Words of Wisdom from a Beast Slayer Extraordinaire!
Today's wisdom comes from Beast Slayer Extraordinaire, Lori L.!
I want to re-share a post that Lori shared inside of Migrai-Neverland back in August because I think it can be helpful for those struggling with pressure from well-meaning friends and family to "let loose" and indulge during the holidays.
We appreciate you, Lori, for sharing this and inspiring us all!
Lori writes:
I always make a post on my "Migraine-Miracle Birthday"
(August 8th, 2016) but didn't this year because I was knocked flat with a migraine. Yep. The beast on my MM Birthday.
Four years ago, thanks to Dr. T and Jenny, my life became so much better. Discipline and determination "cured" me. Over the last four years, I hardcore stuck to plan. I LOVE feeling great and being pain-free. No food is worth the misery of the beast.
A year and a half ago, hubby and I left the Los Angeles area and moved to a small town in Arizona. People are more social here. Less tuned-in to different diets. (In LA everyone has alternative eating structures!)
Here, we get lots of dinner invites and parties. People kindly drop in with
meals since they know we live in a construction zone with a make-shift kitchen. I've explained my way of eating and people have been so kind and obliging but really, they don't quite get it.
I try to limit what I eat in these situations, but I never want to seem rude. Over the last six months, my carbs have gone up, I have less control of what I've been eating because I don't know what ingredients people are using.
The little morning headaches I used to get pre-MM have been sneaking in.
This latest incident that caused the migraine on my MM Birthday was especially challenging.
At our book club meeting, a very nice member proudly brought forward a plate of cookies and presented them to me. I, of course, said, "No thanks." And she said, "Oh! You can eat these! I made them
especially for you. They're gluten-free!"
She didn't want me to feel left out while everyone else ate treats. I didn't know what to do. I knew they were loaded with sugar and likely guar gum (which I don't do well with), plus I just don't do substitute foods. But she was so excited for me to try them and so proud of herself.
So I
ate the darn cookies.
And got laid flat with the old-school hugging the toilet throwing up for two days intense pain of the beast. I have no doubt it hit me so hard because I was already high on the threshold.
It took three days of fasting, movement, saltwater, and yoga to slay the beast because of two gluten-free cookies.
You forget how horrendous migraines are when you don't have them anymore.
So I made a vow on my MM birthday while laying on the cold tile of the
bathroom floor: I can't let other people's good intentions destroy something I worked SO HARD for.
If you're new to this and you feel like it isn't working, listen to what I'm saying: PUT YOUR HEALTH FIRST. Stick to the plan.
And if you would like to hear
more of Lori's story, you can hear her podcast interview with Dr. T here.
You may also enjoy her website (with her brilliant photography) where she talks more about her experience (first article here and second here).
Slay the Beast,
Josh and Jenny
