migraine miracle...

I have suffered from migraines since I was about eight years old. They got really bad when I was in high school and I remember going to the ER quite a few times for persistent migraines that would make me miserably sick for days. So sick that I wanted to be put out of my misery, like "please some one just kill me!"

Towards the end of high school, I was finally given a prescription for Imitrex, the miracle drug. That stuff has literally saved my life over the last 15 plus years. But because I really hate taking medication, it took me many years of making myself take one before my migraines would get the best of me. It is also a really expensive medication and is only dispensed with nine tablets, so I have never liked to waste it on something I could just take Excedrin for. 

This last year, my migraines have been very frequent. So much so that I would use up all nine of my monthly prescription and have to borrow some from my dad, who also has the exact same prescription. I was borrowing up to 4 from him every month. That is 13 migraines in a month, or about 3 to 4 a week. First off, that just sucks to have that many, and second, I am a mother and it is really hard to take care of my babies when I have one. I also, could never leave the house without worrying about getting a migraine and therefore would always have to make sure I was carrying an Imitrex with me. 

Towards the end of February, I started researching eating whole, real foods and the benefits of it and cutting out processed foods. At first I was looking into it for Mac, and was hoping it might help his hyperactivity and behavior. But then as I was doing more and more research I found that it would benefit every member of my family. Hubs has already been mostly eating this way, along with no carbs, for the last year (and lost over 50 lbs), and I was just now coming around to realizing the benefits. For myself, I was hoping it would help my migraines.

So the beginning of March I emailed a few friends who I know eat this way, and asked about a million and a half questions. And they were so SO helpful. And even before grocery shopping I jumped right in. After our first meal, it felt so good to take control of our health. And was very hopeful about the great affects it would have on each of us. 

I have to say that it wasn't an easy transition, but it wasn't hard either. I think mostly it wasn't hard because I was so determined and it just also felt so good to eat healthy. And really the only hard part about it was finding organic food, knowing what to prepare for dinner, and the huge dent it put in our grocery budget. Also, I mostly have to keep to myself how we eat, because people easily judge and think we are weirdos. I know this, because I used to be one of those people, haha. 

So we have been eating this way for two and a half months and I can say that we will never look back. It is a life change for us. I want my kids to grow up and learn how to eat healthy, and to have the healthiest bodies that they can possibly have so that they can avoid serious illnesses and diseases. 

And to top it all off, I have reduced my migraines!!!! Last month I only had 6 migraines (and 4 of those were in one week when I wasn't eating as good as I should and it was "that time of the month"). So from 13 to 6...is that not awesome?!?!  We are half way through this month and I have only had two...TWO! I don't worry anymore that I will end up with a migraine any second. In fact I don't think about them that much at all. It is such a relief, such a huge weight lifted from my life. 

It is just amazing what your body can do, and how your body can heal with eating real foods.