Food Allergies and Food Intolerance

[Witness1970]

Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as digestive problems, hives, or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis.

Food allergy affects an estimated 8% of children under age 5 and up to 4% of adults. While there's no cure, some children outgrow their food allergies as they get older.

It's easy to confuse a food allergy with a much more common reaction known as food intolerance. While bothersome, food intolerance is a less serious condition that does not involve the immune system. (Copied from Mayo Clinic website)

 

When I was very young, I had an unusual reaction whenever I ate mayonnaise.  At first, one side of my lip would swell or one of my eyes would swell.  Later it became a double whammy.  One of my eyes would swell and the opposite side of my lip would swell (right eye and left side of the lip, or left eye and right side of the lip.)  As I recall, it would usually be the upper lip.  (It was in the 1960s when this happened, and my memory is not perfect.)  People seemed to doubt it when I said It was caused by mayonnaise.  I once ate 1/2 of a pear with mayonnaise and cheese with a school lunch without thinking. After school, my lip swelled.  It seems that as I got older these things never happened again.

 

Most people think of eggs when I mention an allergy to mayonnaise, but there are other possibilities.  

Copied from https://www.healthline.com/health/mayonnaise-allergy#ingredients

Other possible allergens in mayonnaise

Although the most common allergen in mayonnaise in egg, it’s possible in rare cases to be allergic to some of the other ingredients, including:

soybean oil, due to a soy allergy, especially if it’s expeller pressed or cold pressed

lemon juice, due to a citrus allergy

vinegar, due to a sulfite allergy

mustard, due to a mustard allergy

 

When I was very small I did not like cheese.  When I was around 12 years old, I started eating cheeseburgers.  a lot.  I started having migraine headaches.  What I called a migraine headache was a series of symptoms.  First, my eyes would blur.  After about 10 or 15 minutes my vision would clear up.  Then I had about 10 or 15 more minutes and I would get a severe headache (could hardly stand light or sound) and severe nausea.  Without getting too graphic, I would be running for the bathroom every 15 minutes.  I would be in the bathroom heaving every 15 minutes after my stomach was empty.  

 

I realized that cheese had been the culprit at first.  I could eat cheese occasionally but if I ate it a couple of times a week, I would get sick.  I had stopped eating cheese and the migraines stopped for a while.  Later, the migraines started again, and coffee was the only common element in my diet that coincided with those occurrences.  (I once told a doctor that I knew what caused my migraine headaches.  He shut me down saying "Everyone thinks they know what causes migraine headaches".  I said the same thing to another doctor.  He stopped writing and seemed to be listening.  I continued by saying "Cheese and coffee causes my migraine headaches."  He said, "Wow! Almost no one figures that out" and continued, "Cheese produces tyramine as it ages, and tyramine and coffee contains caffeine. Tyramine and coffee are baso-reactants, which cause migraine headaches."

 

The migraines finally went away in my mid-30's.  I sometime see spots and get a minor headache with nausea, but never the severe symptoms I used to have.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Witness1970
Added (Copied from Mayo Clinic website)

[Dages]

If I became allergic to cheese, I'd be sad 

[Qapla]

I am allergic to Aspartame (an artificial sweetener, sold under brand names such as NutraSweet® and Equal®). It only takes a small amount of it to cause my reaction and the reaction will start within minutes of ingestion.

 

So far, if I unknowingly ingest some, it has not been life-threatening and does not have any visible results like hives, rash, swollen areas or the like - however, it does cause problems with my vision, balance and a general feeling of unease.

 

I try to be extremely careful to avoid foods with artificial sweeteners in them since I am not sure what other such substances will also cause problems - having experienced how Nutrasweet makes me feel, I have no desire to experiment with foods containing artificial sweeteners.

