New Adventure: Dealing with Migraines & becoming a Gluten-Free Vegan

I've been a Vegetarian for over 20 years, and on May 15th of this year, I decided to go 100% Vegan.  I don't like the taste of milk and rarely use eggs, so those were easy to give up.  However, giving up cheese has been the toughest.  I know they have Vegan Cheese, but it's just not the same you know 

:-)  

I am also a migraine sufferer since the age of 13-years-old.  I still remember my first episode like it was yesterday.  I was riding home on the school bus and was preparing for a choir concert that evening.  While riding home, I felt funny and my vision started getting blurry.  After arriving home, I called my mom at work and she rushed home.  Apparently, she had spoken to the doctor and realized that I was suffering from a migraine, like my father had for several years.  She had to help me dress into my PJ's because my hands were so numb that I was unable to hold them to dress myself.  She also gave me something for my stomach because along with the numbness and blurry vision, I was now throwing up.  Gosh, I can't believe it's been almost 39 years since that first episode.  Throughout the years since then, I have had good months and also horrible months with several migraine attacks.  They are normally not as bad as my first one, but I occasionally still suffer numbness, blurry vision, and upset stomach.  It's the headache part that is getting worse and worse.  Sometimes the headache will be above one eyeball or both, which really sucks.

Last week, I had one of the worse migraine attacks in a long time.  For over 4 days, I suffered with a horrific headache over both eyeballs and laying down made it worse.  No matter how much Tylenol and Ibuprofen I took, it wasn't making it go away.  People say to try this migraine medication or that migraine medication.  However, for migraine medication to really work, and believe me I've tried several brands, you must take it on the onset of the attack, which is hard at times.

My sister, Tami, who also suffers from horrible headaches, suggested that I might want to cut out my Gluten, which has helped her tremendously with her stomach issues and headaches.  My first thought was that I just became a Vegan and now you want me to become Gluten-Free?  How on earth was I going to do that?  I was very excited that Boca burgers have a line of Vegan products, but once I read the labels carefully all of them contain Wheat, which is Gluten.  Rye and Barley is also considered Gluten.  There is a Meat-Less Gluten-Free/Soy Free product, but it contains eggs.  Speaking of eggs....did you know eggs are not considered Dairy?  My first thought on that was....why they in the dairy case then LOL!!  

Before I decided to officially become a Gluten-Free Vegan, I wanted to do my research on this subject.  I was amazed on the articles that I found linking Gluten to Migraines.  This is the best article that I found so far:

Migraines and Gluten

I learned that a lot of migraine sufferers had an intolerance to wheat, so perhaps my sister was correct, but I still didn't want to go that route because of the less choices I would have as a Vegan.  However, last night I decided to put it to the test and be a rebel.  I went Vegetarian last night and ate a large Macaroni and Cheese Dinner.  Well, Moose (a dog that I am caring for) & I did.  I ate way too much and went to bed early.  At 4:00 a.m., I woke up with a horrific headache over my left eyeball.  It was so intense that I immediately took 4 Tylenols and had to sleep sitting up because of the intense pain.  Even though the headache has calm down a bit, it's still there.  So, perhaps my sister and the research is correct.  

As of today, I am now a Gluten-Free Vegan.  I found a cookbook "The Gluten-Free Vegan 150 Recipe Cookbook from Amazon:

Gluten-Free Vegan Cookbook

I learned last night, while shopping, that it takes a long time to read all the label ingredients on the box for Gluten items.  I ended up purchasing some Gluten-Free Hot Cereal and Gluten-Free Pasta.  I had the Gluten-Free pasta, along with vegetables, for lunch today and it wasn't too bad.  I think, however, I am going to have to make my meals from scratch (thus, the reason for the cookbook), which is healthier for you anyways.

So, now the fun begins....can't wait to go out to eat at a restaurant.  I do know that most of them now carry Gluten-Free menus with all ingredients listed, so that will be a help.  I will post an update on my new adventure in two weeks.