - but I hope the statement is true for you!)

[Poodlepet2]

Violann, great idea! Housecat, tell us what you can eat and let's see what we can all come up with.... how long do you have to stay on this and when can you start adding foods back to test for reactions?  Once you can begin adding foods back, what's the window of time ( 1, 2, 3 days)? Let's say you have a headache after eating tomatoes, is that entire botanical family excluded, or do you start testing other foods within that family ?

Hugs,

Poodlepet2

[house_cat]

Thanks for the advice and sympathy, forum friends.  I've been feeling a little too sorry for myself, lol, but I do understand that this experiment is for my own good.

It's not random - here's how it works.  There are many foods which have proven to be migraine triggers.  The biggest offenders among them are:

nuts

chocolate

cheese

lunchmeats and other processed meats

nightshade vegetables

eggs

bananas

dried fruit

tomatoes

artificial sweeteners

caffeine - in some cases

eggplant

potatoes

yeast

wheat

I may have missed a couple, but that's a good part of the list.

In addition to those, there is current research that shows a link between gluten and migraines, as people with gluten intolerance are much more likely to be migraine sufferers. 

So, my doctor recommends a month of this exclusion diet, after which time I can start adding back one food at a time.  It's discouraging because after a week and a half, I see no change whatsoever, other than the loss of 4 or 5 pounds, which in itself is good, since I'm about 25 lbs overweight at this time.

[violann]

@house_cat- this may seem like a tiny nudgy point, but tell us what you CAN eat, especially foods you enjoy?

For example, I love egg whites, mixed berries, ghee, chicken breasts, spinach, etc.

After starting my program, I found that chicken breasts in a berry sauce is yummy. 

You said "artificial sweeteners" are taboo. Does your doctor's list allow molasses, maple syrup, agave syrup, stevia?

WOW, can you have fresh tropical fruit? 

Beans?

Your forum friends want to know!! nn

[house_cat]

@violann

I like chicken and I'll eat a good steak to mix it up a bit.  Ground beef is okay, as is turkey and pork, as long as none of it is processed.  I like fish, but shell fish is a no-no.

I like rice and oats are okay for me, too.  I make oat flour drop biscuits, they're not the best, but it's better than nothing.  Dark green veggies are on my GOOD LIST, yay, and so are "cooked orange vegetables".  

Olive oil is good, coconut oil is NOT.  I like beans, but lentils are not allowed, neither are limas. I think kidney and black beans are okay.. I need to look into that further.

Thanks for your help.  I've just arrived at work, so I won't be in touch again until late this afternoon or tonight.

Wishing you all a pleasant Friday :-)

[Poodlepet2]

House at, you have been through so very much this year-but waving that aside, I think you deserve to feel a wee bit sorry for yourself with the migraines and this exclusion diet.  You are being proactive though, and if it is an offending food that contributes, a big part of your battle will be won.

A few ideas I had got nixed out because they are on your list, but here are a couple of ideas.  I don't recall seeing eggs on your list of can't have", but many vegans use flax meal. You might have to look this one up, but I know giving it time to absorb liquid is essential

.

With that in mind, if you can have flax meal, this is one of my favorite quick recipes that ought to turn out and can be made sweet or savory.

Mug "cake"

2 TB flax meal

2TB oat flour

1egg

about 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Add enough rice milk ( easily made in a blender-online recipes abound) to make either a cake-like or muffin batter.  Mix in a microwave safe mug and cook on high for 1 1/2  minutes.  You can make it savory by adding herbs, or make it sweet by adding the sweetener you are allowed. If sweet, I usually add some sort of extract and Stevie, but I assume extracts are off limits....but I love mine with a little chopped apple and cinnamon. Oh-important-about a teaspoon of butter or oil needs to be in the batter.

This could also be turned into pancakes OR use it in place of bread.

Ripe mashed avocados with a little lemon and smidge of salt is an excellent mayo replacement-and it's so much healthier.  I have other ideas, but I have a doctor's appt and I need to run. Please tell us if you can have onions and garlic...

Hugs,

Poodlepet2

[violann]

Super recipe @Poodlepet2! My DH, Mr. Fussy, LOVES IT, and with applesauce and cinnamon, yummy!

[Poodlepet2]

I love the basic mug cake recipe too! I have it at least once a day. I have never made I with out flour, but I think it would work. I either use almond meal or coconut flour and I use almond milk or coconut milk to thin it out.  I have never tried baking it in a conventional oven in a muffin tin, but I'm sure it work.

There are all kinds of potential "stir-ins" like zucchini, raisins o dtes

This next idea is untested, but you could possibly use it as a pat-in-the pan crust and use it for chicken pot pie.  In order to make a creamy sauce, you cnn mash canned beans such as channeling-it really is good!

Poodlepet2

[LTT1]

@house_cat

I eat

Apples/Amy's GF -- check for MSG and avoid if you can.

I do fine with rice-based, but too much rich food causes problems.

Find a list of allowed and try two things that appeal to you. For me it's salmon and tuna. Buckwheat cereal and GF oatmeal. 

I'm sorry you are having to quit it all at once, but perhaps you will really be able to nail it down so you will know what to expect for the rest of your life.