Is it dairy, grapefruit or my multi vitamin?

Obsessed by a fairy tale, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace.
Eugene O'Neill


I personally know there is no magic door. But I believe there is a kingdom of peace. I refer to it as EVEN.




TODAY'S POST -

While I was in the midst of my GI tests in December, I did dairy free fasting as part of that process. When I reduced my dairy intake, I felt like I noticed a decline in bloating and gas. I would have thought I had a normal amount of bloating and gas (for how many veggies I eat) prior to that week. But after that week, was not so sure.

Earlier this month I went through a spell of headaches.

Then the headaches stopped.

I went several days with no headaches and then had one evening where it reappeared as if someone had flipped a switch, instant/severe headache.

I just happened to realize that the day of the switch flip, I had taken my multi vitamin, eaten grapefruit and had yogurt. I realized on the previous headache free days I had not consumed any of those, and on the previous headache days I thought I remembered consuming all three.

So almost two weeks ago I stopped eating yogurt and grapefruit. I took my multi vitamin all that week. No headaches.

I am not reintroducing grapefruit as I have a problem getting stuck on grapefruit (and bananas). Getting stuck means I think about them too much, one is not enough. Getting stuck  also means they have rebound effect. When I limit myself to one a day (those items) and am still thinking more, More, MORE,  I then want more of other foods as well. So, I am very happily linking grapefruit = headache in my mind. I accept any help that comes my way and I consider this help.

This whole time, I had been having 1/2 cup skim milk on my oatmeal each morning and noticed no issues.

Last week, I slowly reintroduced regular, plain, low fat yogurt and walnuts. Slowly as in every other day. And as I write that I realized that when I did not eat yogurt, I also did not eat walnuts as I always eat the two together, so there is actually another factor in there. I also realized I had been eating Greek (Fage) 2% yogurt while at Mayo and since we returned from Mayo. So there is yet another factor. I ate Fage wihle at Mayo to get as much protein in as easily as possible.  I did not reintroduce Fage. I did reintroduce the regular store brand low fat that I used to eat (when I had no headaches in past years).

So far, no headaches.


PS -
I lived with severe migraines and all kinds of other problems in my fat days. I do not live that way any more.  My expectation is to have no pain and no issues every day. When I notice pain or an issue I look to see WHY.  I don't take it personally. I do not dwell on what I have had to give up.What is simply is.  I enjoy being pain free and symptom free and having all the clothes in my closet fit every day. This is a state of EVEN for me on so many levels.