Hi All, I would really appreciate your help to understand all of the foods we are able to eat. I am sure, in turn, this would help everyone else sticking to the migraine diet…
I pulled this list from another website and added some to it… will keep updating as we go along… I am not sure all foods are ok listed here so would appreciate the input
Food
Meat
turkey ,chicken, red meats = all fresh
salmon, sardines, fish in general
Hi. This is a great idea as I have a few questions about what we can and can’t eat too.
richly, I didn’t think we were supposed to eat lentils or grapes. Also vinegars, not sure on either. If someone could confirm apple or balsamic vinegar as okay that would be great. I avoid white vinegar. Noodles are a no as they usually contain egg and milk (but these are small amounts so could be okay?) but pasta is fine, from what I’ve been told. And I just don’t touch bread in general - fresh or not.
missmoss, good list, but I don’t over do the nuts. And I stay away from peanuts all together. I see walnuts and almonds as safe. But that’s just me! Oh and sunflower seeds yum.
I think most veggies are fine but I would like someone to confirm that mushrooms, tomatoes and onions are not usual triggers as I eat a lot of these and worry I may be stepping into uncharted waters… The problem with looking online for this information is that you can find a reason somewhere not to eat almost anything! I try to just stick to dr.s’ list and not go overboard.
What are people’s thoughts on ‘natural flavourings’ and ‘sulphites’?
It may be a good idea to have a list of foods we definitely should avoid like the plague below the ‘foods we can eat’ list? Just an idea
Waspcharmer, onions are not allowed but shallots are fine. I couldn’'t tolerate tomatoes at first but now I’m OK with them, so some things, which are known to be potential triggers, do need to be retested along the way eg mushrooms and tomatoes. I avoid all vinegars but apparently clear distilled vinegar (whatever that is!)is allowed.
I avoid natural flavourings like the plague - they could be anything.
Waspcharmer, onions are not allowed but shallots are fine. I couldn’'t tolerate tomatoes at first but now I’m OK with them, so some things, which are known to be potential triggers, do need to be retested along the way eg mushrooms and tomatoes. I avoid all vinegars but apparently clear distilled vinegar (whatever that is!)is allowed.
I avoid natural flavourings like the plague - they could be anything.
Brenda
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Oh! Really? :o I’m a little shocked. Could you explain why these are triggers? Is it to do with them containing natural tannins or being phenolic? I still don’t truly understand what these words mean! Mushrooms… Is that because it’s a fungi? Hmm… Perhaps in moderation they are okay. I know I’m still at the beginning of recovery and have to be careful but neither if these vegetables were on dr.s’ list. I think he just said to not ‘overdo anything’ lol. That’s what I do…
I got the vinegar all backwards then but agree with you on the natural flavouring front!
Richy it depends on what diet your doing as DR S diet is slightly different to dr bucholz diet which a lot of people outside the uk follow
Eg dr s doesnt allow dairy but dr bucholz does.
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Interesting! I thought there would be some discrepancies but am keen to see what diet (and for what reasons) others follow. I’m following Dr.S’ diet and he didn’t go into it in enough detail. I still find myself going ‘I don’t know if I can actually have that’ - and I can only send so many emails saying ‘can I eat this’ and if not please explain why. He doesn’t explain why for each food group so I am a little lost when it comes to what I should and shouldn’t be eating for things not containable to the no-no list. So this thread will help me tremendously. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself!
Mushrooms and tomatoes MAY be triggers and MAY need to be avoided because they contain relatively high levels of free glutamate, according to Buccholz.
Robertsgreen is right about the differences in the two diets, the only way to find out for sure about anything if you’re in any doubt is to test it. A pain I know but there really is no other way.
I only follow the 6 Cs that Rob listed above, I don’t go too crazy on the diet, for me I think too much deprivation can have a negative impact. I haven’t found any particular triggers, over Christmas I ate everything that I shouldn’t and was better not worse!!! Obvs not the case for everyone and for some the diet I’m sure is incredibly important. I am very religious about the caffeine and MSG tho. x
waspcharmer - please could you tell me which email you use to contact Dr S with? I am getting no response from him or his secretary to recent emails. His secrtarial team only responded when I enquired about a first appt but since then I have been ignored so I just wanted to check if he has any other email addresses?
