Discussion Board

I've been exploring options for trying to work on getting rid of my migraines without so many OTC meds. I've been looking at several migraine-type diets. One from Dr. David Buchholz called "Heal Your Headache" (which isn't specifically vegan or low fat but can certainly be adapted to that). I also read Dr. Barnard's "Foods That Fight Pain". But both diets seem quite restrictive and involve a lengthy process of doing an elimination diet and then adding things back in and keeping track of what triggers and what doesn't. I don't feel like I have the time and patience right now, in the midst of working part-time, doing a master's program, and adding on to that in November a teaching practicum.

But some people here have discussed how their migraines went away or were significantly reduced by moving from the regular McDougall program to MWLP, so I'm going to try and do that (while avoiding some foods that are said to be big migraine triggers in general for people, like onions and tomatoes). I'll admit that I also want MWLP to help me get back on track with vegan low fat and possibly jump start a bit of weight loss before I head off to Germany for a week with my family on the 18th.

Here's my general eating plan for the next 10 days:

Morning: Quinoa with a dash of low fat vanilla rice milk and maple syrup
Mid-Morning: fruit and baked chickpeas (no added fat)
Afternoon: Cooked whole grain (probably brown rice, mostly, since this is said to cause the least problems with migraines) and cooked veggies with garlic and a bit of sea salt and cayenne
Mid-Afternoon (if hungry): baked chickpeas
Evening: Big salad with sweet potato and corn (I was surprised in the last few days to try this and see that sweet potato goes very well with a salad on a vinegarette-based dressing); fruit and, if hungry, rice cakes

I've already cut out caffeine from my diet completely (in all forms, including coffee and tea) and I don't even drink herbal tea (both doctors say to avoid it, as even herbal caffeine free tea can trigger migraines, though they don't really explain why...). The last few days I've been drinking hot water with fresh ginger and a bit of fresh lemon (though citrus is said to be a migraine trigger, I actually didn't find that I have a problem with it). I've had an added bonus that if I drink this also in the evening, it actually cuts my appetite .

I managed to get up this morning and do 30 minutes of DVD walking, which is nice. I read that a bit of exercise really helps prevent migraines so I'm going to try and get myself motivated to exercise each day for that.

Forgot to add two things - I have lost weight since the last time I posted here, even though I haven't weighed and measured. It's been partly due to being McDougall compliant most of the time and partly because I was sick for about a week and a half and didn't eat much. So it's not like I went totally off the wagon and gained back everything I lost. I'm still making progress!

The other things I wanted to add is that I really am starting to feel the difference in the time that I have been on McDougall in the physical sense (I think I already posted earlier about feeing emotionally and mentally better). For the Rosh Hashanah dinner, I was able to wear a pair of pants that were a size 14 regular (not 14 women) that I haven't worn in a year and they fit pretty well (not perfect, but definitely comfortable and not tight). Also, when I did my exercise this morning, I really felt the difference in how I was able to move, even though I haven't exercised in a while. It's amazing how losing 10 pounds (or roughly that, perhaps a bit more or a bit less) can make such a difference. I also noticed that the issues with the bottoms of my feet have become much better, though not gone away entirely. But I don't feel nearly the pain and itching that I felt months ago. So I'm hoping that continuing to lose will take care of that problem (and also trying to cut out wheat now with MWLP, since wheat, according to Dr. Barnard, is another migraine trigger).

Thank you so much RAS and carollynne for the support! This is why I like posting here, even when it's not whole McDougall related .

My goal right now is to look on the positive side of things. I'm trying to see the benefits of what I'm doing, despite the stress and the moments of "I'm 41 and doing a second master's degree program, what the hell have I gotten myself into???" . My great-grandmother used to say, "Every delay is for the best" and I consider this a delay right now. But it's a positive one and one that I chose and even though it hasn't been quite what I expected (partly my fault and partly not my fault), I want to make the best of it.

