telophase | Hmmm....

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migraine

Hmmm....

So the other day I read on a migraine blog that aspartame is a migraine trigger in some people. I live on Diet Dr Pepper. I have also had a headache - not quite migraine level- for three days.

So this morning, I grab apple juice at the bagel store on my way to work. And by the middle of the day, my headache is gone. I get home from work, and pop open my Diet Dr. Pepper, and I've got a slight bit of headache returning.

I can't yet say for sure that it's the Diet Dr. Pepper - the three days of my headache coincided with the ceiling renovation and GODAWFUL DUST at work, and they've moved to a different part of the basement now, and I'm really very very sleepy at the moment and I know lack of sleep makes my head hurt. But I think I'm going to go off the Diet Dr P for a few days and see how my head is, then have another one some time next week and see if I get a headache then. If so ... we can slap another migraine trigger on my list.

I need a migraine icon, that I do.

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I used to live on Diet Dr. Pepper about 4 years ago or so, and had nasty headaches on a regular and frequent basis. Someone had mentioned the aspertame/headache thing to me and Diet RC had just started becoming available and had both caffeine and Splenda, so I made the supreme sacrifice and switched. The headaches eased right away and were pretty much gone after 5 weeks. More amusingly, despite it being post-Valentine's half-price candy binge time for me (and boy did I), I lost over 10 pounds out of nowhere. I avoid aspertame like the plague at this point, and while I still have an occasional headache, it is nothing compared to what used to be when doing aspertame.

Interesting! I'll have to see if I like Diet RC - I hate most diet drinks which is why I've been drinking Diet Dr P. I'm also going to have to try the various flavored waters and see if there's any I can stand - I know I dislike iced tea a lot of the time.

I could totally do with losing 10 pounds. Here's hoping it has that side-effect on me. XD

the various flavored waters

Blech. Most of them have the artificial-sweetener aftertaste, because they use artificial sweetener.

I started drinking them because I hate the taste of plain ol' water and I get easily dehydrated. Eventually I got used to the aftertaste, but still... I'd rather just put a pinch of lemon and sugar in a glass of tap water.

My biggest problem there is that I like strongly-flavored things, and a pinch of lemon in water tastes bad to me I'd ahve to pile in a whole lemon and make lemonade. XD

I may resort to buying unflavored bottled water - the tap water here is ... not my favorite - but it's not like that's a bad thing for my health.

The various Diet Rite flavors are also made with Splenda (no caffeine though) as is 7UP Plus (alas, also no caffeine) and diet Big Red (caffeine, but that icky red dye taste). Diet Coke has a Splenda variant as well. All of them taste fairly close to sugared sodas--I also drank Diet Dr. Pepper as the only palatable diet soda at the time (and still would probably prefer its flavor to that of diet RC, but I've gotten used to it). Diet Rite (the *cola* flavored one, that is) is gross imho and not worth it because of the lack of caffeine, but some of the flavors are quite nice.. Splenda isn't the greatest thing in the world either, but it is a LOT better than aspertame.

Hmm..trying to remember the other things I've seen it in--diet V8 Splashes of various flavors for sure.

Hm. I wonder if Coke Zero is aspartame or Splenda? I had one tiny taste of it from a grocery-store stand once and didn't spit it out in disgust, but keep intending to buy a small bottle and try it out more. If it's aspartame, probably not worth trying. XD

I'm pretty sure it has aspertame, most things do still unfortunately. I have noticed almost all "diet" juices use Splenda however, it seems to be close enough to real sugar to not mess up their products.

*googles a bit*

Yeah, a combo of "...a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium." But reading this article says that Pepsi One uses Splenda. Hm. Too bad I hate Pepsi.

Oh gee, I haven't mentioned the ultimate "get-rid-of-Denise's-headache-and-make-her-feel-human" caffeine source (boy do I feel stupid): Lo-Carb Monster!

That stuff has saved my butt and kept me going multiple times (it is the one with the blue label).

Awww. I was drinking my Pepsi when I read this. I think it is much more of a mideast thing. I hate all the chain resturants that have Coke XD

*looks at current can of Coke Zero*
Indeed, an aspatame drink (with the other sweetener I see you later mentioned). However, I've heard that given the response most have had to Coke Zero, Diet Coke with Splenda will likely be discontinued. Not too sure about that though.

I think the best description of the Coke Zero taste is that it's like Pepsi. Matters little to me, as I drink either Coke or Pepsi, but that might explain your dislike of the Coke Zero flavor. :)

The sweetness of aspartame triggers an insulin release response in some people, which a lot of people don't know. So having a diet soda can sometimes increase feelings of hunger which then leads to overeating and lends to that old saying "only fat people drink diet soda".

I avoid it like the plague, since I'm one of those migraine-trigger people!

... interesting.
I can see an insulin release leading to overeating, but not due to hunger persay (though in the ballpark). Increased insulin could lower blood sugar levels, and trigger a need for food to remedy this.