 

 

[Tortuga]

3 minutes ago, Qapla said:

an artificial sweetener

You are what you eat and you are naturally sweet...😁

[Witness1970]

30 minutes ago, Dages said:

If I became allergic to cheese, I'd be sad

My problem with cheese went away when I was about 35.  Sometimes food allergies can be caused by food that was not fed to infants.  People avoid feeding peanut butter to infants and when they get a little older, they develop an allergy to peanut butter.  I never ate cheese until I was about 12 and that may have contributed to the problem.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Witness1970
rewrote second sentence

[computerwiz]

Generally food allergies can be attributed to the following things:

1. A lack of certain bacteria needed to digest it.  This generally shows up with as digestive issues.
2. Taking heartburn medicine, so now food proteins look differently than they used to.  Without sufficient acid, the proteins don't break down the same way.  Taking heartburn medicine gives you a 15% chance of developing a new food allergy.
3. Too much toxins in your system.  Your immune system has to deal with toxins.  And so it gets "madder and madder" as the toxins build up.  Your immune system will then react to non-harmful substances....also known as allergens.  This can also manifest itself as auto-immune disorders.
4. A special sensitivity to toxins in the food you eat.

You'll have to determine which one applies to you.  But all can be addressed & cured, except for #4...

 

My wife used to have a gluten intolerance & lactose intolerance, but now she can eat both just fine.  I used to take allergy medicine every single day, but now I don't take any at all.  Just some Hista-Min on occasion.  I need to do more detoxing...  

[Pabo]

Since I was young, I couldn't eat peanut butter. Even if the peanuts were ground fresh in a grinding machine, I couldn't eat it. Just the tasting it would just make me gag, or the smell of it makes me nauseated, and if did swallow it if it got past my throat, I would just vomit until there was no more liquid in my stomach. It only happened twice where it got into my stomach, once in hospital where they accidentally passed me a slice of toast where the kitchen staff had used a knife to spread peanut butter before they used it to spread vegemite, and the other time when I was also young, a couple of mates held me down and forced fed me some peanut butter thinking that I only fooling them. They never did it again after they saw how I reacted to it, it really scared them and always made sure after that never to have peanut butter around.

 

The funniest and weirdest thing of all, I do eat peanuts (or any other nuts), raw, salted or roasted, even in satay, or cooked in dishes. But I just cannot eat not peanut butter, even if the peanut butter is an ingredient in a dish or a recipe, it can be unpredictable in how I react to that meal.

 

Apparently my step-daughter was talking to a fellow workmate (they are both chef's) about my issue with peanut butter, and he said that when peanuts are ground, there is a chemical that is formed but it is very minuscule amounts that no one will notice it, but I must be highly sensitive too. But when I eat peanuts themselves and I am actually grinding them in my mouth by chewing, you normally do not grind it in your mouth for long enough for this reaction to happen and that also the saliva stops that chemical reaction. Her work colleague's had a family member who suffers from this as well, as they were too not allergic to nuts either like myself.

Edited April 27, 2023 by Pabo

[bobby]

the first time i every heard of food allergies was in the 90's i was working at Little Caesars

when a mom with 2 kids came in and order a pizza with out tomato sauce 

looking back at my life i see that my mom had some food allergies as well we would go to a favorite restaurant in Mall

and order dinner, shortly after she would eat she would be come very exhausted, and when we got home she would sleep

all night and most of the next day

[computerwiz]

3 hours ago, bobby said:

the first time i every heard of food allergies was in the 90's i was working at Little Caesars

when a mom with 2 kids came in and order a pizza with out tomato sauce 

looking back at my life i see that my mom had some food allergies as well we would go to a favorite restaurant in Mall

and order dinner, shortly after she would eat she would be come very exhausted, and when we got home she would sleep

all night and most of the next day

 

The 90s is about when Round Up started getting into all our food. Maybe a little earlier.

 

That's no coincidence. It is the cause of many subtle problems, including allergies. It tears up our intestines, causing leaky gut.  Not enough to kill or hospitalize. Just enough to cause our immune system to spend energy cleaning up.

 

And most recently, it's the cause of Gluten issues because farmers learned if they spray Round Up just before harvesting, the grain is released more easily.

 

Those with gluten issues amazingly can eat it fine when visiting countries where Round Up is banned. And now you know why..... 

[Witness1970]

On 4/26/2023 at 11:14 AM, Tortuga said:

You are what you eat and you are naturally sweet...😁

Are you saying that he eats natural sweetener?