Thanks x
Sorry to go on and to keep quoting Buccholz but I didn’t address you question Waspcharmer about vinegars. Quote: " Vinegars are fermentation products, and dark ones, (especially balsmaic, which contains sulfites) should be avoided." Tyramine, tannins, phenols? Not sure which, maybe all? Apparently distilled vinegar is better than apple vinegar in MAV dietary terms.
waspcharmer - please could you tell me which email you use to contact Dr S with? I am getting no response from him or his secretary to recent emails. His secrtarial team only responded when I enquired about a first appt but since then I have been ignored so I just wanted to check if he has any other email addresses?
Thanks x
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Sure Jem! I’ll send you it via private messaging. His secretary changed just at the time I leaving for Canada (end of Nov). I haven’t contacted them since Dec but have got a response from this email x
Mushrooms and tomatoes MAY be triggers and MAY need to be avoided because they contain relatively high levels of free glutamate, according to Buccholz.
Robertsgreen is right about the differences in the two diets, the only way to find out for sure about anything if you’re in any doubt is to test it. A pain I know but there really is no other way.
Brenda
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Ah yes this makes sense. I read up about the naturally occurring free glutamate in certain fruit and veg. And I agree. Each person is different so you won’t know til you try to see how sensitive your brain is to the certain foods, what you can get away with eating! The vinegar reasoning sounds similar to the reasoning for soy. Fermentation. Also I think quite a lot of soy sauce contains MSG. But if an can use vinegar that will add much more flavour/tang to my recipes! I’ve been keeping it out just in case…
Rob, that’s pretty much the list Dr S gave me. I try to stay away from processed or pre-prepared/packaged stuff, stock’s a huge no. Found some non yeast non msg stock cubes over here though. They aren’t as tasty but they do just fine. Also, he said to stick to 1-2 decaf tea/coffee a day - herbal non caffeinated tea is fine, and no fizzy drinks.
Also what milks to you guys drink as a substitute now? I find soy is good for a cream sub and rice milk is good for drinking milk. Hazelnut doesn’t taste as good, and I haven’t tried the hemp, coconut or almond versions. Ty
I only follow the 6 Cs that Rob listed above, I don’t go too crazy on the diet, for me I think too much deprivation can have a negative impact. I haven’t found any particular triggers, over Christmas I ate everything that I shouldn’t and was better not worse!!! Obvs not the case for everyone and for some the diet I’m sure is incredibly important. I am very religious about the caffeine and MSG tho. x
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Even though I have to follow the diet fairly strictly to keep well I really do get where you are coming from DizzieLizzie and I sort of agree with you! Over Christmas, after guests had left mind, I went a bit mad, particularly with chocolate, and for a few days I really enjoyed myself just absolutely appreciating the glorious taste and totally being like everyone else and not nit picking about food all the time. It was great! I loved the feeling and there was a certain liberation and well being in it for sure. And I think that counts for something even in MAV terms but for me it doesn’t last and there’s payback. But if it did, or I could get away with only some restrictions, I’d be as happy as a lark, so more power to your elbow, good for you, I hope your good spell lasts indefinitely.
DizzieLizzie. I just can’t chance it. Don’t get me wrong I occasionally have a bite of a burger I shouldn’t or half a tab of chocolate, i’m not a saint… but I cannot not follow the diet restrictions 99.9% of the time when I’m still feeling dizzy almost all of the time. I miss the taste of “good” food and the freedom. I can’t wait to start reintroducing stuff, but I also now see what crap we are all putting into our bodies! Seriously, where’s the nutrition in half the stuff most normal people eat on an average day? Food is for pleasure yes, but it should be benefiting our bodies in some way, a lot of the foods out there available to us are damaging in one way or another! I know I won’t get better if I don’t stick to eating raw, natural food and the dietary restrictions… It won’t stop me though, soon as I can have McDonald’s again i’ll be first in the queue! (Oh, and that wasn’t a crack at you DL! That was just a rant)
Hi all I actually saw Dr S and NH today. Lizzie, like you I thought I wasn’t particularly food sensitive as I errrrm ‘overindulged’ (rammed) on Stilton, choc & bubbles over Christmas! But NH told me there ate so many triggers some we don’t even know that it is important to stick to the 6’cs as best we can - I know it’s boring but even if we don’t think the diet is helping we must stick to it ! Sorry lovely don’t want to sound like a bossy boots just sharing NH good knowledge x
but agree with you on the natural flavouring front!
x