Nitrates and Migraines -- Hidden Foes!!

For those of us who get migraines, we know -- we have to be vigilant to avoid those triggers that send us into blinding pain and agonizing nausea. My main trigger (aside from those impossible-to-control hormones) is the nitrates and nitrites found in cured meats -- ham, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, etc. I have faithfully avoided these foods ever since I figured out they were the major culprit of my migraines.

So when I came across "all natural" bacon, smoked the old-fashioned way with absolutely no added ingredients, I was psyched to say the least. All it contains is pork. That's it. What could be dangerous about that?

As it turns out, lots. Apparently, the process of smoking the pork can bring out the naturally-occuring nitrates/nitrites inherently existing in the meat. I unfortunately found this out too late, and suffered the consequences.

This also explains the migraine I got after eating smoked salmon, which again contained no additional nitrates/nitrites. I guess the smoking process in itself is just a migraine-inducing process for those of us who are sensitive to it.

What a crushing disappointment.

In-N-Out Burger -- Dairy Free!!

After 3 months of denying myself so many of my faves, because I have had to go dairy-free (our infant daughter has allergic colitis, which means my breast milk has to be cow's milk-free), I have finally been able to satisfy at least one of my cravings, because:

In-N-Out Burgers and Fries are dairy free!!

Unlike McDonald's, which has dairy in both their hamburger buns and their fries (dairy in fries, can you imagine!?), In-N-Out is cow free (except for the beef, of course).

I enjoyed every bite of the luscious, savoury burger and crisp fries, and the pleasure centre of my brain is breathing a slow, deep sigh of satisfaction. Ahhhhhh.