I get migraines. Lie in bed all day, can’t think, light-and-sound-sensitive, pounding migraines.

Since elementary school, I’d get such bad headaches that I couldn’t eat, deal with small amounts of lights or noise, and would occasionally throw up.

I always found a way to deal with them. I’d use pillows and blankets to cover the lights and would always carry a bottle of Excedrin Extra Strength Migraine.

Last year, however, the Excedrin stopped working. I visited doctors and tried different medications. But I’d still get migraines once a week for 24 hours or more.

But as I battled these extreme headaches, my best friend and fellow migraine sufferer stumbled upon something that actually worked. She found a non-medication route that took her from three migraines a week to zero. Those results sounded great! So I decided to give what she was doing a try – The Whole30 eating plan.

Is the Whole30 the Cure to Migraines?

The Whole30 is a “short-term nutrition reset” developed by Melissa Hartwig in 2009. She noticed that certain food groups could potentially cause problems with certain people. Therefore, she suggested that people try cutting these foods out of their diets for 30 days. Then you’d slowly introduce these foods back into your diet to help you determine the cause of the migraines.

While on the Whole30, you eat real, whole foods including moderate portions of meat, seafood, and eggs, vegetables, fruits, natural fats, and herbs, spices, and seasonings.

You avoid eating:

• Sugar. Whether it’s real or artificial, it is out for 30 days.
• Alcohol. In all forms, even for cooking.
• Grains. Think of all forms of grains, even the gluten free ones, and say goodbye.
• Legumes. This means beans, peas, lentils, peanuts (no peanut butter), and soy.
• Dairy. Cow, goat, or sheep – it doesn’t matter. All types of milk products are out.
• Carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out.

There are a few exceptions to these rules and additional rules that are important to note, for those check out the full program rules here.

But is Whole30 Really Healthy?

Before I go any further, I have to stress that this story is based solely on my experiences. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the sponsor of this blog, does not endorse this diet.

The diet does include a lot of healthy stuff, and removes many unhealthy things. The diet focuses a lot on vegetables, for example, and bans sweets and junk food. Many of the avoided foods in the Whole 30 plan have also been recognized by medical professionals as common triggers of migraines, including MSG, alcohol and certain dairy products.

The concern? The diet also eliminates foods that are great sources of important nutrients, including beans and whole grains, said Amanda Shanahan, a registered dietitian with Excellus BCBS. These types of foods, for example, are keys to digestive and heart health, she added.

“Fortunately, this is only supposed to be a ‘short-term nutrition reset,’” said Shanahan. “But individuals should consult with their personal physician and/or registered dietitian for guidance before tackling new diets, such as Whole30.”

How to do Whole30 on Campus

I live on campus and have a meal plan.  Therefore, my first step was to email the culinary service to figure out what I could and couldn’t eat on campus.  My second step was to go grocery shopping to get snacks and food to eat in case I didn’t have time to eat on campus. After a long trip to Wegmans, and after reading every label trying to find a compliant salad dressing, I picked my start date and was ready.

Eating On Campus

I usually eat on campus for two meals a day: lunch and dinner. I also have a very busy schedule so I don’t always sit in the dining hall for both of those meals. I’m often running to cafés on campus to grab food to eat in class or at work.

In the dining hall I ate:

• Grilled Chicken. Available at both lunch and dinner, this was one of the first things I asked about when I emailed the culinary service.
• Salad. There’s a great salad bar with different greens and tons of raw vegetables. I did avoid the salad dressings since I wasn’t sure of its ingredients.  This was a great spot if I needed something fast or just wanted to add raw veggies to a meal.
• Stir Fry. I’m lucky to have a stir fry station where you load up a container with all the vegetables you want, choose to add chicken, steak, crab, shrimp, or tofu, and then its grilled in front of you. The only Whole 30 compliant sauces were Tabasco and Frank’s Hot Sauce.
• Fruit. Always choices for fresh fruit.
• Hard Boiled Eggs. Available daily. I might eat them alone or add to my salad or stir fry.
• Grilled, cooked, or steamed vegetables. The Vegan/ Vegetarian Section. I made a habit to start checking this section of the dining hall knowing that the vegan foods would be dairy-free and could possibly be complaint with the eating plan.

A typical “Whole 30-approved” dining hall meal

From the on-campus cafés I ate:

• The build-your-own-salad option with grilled chicken or hard-boiled eggs. Of course, no salad dressing.

