Planning Holiday meals - keep those Migraines in mind

Migraineurs know they must be ever-watchful of the foods they eat. Foods and hidden additives often act as triggers for Migraine attacks, and the holiday season becomes a time of stress instead of the fun and relaxation it was designed to give us. The only thing more stressful than the lack of control we have when we go elsewhere to celebrate, is being in charge of the family meal - planning, purchasing, preparing, cooking and serving.

Below you will find some ideas you can adapt for your own typical American holiday meal:

*Plan well in advance. This act alone will save you more stress than any other. Do things well in advance and have fun with the whole process. Involve your family where you can and make it fun for them as well. You might not feel well on the big day, so now is a good time to put everything on paper. Remember, write down your recipes so others can help you if you get sick. Migraineurs know to plan for the worst, hope for the best: locate and check your Migraine bag, just in case!

*Buy meats without enhancement via injection or addition of 'solutions' which usually contain trigger ingredients like nitrates or MSG. Beware, almost all pre-packaged grocery store meats now come this way. This includes hamburger. We go to our local butcher at least 2 weeks in advance and order organically grown, antibiotic free, very plain beef, turkey, lamb, game hen, pork, etc. I can 'fancy-it-up' as I please when I prepare and cook it, and I know that it is free from triggers. Ordering the meat also allows me to tell the butcher/grocer that I want it fresh and will pick it up the day before I intend to cook it. When you order it, put the pickup date on your calendar.

*Buy fresh whenever possible. Stay away from anything your great grandma wouldn't immediately recognize or know how to prepare. Things in boxes and bags, or pre-prepared ingredients usually contain hidden additives that often act as triggers for Migraines. Cooking with basic ingredients may seem difficult at first, but practice ahead of time and have fun with it. It does take a little more time and planning, but a Migraine will take much more from your holiday festivities than any extra time involved in cooking without boxes.

*Two weeks in advance, plan each ingredient and course on a notepad, then create your grocery list accordingly. I also plan my table setting. Your holiday meal experience will be influenced by 4 things: Appearance, Smell, Taste, the Company at the table, so keep all these things in mind during your planning phase. The simple addition of water glasses, a homemade centerpiece and some folded napkins is extremely basic, yet adds a touch of class that makes each person at the table feel special. Include your children by teaching them to fold napkins (paper or cloth), create napkin rings or help to make the centerpiece or place cards.

*Shop 2 days in advance of the event, which you have noted on your calendar. Make your trip during off-hours at the store, usually before 11 am or after 9:30 pm. This lowers the stress and assures you that there will be plenty of help available if you need it. Find out when your store gets its produce in each week. Our store gets a new truck in each Tuesday and Friday mornings. Planning your purchase around their shipments allows you the best selection, and makes it easier to be sure the fresh fruits and veggies are at their best. Call your grocer two weeks in advance if you will need something special. Most grocers are happy to special order the item you need, especially if you know the number on the label used for scanning. If you're worried they might not have an item fresh the day you need it, ask them and most are happy to help you with this as well.

*Do your wash and preparation work the day before the event. Here is a pdf file of green-clean information and recipes including a fruit and vegetable wash that will clean off the endocrine disrupting chemicals on non-organic produce, as well as general dirt and grime without exposing you or your family to potentially harmful toxins and Migraine triggers. Cut up the veggies etc and bag them or put them under plastic wrap. If you're going to make stock or soup, do it now. Some items such as rice and stuffing, may be pre-cooked and assembled tomorrow. Wash your table settings so they sparkle. Encourage your children to help you clean your dining area and kitchen. This builds excitement for the event. Lay out the clothes you will want for tomorrow. Before bed, set the table including linens. Everything should be ready to cook and your counters cleaned and ready to use. Take 5 minutes and scrub your sink so that it sparkles. This little act will make you feel so good when you wake up tomorrow.

*The big day is here! Find a beautiful candle. Light it and place it on the kitchen table or counter and turn on some holiday music to set the stage. Get out your notes and begin your day. Pace yourself and allow the opportunity to relax. Make it a point to smile and look into the eyes of every person that walks into your space today. They are likely feeling stress as well, hoping that the day will go well and that you will feel happy and healthy. When my children were young, I made it a point to ask them to help me cook and welcome guests, which they loved. We always made time to do something fun like dance to a favorite Christmas tune, or ride a horse in the snow. My daughter often played her clarinet for us as entertainment while I finished cooking. This is the stuff memories are made of.

*Today is a great day to keep something on the stove or in the oven. The wonderful smells wafting through the house will energize you and your family and make them smile in anticipation. Anticipation makes willing helpers! If you cannot tolerate the smells of cooking, crack a window or door which will allow them to spread throughout the house without concentrating where you will be working.

*Your guests have arrived. Hug them, and don't let go until they break the embrace. If choosing to shake hands, grasp your guest's hand with both of your hands and look into their eyes when you greet them and tell them how glad you are they have arrived. These things will relax you and momentarily change your focus to the place it is supposed to be today: friends and family.

Are you looking for Migraine friendly foods and ideas? Stay tuned for my next blog post which will address some easy ideas for tasty trigger-free holiday foods.

This is my 100th blog post. I hope you enjoy it!



For more information see Migraine-free recipes for the holidays

This post has been chosen for inclusion in the Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival


Happier Holidays: December 20808 Headache Blog Carnival

Generally speaking, a blog carnival is a collection of links to a variety of a blogs on a central topic. The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival has been created to provide both headache and migraine disease patients and people who blog about headache disorders with unique opportunities to share ideas on topics of particular interest and importance to us. Visit the link to this month's carnival for a collection of informative entries on how to maximize your enjoyment of the holiday season.

Thank you Diana at Somebody Heal Me!

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