Gateway

    We normally think of gateway in terms of drugs, as in using drugs like marijuana opens the way to using hard drugs like heroin. Legalized marijuana advocates deny this, of course, and most of us know of stoned who remain unturned, content to shrivel their brains and body one puff at a time. Most hard drugs users, however, say they started with marijuana, so the gate can swing both ways. But I am not talking about drugs. I am talking about cheese. I used to dislike blue cheese, then I started eating feta cheese and developed a tolerance to, and eventually love for, blue cheese. Feta was my gateway cheese.

     I experienced the same thing with coffee. I discovered frozen coffee drinks made me feel better when I had a migraine. Ice chips are commonly given for nausea, and most migraines are nauseating. But it was when I read about brain freeze that I understood how it helps the headache itself. Brain freeze happens when something cold is held against the roof of the mouth, the blood vessels open to warm it, and that sudden dilation can cause a headache. But if you already have a headache, a migraine, the blood vessels are constricted and opening them is a good thing. That is how many prescription migraine medications work. By trial and error I discovered ice cubes did not work, only blended ice. And blended ice, like a smoothie, did not work because there was no caffeine, which is also helpful for headaches and is a common ingredient in over the counter migraine medications.

    In time, I went from tolerating frozen coffee drinks because they helped my migraines to enjoying the taste of coffee. Now I crave coffee because what my aging body lacks in energy, I must make up for in caffeine. Frappes were my gateway to coffee, although it is not "hard" coffee because I still require lots of creamer. The good news is that coffee is no longer on the food naughty list. In my 30's, coffee was the designated scapegoat. If I went to the doctor for anything from hangnails to hemorrhoids, they asked me if I drank coffee. When I said no I felt like I was letting them down. Now, in my 60's, three cups a day is considered minimum for optimal health.

    The feta and frappe gateways have led to delicious results, but I will not enter the marijuana gateway, even if it is declared an essential nutrient for human life. I can do forgetful, unfocused and lazy drug free.