After 25 Years of Constant Severe Migraines, She Finally Gets Her Life Back. Here’s How…
After 25 Years of Constant Severe Migraines, She Finally Gets Her Life Back. Here’s How…
46-year-old Andrea Henson, a catering business proprietor from Lincolnshire, had suffered from debilitating severe migraines since her twenties. Her condition often left her loved ones helpless and the attacks ranged from moderate to severe. The mother of two once suffered an extreme case that landed her in the hospital with a suspected embolism. According to Andrea, it was her worst episode, and she had to undergo several tests including both a CT scan and a lumbar puncture. She adds that the experience was quite frightening, which shows how bad migraines can be.
Andrea’s episodes were always unpredictable. They would come on quickly and affect her vision or start slow and last anywhere between one and three days. Although the episodes left her feeling exhausted and achy, there was nothing anyone could do about it. Andrea had to soldier on the best way possible since she runs her own business. The entire experience was hard on her. To help her combat the constant attacks, Andrea carried the migraine relief tablets prescribed for her everywhere.
However, the pills were extremely strong, which meant she could only take a limited dose, about four tablets monthly. Unfortunately, managing the migraines was an uphill task since the episodes were regular. She had to try and reserve the medication for the necessary occasions even though she needed the relief. The alternative was not having any later, which meant suffering a lot more in the event of a severe episode. Like many medications, the prescribed migraine relief tablets caused adverse side effects. They made Andrea drowsy and queasy.
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Andrea was initially interested in the YorkTest program to help her satisfy her clients’ dietary requests. As a caterer for weddings and corporate events, she needed to learn about food intolerances and new food regulations. A friend diagnosed with severe gluten intolerance recommended the YorkTest program to Andrea. She thought it presented the perfect opportunity for a deeper insight into food sensitivities, which would, in turn, benefit her business. It would also allow her to look deeper into her family’s health, especially if she involved them when taking the test.
At the time, Andrea had no idea that food intolerance caused migraines. After undertaking the program with her entire family, she discovered that she is intolerant to cow milk and corn. To her surprise, it was this intolerance that caused her weekly migraine attacks. Andrea’s husband Andrew found out he is intolerant to Brazil nuts, wheat, and milk. Both their children, 18-year-old Mckenna and 16-year-old Carter, are intolerant to milk. In addition, Mckenna is surprisingly intolerant to prunes. The Henson family proceeded to remove all the intolerances from their diets, replacing cow milk with soy milk.
READ ALSO: Symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity You Probably Don’t Know About
Andrea’s family started reintroducing a few trigger foods into their diets twelve weeks later, with favorable results. According to Andrea, both she and Andrew would suffer from uncomfortable and painful bloating every time they ate out. However, this only happened before they changed their eating habits and they can now enjoy their meals without discomfort. Since she started her new diet regime, Andrea has gone from having migraines every week to having about three in total. She is amazed by the fact that they disappeared after six weeks.
For Andrea, taking the medication out of her handbag and being confident that she does not need it anymore was a huge relief. As much as migraines were a regular part of her life, she finally feels that she is normal for not having them. She adds that the whole process was life-changing for her entire family.
According to YorkTest’s scientific director, the program has supported several studies on the impact elimination diets have on migraines. The findings have contributed to how they conduct their food intolerance services. The studies include findings from Migraine Action, which show over two-thirds of sufferers believe that once ingested, certain foods cause migraines. The studies also show that people who follow trigger-food elimination diets can improve their symptoms. The main issue is the fact that a one-size-fits-all diet does not exist. This is why taking a bespoke approach to nutrition through food personalization is important.
Conclusion
Anyone who experiences negative reactions after eating and drinking should immediately seek medical advice. However, learning what is holding you back from improving your quality of life, like Andrea and her family did, is of uttermost importance. Migraines had plagued Andrea for more than half her life, but she finally overcame this by eliminating trigger foods from her diet. The mother-of-two feels healthy again and terms it as the icing on her cake. Evidently, a little dieting might be all it takes to treat severe migraines.