Going raw with Migraines

[gemeg23]

I started going raw because I want to get rid of my constant migraines but a lot of foods in raw recipes are migraine triggers. I first got the raw food detox diet book and it sucks, not many recipe options, so I'm going to get Alissa's. I've been trying raw for almost 2 weeks with no real results. Anyone have similar issues or ideas on going raw with migraines?

[Veganforlife]

Ah my friend. I'm 53 years old. Have had migraines my ENTIRE life. Since going raw one year ago this past July? I have not had one. NOT ONE! Here - listen to this. It tells of my migraine healing. Raw foods CURED me where conventional meds would not.

While Alissa is out and about Revvell and her special co-host Lucy (veganforlife) take over the "airwaves". During their chat Revvell gets Lucy's story about how raw food has changed her life by eliminating migraines and bringing her thyroid into balance. They also discuss weight issues, eating disorders, menopause, eating socially, cravings and more.

http://rawcast.rawkinradio.com/

[lafsalot]

Lucy's migraines were healed through raw. She talks about it in the latest RawkinRadio show (#19). ~ Cathy

Oh, I see she beat me to it!!

[Veganforlife]

Some more info:

I've been Vegan for over a year; Vegetarian for about 26 years and now 100% raw. I feel SOOOOO good. No more migraines, which is something I don't EVER remember not having. I sleep good, wake up feeling energized. I love it. I am eating brownies, pizza, calzones, cheesecake, ice cream, all raw. I dehydrate some foods. I eat a lot of nuts, dates, and sprouts. I have a green smoothie - daily - usually a handful of greens to 2 cups of filtered/pure water and then add a fruit or two and whirl it up in a high speed blender. And to that I add a heaping tablespoon each of Spirulina, which is blue/green algae (www.naturalzing.com ),Alissa’s green food powder, (http://www.alissacohen.com/shop/product.php?productid=20&cat=4&page=1 ), Maca powder, and ground flax seeds. I also drink wheatgrass which I sprout myself!

It is awesome. All I know is it's working for me. Losing the weight it secondary to not having migraines. As a little girl I would come home from church/Sunday School and cry and go to bed with one, so I'm on cloud nine right now! Cooking foods zaps the food of their enzymes. Then our bodies have to work extra hard, taking IT's enzymes and replacing those lost in the cooked foods. Raw let's your body do what it's supposed to, instead of becoming a food factory. The raw foods do THEIR job, helping organs, skin, blood, etc.

DEAD FOOD = DEAD BODIES

LIVE FOODS = LIVE BODIES

It just makes sense to me. I'm eating Earth's diet.

I'm lovin' life! I feel alive!

I have finally found a "program" (if you will) that suits my lifestyle. I will never go back to cooked foods. Why would I? I think it's how we were intended to eat. Not fast foods, McCraps, Burger Barfs and such!

Check out my testimony down by my signature!!!

[StarFire]

I've suffered from migraines since I was 9 years old and now I'm 51...

When I first transitioned to raw I followed the 30 day plan in Alissa's book - and have never suffered another migraine... :D

RAW FOODS BABY... http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/thexcited.gif RAWKin AWESOME!! ... MIGRAINE FREE AND LOVIN LIFE ... :D !!!!

[gemeg23]

I've suffered from migraines since I was 9 years old and now I'm 51...

When I first transitioned to raw I followed the 30 day plan in Alissa's book - and have never suffered another migraine... :D

RAW FOODS BABY... http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/thexcited.gif RAWKin AWESOME!! ... MIGRAINE FREE AND LOVIN LIFE ... :D !!!!
how long before you stopped getting migraines?

[blueberries]

How encouraging this thread is!! I used to have headaches all the time and I am just barely beginning my raw journey (today is day 4 - 100%) and I havent had a headache yet **crosses fingers**. I am sooo looking forward to be headache free because there were just days I felt like crawling back and bed and pulling the covers over my head or just plain pukin' :) sorry for the graphic!

Lucy, I just downloaded your show! I cant wait to listen to your story.

[lytlsprout]

Who said that those raw foods are triggers? If it was a doctor I wouldn't believe them. Also my friend got rid of hers by cutting out sugar. You might get some headaches from detox. But I don't get headaches with my period anymore and those used to be so bad I couldn't even get out of bed for 2 or 3 days. Not so anymore with raw foods.