It's tough because I was not raised in a home where people looked on the positive side of things. Both my mom and dad (especially my dad...) were very negative thinkers. They are wonderful people, don't get me wrong, but they didn't raise us to take delays and bad things in life in stride and to be able to have our moments of breaking down and then moving on. They tended to dwindle on the negative, being suspicious of every good turn, and, in my dad's case, sometimes quite paranoid. My mom has gotten much much better in the last 10 years and she does try to be positive now, though it doesn't always turn out . I'm trying to follow that example and it's tough because I'm a big complainer - I tend to shoot my mouth off right away if any little thing isn't as I want it or expected it to be. But I'm trying to be more conscious of what I'm saying and to whom I'm saying it.

For example, I'm in a classroom with 12 other students in my grad program (mostly women and 1 guy) and they are all bright-eyed and busy-tailed 20-something year olds, so of course they are very excited and very eager and don't have my cynicism (hey, at 41, I've earned the right to be cynical!) So I sometimes catch myself starting to complain about a professor or talk negatively about the program to them and I try and stop myself and move to looking at something positive. So even though it's been really rough being put in a class where everyone is so young (which is one of the things I didn't expect and I also didn't expect to be treated differently by the administration and professors because I'm older - but that's another story...), I'm seeing the benefits of that and how it's forcing me to see things in a more positive way, if only not to bring my classmates down and put a damper on their enthusiasm (because they are all wonderful girls and treat me equally).

Sorry for the long post!

I think it is marvelous that you are doing a lot of academic things now. good luck. I always think that being around the younger generations is so uplifting. But hey I am married to a man (31 yrs almost now) is so cynical and so negative, and only the ones here at home get to really see it so well. I feel for you mom, I do.
Good luck and keep at it, never give up, you are so worth the trouble.
carollynne

This is my go-to journal even with things that aren't directly related to McDougall (though, really, everything is related, since food and emotions are so connected for me).

I chatted with my brother yesterday. He said that the loan on the San Francisco apartment is a 5 year loan. That means that at the rate that the tenant I am renting the apartment to now is paying rent, the mortgage on the place will be paid back in 5 years and at that point, minimal monthly payments for city taxes and utilities will be the only money due on the place. My whole reason for not living there (and it is a great apartment, with a nice deck and garden in an awesome location in the city) was that the monthly mortgage payment was so high I had to work 3 jobs and had no time for anything. So when the mortgage gets paid and only the property taxes/utilities are due, that will be a few hundred dollars a month (from what he tells me) which I will easily be able to afford.

Knowing this allows me to make some plans. I know for sure that I can't go back to San Francisco until the mortgage is paid in full because I won't be able to afford it. So that leaves me 5 years (actually, less now - it's about 3 1/2 years, since we started in February of 2009) to contend with. I'll finish my program here in Israel in July. Then I might stick around here and see if I can get a job teaching at a college and/or giving private lessons (there are mixed reports about that - one person told me that the market is glutted with a lot of people who are teaching English privately so the supply has exceed the demand but a girl in my program who gives private lessons in Tel Aviv says that there is plenty of work on our area) or I might go back to the States, but somewhere relatively cheap like Austin or Lubbock again and do what I've been doing (teaching English at online universities) and also try to add some work with my new degree in TESOL.

My instinct is to stay here for the duration until I can go back to SF because of a few reasons. I have a lot of family and friends here who are lending support and help (and my parents have been great in letting me live in the in-law unit attached to their house rent-free). There is a lot of work here for someone like me, who is a native English speaker (i.e., no accent speaking English ) and also an Israeli citizen who speaks Hebrew fluently. And I can probably manage to save some money even if I do move out of the in-law unit and rent an apartment, especially if I get a job at a college and give private lessons on the side, and that savings is going to do me a whole lot of good when I get to SF. I still want to hold on to the work I've been doing from the States (the online teaching), even though it's been causing me a lot of added stress with my studies and now the teaching practicum coming up. I will probably move down to 1 course rather than 2 courses per contract to keep up the connection, as this is work that I can easily do from the States when I do get back to SF which will give me some good income and I won't have to worry about having to earn a lot of money because my expenses will be very very low at that point.