Secrets to sticking with the Whole30 diet

I learned that the key was to bring in my own extras. I might bring my own dressing to add to salad, stir fry or on top of grilled chicken.  Or, I’d bring guacamole or salsa to also add on top of the grilled chicken.

I challenged myself to try new foods and found some that I liked, such as parsnips and tilapia.

The dining hall staff was extremely helpful. One day I had a question about whether I could eat something, and found myself talking with the head chef and two sous chefs. They explained how they prepared the dish. The head chef even gave me his cell phone number so I could text him when I had a question.

Challenges to the Whole30 Diet

One huge challenge was walking into the dining hall and being surrounded by food that I couldn’t eat! Passing by the pasta station when I craved a big plate of pasta with blush sauce was torture!

Another big challenge was the Whole30’s limited food options.  I often felt frustrated going to the dining hall or the cafes.

My favorite part of the Whole 30 Diet

The best part of doing the Whole30? The excuse to cook for myself! I love to cook, but it’s hard to cook when you live on campus. Lucky for me I have a boyfriend with who lives off campus, hates to cook, and will gladly eat anything I make. We made a lot of marinated chicken with veggies and potatoes as a fast and easy meal but also explored new recipes. A few of our favorites were crockpot beef and broccoli with cauliflower rice, spaghetti squash with ground turkey and marinara sauce, and almond crusted tilapia with baked potatoes.

Whole 30 and Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is a challenge. But I quickly got really good at reading the ingredient list on every label to see if it was compliant with Whole30. I learned that nearly everything has sugar in it. I don’t get why it’s necessary to add sugar to things like salad dressing or marinara sauce or even chicken sausage. But I can confirm there is sugar in most of these products.  Soybean oil is also in most everything, and that’s another item you can’t eat!

Some of my favorite things to buy when grocery shopping were:

• Larabars. The bars are made from two to six ingredients and are sweetened by dates. They are great for on the go and became a big part of my breakfast. But be careful. Only certain flavors are Whole30 approved. My favorite Larabars were the lemon and cashew cookie ones.
• Salad dressing. The three dressings I always had on hand were:
  •  Annie’s Lemon and Chive Dressing (bought at Wegmans). A favorite marinade for chicken and a topping for seafood stir fry
  • Trader Joe’s Tuscan Italian Dressing. Another favorite chicken marinade, great on salads and any type of stir fry;
  • Primal Kitchen’s Caesar Dressing (bought at Wegmans). Great on salads.
• Dried Fruit. My favorite was Bare’s dried apple chips. The plain and cinnamon chips are both delicious. I mean “eat a whole bag in one sitting” delicious.
• Hint Waters. I got tired of drinking regular water. Naturally-flavored water like Hint saved the day. Again, be careful because not all flavors are Whole30 approved. My favorite “approved” flavors are cherry and watermelon.
• Guacamole. The brand Wholly Guacamole is approved and makes individually packaged 2 oz. minis, which are perfect to carry around to put on top of grilled chicken or turkey burgers.
• Unsweetened Applesauce. The perfect after-dinner snack, especially when everyone is eating dessert around you. I typically bought Trader Joe’s brand, but you can also buy Motts or generic brands.

Whole 30: My Results

If you can believe it – I made it through the 30 days without straying from the plan!

I only had two migraines during the time! Both migraines were after stressful days so the cause could be attributed to that. I also lost 13 pounds. The weight loss was something I didn’t expect since I didn’t work out at all that month.

Overall, I was pleased with the results. Even though the 30 days have ended, I will continue with some of my new eating habits. I’m now an expert in avoiding sugary foods and a wiz at finding healthy snacks and making veggie-heavy dishes.

I’ll continue to work with my doctors on treatment options for my migraines. I also want to see if certain foods trigger my migraines. So I will slowly add these foods back into my diet so I can see if one of them is the reason for my headaches. In general, keeping a food journal can be helpful for those with chronic migraines because it can help to identify potential food triggers.

I don’t want to eliminate all these foods forever, especially since many of them – such as beans and whole grains — are the building blocks to good health!

For many bloggers at AHealthierUpstate.org, it’s been an honor to have chronicled the lives of so many women who’ve overcome critical diseases or worked hard to help others be healthy.

