6 Ways to Minimize the Impact of a "Cheat" Meal
For various reasons, the holidays are one of those times where you might find yourself tempted to deviate from the plan a bit.
So let's talk about what we can do to minimize the chances that a “cheat meal” brings on a visit from the beast.
And while we can't completely eliminate our risk, by employing any or all of these strategies, we can at least significantly reduce our odds.
In general, our overall goal with these strategies is to reduce the impact of a cheat meal, which for the most part means minimizing the blood sugar response to a given meal and reducing the amount of migraine-inducing substances that hit the brain.
Here we go!
STRATEGY #1 - Eat It Early
I consider the earlier timing of meals to be a key component of an ancestral approach to eating.
There are multiple lines of evidence that indicate our bodies expect us to eat while the sun is up (and not after dark). So not eating after dark is another way of bringing our modern life in line with our ancient biology.
And there's a compelling body of research already on the health benefits of doing so.
From the migraineur's perspective, there's also the fact that migraines are especially more likely to begin while we're sleeping. But that's much less likely to happen is our physiology is stable during the night, much more likely if it is unstable.
Ideally then, we want to go to bed with nothing left in our stomach to digest, and for the physiological effects of our last meal to have fully passed. This is extra important after a cheat meal.
I aim for 4 hours between my last meal and bedtime.
For a cheat meal, to add additional insurance, I'd try to aim for more (for example, I might eat a very light breakfast, then have my cheat meal in the early afternoon - 1-2 pm - and then not eat again that day. This way I'll ensure things are long digested when I hit the pillow, and I'll be getting some extra protection from fasting)
STRATEGY #2 - Drink Extra Water
Most people know that one of the best defenses against a hangover is water.
Water can mitigate the dehydration that comes with alcohol (which is a diuretic) AND it dilutes the amount of alcohol in the blood, meaning the brain “sees” lower concentration.
The latter is also true for any migraine-inducing substances one might ingest. The more water consumed along with it, the lower its concentration. So consume an extra glass or two.
STRATEGY #3 - Eat The Protective Stuff First
More than likely a cheat meal is going to mean a higher than normal amount of carbs, usually in the form of bread-y or sugary stuff.
So we want to minimize the effect of those carbs on our blood sugar. The faster the rise, and the higher the peak, the more we risk an unwelcome visit from the beast.
And the same amount of carbs on an empty stomach will produce a much greater response than it will on a fuller stomach.
So start with eating the good stuff - stuff with good protein and fat - and save the carb-y cheat for the latter part of the meal.
Not only will this slow the digestion of any carbs you ingest, but it'll probably lead you to eat less of them overall.
Satisfy your hunger with the good stuff, so you'll be less prone to overindulge on the not so good stuff (as you probably know, willpower is significantly diminished when we're hungry).
You can take this a step further by eating a small snack of something protective about 30 min to an hour prior to your meal (that way the satiating effects will have registered and reduced your appetite).
STRATEGY #4 - Cheat Strategically
As you know, it's almost never any ONE thing that brings on the beast, but rather the combined effects of multiple things.
This means that if we already have a few "balloons" on our basket, a cheat meal will be much more likely to lift us over the migraine threshold.
So best to save the cheat meals for those times when you're otherwise feeling resilient.
If you've already been rendered vulnerable by a poor night's sleep or stress, then it may not be a great time to tempt fate. Best to save the cheats for when you're feeling your strongest self.
STRATEGY #5 - Pre-Cheat Activity
After the carbs in a meal are digested and the simple sugars absorbed into the bloodstream, they are then taken up by the tissues that need them most.
This includes our muscles, which are big sugar hogs. And the more we've used them, the more sugar they want from our next meal.
So physical activity prior to a meal (perhaps an hour or two prior) means thirstier muscles. And the thirstier our muscles, the faster the sugar in the blood will be disposed of.
(this is also another great reason for building muscle over the long term, as bigger muscles will mean a lower blood sugar response to every meal)
And if you can't get any physical activity in before the meal, doing something afterward can help as well. Or do both!
STRATEGY #6 - Re-Frame
This one has to do with creating a healthier relationship to food overall so that it's less wrapped up into things like reward and deprivation.
I've found that my desire to cheat has continued to lessen over the years, which has made making it through the holidays feeling good much, much easier.
There are probably several reasons why, but one of them is because of the re-framing of how I think of the relationship between food and migraines, as I discussed in the “New Story of Migraine” article.
There are so many nourishing, beast killing foods out there that I can eat, and my appreciation and desire for those foods has increased over the years.
The appeal of a juicy steak or a plate of turnip greens has only risen over the last several years, while that of breads and pastas has simultaneously diminished considerably.
This is a process, one that's grown over time, and it didn't happen overnight. But always having the new story in the back of my mind played a big part.
With few exceptions, the holidays are no longer about exerting willpower resisting temptations, as those temptations no longer exist. :)
Slay the Beast!
Josh and Jenny
