We've been here before. It's true.

And here we are. Back again.

My sweet man has suffered from migraines since I can remember. At times they seem to vanish for months. Other times will have him carrying a nagging headache around for weeks. Months. With migraines scattered here and there. I don't want to belittle anyone, but from an observer's experience I can tell you two things that I know.

One: Migraines are misunderstood (both in culture and modern medicine).

Two: Migraines are debilitating. A person cannot function. They are not just a bad headache.

We've been to neurologists and allergists. We've sworn off possible trigger foods. We've been handed bottles of pills that made my husband feel like he had a buzz all day. Not so good for climbing lighthouses and inspecting boats. We've drastically changed the way we eat. We're active. But they keep coming back like an unwelcome guest. It is heartbreaking to see someone you love live with chronic pain.

I picked up this book mostly for some whole food recipe inspiration and sat reading the first few chapters nearly in tears. While I had thought of myself as fairly food wise, I had no idea that whole foods like good organic farm fresh eggs and small amounts of raw dairy could cause chronic migraines. No doctor we have seen in the past decade has suggested it either. Not one. I suppose that shouldn't surprise me. But it does.

Here is another piece of our story…

When Luke was a baby, he had such bad tummy troubles that I finally swore off all eggs, dairy & soy until he was nearly two. And while he is now growing strong and healthy, his tummy still regularly bothers him. Nothing major… but enough to make a mama raise her eyebrow and wonder. 

I realize now that what is perfectly healthy whole food for one person might not be for another. And while I already understood this in terms of serious life threatening allergies…. I did not understand this in ways of mild auto-immune type symptoms that are harder to trace to their cause.

So in some ways I feel like we've stepped back to square one. We've pulled gluten, dairy, & eggs out of our diet. We feel strongly about eating even more green smoothies and nourishing plant foods in the months to come in hopes of finding some healing.

Somehow this feels like a big serious thing to bring here, to this place. But it's truly where we are. I feel very strongly that food and feeding my family is an extension of my love. It's something I hold dear and I am prepared to make whatever changes are necessary to nourish all of our bodies. I know too, that so many of you are on a similar food journey.

So today, I ask that you please share. Share food that makes you feel well. Recipes, books, and websites you use to find resources to feed the people you love.

Thank you~

xo

stephinie