In honor of National Women’s Health Week (May 13-19, 2018), we rounded up some of these inspirational stories – from articles about women who battled cancer or struggled with fertility to those who found their own ways to help our communities.

Did you know that only half of women in upstate New York report that their health is very good or excellent? So while we hope you enjoy these stories, we also hope you’ll take away some tips that’ll help you be your healthiest self!

The importance of cancer screening

1. Cervical Cancer Survivor Christine Baze wants everyone to get this vaccination. Here’s why.

Before you decide whether or not to have your pre-teen vaccinated against HPV, you may want to read about Christine Baze’s battle with cervical cancer.

2. Breast Cancer Survivor Almost Skipped Annual Checkup 

Being proactive about breast cancer screening is crucial to early detection and treatment. Pam Eadi knows firsthand just how important those checkups are.

The Motherhood Journey

3. Conceiving a Miracle: When Getting Pregnant Isn’t a Given

Even after giving birth once, getting pregnant isn’t a given. Julie shares her very personal story as to the trials associated with infertility.

4. Pregnant Moms Take Note: Sooner Isn’t Better

Doctors once believed that it was OK for pregnant women to deliver at 37 weeks, but new research shows that development in the womb continues past 37 weeks.

Local Go-Getters and Do-Gooders

5. Spotlight on Kecia McCullough

Kecia McCullough created the Rochester chapter of Black Girls Do Bike. The group is part of a national effort to create safe spaces for female cyclists.

6. Spotlight on Kelly Springer, a Skaneateles Business Owner with a National Reach

Kelly Springer is a Skaneateles local who founded a nutritional company called Kelly’s Choice. Kelly’s Choice focuses on sports nutrition, weight loss, workplace wellness, heart heath, diabetes and more. Kelly shares with us her tips for living her healthiest life.

7. Spotlight on Alana Hughes and H2 Fitness

Alana Hughes is one of the founders of H2 Fitness, a full body “boot camp” program in Syracuse, New York. She believes that when you feel good, you do good.

8. Spotlight on Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez

Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez is the creator of the Borniquen Dance Theater. The program helps youth “find the desire to succeed through the discipline of dance”.

9. Personal Spotlight on Nicole Kazimer of Hikyoga

Nicole Kazimer is the founder of Hikyoga, a hiking-infused yoga class in Rochester. Her Hikyoga journey began with teaching her friends yoga at a Rochester park.

Last but not least

10. Teresa’s Grateful for her Gift of Life

After Teresa’s 12-hour transplant surgery, her doctor told her husband, “it’s amazing she was still alive.”

“Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.”

This quote from Albert Camus is why I love fiction. Reading about other peoples’ made up lives, I learn something about myself. Fiction transports me to other times, places and events. Yet, universal truths about the human condition are true for all. For convenience sake, I’ve linked these 18 favorites of mine to Amazon, but you can find them at other sites, including my favorite, the library!

Double Jeopardy

1. “I Know This Much Is True” by Wally Lamb

I didn’t think Lamb could beat “She’s Come Undone” (how could a man know so much about being a woman?), but he does with his second book. Both were #1 New York Times bestsellers and both Oprah Book Club selections. Like the best of fiction, “I Know” made me abandon reason and stay up reading into the wee hours despite having to work the next day. This tale of two brothers, one who has schizophrenia, begs the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

2. “Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Verghese

With so many books and so little time, I rarely read the same one twice. This was an exception. The second reading held me as spellbound as the first. Ethiopian, African and American cultures and politics intertwine across decades in the telling of Marion and Shiva Stone’s complicated relationship. Written by a medical doctor, the book not only intrigued me with the twin brothers’ storyline, but also taught me about the plight of many poor Ethiopian women; some suffered female genital mutilation and often vaginal fistulas, making them outcasts.

Dysfunctional Families

3. “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver

Another great read with a history lesson. The setting is Belgian Congo in the late 1950s. Although I had a hard time getting into “The Poisonwood Bible,” once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Told by each of the four daughters and the wife of a misanthropic missionary, the different points of view offer a unique perspective on the times and religious beliefs.

4. “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout

I couldn’t quite put my finger on the title character. Olive is by turns harsh and uncaring,  then compassionate. She’s one tough cookie, especially with her son and husband, a softie. HBO made this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel into a “true to the book” miniseries starring Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, and Bill Murray. I rarely watch movies twice; this was an exception.