[Anakalia]

On 4/26/2023 at 11:28 AM, computerwiz said:

Generally food allergies can be attributed to the following things:

1. A lack of certain bacteria needed to digest it.  This generally shows up with as digestive issues.
2. Taking heartburn medicine, so now food proteins look differently than they used to.  Without sufficient acid, the proteins don't break down the same way.  Taking heartburn medicine gives you a 15% chance of developing a new food allergy.
3. Too much toxins in your system.  Your immune system has to deal with toxins.  And so it gets "madder and madder" as the toxins build up.  Your immune system will then react to non-harmful substances....also known as allergens.  This can also manifest itself as auto-immune disorders.
4. A special sensitivity to toxins in the food you eat.

You'll have to determine which one applies to you.  But all can be addressed & cured, except for #4...

 

My wife used to have a gluten intolerance & lactose intolerance, but now she can eat both just fine.  I used to take allergy medicine every single day, but now I don't take any at all.  Just some Hista-Min on occasion.  I need to do more detoxing...  

I should like to add #5. Mast Cell Activation (Syndrome, Disorder). It's a rare disorder...even the NIH's Rare And Genetic Diseases organization has very little info about it on their website. Describing it here would take awhile. MCAS causes (among other things) allergic symptoms in response to many triggers, including foods, and can be very challenging to treat, even to diagnose. In my family it is considered a common co-morbid condition along with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) which I and most of my children have.

For me, allergic reactions to so many things now has it so that I am unable to enter any public buildings, and even many non-public buildings, like homes of friends & relatives - unless they have worked hard to keep it free of my known triggers. That only works until something new triggers an attack & we don't know that until it happens. So even when I'm going to familiar places (very few of them) (sadly) I must go with epi-pens (plural), antihistamines (plural), & steroids (again, plural) so help can be provided to keep me breathing or stabilize my heartrate before emergency care can get to me or me to them. It's easier to not go anywhere, and safer too.

Zoom has been such a wonderful option for me! I shall miss the zoom assemblies & conventions. 

[computerwiz]

10 hours ago, Anakalia said:

I should like to add #5. Mast Cell Activation (Syndrome, Disorder). It's a rare disorder...even the NIH's Rare And Genetic Diseases organization has very little info about it on their website. Describing it here would take awhile. MCAS causes (among other things) allergic symptoms in response to many triggers, including foods, and can be very challenging to treat, even to diagnose. In my family it is considered a common co-morbid condition along with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) which I and most of my children have.

For me, allergic reactions to so many things now has it so that I am unable to enter any public buildings, and even many non-public buildings, like homes of friends & relatives - unless they have worked hard to keep it free of my known triggers. That only works until something new triggers an attack & we don't know that until it happens. So even when I'm going to familiar places (very few of them) (sadly) I must go with epi-pens (plural), antihistamines (plural), & steroids (again, plural) so help can be provided to keep me breathing or stabilize my heartrate before emergency care can get to me or me to them. It's easier to not go anywhere, and safer too.

Zoom has been such a wonderful option for me! I shall miss the zoom assemblies & conventions. 

 

Sister Andee,

 

One thing I love about my functional doctor is he says we are not doomed to our genetics. I would be interested in digging into your situation if you have the time.

 

First thing I would check, with such an extreme reaction, is if you have heavy metal poisoning. Second thing I would check is if you have a leaky gut. Both of these things will aggravate the immune system and give rise to allergies and autoimmune disorders. 

 

https://shop.testing.com/test/heavy-metal-basic-24-hour-urine-test-kit/

 

Now I don't know if that test is the best or cheapest, so perhaps ask your doctor. As far as testing for leaky gut, my functional doctor took some of my blood and put it under a microscope and showed me. So you'd have to research that one...

 

Now it is possible that it is indeed completely your genetics. But based on everything I've learned in the past few months, I'd want to dig deeper...

 

 

[bagwell1987]

As I age I discover why I didn't like certain foods when younger. I was allergic. At one point about 4 years ago I was bloated and my breathing was so bad I struggled to work. It was suggested that I was allergic to night shade foods. So I found out what that meant and eliminated all offending veg and felt better. But I didn't know there was associated fruits as well. I learned this when I ate strawberries at RC, oh my word, I should have just gone home, I was suffocating. 

