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        New Message Board Archives >> Oct-Dec 2003 >> what to Eat?
        
(Message started by: Maggi on Nov 8^th, 2003, 3:07pm)

Title: what to Eat?
Post by Maggi on Nov 8^th, 2003, 3:07pm

hi my name is Maggi

I resently found you, thanks for being here and giving me hope!
I have a question, hope somebody can help.

I feel that through out the years diet and exersice has played a role in my battle.

The attacks where really strong at first and for years i took the pain everynight and well, did the dance!

Then i tryed to change my diet no more pizzas eggs colas,
one beer... Bad choice!!! But five.. ok :-/... Really strange!!
Well so eat healthy no sauces and fat, drink a lot of water everyday exercise, swim and try to have this road open neck - head - arms with this system. Ive always felt a connection there
Diet + exersice + regular sleeping pattern

They have been very mild since i started this program
but i suffer like hell today and have been since Monday.
i havent changed my diet or anything.

Has anybody got some advise for me on this one.
Is there a connection u know of?

Maggi

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by jonny on Nov 8^th, 2003, 3:34pm

on 11/08/03 at 15:07:51, Maggi wrote:

regular sleeping pattern

Whats that?

...........................jonny

Edit.....If you call waking up once or twice a night screaming "regular" then I have a great pattern.

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by River_Rat on Nov 8^th, 2003, 3:41pm

Maggi, I don't know what to tell you, I've had these things for over 20 years now, the only things that I know for sure effects me is nitrates, nuts and booze.

I've heard water can really help. Hang in there hun they will soon be gone and maybe by your next cycle they will have a cure. That's what I always hope anyway.

LEE

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Maggi on Nov 8^th, 2003, 4:32pm

Sorry to hear about your screamings Jonny...

What i mean is when im not in a cycle i have a sleeping pattern i follow, go to sleep at 12 -12.15 wake up 8 - 8.15...
no exeptions!

M

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by jonny on Nov 8^th, 2003, 4:38pm

I must say im sorry too, I dont know what a cycle is.

...............................jonny

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by BarbaraD on Nov 8^th, 2003, 4:41pm

Me too Jonny -- or sleeping pattern.....

But I'm glad Maggie is getting some relief. It's always good to hear success stories. Makes me long for the day..........

Hugs BD

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by forgetfulnot on Nov 8^th, 2003, 5:18pm

Go here.....

http://www.hospital-doctor.co.uk/hd_news/hd_news_article.asp?ID=2498&Section=Feature

See General measures and patient education.

Good luck,

The other Lee.

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Maggi on Nov 8^th, 2003, 5:20pm

I am so, so sorry to hear...
Im here for you gyes as you are for me, i hope!:-)

What about food?

Do you take care of what to eat and drink?
I feel a connection... Dont you?

hahaha BD... Im a gye!!! :-) -

Maggi.. short for Magnus.

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by kim on Nov 8^th, 2003, 5:35pm

Magnus, great name.

Anyhow, as for what to eat....while in cycle, experience has taught me that the emphasis is not really on the WHAT you eat, but rather the "how much" and "how often".

I have had success with eating SMALL portions of food. No BIG meals that lead to full tummy and relaxation - cuz that's what the beast jest LUVS. Eat minimally throughout the day. Lil bit here and lil bit there. Don't fill up. After eating i drink hot coffee (natural vasoconstrictor). Food leads to relaxation and dilation of blood vessels which results in a cluster attack.

I've read a lot of stuff about what foods are good and what foods are "bad"...........i don't put too much stock in it.......but that's just me. Eat what ya want, but minimally. ....

Best luck and PFDAN :)

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Maggi on Nov 8^th, 2003, 5:58pm

For ten years i ate pretty badly... then i was probably chronic because the attacks where that big part of my life at that time

I started eating proparly, drink water everyday, sleep, small portions of healthy meals every two or three hours, no fruits and sugar, milk sometimes was a bad idie. do exerses where i warm the shoulders up and then tryed to get some relaxation when streching my arms and neck
i have been really good for four five years or so..

This is what i think!!

