1% Thursday

11 March 2010

1% Thursday: The Escape List

It’s driving you crazy. Quite possibly, it’s having a negative impact on your health. It’s time to escape.

But how? You feel like you have no options – no way out. It’s hopeless.

It’s time to sit down – preferably with a close friend if it’s appropriate – and make a list. A list of what you need to do to get out of the situation. A list of what you need to do to make a change.

Preferably this should be something that impacts your health – maybe changing bad eating habits, quitting smoking, changing your environment. It could be something huge (getting out of a job, changing careers) or something small (changing the lighting in your bedroom, fixing that door that squeaks).

If it’s simply something frustrating, that’s all right – it will have an indirect impact on your health.

Is there something in your house or office that doesn’t quite work, but you’ve been putting up with it (and hence wasting a LOT of time!)? Maybe your in a destructive relationship. Maybe you have a commitment that seemed like a good idea at the time, but you need to go in a different direction (I’m not suggesting you break a promise of course, but there may be something you’ve continued doing even though the purpose is long gone!).

So think of one thing – just one – right now. Then sit down and right a specific, do-able, escape list.

Note: You may not like what you need to do to escape. But it’s helpful to know you do have options. And maybe a push from a friend will save you a lot of pain in the future.

This week’s idea came from a lifehack.org post which actually had some other great 1% ideas in it. Check out 11 Simple Ways To Avoid Burnout

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

4 March 2010

1% Thursday: Tradition

James Tips 0

This week start a new (non-mandatory) tradition.

It’s really amazing what a little rhythm can do for your life. We’re rhythmic creatures, of course – be it music, the weekend, sleeping patterns – when the rhythm is right, life is better.

I’m not talking about monotony, of course – but a musical kind of rhythm that changes, pauses, and does the unexpected. Nothing would be unexpected, if it wasn’t for the rhythm.

I’m convinced that starting a new, enjoyable tradition can make that 1% difference for someone who is dealing with an often very non-rhythmic chronic illness. It could be something big – once a year I’ll vacation in Italy. Well, maybe not that big.

How about going to a favourite restaurant with someone once a month? Or a picnic in the park? Or maybe you’ll take the kids to the zoo once a month.

Go for coffee with a best friend once a week (all right, skip the caffeine – try one of those fresh-squeezed juices!). Would you believe roller skating? A concert?

Maybe just a walk. Or a once-a-week cookie bake. Every Tuesday evening I’ll read a favourite novel. Or go rent a funny movie. Buy a flower. Get a magazine. Play tennis with a friend.

The possibilities are endless, of course.

Two rules:

Make it enjoyable. If it ceases to be enjoyable, change it.
Make it non-compulsory. People with chronic illness know, you don’t need something else to be guilty of "missing". Make it something you can do when you can, but it won’t be a problem if you miss it.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

25 February 2010

1% Thursday: Watch out for Leftovers

James Medications, Tips 2

This week: try to start avoiding leftovers more than 48 hours old.

Don’t waste food! Don’t you know people are starving in [country x]?

Sure, we all want to save money, not waste – but there are times when our caution may be causing problems.

Something is happening to those leftovers in your fridge. After a few hours, they really begin to "age". Protein and bacteria start to dance. And the result is… tyramine!

One of the most popular types of diet for migraineurs is the low tyramine diet. But this diet isn’t just for migraineurs – other conditions seem to improve with a low tyramine diet. And those taking MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) – common anti-depressants – also usually follow a low tyramine diet. This would include brand names such as Nardil and Marplan.

But sometimes we get a lot of extra tyramine when we don’t mean to. That is, when we eat "leftovers" – food from a previous meal that we’ve stuck in the fridge for another day.

24 hours passes, even 48, and things aren’t too bad. But beyond 48, and you could be getting more tyramine than you want.

We’re talking mainly about food with protein – such as meat and tofu. Of course, there are also foods that start off with too much tyramine. You can read more about the overall tyramine diet here.

Remember, we’re not saying the food is bad – it’s not necessarily food poisoning we’re concerned about. This is food that would normally be safe to eat, unless you’re trying to get less tyramine in your diet. So most official warnings about how long to keep foods won’t apply here.

What’s fine for your house-mate may not be fine for you.

So what you need to do is plan – use a freezer (freeze right after cooking, thaw and eat right away), don’t cook too much at one time, invite friends over. You can avoid eating food more than 48 hours old without wasting it – it’s a matter of planning.

Of course, there are other reasons to eat fresher. Generally, fresh foods simply taste better, and are better for you. Trying to follow this rule will mean a healthier, more nutritious, more delicious diet.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

18 February 2010

1% Thursday: The Love Challenge

James Tips 0

We just survived a time of year when many people celebrate love … especially romantic love, though of course the store displays and commercials assure us that we can buy something for other people we love as well. 🙂

But what really happened this year? Did you just give the day a sad thought, and then ignore it? Did you protest? Did you survive it by actually remembering to get your spouse something?

But wait… did you actually tell someone you love them? And mean it?

This may seem like an odd topic for 1% Thursday, until you realize how important loving relationships are. Especially to those with chronic illness. They’re critical in fact.

Now, here’s what I want you to do – tell someone you love them, and mean it. That’s all.

Now, if there’s no one you can think of that fits the bill – father, mother, boyfriend, friend, and so on and so on … then it’s time to do some evaluating. And guess what – not only do you need relationships like that, someone needs you. That’s right, with all your weaknesses and frustrations, you can still help someone else. And in helping, you may find you’re helped as well.

Perhaps you can think of someone, but saying "I love you" is hard. Why? Has there been a break in the relationship? Or maybe you’ve just stopped reaching out.

Saying I love you can mean a lot to someone else, and it can do a lot for you too. It can be scary, it can be wonderful, and it can be normal and everyday. And maintaining — or maybe creating for the first time — those relationships, can make a huge difference in ways you never expected.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

11 February 2010

1% Thursday: Magnesium

James Tips 5

Consider talking to your doctor about magnesium supplements.

This won’t be anything new for regular readers of our site. But magnesium supplements have been such a help to so many people, they just had to make it into 1% Thursday eventually! 🙂

We won’t rehash everything that’s been said about magnesium already. But in summary, magnesium for migraine is one of the best researched, most helpful supplements out there. There are certainly various reasons to be concerned about magnesium levels in migraineurs. For example, magnesium may be low in women with premenstrual symptoms. Also, magnesium regulates is involved in many of the body’s functions that seem to suffer during a migraine attack (such as sleep regulation). Read more about the magnesium and migraine connection.

Magnesium is often taken alone, or as a part of a supplement such as MigreLief.

We’ve talked a great deal about the type of magnesium to take, how much to take, and what to not take it with (ie calcium!). So check out these previous posts for all the details:

Migraine and Magnesium â€“ new study
Magnesium: Top of the List for Migraine

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!