Has anyone noticed how much fresher berries look these days than they used to even five years ago? Last year I saw on a label of a plastic container of grapes that it contained sulfur dioxide. I knew that this substance was used on dried fruits but did not know that it was used on fresh produce. This is used in addition to all the other pesticides that are generally used on conventional produce. In the last few weeks I noticed that strawberries being sold by street vendors and stores looked especially red and fresh (even compared to last year) but was hesitant to try any because I had suspected that more substances were being used to keep them looking pefect (even though they have no taste!).
The Food and Drug Administration requires food companies to list ingredients on packaged goods, but when consumers are eating foods that are not packaged and sealed, they are eating at their own risk. So often when they eat "whole" foods- fruits, vegetables, savory foods from a salad bar, etc.- they may be exposing themselves to more risk than if they were to stick to processed foods that disclose the ingredients.
Within a couple of minutes of eating two stawberries, I felt my mouth getting numb, and the sensation soon spread to other parts my head. I thought about trying to throw up the strawberries, but knew it was too late. I knew the sensation too well with my increased sensitivity to preservatives and flavor enhancers over the years. It's difficult to explain to people that it is not an allergic reaction but a sensitivity to these substances that give me a horrible migraine, which leads to numbness, severe muscle tension, throbbing throughout the body, heart palpitations, and circulation problems among other symptoms.
With each episode, I know that I will eventually come out of the shock my body has gone into and I carry on with all my daily activities except for rigorous physical activity. I still go into work without letting anyone notice (although they probably notice that I seem to be in a bad mood). Before I started to understand all the food-related triggers for these symptoms, I was very scared. A few times I thought I was going to have a heart attack and even went to the emergency room. But now I let it take its course without taking any strong medications, which I have never really turned to as a solution to the problem.
I have considered other root causes for my migraines, but what I have learned over the years is that these harmful substances seem to be the strongest triggers. I have considered stress and emotional issues as the real causes and have pretty much tried everything under the sun over the years. I have pretty much reached a point where I cannot ingest anything I do not prepare myself. As I gather more knowledge with the signs that my body is giving me and with each "mistake" I make, I wonder if there are other people who experience this. Perhaps most people do not experience the symptoms to the degree that I do, but with the amount of dining out people do (and it doesn't matter if it is a good restaurant) I wonder what percentage of the population is sensitive to these substances that shouldn't be in our foods to begin with.