Then i have been behaving a littla badly once in a while lately :-( chocolate there, pizzas, colas, doing all thoes things i ususally do and by skipping thoes things I feel like i am triggering the beast

Now i have had ch for five days, I have constant shadows and i am trying not to take imigram just drinking water but he is very strong waitng..and this is very unusual!!! A bit like how it was at first!!
But then again i have been eating shit!!!

?????

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Prense on Nov 8^th, 2003, 6:21pm

Before finishing a beer, I can be slammed up against the wall by an attack...

I can eat pretty much whatever I want to and it has never seemed to trigger an attack. (good points though Kim...thanks for sharing that)

I am fairly convinced that there are no ties to what foods I eat and CH. As far as when, if and how much I eat...could be something to look into.

Exercise...different animal altogether. Some types of excercising will call the beast for me...almost as consistently as drinking beer. Does any type of exercise help me? I am certain it does...but not for CH.

Now, I must go, smoke another cig and chomp on a snickers... ;;D

Either way, welcome aboard Magnus...

No more "sorry to hear about..." though. If I want pity, I'll goto the ER. ;;D

Chris

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Charlie on Nov 8^th, 2003, 6:58pm

For me, there was nothing, not even beer, that seemed to trigger or affect my attacks. I like Kim's suggestion of small portions. We eat too much anyway and small portions and gallons of very strong coffee is my regimen. It's also been 12 years since my last attack and the only thing that I find that' different is that after my mother died, I began drinking lots of very strong coffee and became even more noctural. Perhaps for me, there is a circadian factor. I just don't know. I was 45 when they began to disappear.

Exercise for me fits in with my circulatory technique. The body needs lots of 02 for the muscles and I think this affects blood flow enough to have some effect on the episode. It may be that something is started, triggered, or stopped but it seems to work. It may be circulation itself. I'd think running or fairly violent exercise works best.

My goofy sounding but effedtive technique is here:

http://www.netsync.net/users/charlies/

Good luck and stick around

Charlie

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Linda_Howell on Nov 8^th, 2003, 9:16pm

O.k. I've been watching this thread evolve and I can see that no one is gonna tell Maggi the obvious.

Maggi. What you eat has nothing to do with cluster headaches.

It can make you feel better over-all.
It can make you lose or gain weight.
It can make you healthier.

We don't suffer with Migraines. In which chocolate, wine, cheese, nuts, etc.....can bring on an attack.

Now. What meds are you taking? Are you on 02? Is your Neurologist someone you can trust? Have you read everything here on meds and controlling the beast?

LindaH

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by forgetfulnot on Nov 8^th, 2003, 11:05pm

Quote:

O.k. I've been watching this thread evolve and I can see that no one is gonna tell Maggi the obvious.

Maggi. What you eat has nothing to do with cluster headaches.

Hmmmmm I thought that is what this said.

Go here.....

http://www.hospital-doctor.co.uk/hd_news/hd_news_article.asp?ID=2498& ;Section=Feature

See General measures and patient education.

Lee

Title: Lettuce as a trigger ??
Post by floridian on Nov 9^th, 2003, 7:00am

River_rat mentioned nitrates. Nitrates and nitrites boost nitric oxide, which opens up blood vessels. In small amounts in normal people, that is good. In cluster headaches, there is too much NO, which opens blood vessels so much it pinches nerves and causes pain. Alcohol triggers major NO production and CH. Viagra and ginseng increase NO, and might be triggers. Cured meats (ham, hot dogs, sausages) have been named as a trigger. But vegetables may be the biggest source of nitrites in most people's diet:

Quote:

High amounts of nitrate are a normal component of vegetables. Beets, celery, lettuce, spinach, radishes and rhubarb all contain about 200 milligrams (mg) of nitrate or 100 gram (g) portion (2000 parts per million or ppm). Cruciferous vegetables such as mustard, kale, turnips and cabbage are also high in nitrate.

http://interactive.usask.ca/ski/agriculture/food/foodnut/constit/constit_add5.html

Quote:

More than 85 percent of a person's daily intake of nitrite comes from nitrate in green, leafy vegetables or root vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach and carrots, and some drinking water. At most, about 5 percent of a person's daily intake comes from cured meats.

http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ80XEN0IC&sub_cat=380

I think that 5% is somewhat misleading. The average person doesn't eat cured meats every day. On days when they do, it may account for a major spike of nitrites. But their point that some vegetables contain lots of nitrite is valid.