So I think that I just have to hold on and be patient for the next 3-4 years and use that time to explore new avenues but also keep my eye on the prize, so to speak. My ultimate goal will be to get back to SF and live in that apartment (which is a place I can see myself growing old in, since it's a good neighborhood and everything is close by so I don't need a car), working a little bit but not a lot, and having free time to hang out with friends and my brother, go see the city, and go to cafes and pursue my writing. That's sort of how I see myself moving into retirement right now.

Living in S.F. in a lovely apartment with no mortgage (!) most certainly sounds fabulous to me -- good luck with your plans...!

Your mom must love having you around home for a few yrs!! cherish the time with her!!

I haven't posted in over a month and things have been really crazy. I did not stick with MWLP, to say the least, but, except for a few weeks in Germany and super stress mode (see below), I did stick with a more regular McDougall plan (i.e., low fat vegan but with whole grain bread and whole grain pretzels and some other non-MWLP stuff).

Basically, in the month's time, I have again made some major life changes. I decided that the MA program I was doing was not for me. It was way too time consuming and stressful and the program itself had some issues and I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth my time and money (lots of money - most of my savings would have gone on it) because I already have an MA that is in a related field and friends here in Israel have told me that it is enough to get a job teaching classes in Israeli colleges which is what I want.

Also, my timeline has simply changed. Now I know I will be going back to the States in another 3-4 years, not 8-9+ years that I first thought. By that time, the mortgage on my place should be paid off so I'll have a very low living cost in San Francisco and I'll be able to be more free with what I work at and work part-time (since my living expenses are extremely low, as I'm single and don't go for material things other than used books ) and finally be able to actually enjoy my time in the city instead of having to work 3 jobs to pay for living there.

That's another reason why I decided to drop the MA program. If I were looking for a complete career change to teaching ESL and I didn't have the MA in English that I have (plus my years of teaching English composition and literature at the college level) and looking to stay in Israel long term, I would have continued it, despite all the issues with the program itself. But since I don't plan on staying here long term and I already have the MA and I'm not looking for a career change (just a way to enhance my professional development to add skills and job opportunities to what I already have), it makes more sense for me to pursue a TESOL type certificate than a degree. Those are much shorter and much less costly and will give me the skills I need to continue on my path.

So right now, I'm looking for work opportunities in ESL, though holding off on looking for college-level jobs until I get the certificate. I'm probably going to be doing the CELTA (which is the creme de la creme of TESOL certifications) in San Francisco, but when I'm doing it is up in the air. I wanted to do it in February, but I have to rely on my brother to agree to put me up in his SF place for 5 weeks and he has to talk to his partner about it. He already told me that Feb and March are out because she has some stuff going on and he's coming to visit here in Israel in April and coming back at the beginning of May. So I probably won't be able to even think about doing it until the beginning of May (a course beings about 2-3 days after he comes back, so it's a little tight, since I'll want to be in SF for at least 4-5 days before the course begins to make sure I have no jet lag whatsoever when I begin, since it's going to be a super intense 4 weeks) or June (and most likely it will be June). I'm a little disappointed that it's going to be pushed off to the summer (if his partner agrees to put me up at all - she's pretty much the deciding factor there - long story about that...) but I'm trying to see it as a positive thing, since it can give me time to find stuff that I can do. I can do something like a Berlitz or online tutoring, which are places that have their own training and don't require the certificate. If I get something like that, it might be a nice foot in the door and those places I can stay with even when I come back to the States.

So the whole pressure of having to decide whether to drop the MA program or not and the reactions I knew I would get from doing it around here (since so many people, including my parents, see me as totally unstable anyway and dropping an MA program is not something that most people do) caused a lot of pressure and hence, a lot of going off plan. I didn't really binge eat in the way I used to in the States, though I did eat stuff I shouldn't have. So I feel I have made progress and, surprisingly, I also managed to start some kind of normal exercise program (i.e., walking an hour a day - at least, until a few days ago, when the rains came here) and also started to do some writing every day. When I got on the scale a week ago, I was expecting to have gained but I actually lost 2.5 pounds, which was nice.