So since then I've been extremely cautious, rarely eating out because pepper, red pepper flakes are put into so many foods without thought. Or sirracha or tomato sauce.....

I eat simple with home farmed meats. I still sneak something in like 1 piece of pepperjack cheese this morning, yup I'm struggling a bit but I don't have to move too much today and I can flush it out with lots of water 🙄 I know, I know what an idiot!

In the NS imna eat sourdough toast, roasted red peppers and onions and a huge bowl of strawberries and grapefruit!! Ruby red grapefruit!

[computerwiz]

On 4/26/2023 at 10:09 AM, Qapla said:

I am allergic to Aspartame (an artificial sweetener, sold under brand names such as NutraSweet® and Equal®). It only takes a small amount of it to cause my reaction and the reaction will start within minutes of ingestion.

 

So far, if I unknowingly ingest some, it has not been life-threatening and does not have any visible results like hives, rash, swollen areas or the like - however, it does cause problems with my vision, balance and a general feeling of unease.

 

I try to be extremely careful to avoid foods with artificial sweeteners in them since I am not sure what other such substances will also cause problems - having experienced how Nutrasweet makes me feel, I have no desire to experiment with foods containing artificial sweeteners.

 

Sigh....here's news for the day (and an explanation for your results):

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Qapla]

2 hours ago, computerwiz said:

here's news for the day (and an explanation for your results)

 

While it may be that Aspartame could break down into something harmful once digested, it is doubtful this breakdown could happen in 30-120 seconds ... yet, my effects start that fast!

 

I do not think the metabolization of Aspartame explains my results ... allergy does - my problems start long before any conversion to a poisonous substance could even begin, let alone be completed.

 

 

[computerwiz]

1 minute ago, Qapla said:

While it may be that Aspartame could break down into something harmful once digested, it is doubtful this breakdown could happen in 30-120 seconds ... yet, my effects start that fast!

 

I do not think the metabolization of Aspartame explains my results ... allergy does - my problems start long before any conversion to a poisonous substance could even begin, let alone be completed.

 

Maybe your body is one of the super smart ones and knows how aspartame is gonna end up!  👀

 

Just kidding....but fun to think of it that way...  

[Esined]

On 5/7/2023 at 12:40 PM, computerwiz said:

Now I don't know if that test is the best or cheapest, so perhaps ask your doctor. As far as testing for leaky gut, my functional doctor took some of my blood and put it under a microscope and showed me. So you'd have to research that one...

 

Now it is possible that it is indeed completely your genetics. But based on everything I've learned in the past few months, I'd want to dig deeper...

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a genetic connective tissue disorder. I recently found out I have it too. It isn’t curable or reversible unfortunately. A reductive explanation is that our bodies don’t make enough collagen. This would seem like

it could definitely contribute to intestinal permeability/leaky gut. Which could maybe explain why people who have it are also likely to have MCAS and autoimmune disorders (which I also have).

@Anakalia I’m so so sorry you’re dealing with such severe reactions! I was only recently diagnosed with MCAS and EDS. I don’t go into respiratory anaphylaxis fortunately so I’ve never had to use an epi-pen. My reactions mostly take the form of severe, sudden onset episodes of neuropsych symptoms, especially certain times of year, and I always carry Benadryl on me for those bc it’s the only thing that will stop them once they start. Since starting daily H1/H2 antihistamines and cromolyn sodium I am soooo grateful that so far, I haven’t had any of those yet and I usually have them in June. Have you read anything about vagus nerve stimulation and MCAS? I have also found a lot of relief with eliminating gluten & dairy, red light therapy (thanks @computerwiz for turning me on to this!) and taking daily supplements incl omega-3 fish oil, turmeric, and quercetin/bromelain/stinging nettle. 

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by Esined

[computerwiz]

1 hour ago, Esined said:

reductive explanation is that our bodies don’t make enough collagen.

 

Could it be that the "bill" your body chooses not to pay is collagen production?

 

We get 20% of the energy we need from food. And in order to do anything, our cells require raw energy. We think we only get that from food, but that's not true.

