Health & Medical Pain Diseases

Migraine Trigger Foods

    Natural Substances

    • Not all migraines are triggered by food sources. However, in sensitive individuals, some foods can bring on or intensify a migraine attack. Tyramine, a naturally occurring substance that results from the breakdown of protein in some foods, often causes a migraine. The longer a food ages, the greater the amount of tyramine in it. Aged cheeses (particularly blue cheese, aged cheddar, feta, and parmesan) possess a lot of tyramine. Other foods containing high levels of tyramine are pickles, onions, olives, some beans, dried fruit, nuts, avocados, processed meats, canned soups and red wine. Some people report headache trouble when they take in another natural substance. But beware, if you regularly take in caffeine and cut yourself off cold turkey, you might inadvertently trigger a withdrawal headache that can turn into a migraine.

    Additives

    • If you find migraines often occur after lunch, perhaps you should consider what you ate. Processed meats--including deli meats, pepperoni, hot dogs and some sausages--often contain preservatives called nitrates and nitrites. You might also have a sensitivity to monosodium glutimate. This flavor-enhancer is an ingredient in many different processed foods (think canned soup, restaurant meals, and prepackaged entrees), not just Chinese food. Nitrates/Nitrites and MSG dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow to the brain which cause headaches in some people. Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, and some food colorings have also been tagged as possible migraine triggers. Those whose headaches result from food additives often feel the headache on both sides of the head, rather than on just one side as in a classic migraines. These headaches usually occur within 20 to 30 minutes of ingesting an offending food.

    Cold Food

    • Most of us experience "brain freeze" from time to time, but in migraine sufferers, brain freeze can spark a full-on attack. For most people, an ice cream headache is felt in the middle of the forehead, but for migraine sufferers, this pain can be more widespread--reaching areas that are usually affected during a migraine. According to the Cleveland Clinic's neurology department, more than 90 percent of migraine sufferers report problems with cold food and drinks.

    What You Don't Eat

    • Just as you have to be careful about eating certain foods, you should also be careful not to skip meals. The drop in blood sugar and disruption of your body's normal stability can also activate a migraine. If you find you get distracted easily and forget to eat at regular intervals, you might concentrate on grazing throughout the day to keep you and your head regular. Also, pay attention to the amount of fluids you drink. Dehydration is also a possible trigger for your migraines.

    Less Common Triggers

    • You need to learn your own triggers. Keeping a headache diary may help. If you record what you eat and any headache symptoms that occur afterwards, you can learn what substances trigger you. In addition to the more common ones listed above, people sometimes report migraines caused by organ meats (such as chicken livers), cultured dairy products like buttermilk and sour cream, yeasted breads--particularly sourdough, smoked and dried fish, some fresh fruits like bananas, raspberries, red plums and papayas, and cheese-flavored crackers.

SHARE
RELATED POSTS on "Health & Medical"
Oxygen Therapy Influences Episodic Cluster Headache and Related Cutaneous Brush and Cold Allodynia
Oxygen Therapy Influences Episodic Cluster Headache and Related Cutaneous Brush and Cold Allodynia
Causes of Dizziness and Disorientation
Causes of Dizziness and Disorientation
The Truth About What Causes Lower Back Pain
The Truth About What Causes Lower Back Pain
Slipped Disc: Surgery Best for Pain?
Slipped Disc: Surgery Best for Pain?
Botox for Chronic Migraine
Botox for Chronic Migraine
Treat Low Back Pain With Regular Exercises
Treat Low Back Pain With Regular Exercises
Chiropractic for Back Pain - What to Avoid, What to Embrace, and What to Expect
Chiropractic for Back Pain - What to Avoid, What to Embrace, and What to Expect
Treatment of Spinal Stenosis
Treatment of Spinal Stenosis
Preventing Back Pain at Work
Preventing Back Pain at Work
Is It Really Worth It? Chiropractic Care and the Cost
Is It Really Worth It? Chiropractic Care and the Cost
What Can She Do About Her Aching Joints?
What Can She Do About Her Aching Joints?
I Am Having Headaches That Feel Like a Tight Band Around My Head, What Do I Do?
I Am Having Headaches That Feel Like a Tight Band Around My Head, What Do I Do?
How to Cure a Migraine Naturally
How to Cure a Migraine Naturally
Spinal Stenosis Laser Surgery
Spinal Stenosis Laser Surgery
Proper Tens Electrode Placement Following ACL Reconstruction Surgery
Proper Tens Electrode Placement Following ACL Reconstruction Surgery
Sciatica Exercises for Pain Management
Sciatica Exercises for Pain Management
Treating Migraines in Teens
Treating Migraines in Teens
Herbal Pain Relief for Fibromyalgia Can Be Found in Some Old-Fashioned Remedies!
Herbal Pain Relief for Fibromyalgia Can Be Found in Some Old-Fashioned Remedies!
Understanding and Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
Understanding and Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
Wrist Pain - How Wrist Treatment Can Increase Your Pain, and the 3 Exercises You Need For Relief
Wrist Pain - How Wrist Treatment Can Increase Your Pain, and the 3 Exercises You Need For Relief

Leave Your Reply

*