I've discovered that, for right now, there are 3 things that will keep me more balanced throughout the day: the first is exercising first thing in the morning (even if I can't walk because of the rain, I can do some Leslie Sansone walking DVDs). The second is writing in my novel(s) every morning, even if only for half an hour. And the third is having a hot breakfast. I discovered I just can't do the oatmeal thing - I've tried and tried but it just makes me nauseous (the texture of it, I think) and I find that I start to look for eating other (non healthy) things when I have the prospect of eating oatmeal in the morning. So I'm going to try and do steamed sweet potato and corn with spices and see how that works for me. Another option might be to steam sweet potato and top it with homemade low fat roasted red pepper hummus. Never tried sweet potato with hummus but I'm open to it.

It's Sunday and for the first time in a while, I actually have Sunday almost totally off (i.e., no online work, since it's the last day for my online classes today so I don't have anything to prepare for next week) and that gives me some time to think. This morning I went into my online classrooms and there was of course a blasting Blame The Professor note from a student. I wasn't surprised, as there always is on Sundays, since I post grades a day or two early. But as I read it (the student was blaming me for his mistake in posting the wrong assignment), it really hit me how much abuse I've had to take from these places. I don't entirely blame the students. I have this sinking feeling that these online colleges that I've worked for (not the best of the best, to be sure) have had people making promises to the student that they should not be making regarding what kind of grades the student will get and what the expectations will be for learning and when the student gets to the classes and actually finds out that it's much harder than he/she thought and all of the wonderful As and Bs he got in high school 25 or 30 years ago are suddenly not appearing as he expected, out comes the Blame The Professor game. It's especially horrendous during the last few weeks of class, since this is their last chance to point the finger at someone other than themselves for what they haven't and should have done weeks ago and they know it's too late to do anything about it.

When I started teaching college courses online several years ago, I really thought it was a wonderful thing - I could do my job, help students, and have the flexibility to plan my time and work from the comfort of my home.

It's been a big illusion and, in some cases, a big lie. While I do have flexibility, I actually have to be "present" much more than if I were teaching a face-to-face class. Much much more. Also, I've come to realize that there has to be a human component to learning for it to be successful, both for me and for the students. What I mean is, there has to be something that gives students more of a face-to-face access to instructors, like a live chat or two per week or even per course. It means more work for the instructor (sometimes, a lot more work!) but it's so worth it because the students and instructor see each other as human beings when they can either talk in real time or see the instructor (or both).

One of the greatest drawbacks of the place that I'm working for now is that it doesn't have any component that allows students to see me as a human being or me to see them as human beings. It's all communication through message boards and email. As a result, the students don't see me as human and treat me without respect and likewise, I sometimes find I resent and loath them (especially when, one after the other, they do poorly on an assignment that I know they can do better on). Is that learning? Not in my book.

So this has taught me a lot. Right now, I have no courses from this school (they assign on an as-need basis, like most schools) and, to be honest, I have a feeling I'm going to be off their roster soon anyway. I'm not quitting, as it's work that pays fine and is good to supplement an income, but I'm starting to think about what I want to do with my skills and my career and, yes, what I'm worth and what I deserve (though that sounds quite arrogant, but it's true nonetheless) and where I can do the most good. Now I'm at the point where I've left another grad school program and planning on getting more skills and training to add to what I already do.

But I've been reading about places that I can work with my skills and be able to work with students in a setting that is more about the student wanting to learn and my helping them get where they want to go rather than a rigid system where they resent me as an authority figure who can make or break their education by giving them a good or bad grade and an organization that is more interested in getting to governmental financial aid that students are given than in getting the student through their degree program (check out http://democrats.edworkforce.house.gov/ ... ducation-0)

I'm not saying that this is a paradise either. It still has it's own pressures and frustrations. But at this point in my life (my 40's), I am at my limit in terms of how much crap I'm willing to take. All my life I have been the target of criticism and I know that's something I need to work on (i.e., not being so hypersensitive and anxious about it). Both of my parents were deeply deeply critical of everything that I did. I was basically treated like a mentally challenged child who didn't know how to make decisions for herself and needed Mommy and Daddy to make decisions for her. They had different approaches to how they criticized (my mom would make sarcastic comments in the guise of jokes that could really string at any moment; my father would be much craftier about it, starting out with "Well, I suggest..." and go into full-blown lectures of why he was right and I was wrong and the message was always, "here's what you need to do because you're too stupid to know what to do and if you don't do it, you're an idiot.") But the result was the same.