 

Just like we all prioritize how to spend our money, and at times, may need to neglect some bills, our body's DNA decides what "bills" to pay. And since we are all energy deficient (does anyone wake up booming with energy these days?) we all are going to have bodily functions that are non-optimal, or even defunct.

 

You said the red light therapy has helped in some way. Red light provides energy, and therefore directly promotes cellular healing & function. If you're noticed some improvement from it, why stop there?

 

One of the biggest ways to get raw energy is by being directly connected to the earth. Standing/walking barefoot on the grass (not concrete) for at least an hour a day can have noticable effects. Even better would be sleeping on a grounding mat.

 

And if you're already doing that, there's several other ways to get needed energy and prevent loss of it. But bottom line is, dysfunction usually stems from lack of cellular energy. The DNA can say how your body is going to prioritize things. But are we doomed to dysfunction by DNA? Sometimes, sure. Though I haven't had enough personal experience exploring this concept of cellular voltage to know how far it reaches. I just know my functional doctor treats everyone based on that, and he has a lot of success...

 

All I know is following this concept & fixing leaky gut has cured me of allergies (among other things). And for someone who has had to take allergy medicine every single day for the past 25 years...that speaks volumes. And that's without the shots. 👀

[Witness1970]

On 4/26/2023 at 10:36 AM, Witness1970 said:

The migraines finally went away in my mid-30's.  I sometime see spots and get a minor headache with nausea, but never the severe symptoms I used to have.

New development with the migraine headaches.  I was conducting Zoom Field Service every Thursday and Friday.  My congregation had Field Service every day except Thursday and liked the idea.  I conducted Field Service from the first week in January 2022, until the last week in August 2022.  My health was deteriorating during this time and I had to stop at the end of August—headaches, dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms.  I was having daily headaches from August 2022 until August 2023.  I did not associate them with migraines because I thought they were long gone and the symptoms differed.

 

December 2023, I got up at about 5 AM and was in the restroom.  Suddenly, I felt dizzy, the right side of my upper lip was burning and I felt nauseated.  I stood in the restroom leaning against the wall until the dizziness went away which took a few minutes.  I waited a while but finally called the doctor. When I finally did call, they told me to go straight to the emergency room.  They ran some tests and I went home.

 

On March 10, it happened again.  Again it was the right side of my upper lip, dizziness, and nausea.  This time I went to the ER.  It was on Sunday and I could not call the doctor.  I ended up staying all day on the 10th and overnight for testing.  The drawback was that they could not do an MRI because I have a pacemaker and one of the leads was not tested for MRI compatibility.  Same as before, none of the other tests indicated a stroke which was what was suspected because of the symptoms.  I was in the hospital for about 33 hours.  Before I left the neurologist mentioned migraine headaches.  He said that migraine headache symptoms could sometimes mimic the symptoms of a stroke.  I had not thought about migraine headaches because it had been 40 years since I had them regularly and because the symptoms were so different.  The neurologist also said that migraine headache symptoms could change over time.  He came up with this without knowing that I had been having migraine headaches 40 years earlier.

 

I turned 75 on March 11, so I joke with people that I was 74 when I went into the hospital, but I was 75 when I got out.

 

I am now looking into other things that might trigger migraines.  Although caffeine causes migraines, they say that suddenly reducing caffeine can also cause migraines.  I drink less than two cups a day (coffee cups, not measuring cups--coffee cups can hold about 3 measuring cups).  I am also looking into other food items that contain Tyramine, which is one of the triggers.  It is only aged cheese that causes the migraines.  American cheese, cottage cheese, Ricotta, and cream cheese do not contain tyramine.  But tyramine is in a lot of food.  

Here are some foods to be cautious about:

Aged Cheeses: Cheddar, blue cheese, gorgonzola, camembert, and brie are examples of aged cheeses that contain tyramine.
Aged, Fermented, and Smoked Meats: Salami, pepperoni, summer sausage, jerky, and other cured meats fall into this category.
Fermented Soy Products: Miso, tofu, and soy sauce can also be high in tyramine.
Kimchi and Sauerkraut: These fermented cabbage dishes are best consumed in moderation.
Fermented or Spoiled Fruits and Vegetables: Be cautious with foods that have undergone fermentation or spoilage.
Nuts and Peanut Butter: While nuts are generally healthy, they can contain tyramine, so it’s wise to limit their consumption.