Cross posted as a new thread in the medical side.

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Maggi on Nov 9^th, 2003, 10:29am

Hi everybody and thanks for the responces on my thang!

Last night was beautiful sleept like a baby and i was so happy when i woke up went down stairs for a good breakfast and!!
He came like a thunderstorm and attacked me so hard Argghh..
Like in two three minutes and drove right up to his peek and stayed there for an hour or so.
I didnt take Imigran this time I have been eating them like candy since monday L and by reading you talking about rebounces got me a little scared!!
Im better now thoe!
But i dont dare to go outside today.

I think Ch is about you taking care of many different things at the same time..
So to be able to control it better.
And by saying your diet is not affecting when i definently feel a connection between
food o2 sleep workout and exersice!

I dont know why Doctors dont go all the way in finding a cure for this hell we live in.
I mean we are so few that suffer 0.1% of mankind.. it shouldnt be as expensive and unessisery as it is to go to war!
But hey thats just me!

Have you tried changing your diet, drink water everyday skip the donuts, brownies, colas and pizzas and all the shit that is shit! EVERYDAY!
Take walks and breath a lot of air??

I know how i was and i know how i feel when i do my program all the way!
There is defenetly a difference in my case!
Or am i just a chronic lier?

I dont know what miagrin is so i dont know what triggers them.
I know what i have and frankly am getting tired of being compared to them.
I live in Iceland and well everybody knows miagrin here but i have always been alone fighting my monster.. Don Kikote J
But finding you gyes is the warmest thing ever for my troubled mind!

Im not nessiserely talking about triggers...
Im talking about a healty rutine of many things, all the time.

Best to you

Magnus

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Prense on Nov 9^th, 2003, 11:31am

Magnus,

I am fairly certain that no one is thinking you are a chronic liar. You have a routine that you feel works for you, and you wanted to share that with us all. I, for one, thank you for doing so.

Dieting and exercise may help some cope with CH, but I would really doubt any claims to a cure...which it did not sound like you were trying to do. Foods and such are more commonly associated to migraines as triggers not CH, but for general dieting...that is good for just about everyone.

When we talk of triggers and CH, we are talking very rapidly...ie, before the first beer is down, you are getting hit. For episodic sufferers...I would imagine that they would become more "active" when they are not in cycle...because they can. Nothing really changes(except seasons and such)...then you are getting hit again for 6 weeks straight. I see no association for those people with the types of food they consume or exercise routine.

This is just my opinion...I cannot really answer for an episodic sufferer, because I have not been there. As a chronic sufferer, I can say that I have given up many things due to having CH...foods, alcohol, long distance running/jogging. I am going to have a life...I'm not giving up anything else, unless I know it is triggering attacks (experience), or unless it is researched and for all intents and purposes, "proven".

I am just trying to show where some might be coming from.

Best wishes for you Magnus!

Chris

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by sandie99 on Nov 10^th, 2003, 6:08am

Hi Maggi! :)

My neurologist told me that usually it really doesn't matter what you eat; ch comes when it wants to. Of course a healthy diet makes it easier to cope.

The only thing to avoid is alcohol: I was told that if one cuts it totally, cycles are milder. Never been much of a drinker, so I can't tell about that.

What I can tell you is, that in my case now, my ch attacks are milder. What I have done is that I drink a lot of water and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I eat wholegrain or rye products and lots of fish and white meat. I don't eat sugar, watch salt and have given up fizzy drinks. I feel so much better and ch is easier to handle.

Best wishes & PF days,
sandie99

Title: Re: what to Eat?
Post by Patrick_A on Nov 10^th, 2003, 8:53am

E-P-I-S-O-D-I-C here!

Hey Magnus, Welcome to the "House of Pain"

Gotta love a proactive CH sufferer.
You'll get a lot of great informationon this board.But, The bottom line is, you'll be better off listening to your own body and head.

My own personal opinions are, Alcohol is a definite trigger for me. I stay away from any foods that require long term preservatives. IE....Cheese, Lunch meats etc.
I don't know anything about Nitrates or Nitrites. In fact i dont even know what they are other than what someone who needs them for Angina.
Imitrex definitly makes my CH's worse, But when i need to be able to do something outside of my home. Imitrex is a lifesaver!

Patrick