And I am very much to blame for where I am now too because I never resisted their criticism like most teenagers do. Well, I did a bit but not in healthy ways (which is one reason why I still turn to food when I want to be rebellious or get my stress out). I never learned to stand my ground or set the boundaries until I was in my 30's, so I never developed a sense of confidence in any decision that I make. I'm struggling now with giving myself positive feedback because even though it seems like I've screwed up a lot in my life (many people would say starting and leaving 3 MA programs in the middle and 1 PhD program in the middle is pretty screwed up...), I've taken full responsibility for my actions, I've made no excuses for myself, AND I know those decisions were the right ones for me at the time. So I have proven to myself that my decisions are right for me. It's dealing with the criticism around me that's such a challenge.

So I am no longer willing to be the target of blame and abuse by anyone, not my parents, and not my students. I am no longer willing to be the punching bag for the sake of a job because some corporate organization wants to rob me of my ability to make decisions that are right for the students and encourage them to learn even when it's hard and frustrating for them because that corporate body is more interested in getting the student's funding than it is in seeing the student succeed in getting their degree. I have the right to try and make a profession for myself where I am helping students who are motivated to learn not because of some letter on their report card but because they want the skills they know they will need in the future. I am prepared to put in ten times the amount of work I've been putting in and work 3 jobs if necessary and have my family snicker at me for not having a "real" job ("real" being 8-5 on a full time salary with a company that you're employed with for XX years) if it means providing me with the flexibility that I need to do the things that I love to do (like taking walks, writing in my novel(s), trying out new recipes, reading).

OK, I'm done with my self-pep talk for now .

Hi Djuna, your writing is superior. I can tell you are truly a gifted writer, and a very tender heart-ed person who cares so deeply about other! It is amazing how much parents can affect us! I only wish my sons could have had a teacher like you in their college career at some point.
Just wanted to say I enjoy reading your journal, and to encourage you to never give up on your goals... you will succeed and will do it in your own way and time too.

Hugs to you!!

Well, today ends a very stressful week for me but also begins a time period that I hope will be much less stressful. I turned in final grades for both of my courses today (and waiting for the proverbial doo-doo to hit the fan once the students see them, as this has been a very reactive "hit the reply button and shoot off a rude and obnoxious blame email to the instructor" group) and I don't have any other courses so far on the horizon, so I now have time to search for new gigs (possibly tutoring online or private tutoring in the area here). I also want this to be a little my-time as well.

I'm also inspired by my parents. They want to do a kind of detox where they eat fruits and veggies all day for a week or so and then do a short juice fast. They've done it several times before and have always felt great on it (and my dad's health improved significantly when he's done it) and now they want to do it both for his health and for my mom's migraines.

So that's encouraged me to take off on an experiment of my own, something I've wanted to do for a while - an elimination diet to establish once and for all what my migraine triggers are.

I've been doing a lot of research on the elimination diet on the web and have come across several versions (some vegan-friendly and some not). I'm probably going to end up doing Dr. Barnard's version, which is very similar to the one that Dr. McDougall talks about on his website, though a bit less restrictive (as some condiments beyond salt are allowed in moderate amounts). But it still follows many of the same principles as Dr. McDougall's plan and seems like a good choice.

I have some things going on earlier this next week so I'm planning on beginning the elimination diet on December 1 and going for 2 weeks with it. Then I'll add back foods one at a time, each for about 3 days (beginning with the veggies that I love but can't have because they are known migraine triggers - red bell peppers are the first!) and seeing my reactions to them.

