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Aurora's avatar

Hi there! I found your post because I was looking for other people who post about food intolerances. It sounds like we have the same one (tyramine). Sorry to hear that :( It is kind of nice to see other people talking about it, though.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Hi Aurora, welcome to the Brainee community! My food intolerances have changed of late, but I avoided tyrannies for close to three years! It's one of the most frustrating diets under the Sun. Thanks for popping in and hope to see you around!

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Aurora's avatar

Glad to hear you don't have to deal with it anymore — but yeah it is so difficult. Your site looks great, I've followed :)

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Have you discovered The Dizzy Cook? Might be a good writing opportunity for you!

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Aurora's avatar

I've definitely found some of the posts on that blog useful! My primary issue with tyramine is the blood pressure spikes that happen when I eat it with migraines occurring after they go down/as more of a secondary effect, though, so that's why I thought it would be good to make my own blog. I hadn't seen a lot of people talking about it as a cardiovascular issue as opposed to migraine issue.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Best of luck in raising awareness!

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Shelly Stallard's avatar

This was hilarious, the description of Burger Girl is just too funny!

I have migraine too! I mostly don’t know what brings them (lack of sleep will immediately do it), even though I’ve had them for 30 years and have been on all sorts of preventatives.

I’m also “sensitive” to bell peppers. Just them. Nothing else in the same family. I get so incredibly sick from them, I just say “allergic” and save myself the hassle. My mother doesn’t believe in food sensitivity/allergy and plays it that I just don’t like them (I do). She says just pick them out. No, the whole dish is contaminated for me.

I can totally get where you’re coming from.

The Onion Conspiracy just makes me laugh, and now I’m going to think of that every time I get green onions/shallots/big onions.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Thanks for reading, Shelly! Bell pepper…that’s a tricky one! I also very much like onions, though I have discovered since avoiding them that there is an onion-hating subculture that is alive and well. I can’t imagine hating such a common and relatively tasteless food! Same goes for bell pepper.

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Mike Leavy's avatar

Great article, Natalie! Funny and illuminating. I promise not to buy any shallots unnecessarily (not that I can find them in the place that I live in Mexico, but hey – it’s the thought that counts)

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Yes do save them all for me!! Thank you for reading ☺️

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Tim Ebl 🇨🇦's avatar

This was wonderfully written.

I really feel for your situation. I had migraines in my 20’s, but only about one a month, and they just kind of stopped happening. To have to avoid foods that you know are triggering and are in almost everything is overwhelming.

I can see you deciding to risk it sometimes. How could you not?

So there is plenty of evidence that all human beings are “sensitive” to gluten, its just a sliding scale, like you said, some people who call themselves sensitive can have a bit with seemingly no consequences. If I eat gluten for 3 days in a row, I get all-day acid reflux and many, many trips to the bathroom. That’s just the symptoms we can see. Meanwhile, my entire body starts getting inflamed and I’m not doing myself any favours.

But are there really no consequences for the rest? Healthy people are pretty rare.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Thanks for reading! I’m one of those people who can sometimes get away with a little gluten (like in this story), but sometimes I get a migraine from it. It’s a toss up. I’d love to have gluten points that I could save or spend on special occasions 😂

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Though fwiw, I have a friend with celiac and her life is WAY HARDER than mine. The whole world is, I think, covered in a fine dusting of gluten.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

I so resonated with this piece. I have many food intolerances. While they don’t result in migraines I’m subject to wicked stomach aches, inflammation, rashes or heart palpitations. I stopped alcohol because of the two day headache I get with a few sips of wine. I haven’t had gluten, dairy, corn, soy, processed sugar and coffee caffeine in 10 years. Needless to say I do most cooking at home.

Congrats on the podcast!

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Natalie Mead's avatar

It’s astounding to me that people can eat things like gluten with no consequences. Our world revolves around it!

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

But do they really have no consequences? Even Italy has many gf restaurants now.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Fair point. I have heard wonderful things about Italy’s gf scene and Mediterranean diets generally.

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Valeri Harper's avatar

Very interesting and funny!! Didn’t know about the difference. You are a wonderful writer!!!

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Thanks Val!

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Lisa McMahon Smith's avatar

I am more of a barometricly challenged migraine suffer, up to 9 a month, but I will have to pay more attention to the onion / shallot potential culprit.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

The entire low tyramine diet, in case you're curious, is here: https://thedizzycook.com/whatishyh/

It's kinda a lot to take out, so it's not for everyone!

I am barometically challenged as well. Summer (when it's dry in California) is my time of near-manic activity level so I can hibernate over the winter 😂

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Bev Potter's avatar

MSG makes me desperately ill in large quantities (despite everyone’s insistence that this is not possible) so I massively relate to the “trust no one” lifestyle. I too have about five places I can safely eat out at. It sucks so hard.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

I was considering including MSG in this story, as I’m sensitive to it as well. It’s surprising how many restaurants use it, including Chick fil a!

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Ah. I forgot to add MSG to my list as well. MSG is not good for anyone.

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Bev Potter's avatar

Everyone in my office loves chick fil an and my boss is always shoving it at me and I’m like, what part do you not understand. All fast food chicken patties are loaded with it.

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Natalie Mead's avatar

Yep, people just don’t believe it’s everywhere. I know people who claim to be sensitive to MSG who eat at chick fil an and I’m like…🤔

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Aurora's avatar

Ugh, right? When literal neurological medications make the brain have less glutamate you'd think more people would believe that some people can be sensitive to dietary glutamate... So weird! Thankfully my neurologist believes me that it's possible. Really ironic, since she's Chinese and I pretty much exclusively see white people claiming it is somehow racist against Chinese people to claim it's possible to be intolerant to MSG.

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