The Migraine Diet Part II

I know a lot of people don't get migraines, but according to what I've read - 1 in 5 Americans do.

And almost everyone has had at least one headache at one time or another.

Therefore, I have to share THIS: The Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Headaches Through Diet.

This list is not just for migraineurs, but for anyone that suffers frequent headaches. You might be surprised at some of the common foods associated with headaches. The link also touches on the chemistry behind headaches, which I find very helpful.

I never realized I had such a high sensitivity to so many foods until recently - almost five years into my migraine episodes. And now that I'm paying more attention - it's astounding how almost every single food in the "Avoid" column causes headaches for me. Truly amazing.

It's worth perusing the list and tips at the bottom. Pass it around if you know someone who suffers from migraines - they may just find some relief through diet.

The only good migraine is the one that can be avoided!


:)

How to decaffeinate your own tea

It's been a little over two weeks now that I've been on the Migraine Diet and off caffeine. I'm surprised how truly good I feel.

Several years ago I went to a Tea Party. The only formal tea I've ever gone to in my life. The tea shop owner gave us a little class on tea and tea preparation before serving us delightful (and sugary) English finger foods on tiered platters accompanied by a variety of gourmet, naturally decaffeinated teas. One thing I never forgot is how she explained to us how easy it is to decaffeinate your own tea!

A quick internet search informed me that:

• Approximately 80% of the water soluble caffeine in tea is released during the first 30 seconds of brewing.

What's more, according to the tea shop lady, a whopping 94% of caffeine can be removed naturally in the first minute of brewing.


How To Decaffeinate Your Own Tea

• Simply pour a little boiling water over the tea leaves in your teapot (or teabag in your cup), allow the tea to steep for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then discard the liquid. Use the same tea leaves with fresh hot water to brew a close to fully decaffeinated cup of tea for drinking.

You will find this process highly effective, allowing you to enjoy the originally caffeinated teas you love without major concern over caffeine content. Test it for yourself and you will see that it works.

I can attest to the fact that is DOES work. I've been drinking my own decaffeinated English Breakfast tea for weeks. It tastes great with a little milk and sugar, but with a clean, no-caffeine feeling (if that, indeed, is what you're after).


Try it. You might be surprised.

:)

Are you a Sender or a Go-er?

Another goodie for the Body of Christ...

You Were Made for Global Missions

I've just discovered John Piper's YouTube channel. Can't stop listening.

I love the quote found there: "Only one life will soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

My two favorite homeschool quotes and a promise...

"How can you do any worse than an overworked, underpaid public school teacher with only 6 hours and 24-30 children to teach?"

"Never, never, never approach homeschooling with apprehension or impatience.

Do not let the system or in-laws cause you to fear and start pressuring the kids to perform.

Most importantly of all, it must be fun!"

"All your children shall be taught by the LORD,

and great shall be the peace of your children."

-Isaiah 54:13

:)

Temptation

This is what it looks like for me these days, thanks to the Migraine Diet.

homemade Brownies, Donuts, and Coffee

But I controlled myself. I did.

"for the fruit of the Spirit is...

self-control..."

It also helps to have a strong motivator like migraine pain and the avoidance thereof.

:)



Update - September 2010

Yes, we're still going to Argentina (Lord-willing).

We have received a lot of confirmation lately that we are indeed in the way.

BREAKING THE NEWS: We officially told our church - meaning the pastor and leadership (still working on telling the other 400 people one by one). We are still in complete awe at the response of support we have received. I can not express how this has made us feel, and because I am not eloquent, I won't even attempt it. All I can say is that we are very much encouraged in the LORD and very excited to see what the Lord does - He's up to something! This is getting very interesting and, of course, is very exciting.

We've decided that it's time to tell my mom (again, the only one in my family that does not yet know). Now to actually do it... hard.

UPCOMING TRIP: We are planning an exploratory trip to Argentina hopefully around March. We plan on spending some time in the area we believe God is calling us to, gathering as much information as we can (cost of living, names and visits to rental agencies, state of the economy, climate, spiritual climate, crime, etc), visiting churches, visiting the main city and outlying villages, and most importantly: talking to the people. Talking, talking, talking is the way things are done in Argentina. I'm sure we'll spend most of our time doing this! And, of course, sharing the Gospel as much as we can along the way. And seeing if this really is it. We fully expect that God will confirm and clarify one way or the other before we take the plunge. And, of course, we will also be spending some time with Tony's family. It's been five years since he's been back, six for me and the kids, and they haven't met Peace Baby since her grand entrance into the family. Mom and kids will need much prayer and strength to get through eating dinner at 10pm and going to bed at the earliest 12pm, night after night. Praying for divine intervention here.

FUNDRAISER/YARD SALE: Our Mission Fundraiser is still on, but we've decided to modify the time and place, for several reasons:

1. we live on a major road and were concerned about little kids running off into it, and
2. we were recently offered a place to host it, along with lots of help :D

Doing it in January gives us time to work on the details to do it big, and to do it well. Date and time TBD.

Decided instead to do a YARD SALE in October. Great way to begin to get rid of STUFF and earn some $$ to put towards the upcoming trip.

OTHER PREPARATIONS: We are chipping away at all the health stuff that we need to get done before we head out: dental work, check-ups, finding a migraine treatment that works, and, at our age, permanent birth control (big smile :)).