I have to keep a journal so I'll be logging in this journal about my symptoms and menus and the like.

We actually went to the farmer's market in Tel Aviv yesterday and I bought a bunch of (elimination diet-friendly) vegetables so this is going to be helpful. It was great because I got a chance to get some beautiful veggies that I haven't seen a lot of in Israel. Celery, for one - when you can find it in Israeli supermarkets, it usually looks very piffy. Another is kale. Yesterday's market was the first time I've seen kale in Israel (and it was very different than the kale in the States - much smaller leaves). Also, broccoli isn't available much here and I got some nice broccoli yesterday. And fugi apples - I've really been missing those! There were some lovely ones at the market yesterday. It's annoying, on the one hand, since I used to rely on these veggies and fruits a lot in the States, but on the other, they aren't widely available in Israel because Israelis tend to eat much healthier than Americans, which means local and seasonaly veggies and I think many of these veggies just aren't available locally much (maybe they need more cold weather than Israel gets?)

Kind of a shame that I won't be able to have citrus on the elimination diet (said to be a BIG migraine trigger) because the trees outside my parents' house are bursting with limes, tangerines, and pomelos .

I'll be starting the elimination diet in 3 days and I will be up front right now - I am not eating very well during these next few days. I'm trying to be as McDougall compliant as possible, but I have some stuff to finish up in my fridge that is not elimination-friendly (like whole wheat bread and pretzels) and not the best McDougall-friendly foods.

But on the plus side, not eating totally compliant is also making me discover a lot about what my migraine triggers and other issues of health are. For example, one thing I discovered is that I cannot eat chocolate (especially dark chocolate and especially at night). I might be able to eat a tiny bit of it (like a square or two - vegan dark chocolate, of course) and be fine, but not more than that and not at night. If I eat more than that and at night, I wake up with a migraine. At first I thought it was the caffeine, but I don't think that's the whole story (because I find I can have a soy latte and not have a migraine).

Another thing I've discovered is that I might be developing an issue with intolerance to lactose. In the last few months, I've noticed that, when I go out to eat with my parents and slide into eating dairy stuff, especially for dessert (this was during a time when I was not on McDougall), I came home with some major gastrointestinal issues like sharp pains and erm, bathroom issues. I didn't connect that it might be the dairy (I know, very stupid), mainly because up until now I've never had any issues with dairy.

Then, yesterday, my parents brought me a soy latte and it was very strong, so I put some milk in it (the only thing they had). I drank about 1/4 of it and the GI issues started and are still going on this morning. I don't think it's the soy because I was eating tofu a few weeks ago every day and had no issues.

I know I shouldn't be journaling here while I have these things, but why am I? Because I want a record for myself of what these foods do to me so that I know not to eat them. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm developing a lactose intolerance because my dad developed one at a late age (in his 50's) and now he doesn't eat dairy products from cow's milk (but he does from other animal milk, such as goat and buffalo).

I made my shopping list for the elimination diet (actually a pretty short list because I got a bunch of fruits and veggies at the farmer's market on Friday) but my mom is sick . She caught a flu-type thing from my aunt and now she's in bed, so she's not up to going shopping (I don't drive in Israel so I can't go alone). But I should get to the store by Thursday so all will be fine.

I did some tweaking to my original menus. Though Dr. Barnard's book ("Foods That Fight Pain" - the one I'm doing the elimination diet from) does allow for most spices (except things like cayenne, chili powder, and paprika), I decided I'm going to use only salt and fresh herbs (like dill, mint, and parsley). Thank goodness they are in abundance here in Israel, always fresh and always cheap (and my mom has a small herb garden on her porch and the rosemary has just gone wild this year ). I'm really going to try and keep it simple - just potatoes and veggies and herbs for breakfast, rice and veggies and herbs for lunch, and sweet potato mash and a salad for dinner, with fruit and rice cakes in between.