A Difficult Life

5. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon

“The Curious Incident” involves a teen boy in England. On the autism spectrum, Christopher is a math wizard with few social skills. When he discovers a neighbor’s dog murdered with a pitchfork, he decides to play Sherlock Holmes. Christopher sees the world in black and white, sometimes to comic effect, with a touch of sadness. The Syracuse Stage play of the same name was an amazing production. It was also true to the book, which always makes me happy.

6. “Icy Sparks” by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

Set in eastern Kentucky, Rubio’s first novel captures the sad and touching life of a young girl with Tourette Syndrome in the 1950s, when little was understood about the inherited neurological tic disorder. The book chronicles the orphan’s growing up among misguided adults and children and her acceptance of her condition as a young woman. She’s one of those fictional heroines who makes you want to stand up and cheer.

7. “Left Neglected” by Lisa Genova

Neuroscientist turned author, Genova sheds light on a number of neurological diseases in her well-researched books. You may be familiar with “Still Alice,” Genova’s account of an accomplished college professor who has early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Left neglect is the result of a stroke or traumatic brain injury. The condition can affect either side of the brain. In “Left Neglected,” a young suburban mom learns what it means to live without awareness of one side of her body–and more.

Mystery/Thrillers

8. “The Good Daughter” by Karin Slaughter

I’m a fan of Slaughter’s “Will Trent” series, but with her latest publication, the author outdid herself. If gruesome details bother you, then skip Slaughter’s books. But if you like well-written legal thrillers, then check out this cold case thriller that deals with a young female lawyer’s horrific past, her troubled family relationships, and small-town secrets.

9. “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Julia Spencer-Fleming

In this first of a series of mysteries set in the Adirondacks, Spencer-Fleming sets the stage for the thorny relationship between the Episcopal church’s new priest, the Rev. Clare Fergusson, and the Miller Kill’s chief of police, Russ Van Alstyne. The author creates a cast of memorable characters that appear in subsequent novels. I can’t wait for the next installment, where I hope she resolves the cliffhanger in #9.

Mystery With History

10. “Alice’s Tulips” by Sandra Dallas

Dallas’s books may appeal more to women, often centering on the social network of the past known as “quilting bees.” In this book that takes place during the Civil War, Alice is a new bride who lives with her formidable mother-in-law while her husband is off fighting for the North. Alice soon finds herself accused of murder, and so the mystery begins.

Love Story With History

11. “The Sandcastle Girls” by Chris Bohjalian

Chris Bohjalian, like Wally Lamb, writes with wisdom about women (“Midwives”). In “The Sandcastle Girls,” I learned about  Armenian Genocide during World War I. The narrative weaves between past and present for Elizabeth, a wealthy American who volunteers to help Armenian refugees in Syria, and Armen, a young Armenian engineer. It’s a love story set in the background of man’s inhumanity to man.

More Than a Mystery

12. “Leaving Time” by Jodi Picoult

Although some dismiss Picoult as a “chick” author, she researches her subjects in depth. There’s always a backdrop to the main character’s story that deals with current social issues. In “Leaving Time,” Picoult enlarged my knowledge about elephants and their culture. At the center of this tale is Jenna, whose mother studied grief among elephants. Jenna is determined to find her mother, whose sudden disappearance has never been explained. Did she abandon Jenna or worse?

Coming of Age

13. “Ordinary Grace” by William Kent Krueger

Middle-aged Frank Drum recalls the summer in New Bremen, Minnesota, in 1961, when several deaths rocked the small community. “Ordinary Grace” not only deals with the crimes and their effect on the townspeople, but also Drum’s family dynamics. Many have compared it to “To Kill a Mockingbird,” especially with the similarities between Atticus Finch of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and Drum’s father, the town’s Methodist minister.

14. “Snow in August” by Pete Hamill

Set in Brooklyn in 1947, the story involves the unlikely friendship between an 11-year-old Catholic boy and a lonely rabbi from Prague. From the rabbi, Michael learns the mysteries of the Kabbalah, and the pre-teen introduces the rabbi to the joys of baseball. Terrorized by an anti-Semitic Irish gang, the unlikely duo is rescued by a miracle, otherwise known as a golem.

Fiction by Female Authors

15. “The Robber Bride” by Margaret Atwood

Although I enjoy Atwood’s dystopian fiction, including “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I remember “The Robber Bride” for its depth of characters–four women who met in college. Twenty years later, three of them gather for the fourth one’s funeral, but is she really dead?

