There are a few micronutrients that helped me when I was getting well from chronic migraines. One was choline. I could not supplement with it, but needed to eat foods high in choline. Isn’t that interesting how the supplement made me worse, but the foods rich in choline helped? I used egg yolks the most, but choline is also found in poultry, liver and fatty fish. What I did to get in extra egg yolks was add a raw one to the top of my meals like I would a BBQ sauce or soy sauce. Most people will grimace when I say that, but it tastes really good and it helps salt stick to each bite better. It is worth a try if you need extra choline like I did.
Let’s stay on the topic of migraines for the moment. How does choline help with them? I didn’t know it at the time, but choline is vital in neurotransmitter production and balance, as well as cellular structure. The hypothesis is that choline has a important role in the synthesis of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and it is involved in the regulation of pain perception. It is thought that a change in the level of acetylcholine may have something to do with the way migraines develop. BUT, there are not a lot of studies on that yet. All I know is that I could tell a difference from when I had extra egg yolks in my day and when I didn’t.
Egg yolks are super healthy for a lot of other reasons besides choline like:
- Nutrient Density: Egg yolks are a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin A, riboflavin, phosphorus, and selenium. These nutrients play crucial roles in various bodily functions, including metabolism, bone health, and immune function.
- Healthy Fats: Egg yolks contain healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are beneficial for heart health and can help maintain a balance of cholesterol levels.
- Carotenoid Antioxidants: Egg yolks contain carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants that contribute to eye health. These compounds may help protect against age-related macular degeneration and other eye conditions.
- Satiety: When we get the nourishment our bodies crave, we experience satiety. Egg yolks can promote satiety and that can contribute to weight management by reducing the likelihood of overeating.
- Bioavailability of Nutrients: The nutrients in egg yolks are highly bioavailable, meaning that the body can easily absorb and utilize them. This enhances the effectiveness of the nutrients in supporting various physiological functions.
Choline is also associated with anti-inflammatory benefits so that means that egg yolks are anti-inflammatory. That could also be how the migraines were reduced with my daily egg yolk consumption. OR it could be the high amounts of omega 3 in the egg yolks that helped with the reduction of migraine symptoms. It is hard to know, but that could be why I couldn’t supplement with choline and had to use food. When we eat a whole food we get all of the companion nutrients that work together to weave this matrix of nutrition that we cannot find in a single supplement. Maybe the reason egg yolks helped me was the combo of omega 3 with the choline in the perfect ratio, or maybe it was the antioxidants in the egg yolks which also have anti-inflammatory properties.
So where I am I going with this? First, don’t be discouraged if something is working for you right away. It took me 2 years to get out of migraine hell, and it wasn’t like one day I woke up healed! I didn’t know they were gone. I thought I was just in a lull between the last one and the next one. But that lull lasted longer and longer. Then I started having other benefits like my appetite coming back before I even entertained the idea that maybe, just maybe, they were gone. However, I could tell during that two years that I was on the right pathway. I knew it from day 1 when I started a therapeutic ketogenic diet not to be confused with the fad ketogenic diet which can be quite inflammatory. So research before you dive in, okay? Find out what is right for you.
I do want to encourage you, though, whenever possible get your nutrition from real whole foods, and not supplements. Supplements are to be supplemental, not your main nutrition. Same with protein shakes. . .they are a support, a tool we use when our schedules are crazy and should not be a daily crutch. YES, that is my opinion for several reasons, but the main one is that no nutrient should be eaten in isolation. More of one nutrient is not better, usually. They work together, and an imbalance is an imbalance, so use care, be thoughtful with supplements
Disclaimer: Linda is not a medical doctor, nurse or any other type of medical professional. None of her material in this blog or on any other site including social media, newsletters, stories, lives, videos or any other form of media, post or publication is to be considered medical advice. She is sharing things that worked for her, and things she has observed. Readers are their own advocates and need to do their own due diligence, talk with their providers and decide what is right for themselves.