[Veganforlife]

How encouraging this thread is!! I used to have headaches all the time and I am just barely beginning my raw journey (today is day 4 - 100%) and I havent had a headache yet **crosses fingers**. I am sooo looking forward to be headache free because there were just days I felt like crawling back and bed and pulling the covers over my head or just plain pukin' :) sorry for the graphic!

Lucy, I just downloaded your show! I cant wait to listen to your story.

bb - I lived almost daily feeling like that. Weekly I was getting a migraine that would put "me down". I mean it was so serious I was contemplating leaving Planet Earth. Yep - the big "S" word. It was THAT bad.
When I first went raw I totally expected to get a headache. And then after about two months realized, WHOA! I haven't had one. So here I am a year later - there has NEVER been a year in my life where I haven't had a migraine, but here I am a year later - healed. Plus my thyroid - healed/cured!
RAW IS HEALING! Why wouldn't it be?

[gemeg23]

no not just "raw" foods but like avocados and citrus fruits for example are triggers and I also had a doctor tell me cutting out gluten could help my migraines but there's a lot of wheat and grain stuff involved that has gluten in it. I'm looking forward to getting Alissa's book though bc it seems there are much more options and better recipes to choose from.

[StarFire]

how long before you stopped getting migraines?


After I got thru the toughest part of the detox - and even then I didn't really have a full blown migraine... very close - VERY INTENSE PAIN for a couple of days, but it never went into a full blown episode. Probably within the first 2-3 weeks - and I've been migraine free since then! (into my 5th month raw!)

[gemeg23]

how often do you usually get migraines and do you have any food triggers?

[gemeg23]

After I got thru the toughest part of the detox - and even then I didn't really have a full blown migraine... very close - VERY INTENSE PAIN for a couple of days, but it never went into a full blown episode. Probably within the first 2-3 weeks - and I've been migraine free since then! (into my 5th month raw!)
this "detox" I hear so much about is freaking me out I don't really know what I'm supposed to be expecting. I get migraines almost everyday so I wouldn't be able to distinguish between detox and my normal life. Anything else I should be looking for? I don't know if the raw food detox diet is different from alissa's or not...that's what I started with

[StarFire]

I think detox is detox regardless of Alissas plan or any other raw plan... it's how your body processes the toxins and poisons out of your system.


Don't be afraid of detox - it's just something you go thru - like going potty to get rid of stuff... your body also pushes the toxins out other ways, runny nose, maybe headache, itchy skin , itchy eyes... sore tummy...... feeling lethargic and weak ... whatever...


I did not suffer with migraines every day, but at least 1 - 2 migraines a week. These would shut me down completely - had to be in a dark room - I would throw up and I would lose the vision in my left eye and 1/2 the vision in my right and in the right eye what vision I did have was extremely blurry. The pain was so intense I wanted to die.


Each episode would last between 12 hours to 24 hours ... as far as triggers?? who knows... my diet sucked, I drank -- I smoked -- I never noticed a pattern like... after I ate such and such.... all I Knew was -- 'oh gawd - here it comes again...' and then the suffering would begin.


I feel so blessed now!! I hope you find relief too...
blessings... ;)

[Nurse in the Raw]

Yep, lived almost daily on Darvocet and Imitrex (nasal spray). Since going raw, not one migraine. My bottle of Darvocet is getting awful lonely......perhaps I should give them away?

My daughter (age 14) too had migraines. I had to start homeschooling her because I was tired of picking her up from school several times a week because of them. Her triggers are chocolate, sodium nitrates, MSG, preservatives, etc. She is 80% raw and has not had a migraine either since we became raw.

[gemeg23]

Yep, lived almost daily on Darvocet and Imitrex (nasal spray). Since going raw, not one migraine. My bottle of Darvocet is getting awful lonely......perhaps I should give them away?

My daughter (age 14) too had migraines. I had to start homeschooling her because I was tired of picking her up from school several times a week because of them. Her triggers are chocolate, sodium nitrates, MSG, preservatives, etc. She is 80% raw and has not had a migraine either since we became raw.
this is very encouraging I hope this works and maybe this past week or so has been my detox with migraines. How long before you two saw results?

[Nurse in the Raw]

The first three days I was detoxing and had a three day headache, not a migraine, just a headache that I was worried would go into a migraine but never did. I toughed it out without using meds and by day four, it was gone and I haven't had a headache since then. My migraines were triggered by environmental things like pollen, rag weed, and pretty much anything blooming. I was on several different kinds of allergy meds, allergy shots, etc. and I have been able to wean myself off of all of them. I don't take anything now.