So spake the diabetic. :)

Aspartame is a big trigger of mine. Which would be why I swear by real sugar, honey, and agave nectar as sweeteners.

I usually use artificial sweeteners in hot tea because I've got a big sweet tooth and putting enough real sugar in to satisfy me - I like tea-flavored sugar water, basically - makes my teeth feel fuzzy. :D And for some reason, I don't like the taste of honey in tea. I think I'll be trying Splenda from now on...

I use agave nectar in tea because honey and sugar have such distinct flavors and I like the flavor of the herbs to come through (I only drink herbal tea). If you've got Whole Foods or Wild Oats or Henry's down in your neck of the woods, they should carry it.

I am a boring tea-drinker and stick to English Breakfast. :D But I may give agave nectar a try and see if I like it.

Caffeine's another trigger for me. *G* Luckily, theobromine doesn't appear to be.

*squishes face up* Bleeeeeeeh. >.< I've never been able to stand fake sweeteners in hot tea. However, different teas always seem to call for different kinds of sugar! Like, the more standard teas like English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Black, and Orange Pekoe (which is actually a tea leaf cut, not a flavor, but tends to refer to the most generic kind of tea) seem to do best with real sugar and sweetness. Spicy teas like Bengal Spice or Chai Tea are enhanced by the deeper, darker taste of brown sugar. And fruit and herbal teas do well with the lighter taste of honey. Peppermint tea with honey is mmm, mmm good! XD

If you really like sweet, though, Chai Tea is naturally somewhat sweet, so you don't have to put QUITE so much sugar or as strong a sugar in it. I usually mix mine with brown sugar (which is better for you than regular sugar anyway because it's unrefined) and a bit of milk. It's almost like drinking desert. XD

Hee. Cool, I'll give it a try.

I got my mom a selection of teas from Adagio Tea (http://www.adagio.com/) for Christmas, and really liked their Golden Monkey (http://www.adagio.com/black/golden_monkey.html?SID=17c921e4778ff2a31712ecb675fd7ce3) variety. I might have to order some of it. (Plus, I can't stop thinking of Goku from Saiyuki when I drink it. XD)

There's a pretty big debate over the whole aspartame thing, as it's been as yet unproven in any laboratory experiments but people continue to say that it causes all sorts of problems including diziness, headaches, and shakiness.

Too much Caffeine'll do that to ya' too, though. And actually, there are lots of foods and chemicals that'll cause the above. And yes, both lack of sleep and too much sleep as well. Or not enough excercise. Or not eating int he morning. :) So unless you've significantly increased consumption lately, if Diet Dr Pepper never previously caused headaches for you before, then I very much doubt that's the reason. Your headache suddenly disappearing was more likely coincidental or the sugars in the apple juice giving you a little energy boost.

I've been having headaches for close on 5 years now, and drinking Diet Dr P for a lot of that time. Too long to say if there's any relation or not. :D

I also know that caffeine withdrawal often gives me migraines of the curl-on-floor-in-fetal-position types, which was why I was a bit iffy about getting the apple juice instead of tea or Coke or something this morning, and why I'm hesitant to ascribe the lack of heache to it - because other days when I've had just juice I've gotten screaming migraines. I don't actually have that much caffeine other than the diet soda - I don't drink coffee and I rarely drink tea, maybe 3 or 4 cups in a month.

Now, I know I can't say it for sure, but that's why I'm going to go off it for a while and then re-introduce it and see if anything happens with my head. If there's any chance it is, it's worth finding a substitute anyway, and it won't hurt me to get off the little caffeine I do drink, because screaming migraines when I can't get my hands on it are Not Fun At All.

Everything you ever need to know about what different foods do to you (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451155505/sr=8-3/qid=1148017100/ref=sr_1_3/103-0719698-1687053?%5Fencoding=UTF8).

It's a great book that's still relevent even if though it was written in the 70's. It talks a lot about the effects of certain foods and their preparation, and why other kinds of foods should be avoided, especially processed and refined foods. It's been my bible for nutrition since middle school! Changing how you eat works miracles on how you feel both physically and mentally, so reading through it, maybe you'll be better able to find out what all could possibly be causing your headaches, because it could be something more than the caffeine or aspartame.

Cool, thanks. I'll check it out. :D I found a book in our library about migraines and nutrition that didn't seem to be written by loonies, and I was thinking of making my next shopping list according to that and seeing if I felt any better. Mind you, it'll probably be healthier and more balanced than my normal diet so it may be *that* which makes me feel better, rahter than a lack of triggers. :D

I started taking a multivitamin and a calcium supplement on a more regular basis that I ever have before a month or so ago - lactose-intolerant which means I desperately need calcium - and ... there's a pressure that's usually in my head unless I'm in the aftermath of taking my migraine drugs,* that's just gone. I'm not saying for sure it's the vitamins, but ... I'm still taking them. I'm not megadosing - I've read enough about recent vitamin studies that I'm not convinced megadosing will do any good and may do harm - just taking enough to fill the RDA. Ideally I'd improve my diet so that I'm getting them from food, sicne that's better than supplements, but baby steps, baby steps.

