Part 0: blah, blah, blah, Background

I have been a vegetarian for ten years.

And lately, I have been making a half-hearted effort to cut down on the cheese I eat. For instance, I used to make a cheese sandwich to take with me to work. These days I am sticking with peanut butter, hummus, and a vegetarian soy cheese.

I haven't bought anything primarily dairy in months. I do still have my indulgences, tho. I very much enjoy SO's mac and cheese that he occasionally cooks for me. But he makes some very good vegan dishes as well, like "Ricey Deluxe" or these garlic potatoes which are wow, yum!

But now things have changed...

Part 1: the Story

Sunday, 5pm, I had a bowl of cream of potato soup. Around 6pm I had the first twinge of a major headache announcing itself. I took three aspirin to try to head it off. At 9pm the headache is starting to show itself past the aspirin, and when I lie down to sleep at 10 I've got a full blown head problem.

By this time, if I want to take more aspirin, I'll have to eat something as well to prevent the tummy burn of an ulcer. But I really don't feel like getting up. So, I'm lying there, thinking about food and ulcers and dairy. And my brother who is lactose intolerant: he gets terrifying heartburn when he eats ice cream. And I'm thinking about my headache.

And I finally make a connection. I ate cream of potato soup and an hour later I've got a headache. And it wasn't the potato part, it's the cream part that's giving me this oh-so-lovely pain in the head.

So, now I'm thinking about headaches. I get headaches all the time, it's just one constant headache. Mostly, I ignore the pain, but all the same, I'm a serious aspirin and Excedrin user. But my headaches have gotten quite a bit better in the past couple months.

Part 2: Gestalt

Oh. My. Gods.

• The frequency and intensity of my headaches has been greatly reduced in the past several months.
• My consumption of dairy products has been greatly reduced in the past several months.

Oh my gods. Dairy = Headaches.

Okay, people, I was just lying there in bed, repeating over and over, oh my gods. *laughs* Yeah, it's a revelation for me. Yep, even an epiphany. A life changing moment.

So, I declared that I am now a vegan. Vegan Me! No more headache, I say! I'm done with it. Over.