[Shanti]

Oh amazing!! Someone said headache!! I JUST got back from the doctors for what I thought was a re-occurring sinus infection.... returning with chronic headaches. SInce the age of I don't know when I've done EVERYTHING to get rid of nearly daily headaches and regular migraines...I cut all my hair off, got a mouthguard, computer screen cover, eye laser surgery and before that, contacts, no contacts, new prescriptions....
I'm moving into day 11 raw....so if it will cure me of HEADACHES, good LORD..... that's all I could ask for!
And that's the reason I will be telling people at social functions why raw.... STRICK lifestyle to stop migraines!!!

[Veganforlife]

Oh yeah, I did the cutting hair thing, computer thing, etc. You pretty much name it - I tried it. I even swore SOMETHING was growing inside my head to cause these debilitating headaches. Not until I went raw did they totally, completely stop and have NOT come back in a year. Not one migraine. Nadah - nope, gone *poof*. It's cool!

[EatYourVeggies]

Another migraine sufferer here too. I would love if this raw foods diet cures mine! I am still getting headaches every few days, but I've only been doing this diet for a few weeks and am still eating cooked foods sometimes once a day but I do take digestive enzymes when I eat them. Still working towards my goal of 100% raw...

[gemeg23]

Oh amazing!! Someone said headache!! I JUST got back from the doctors for what I thought was a re-occurring sinus infection.... returning with chronic headaches. SInce the age of I don't know when I've done EVERYTHING to get rid of nearly daily headaches and regular migraines...I cut all my hair off, got a mouthguard, computer screen cover, eye laser surgery and before that, contacts, no contacts, new prescriptions....
I'm moving into day 11 raw....so if it will cure me of HEADACHES, good LORD..... that's all I could ask for!
And that's the reason I will be telling people at social functions why raw.... STRICK lifestyle to stop migraines!!!
I too have gotten almost daily migraines for about 10 years (though they weren't nearly as bad then as they are now) This is why I started this diet so I hope we can eliminate the headaches forever. Let me know how you continue to do

[gemeg23]

Another migraine sufferer here too. I would love if this raw foods diet cures mine! I am still getting headaches every few days, but I've only been doing this diet for a few weeks and am still eating cooked foods sometimes once a day but I do take digestive enzymes when I eat them. Still working towards my goal of 100% raw...
try to cut out the cooked foods and we'll do this thing together I've been on it for about 2 weeks and the longest I've gone without one is 2 days (that was 2 days ago) so I'm hoping maybe that was my last one (fingers crossed) keep me updated migraineurs need support!

[Zella Juice]

I don't think this was mentioned..but let me tell you what I did...

I recorded my headaches. I put them on the calender and rated them from a scale of 1 to 3. Then wrote down the foods I ate. I realized my headaches were happening during my period and halfway through it (probably when I was ovulating). I would get 2 in the middle and 2 during my period. Sometimes 3. That's a total of 4 to 6 extremely bad headaches in a month.

I realized that it has to be hormone related. You might come up with another conclusion. I researched and talked with alot of raw fooders on the forums and decided that I might need more iodine in my diet. To help out the thyroid. If that was functioning properly then my hormones would be more balanced.

I had headaches before raw...but they got more intense after switching to raw. I wondered why I was having this when I was eating so good.

So I added a supplement called Modifilan, which is seaweed dried at low temperatures. At the advise of a raw fooder on the forum. And then I got some dulse from a raw food supplier and started blending that in my smoothies and soups. And the results were within a month. Headaches were less severe. Last month I didn't have any headaches during my period (a Christmas in July Miracle!!). I only had 2 minor ones last cycle. And this cycle..none so far.

But anyways..that is my story..and I wouldn't have solved my problem unless I documented the headaches. So I thought I would pass this info on to you. Because I know how you feel. Those headaches that make it where you can't even think straight. UGH. The whole day gets ruined and nothing gets done.

Ok..hope this helps.

[garden granny]

I used to have migraines several times a year - head pounding, nausea/vomiting, could not stand light or sound. It was terrible and I could'nt take anything for it by mouth (if you know what I mean), anyway since I changed my diet and started eating raw foods, I have not had any migraines. No more red wine, meats, eggs, milk, white bread. Now only fresh fruits, veggies, soaked & dehydrated nuts & seeds. This is definitely the way to eat for anyone who suffers from migraines.