Well, I have about 5 versions of the elimination diet in my research files right no (not including Dr. McDougall's) and based on them, I've been adjusting my menu. I thought of adding some condiments in moderate amounts (like white vinegar, dijon mustard, and maple syrup) at first but now I'm thinking doing with as little condiments as possible, at least for the initial period. That's going to be very tough because I love vinegar (and it might just be one of the foods that is causing me migraines...) and maple syrup but I'm willing to do it. I will be using just 1/2 tsp of dijon mustard in my mashed potatoes (as this is what adds all the flavor) but I think that small amount should be fine.

Also, I was thinking of doing a salad in the evenings but I've read in several places that eating only cooked veggies for the elimination period is best. So I'm switching the salad in the evening to a veggie soup. It will be a very simple soup, especially since I can't even use no-salt veggie broth (since it has gluten - unless I can find a no salt, gluten free version at the health food store) but I actually prefer a soup over a salad now that the weather here has turned cold in the evenings.

Also, I'm thinking of lengthening the duration of the diet. I was going to do it for 2 weeks but I've been reading in several places that sometimes 2 weeks isn't enough to see results. So I might do it for 21 days but I don't know if I could handle it for that long.

I had a very nice surprise this morning when I checked my email for the school I work for. They gave me two courses to begin in January, which is just perfect, as it gives me time to have some rest and explore the options of teaching English that I wanted to explore (Berlitz, private lessons, online tutoring, etc) a bit and hopefully secure at least something before I even begin the courses. It's funny, but the fact that they gave me courses goes even beyond just the fact that I'm continuing to have a little income - it's like they're saying, "hey, we know it's tough, but you've been with us for X years and we know you do good work and you put the students' interests first and we appreciate you so we're going to continue to give you classes." It might seem obvious, until you know that teaching for online colleges is very much contract-type work - you get offered courses when there is a need only and you sign a contract for each course you teach and once that's done, it's done. There is no obligation on the part of the school to assign you more courses. So the fact that they continue to provide me with courses in a pretty steady flow shows that I'm doing good work for them.

I went shopping with my mom yesterday and bought a few things I was missing for the elimination diet starting tomorrow and also some things I didn't expect. I bought some guava fruit (which still needs to ripen), which I love but haven't had in years, and also some fennel root (they had some very fresh fennel at a very good price - less than 1$ per root, and some were big), which will add a lot of flavor to the veggie soup, since I won't be adding any veggie broth or boullion (couldn't find one that was gluten-free and/or corn starch free), and I've never made a veggie soup without it. Also bought a lot of fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley), since these will be my only flavorings for food for the next 2-3 weeks (other than sea salt). I'm a little nervous about this because I'm used to food that is highly seasoned (especially with stuff like mustard and vinegar - and those might be some of the very foods that are causing my migraines!). I've always loved food with a lot of flavor. My mom loves to tell the story about how, as a toddler, my sister and I would sit in our high chairs and my sister would eat the plain food that my mom would give us but I would be reaching my hand out to the table for the pickles and olives and marinated vegetables .

I did tell my parents about what I plan on doing and even gave them some specifics about what I will be eating. I'll admit that I usually avoid doing this because, while they are wonderful people, they can also be very controlling and invasive. The funny thing is that my dad thinks he isn't but he's really much more so than my mom. He "makes suggestions" which really translate to "here's what you need to do because I know better than you do and if you don't do this, you're an idiot". Already he was "suggesting" stuff about how I should add foods back and he doesn't even know anything about the elimination diet!

But it was also a good thing for them to know, since it will help them help me by not tempting me with going out to eat or going on day trips (where we of course eat out and snack on junk food) and it will help my mom avoid making treats like cakes and cookies that I love. It also is a sort of accountability for me. If my parents know and expect me to do this the way I said I would, then I'm committed to doing it and not stopping after the first few days.