And seeing as I do feel called to continue homeschooling abroad, and en anglais, I am busy planning the rest of my children's education up until 12th grade - just to get an general idea where we are headed and what I need to take with us (which is years worth of stuff). So, stocking up on as many books as I can get a hold of that we just will not be able to get there. No books in English in Argentina, you know. Come to think of it, no homeschoolers either... no homeschool co-ops, no homeschool classes, no homeschool conventions... and (my favorite) no homeschool law!

some juicy children's books I found for $0.25 each - happy day!

Well, I'm sure there's other stuff, but don't know what they are right now. This no caffeine diet thing does not allow my brain to function at full capacity...

:)

The Migraine Diet

For years I've prayed, "LORD, I'll only go to the mission field if you heal me of these migraines. I can't go with these headaches. Please."

Well, time tempers a person.

The LORD hasn't healed me yet. I keep praying. We keep praying, keep asking. But, after four and a half years of suffering and no healing in sight, it's something I am just. learning. to live with.

So, the latest is my new Dr. suggesting the "Migraine Diet".

I'm desperate enough to actually give it a try.

All foods on this list are known, common triggers for migraines - half of them were already known to me, half were a complete surprise.

MIGRAINE DIET

NO caffeine of any kind (kill me now)

NO chocolate

NO ripened/aged cheeses (only cream cheese, farmer's cheese, and cottage allowed)

NO vinegar (except white)

NO nuts (including peanut butter, almond butter)

NO sour cream 

NO yogurt

NO fermented, pickled, or marinated anything (ie, wine, beer, pickles, soy sauce, marinated meats, etc.)

NO fermented sausage meats (salami, bologna, pepperoni, summer, hot dogs)

NO hot fresh breads, raised coffecakes, and doughnuts

NO pizza

NO MSG*

NO herring

NO pork

NO onions

NO pods of broad beans (lima, navy, pea pods)

NO citrus (or no more than 1 orange per day)

NO bananas (or no more than 1/2 per day)

NO canned figs

NO avocado

NO nutrasweet

NO red dye

*MSG (monosodium glutamate) is in most prepared foods. It is often disguised as Spice, Natural Flavor, Seasonings, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, among others. See full list here.

I would add sugar to this list, as well. Sugar headaches are bad.

Herring, pork, and bananas were a big surprise to me. That would explain why my Cranberry Pork Crockpot gave me a day long headache both times I made it.
 
So, what can I eat? Rice, pasta, veggies, eggs? (I foresee weight loss in my immediate future.)
 
I'm also weaning myself off of my beloved coffee. I am that desperate (wow, I've said desperate several times so far) that I am even willing to give up my second best friend: coffee. Sniff. I'm down to one very weak cup in the morning. Gag. It's almost not worth drinking.

I have to confess I do feel better. A little. My nerves are calmer, that's for sure. I am still getting headaches. Like the one I have right now. But, desperate times call for desperate measures. Especially if it means avoiding medications. Which I fully want to do. BUT, if this spartan diet doesn't work...

Give me drugs.

More from my new, coffee-free, semi-catatonic state later....

:)


The Migraine Diet (comprehensive version) = THE guide to preventing migraines through diet
relieve-migraine-headache.com  = a helpful link

Reason 1002 I Homeschool

Transcendental meditation taught in public schools:




But... it's probably not happenning in your area.

Not in our public schools... not here.

God uses the weak and apparently messed up

I just read this bio and it just cracks me up. I love how God uses the weak and apparently messed up. I fit right in lol! And this radio personality doesn't look anything like the overweight, out of shape, middle-aged man I imagined in my mind!

And because I am just brimming over these days with a plethora of free time, that's my post for this week.

:D

Amazing Testimony

Blogs are not for Moms with toddlers...

I have about 20 half-written posts that I haven't finished. No time. Too many interruptions. Such is the life of a home-educating mom with a toddler.

We started what promises to be a whirlwind year of home education almost a month ago now. Thus the drop off of posts any longer than this one will be. We have graduated from the "we can do all our schooling in the morning" to the "it takes all day" kind of homeschooling. Don't ask me why it takes all day. I have no idea. As my daughter said last night, "Because we don't listen to you?". Um, yeah, I've been meaning to get on that one... sigh. I'm just too tired right now.

It's madness. Truly. And God, who likes to confound the wise through the weak things of this world, has chosen in his wisdom to give me another, busy, energetic, fearless, LOUD, did I mention busy? child #3 that does. not. sleep. It seems ever. She's the last. Lord-willing. Tony has that appointment coming up soon. I do hope we make it. Another child would kill me, I'm sure of it. I prayed for the grace to have more, and got migraines and a couple of miscarriages instead. And that's okay. I am not God, I do not rule the world nor control life. I do love big families, just not for moi. Besides, I am not having a baby at 40 in Argentina. Been there, done that, and if I can help it, will not do that again.

You may see more of me again come April when my brain is fried, my inspiration has long since disappeared, and I've mentally checked out of homeschooling. That's why we start in the summer - I am done by March/April (okay, December).

Will my kids ever appreciate my sacrifice? Yes, I suppose they will. When they are 35. But that's okay. It's a calling, otherwise no one in their right mind would do it - it is insanity around here most days. I have the utmost admiration and respect for anybody that has more than the chaos-making number of three. And they homeschool. Well. And their house is CLEAN. All the time. You know, the eat-off-the-floor kind of clean. I've seen it. It's astounding.

Anyway...

Back to the books. I'll be around, just more sparingly. God has some surprises in store for us yet, it seems. Stay tuned.

:)