[Zella Juice]

haha..that comment about not taking anything by mouth reminded me about something else that would help elevate the pain a bit. Enemas.

and yeah..the nausea is the added bonus of having these painful headaches..UGH!

[freelive]

For me being af ew motnhs raw still did not stop migraines. Finally I read about enemas and did them everyday for a while and that with raw foods did it.
Unfortunately i fell of raw and now they are back. I am trying badly to get back.

[Nurse in the Raw]

Oh amazing!! Someone said headache!! I JUST got back from the doctors for what I thought was a re-occurring sinus infection.... returning with chronic headaches. SInce the age of I don't know when I've done EVERYTHING to get rid of nearly daily headaches and regular migraines...I cut all my hair off, got a mouthguard, computer screen cover, eye laser surgery and before that, contacts, no contacts, new prescriptions....
I'm moving into day 11 raw....so if it will cure me of HEADACHES, good LORD..... that's all I could ask for!
And that's the reason I will be telling people at social functions why raw.... STRICK lifestyle to stop migraines!!!

Because my allergies/migraines are environmental, I had to remove the carpet out of my entire house, took the drapes off the windows, I bought 2 hypo allergenic cats, in addition to cutting my hair short, no hairspray/anything in my hair......I would take 6 hot showers a day when they hit and I don't think my children (now teenagers) have ever had a birthday party. When you have migraines, you take every necessary precaution to prevent them from occurring.

[gemeg23]

has anyone done colonics? I don't know how I feel about these "cleansing methods" but if they really do help the migraines I guess I would try it out. But having to do them regularly sounds pretty...invasive lol

[gemeg23]

For me being af ew motnhs raw still did not stop migraines. Finally I read about enemas and did them everyday for a while and that with raw foods did it.
Unfortunately i fell of raw and now they are back. I am trying badly to get back.
how long were you without migraines when you did the enemas?

[Nurse in the Raw]

Another migraine sufferer here too. I would love if this raw foods diet cures mine! I am still getting headaches every few days, but I've only been doing this diet for a few weeks and am still eating cooked foods sometimes once a day but I do take digestive enzymes when I eat them. Still working towards my goal of 100% raw...

Once I completely stopped eating cooked foods, the headaches went away. And when I slip and eat something cooked, I feel the headaches coming back so I quickly drench myself in green smoothies until it is out of my system.

[gemeg23]

I don't think this was mentioned..but let me tell you what I did...

I recorded my headaches. I put them on the calender and rated them from a scale of 1 to 3. Then wrote down the foods I ate. I realized my headaches were happening during my period and halfway through it (probably when I was ovulating). I would get 2 in the middle and 2 during my period. Sometimes 3. That's a total of 4 to 6 extremely bad headaches in a month.

I realized that it has to be hormone related. You might come up with another conclusion. I researched and talked with alot of raw fooders on the forums and decided that I might need more iodine in my diet. To help out the thyroid. If that was functioning properly then my hormones would be more balanced.

I had headaches before raw...but they got more intense after switching to raw. I wondered why I was having this when I was eating so good.

So I added a supplement called Modifilan, which is seaweed dried at low temperatures. At the advise of a raw fooder on the forum. And then I got some dulse from a raw food supplier and started blending that in my smoothies and soups. And the results were within a month. Headaches were less severe. Last month I didn't have any headaches during my period (a Christmas in July Miracle!!). I only had 2 minor ones last cycle. And this cycle..none so far.

But anyways..that is my story..and I wouldn't have solved my problem unless I documented the headaches. So I thought I would pass this info on to you. Because I know how you feel. Those headaches that make it where you can't even think straight. UGH. The whole day gets ruined and nothing gets done.

Ok..hope this helps.
I've read that raw can make even people who don't get migraines have them and that means you need to clean out your colon in whichever way you choose colonic or enema but yea I think research is figuring out a lot of the migraines are hormonal. I've also been taking these supplements I guess you'd call them called "Migraine Defense" you can check it out at www.christianbody.com I just ended the first two weeks and they're supposed to start working after that so results of that combined with raw TBA

[Zella Juice]

interesting web site gemeg. It totally explains why we get hormonal headaches.