I came across a scary social media advertisement lately that looked like this...

Scary because as a mother of small children...we do eat hot dogs in our house.  That being said as a result of my migraine influenced diet, I purchase organic hotdogs without nitrates or nitrites.  Nitrates and nitrites are a published migraine trigger.  But the statement made in the picture definitely made me think about and research the facts surrounding hotdogs and childhood leukemia.  This picture above was based on the following research conducted at University of California Medical School: Processed Meats and the Risk of Childhood Leukemia.  There has been other research that has conflicting results: Food Consumption by Children and the Risk of Childhood Acute Leukemia.  The one thing the health community does agree on is that processed meats, including bacon, deli meats, and hot dogs are linked to increased colorectal cancer.  They aren't sure what exactly the main culprit is, but experts recommend steering clear of the preservatives sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate.

As Americans we live in a culture where packaged foods is more common than not.  The food industry is always looking for ways to increase shelf life and reduce cost.  The additives that accomplish these goals affect some of us differently than others.  Sodium nitrate and nitrite are added to meats to preserve the color and decrease bacterial growth.  Sodium nitrite is used in the curing process to slow the development of botulism, add flavor, keep the meat pink, and increase shelf life.  Sodium nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite in our bodies and fights botulism.  Both nitrate and nitrite create nitrosamines when combined with protein rich foods which leads to cell damage in our bodies.

What does all this have to do with migraines?   I realize cancer and migraines are too very different things but apparently the culprit in both cases are believed to have something to do with nitrates and nitrites--not necessarily hot dogs.  When we consume these preservatives nitrite becomes nitric oxide.  Nitric oxide binds hemoglobin (iron-containing oxygen-carrying protein in our blood).  Once bound to our hemoglobin it decreases the amount of oxygen that hemoglobin can carry.  Nitric oxide is also a vasodilator.  It causes blood vessels to enlarge and dilate.  When this dilation occurs in the blood vessels in our heads it can trigger a migraine.  There is also a theory that the nitric oxide stimulates the release of calcitonin, a hormone that affects the nerves in brain vessels.

Many people will start the new year with a resolution (statistically 45% of people) to change many things about themselves.  Out of these individuals very few will achieve their resolution (8% of people).  That all being said, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychology people who explicitly make a new year's resolution are ten times more likely to achieve their goal.  75 percent of people maintain their resolution through the first week, 71 percent past two weeks, 64 percent past one month, and 46 percent past 6 months. 

My thoughts and feelings on this subject lean toward the idea that you must try to change something in your life if you want to see a difference in your life.  If you are doing all the same things this year expecting a different result, I think you are going to be disappointed.  My belief is that I can control the pain and frequency of migraines by controlling my diet and lifestyle.  I think it would be wise to evaluate the way I did things last year and see if there is room for improvement.  If my "goal" is to reduce the pain and frequency of migraines, what behaviors can a change to accomplish that "goal".

Are there certain aspects of my life I can change in order to improve my migraine lifestyle?

Here are some questions I am asking myself:
Food: Am I eating right? Have I eliminated packaged foods?  Am I eating whole foods?
Sleep:  Am I getting enough sleep?  Do I have a consistent bedtime and wake time?
Hydration:  Am I drinking enough water? Or am I drinking too many caffeinated beverages?  Am I drinking any artificial sweeteners?
Exercise: Am I exercising regularly?  Am I exercising at an intensity that will increase endorphins?
Stress Reduction: Am I reducing our daily stressors?  Can I reduce the importance of "the little things" and focus on what is important?  Are my finances causing stress and is there a way to modify that stress?  Do I need to DEclutter my house or get organized?
Happiness:  Do I have a hobby, sport, or activity that adds joy to my life? Am I surrounding myself with happy people?  Do I have a positive attitude?

If I am honest with myself, I would say there is room for improvement in some of these areas.  Some things I am very consistent with and others I have a tendency to slack on.  But when I look at my responses to these questions it helps me to see an area where I can develop my New Year's Resolution around.   Once I have set a goal, I will try to hold myself accountable.  If I slack some...I will try to get myself back on track.  Like I said if I don't try at all, then I definitely will not succeed.  I have my 2014 planner ready and it's time to start tracking my progress:)

Good luck to everyone in the New Year.  I hope this year finds you free from migraines and making positive changes to eliminate them.