16. “The Story of Arthur Truluv” by Elizabeth Berg

Berg had me at “Talk Before Sleep,” and since then, I’ve read every book she’s published. Although a few have fallen short of the author’s elegant writing and in-depth knowledge of human nature, her latest one does not disappoint. The story of an elderly man who visits his wife’s gravesite every day, a rebellious teen he befriends and their relationship with Arthur’s spunky senior neighbor lady makes for a quick, pleasurable read.

Out of My Comfort Zone

17. “Angle of Repose” by Wallace Stegner

Shout out to my local library in Marcellus, New York, which sponsored a Pulitzer Prize-winning book club. The moderator introduced our suburban group of readers to books that often took us out of our comfort zone. “Angle of Repose” was my favorite. Lyman Ward, who lives alone despite a crippling bone disease, is the focus of this story within a story. Ward explores the life of his pioneering grandmother, who, with her engineer husband, struggles to raise a family in the hardscrabble west in the late 1800s.

18. “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri

Preferring novels to short  stories, I had enjoyed reading Lahiri’s “Namesake.” My book club selected this collection of nine stories, some set in India, others in the U.S. Although she considers herself American, Lahiri features her ancestry prominently. Her characters, however, transcend borders and cultures, with their feelings of love, loss and other universal experiences.

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day go together like socks and shoes or peanut butter and jelly. Wooing your sweetheart with a chocolatey treat is part of what we love about this holiday. But eating chocolate may also help our health, too.

Health benefits of chocolate

Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, which has lots of flavonoid nutrients. Flavonoids can help reduce damage associated with heart disease. In addition, the flavonoids can lower blood pressure and improve the overall health of the heart and blood vessels. There are also lots of heart-healthy fats in chocolate, similar to the good kind that’s also found in olive oil.

But when it comes to healthy eating, not all chocolatey-treats are created equal. This Valentine’s Day, here are five new ways to gift your valentine an indulgent, yet slightly healthier, chocolatey experience.

1. Make hot cocoa from scratch

Instant hot cocoa is pretty tasty. But make your own so you can have free reign over what goes into the hot cocoa mix. Want a hot beverage that is really chocolatey or less sugary? Here’s a basic recipe to get you started. Furthermore, if you’re feeling brave, you can add ingredients like ground ginger, ground espresso or cayenne pepper to your hot cocoa mix.

2. Try a really, really dark chocolate

Dark chocolate contains more cocoa than milk chocolate, which makes it a better source of those heart-healthy flavonoids. So when you’re at the store looking for a treat for your sweetheart, look for a chocolate bar with a higher percentage of cocoa (or “cacao” as it may say on the label). You may be surprised to find out you like it. If you’re a milk chocolate fan, enjoy the health benefits of chocolate without excess sugar and fat when you steer clear of treats that contain extra ingredients like caramel, marshmallows, and nuts.

3. Surprising Pairings

You’ve probably experienced the awesomeness that is chocolate and peanut butter, but what about chocolate and avocado? This surprising pairing actually makes for a delicious, creamy combination in desserts like dark chocolate mousse. Plus, avocados are rich in healthy fats, potassium, and fiber. What about chocolate and beets? Don’t knock it till you try it in a cake recipe, like this one. Bonus – beets are packed with vitamin C, fiber, and iron.

4. A Guilt-Free breakfast

Yes, it’s possible to enjoy chocolate for breakfast, guilt-free, with cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is low in sugar and fat. It also offers the same health benefits as other forms of chocolate. Try adding cocoa powder to your overnight oats or avocado toast.

5. Savory dinners

You may think of chocolate only as a sweet treat, but it can also be used as an ingredient in a savory (and delicious) dinner. For example, dark chocolate is an ingredient in Mexican mole (moh-lay) sauce. For Valentine’s Day dinner, why not use the crock-pot for this recipe for chicken mole? Or try this recipe for whole wheat pasta with dark chocolate marinara sauce.

Worth the Indulgence

My favorite chocolatey indulgence for Valentine’s Day? A peanut butter and chocolate-covered potato chip. As a Syracuse native, I have to recommend peanut butter wings from the local Chocolate Pizza Company. These salty-sweet treats are totally worth the occasional indulgence. Just remember to enjoy in moderation!