I have no illusions - it's going to be tough. I don't think it will be so tough in terms of food restrictions, since I've been eating pretty much the stuff I'll be eating on the elimination diet while McDougalling (with the exception of bread). But it's going to be tough because I'll have to get used to herbs as my flavorings rather than stronger stuff like mustard and vinegar and because I will be staying away from the Excedrin Migraine OTC meds. That's going to be really tough because I've gotten so used to popping a pill every time I feel a headache coming on. I know it's going to be hellish in terms of the migraine/headache issue at first and I have to be very strong not to run to my pills but to try and rest out the migraines and do other things (like drink fresh ginger with hot water - I have plenty of it ready!) But I'm hoping that eating so clean will make them go away very quickly.

Here's my general menu for the elimination diet, though I'm planning on logging in my exact menu every day:

Morning: sweet potato and veggies with herbs
Afternoon: brown rice and veggies with herbs
Evening: veggie soup and mashed sweet potatoes
Snacks: plain unsalted rice cakes, honey, all-fruit jam (very little amounts of these), fruit
Herbal teas with agave (again, very little of this)

I also want to continue walking every day or doing some kind of walking-type exercise. I don't anticipate that my energy levels will drop significantly (in fact, I anticipate that they will rise) during the diet since I won't be eating foods much different than McDougall so it shouldn't be too much of a shock on my system.

Good luck, It sounds so nice, going on day trips and eating out and snacking!! But oh yes, the price of that could be gaining wt and also the headaches.
I love my spices too!
You can do this!! and conquer the migraines without any medications! That does sound so wonderful!
I am praying for your successes here!

Well, I'm not starting the elimination diet today. I wanted to prepare some stuff beforehand to make it easier for me but I went out on a trip with my folks to Haifa yesterday. Despite the fact that I tried to get it through my dad's head that I had things to do and wanted only a half-day trip and wanted to come hom in the afternoon, he, as usual, completely ignored my request for his egotistical wants and we ended up coming home at 9 p.m. last night. So I'm going to prepare stuff today and begin tomorrow.

I'm starting to see that having my parents around when I do this is going to be a much bigger obstacle than I thought. It's not so much their fault (they're just doing what they're used to doing and, now in their 70's, they are not going to change, especially my egotistical dad, who thinks everything he does is just perfect and always right and the problem is always with the other guy). It's my fault because I know my perception is very skewed when it comes to them. They've been so manipulative and invasive all my life that I know perceive them to be even when they don't mean to be. Right now I'm feeling psychologically choked because they know exactly what I'm going to be doing. Rather than leave me alone about it (as most people would do), they are down my throat. My dad just saw me this morning and already he pounced on me with "so, how's the new diet going???" I told him I wasn't starting yet, but didn't give him a definite date as to when I would be.

This is the first time in a long time I am doing something for myself, especially food-related, with my parents right under my nose, which is why I'm so uptight about it. For the past 15 years, I was in the States and they were here, so I might mention something about doing some sort of diet to my mom (but never to my dad) but it was much easier to take her questions and telling me what I should and should not do. I could brush it off with "sure, Mom, I'll think about that" (also, my mom is much more reasonable when it comes to those things - I can tell her to butt out and she will). But having them see me every day and look over my shoulder at what I'm eating is going to really be tough. I'm going to try and talk to my mom and ask her to butt out and get my dad to butt out, but my dad is less likely to listen (because he has no respect for me at all).

In fact, I was just feeling this morning (after they asked me a million questions yesterday about what I can and cannot eat, even after I explained to them in detail what the elimination diet is) that my motivation to do the diet is fading and then I thought, "well, hell, no! I'm doing this for myself and if I have to be obnoxious about telling them to butt out and let me do my own thing, I will!" This is MY health and MY life and nobody is going to tell me what I can and cannot eat.

So maybe this will be a good thing for me, as it will teach me to set boundaries and resist temptation (because I KNOW my dad is going to forget everything I asked him about not tempting me and will knock on my door with a bag of treats and say, "here, honey, I bought you something to go with your coffee" - forgetting the fact that I don't even drink coffee anymore!

Sorry for the negative attitude here - this is one reason why I prefer to hold off until tomorrow. If I prepare rice and soup and other things and also get my bearings as to how I'm going to handle their attempts at interference, then I'll be in a much better place to start. If I just jump into it today with this mood, I know I will quit after a day.