Health Affixed

Health Is Limitless

Botox & Migraines

by

The commercial on television said that Botox can be used to treat migraines; the statement sparked my interest - Botox for migraines, since when? I thought Botox was for wrinkles.

According to Migraine Again, the correlation between Botox and migraine relief was an accidental discovery. Patients who received Botox treatment reported that their headaches improved.

I didn’t have to look very far to find skepticism. At the end of the commercial, the spokesperson disclosed the side effects of Botox. It turns out that the Botox recommended for migraines could also cause headaches.

Avoiding common migraine triggers may be a better solution than Botox. These common migraine triggers include dairy, chocolate, eggs, citrus fruits, meat, wheat, nuts, tomatoes, onions, corn, apples, and bananas.

If you have debilitating migraines, then you may want to look into the Migraine Diet.

Food & Inflammation

by

Inflammation is the body’s repair mechanism for damaged tissue, the body’s response to an injury, and the body’s defense strategy against viruses and bacteria. An inflammatory response is triggered by the immune system. A defect in the body’s triggering system may result in the development of an autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, the body mistakenly believes that normal tissues are infected and triggers an inflammatory response to fight the normal tissues; the inflammatory response damages the normal tissues.

According to Eat This, Not That!, certain foods can trigger an inflammatory response in the body which over time can lead to weight gain, drowsiness, skin problems, digestive issues, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. These foods include sugar, vegetable oil, fried foods, refined flour, dairy, artificial sweeteners, artificial additives (processed foods), saturated fats, conventional grain-fed meats (low quality meats), processed meats (including bacon), store-bought bread (gluten), excess alcohol, trans fat foods, and fast food.

While eliminating all of these foods may be unrealistic, limiting them is definitely achievable and may go a long way in preserving your immune system. In addition, there are some anti-inflammatory foods that you may use to balance your day before or after consuming inflammatory foods. According to Dr. Axe, anti-inflammatory foods include: green leafy vegetables, bok choy, celery, beets, broccoli, blueberries, pineapples, salmon, bone broth, walnuts, coconut oil, chia seeds, flax seeds, turmeric, and ginger.

Tip: if you eat a lot of fried foods, you may want to buy some ginger tea to keep on hand.

Never Again: Organic Blueberries

by

This is one organic item that I can no longer enjoy; blame it on the trauma from seeing maggots in my blueberries, not the alcohol.

Apparently, when you purchase organic blueberries, you run the risk of getting a batch infected with maggots. These maggots, by all accounts, are harmless if accidentally consumed. However, just seeing them in your blueberry can be a traumatic experience.

When it comes to blueberries, a little bit of pesticide may actually go a long way. The female blueberry fruit fly lays her egg under the skin of the blueberry. The eggs hatch in the blueberry and the maggot/larva emerges. The maggot feeds on the pulp inside of the blueberry. The infested berries are packaged and sold to organic vendors. The vendors sell to consumers and the consumer, well, consumes the infested berries.

If you have never had an issue with blueberry maggots, then there is no need to give up your organic berries; instead, be aware that maggots in organic blueberries is a real possibility and stay alert while consuming your organic blueberries.

Weakness: Chocolate

by

This weakness is a common one. However, the great thing about chocolate is that a small piece can go a long way. Most times a chocolate craving is satisfied by the first or second bite. We tend to eat the rest because it’s really good and we are generally taught to finish what we started.

If you love chocolate but lack the self-control to stop eating after the first or second bite, then consider purchasing containers with individually wrapped pieces instead of a large chocolate bar. Even if you eat five small pieces, usually the caloric damage will still not be as bad as eating a whole chocolate bar.

This weakness is a common one. However, the great thing about chocolate is that a small piece can go a long way. Most times a chocolate craving is satisfied by the first or second bite. We tend to eat the rest because it’s really good and we are generally taught to finish what we started.

If you love chocolate but lack the self-control to stop eating after the first or second bite, then consider purchasing containers with individually wrapped pieces instead of a large chocolate bar. Even if you eat five small pieces, usually the caloric damage will still not be as bad as eating a whole chocolate bar.

Weakness: Mixed Nuts

by

Have you tried the “THA Supermix©,” yet? Well, if you like trail mixes, then you are in for a treat. The problem is over consumption and caloric suicide. A quarter cup of nuts can range from 120 to 200 calories and that’s barely a handful of nuts.

Portion control is the solution to keeping your calories down while consuming nuts. Use a quarter cup to separate the mix into 1 oz containers and store the containers in the refrigerator.

If you leave the mix in a large container, you may be tempted to snack on multiple handfuls. Being mindful of the portions will prevent or limit mindless snacking. Be proactive, not regretful.