Fermented beverages like wine.

 

  It was always coffee that caused the migraines.  Other things that contained caffeine (like chocolate or tea) never seemed to trigger the migraines.  However, the triggers may have changed over time.  I am right now trying to identify what triggers the migraines.

 

I hope I can find a few items I can eat that do not cause migraines.  I have seen one very boring diet designed to eliminate migraines.

[computerwiz]

1 hour ago, Witness1970 said:

New development with the migraine headaches.  I was conducting Zoom Field Service every Thursday and Friday.  My congregation had Field Service every day except Thursday and liked the idea.  I conducted Field Service from the first week in January 2022, until the last week in August 2022.  My health was deteriorating during this time and I had to stop at the end of August—headaches, dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms.  I was having daily headaches from August 2022 until August 2023.  I did not associate them with migraines because I thought they were long gone and the symptoms differed.

 

December 2023, I got up at about 5 AM and was in the restroom.  Suddenly, I felt dizzy, the right side of my upper lip was burning and I felt nauseated.  I stood in the restroom leaning against the wall until the dizziness went away which took a few minutes.  I waited a while but finally called the doctor. When I finally did call, they told me to go straight to the emergency room.  They ran some tests and I went home.

 

On March 10, it happened again.  Again it was the right side of my upper lip, dizziness, and nausea.  This time I went to the ER.  It was on Sunday and I could not call the doctor.  I ended up staying all day on the 10th and overnight for testing.  The drawback was that they could not do an MRI because I have a pacemaker and one of the leads was not tested for MRI compatibility.  Same as before, none of the other tests indicated a stroke which was what was suspected because of the symptoms.  I was in the hospital for about 33 hours.  Before I left the neurologist mentioned migraine headaches.  He said that migraine headache symptoms could sometimes mimic the symptoms of a stroke.  I had not thought about migraine headaches because it had been 40 years since I had them regularly and because the symptoms were so different.  The neurologist also said that migraine headache symptoms could change over time.  He came up with this without knowing that I had been having migraine headaches 40 years earlier.

 

I turned 75 on March 11, so I joke with people that I was 74 when I went into the hospital, but I was 75 when I got out.

 

I am now looking into other things that might trigger migraines.  Although caffeine causes migraines, they say that suddenly reducing caffeine can also cause migraines.  I drink less than two cups a day (coffee cups, not measuring cups--coffee cups can hold about 3 measuring cups).  I am also looking into other food items that contain Tyramine, which is one of the triggers.  It is only aged cheese that causes the migraines.  American cheese, cottage cheese, Ricotta, and cream cheese do not contain tyramine.  But tyramine is in a lot of food.  

Here are some foods to be cautious about:

Aged Cheeses: Cheddar, blue cheese, gorgonzola, camembert, and brie are examples of aged cheeses that contain tyramine.
Aged, Fermented, and Smoked Meats: Salami, pepperoni, summer sausage, jerky, and other cured meats fall into this category.
Fermented Soy Products: Miso, tofu, and soy sauce can also be high in tyramine.
Kimchi and Sauerkraut: These fermented cabbage dishes are best consumed in moderation.
Fermented or Spoiled Fruits and Vegetables: Be cautious with foods that have undergone fermentation or spoilage.
Nuts and Peanut Butter: While nuts are generally healthy, they can contain tyramine, so it’s wise to limit their consumption.

Fermented beverages like wine.

 

  It was always coffee that caused the migraines.  Other things that contained caffeine (like chocolate or tea) never seemed to trigger the migraines.  However, the triggers may have changed over time.  I am right now trying to identify what triggers the migraines.

 

I hope I can find a few items I can eat that do not cause migraines.  I have seen one very boring diet designed to eliminate migraines.

 

Sorry to hear about all your troubles. ☹️

 

Have you tried avoiding MSG? I had a supervisor that would get migraines from that. And it's known to "excite brain cells to death" if you have too much...

[Dages]

I think I'm becoming lactose intolerant... ouch...

[Witness1970]

12 hours ago, computerwiz said:

 

Sorry to hear about all your troubles. ☹️

 

Have you tried avoiding MSG? I had a supervisor that would get migraines from that. And it's known to "excite brain cells to death" if you have too much...