* I didn't know it was there until I got the Relpax. After I got the Relpax I was like "... is this what normality is supposed to feel like?" And now I get that lack-of-pressure feeling without the Relpax, so I assume the answer is "yes."

When you take those calcium supplements, make certain not to take them after eating red meat or taking anything with iron in it. Iron and calcium neutralize each other in the stomach! And I secretly think that's the REAL reason kosher eating forbids the mixing of red meat and dairy products. XD

And it does seem the majority of health, nutrition, and diet "experts" have gone a little too far off the deep end. I hate when extreme styles of eating get picked up by the media and suddenly become the rage of every soccer mom and daughter in the US.

And it sounds kind of funny, but if people just LISTENED to what they're bodies tell them to eat! I swear my body actually tells me what it needs that I wonder sometimes if a lack of a certain vitamin or mineral or substance in our body actually triggers the desire in our mind and our taste buds for it. Like with sugar, having too much sugar increases insulin levels in the body so that even a very slight drop in blood sugar levels creates an incredibly strong desire for more, even if it's already too high.

You know, I think I remember hearing that - thanks. I usually take them not too long before I go to bed (beacause that's when I remember them), so I'm mostly OK on that.

I know people who get monthly cravings for chocolate ... I get cravings for cheese. I know it's getting to be about that time when all I want for dinner for several nights in a row is nachos, loaded baked potatoes, pizza, or just a giant chunk o'cheese. Luckily the lactose intolerance keeps those in check - nothing like knowing your guts will be rumbling for two days, even with the pills, if you dump a lactose load that size on it to keep you from indulging. XD

AGH I REALLY AM GETTING OFFLINE NOW I SWEAR

And I'll be rootin' for ya' in the meantime! ^_~ I'm really big into eating healthy. Not the "I eat salads and shop at Whole Foods" type, but rather the "yummy full square meals with lots of non-junk food snacking in between" type. I think it's incredibly important to start taking care of our bodies at an early age, plus the sooner you start eating right, the easier it is to keep your body from craving all the stuff that's horrible for you . . . like deep-fried battered foods and starchy junk foods and sodas (even diet ones). XD It takes a lot to change your eating habits, and I admire the willpower to do so!

My biggest problem is time - I love cooking, but I've got to develop recipes that are reasonably healthy and that I can throw together in a short period of time. Which also fit my tastes - I'm a supertaster and the cruciferous vegetables and dark green leafy vegetables are unbearably bitter to me - and don't rely on dairy since I'm lactose intolerant. I'm trying to eat a bit more cheese to get more natural calcium in my diet, but I prefer not to eat it in chunks and not in a really cheesy dish, if that makes sense. (Plus the lactase pills are expensive - not something I want to rely on for most meals.)

OK, now I need to stop nattering on about food and get some sleep, or I really will have a migraine tomorrow. :D

Do you like soups and stews? Those are the easiest ways to get everything in one giant pot and something you can save and throw in the microwave later. I made a tortilla soup last weekend that's still lasting me through the week, and it's loaded with all kinds of veggies, plus chicken and cheese once it's heated on top. And tortilla chips for saltiness, crunch, and that daily requirement of grains. It's a full balanced meal!

If you'd like, I'd be happy to post the recipe on my blog sometime which includes a divine recipe for chicken stock from scratch which can be stored and thrown in the freezer for later use in other meals like chicken and dumpling soup. Hopefully I can remember exactly what all I used . . . ^_^;

Mmm, sounds good! That'd be great, if you would. :D

(I swear I was heading for the Shut off Computer button when I saw the comment notification! I'm leaving! Now! Really! For sure!)

Now shoo! This is my last comment! XD

^_^ I swear by soup--if I'm tired, pressed for time, sick, or just really need to make a meal that will provide enough lunches and dinners until I have time to cook again, I haul out the soup pot and start rummaging for ingredients. You can put almost anything in it, and with most soups, the majority of the cooking time can be spent sitting and reading, which is the best kind of cooking to do if you're been on your feet all day.

Tortilla soup is fantastic, albeit somewhat difficult to transport.

Aspartame is nasty stuff, in my opinion. Of course, I'm allergic to it (It gives me huge patches of oozing rash and is probably the worst food allergy I've got), so I'm definitely biased against it. I keep meaning to give splenda an honest try, but now, when I taste a sweetener that's artificial, I have a fear reaction which can cause all sorts of physical symptoms that confuse the matter.

Of course, my having problems with aspartame doesn't automatically mean that you are. It just means that I wouldn't be surprised to hear it. Anything at all can be an individual migraine trigger (or allergen or reflux trigger or...). There are things that are more commonly problems, but anything at all can cause problems for a particular person.

Something like 40% of people who ingest Splenda, never excrete it ... in any way, shape, or detectable form. Not in urine or sweat or spit or anything. So ... I'm giving Splenda a few more years on the market before I give it a real go.

Also, it's *too* sweet for me, in a sickly kind of way, which makes it easy for me to identify in foods *g*

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