Alicia Wolf

NOTE: I never received the Early Reviewers copy from the publisher but I hate having outstanding reviews, and it was available on Hoopla, so I borrowed it.

I liked the format, the details of Alicia’s personal journey, and the information on various food items and their potential relationship to migraines. There are also suggestions for food prep on “good” days to make things easier on migraine days, and lists for pantry staples, which are good resources. I didn’t realize this was geared towards those with vestibular migraines, which is unusual.

On the downside, there is so much privilege in this book. So many of the recipes require items that are not readily available in a grocery store. When my migraines were chronic, I barely had the energy to get to my grocery store at all. There were YEARS when I would not have been able to shop multiple places to find ingredients and when I lived in areas where grocery delivery was not an option. While there are some easy recipes, others are complex and I would argue that alone makes them not migraine friendly. I do have to give credit to the author for acknowledging that.

I tried several recipes and sadly, I hated them all. They were not to my taste. This, of course, is purely subjective, so your mileage may vary there.… (mais)

This was an early reviewers book. I'm not sure if I ever received a copy. If I did, I certainly can't find it. I did find an ebook copy of it on my Hoopla app, so I borrowed it.

The Mediterranean Migraine Diet is written by Alicia Wolf (author of The Dizzy Cook) and Dr. Shin C. Beh who specializes in vestibular migraine. The book is packed with useful information and delicious recipes. At the end of the book is a full index. I found the list of best recipes to make ahead and best recipes to freeze for the days you're not feeling well most helpful. There are also some menus and a list of resources for help in managing migraine. I would recommend this book.… (mais)

This isn't just a cookbook; it also provides contextual information about migraines that was really helpful for me as a person who gets migraines. The author manages to pack a lot of information and references into a short amount of space. She makes it clear that every person with migraines is different, doesn't try to force a "one size fits all" treatment, and provides many methods for customizing her recipes, advice, and the elimination diet approach depending on the reader's particular needs.

What I really like about the recipes, aside from how tasty they sound, is that many of them are easy to make in bulk and freeze (which, as the author acknowledges, makes a huge difference on bad migraine days).

I recommend this book for people with migraines not just for the recipes, but as a starting point for researching and testing holistic migraine management strategies.… (mais)