In all that long post I forgot to mention that MSG and nitrates were also said to be a trigger for migraines.

[computerwiz]

3 hours ago, Witness1970 said:

In all that long post I forgot to mention that MSG and nitrates were also said to be a trigger for migraines.

 

Indeed.  Though you have to wonder "why are some people affected by such triggers but not others?".

 

As my functional doctor likes to point out, it's not external factors, but internal.  And usually we can figure it out if we not stuck in modern medicine's mantra of matching "the pill to the ill".

 

How's your cholesterol levels?  How much fat do you eat in your food?  Our brains are 40% fat & cholesterol and need such to make happy & healthy brain cells...

[Witness1970]

19 hours ago, computerwiz said:

 

Indeed.  Though you have to wonder "why are some people affected by such triggers but not others?".

 

As my functional doctor likes to point out, it's not external factors, but internal.  And usually we can figure it out if we not stuck in modern medicine's mantra of matching "the pill to the ill".

 

How's your cholesterol levels?  How much fat do you eat in your food?  Our brains are 40% fat & cholesterol and need such to make happy & healthy brain cells...

My cholesterol levels are not high.  They are on the high side of the normal range.  My GP did mention that lower cholesterol might help to stop the migraines.  

 

I don't eat an excessive amount of fat.  My wife makes sure of that.  I am not a bacon-lover.  It is OK, but I can take it or leave it.

[computerwiz]

4 hours ago, Witness1970 said:

My GP did mention that lower cholesterol might help to stop the migraines.  

 

Sounds like he's guessing.  🙃

 

Your body makes 80% of the cholesterol that you have.  So if it is elevated, you have to ask "why is my body increasing my cholesterol?".  Your body isn't stupid.  It's just doing the best it can to survive with the cards it has been dealt.  --Dr. Kevin Lenderman

 

 

 

Please do a deep dive into cholesterol before you take that advice...

 

https://jwtalk.net/topic/54763-worth-noting-medicine-science/?do=findComment&comment=925761

 

 

 

Now approaching this from a holistic perspective, here's things you may need to do:

 

Diet and Nutrition: Holistic doctors may emphasize the role of diet and nutrition in triggering migraines. Certain foods and additives, such as MSG, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, and alcohol, are believed to be potential triggers for some individuals. They may recommend dietary changes to eliminate these triggers and promote overall health.

 

Hormonal Imbalance: Fluctuations in hormones, particularly estrogen, are often cited as triggers for migraines, especially in women. Holistic practitioners may focus on balancing hormones through lifestyle changes, supplements, and natural remedies.

 

Stress and Emotional Factors: Emotional stress, anxiety, and tension are frequently associated with migraine onset. Holistic doctors may explore stress reduction techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and counseling to help manage emotional triggers.

 

Toxic Overload: Some holistic approaches attribute migraines to the body's inability to effectively eliminate toxins. Detoxification protocols, such as fasting, dietary cleanses, or specific supplements, may be recommended to support the body's natural detoxification processes.

 

Structural Issues: Holistic doctors may also consider structural imbalances or dysfunctions in the body, such as misalignments in the spine or tight muscles, as potential contributors to migraines. Techniques like chiropractic adjustments, osteopathy, or massage therapy may be recommended to address these issues.

 

Nutritional Deficiencies: Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and coenzyme Q10, have been linked to migraines. Holistic practitioners may recommend supplementation or dietary changes to address these deficiencies.

 

 

I recommend looking into a detoxification protocol like the ionic footbaths.  They work, and I can vouch for that if needed.  The rest of the above I would suggest talking to a holistic doctor and seeing what they think.  Even perhaps doing bloodwork for the vitamins & minerals if possible and seeing if any are deficient in you.

 

The key is to believe that there is a solution out there.  Again, your body isn't stupid, it's crying out to you that something is wrong.  It's just a matter of figuring it out.  And traditional doctors are just looking to match the pill to the ill.  But you're not deficient in any man-made chemical....  Don't forget that.  😉

 

One other scary possibility would be a brain tumor.  But I assume you ruled that out already....