(01-05-11) How to Avoid Food- triggered Migraines

-- by Jeff Jurmain, MA

Migraines are a chronically painful part of life for about 30
million Americans. Migraines are one of those conditions
that triggers will set off. It could be a skipped meal, a day
that was too stressful, sleep disruptions, weather changes,
being overly fatigued, certain smells, blinking lights, and
even exercise. This article is a piece of health advice on
avoiding those triggered by food and drink.

Migraine triggers will be different from person to person.
Avoiding migraine attacks means doing your best to avoid
triggers. Overall, one's dietary pattern can have a trigger
effect. If you skipped breakfast or lunch, it could translate
into a chemical change that launches a migraine. Are you a
habitual coffee drinker who hasn't had a cup in two days?
Caffeine withdrawal is a well-recognized factor for
migraines.

Here are five well-known ingredients that cause migraine
headaches:

1. Monosodium glutamate. MSG is infamously present in
Chinese food and a slew of other Asian dishes.

2. Nitrates, nitrites. These are used in processed and cured
meats such as ham and sausages. They help preserve them.
These are two of many additives that can trigger a
migraine.

3. Tyramine. This is the hidden ingredient that makes aged
cheese a common migraine trigger. But it is even more
common than that, as it's found in red wine, alcohol, and
sandwich meat.

4. Certain preparations. Foods that have been fermented,
pickled or marinated can all be hidden triggers of
migraines. And there are certainly a lot of products like this
lining every supermarket's shelves.

5. Aspartame. Sugar-free foods and drinks contain artificial
sweeteners such as aspartame that can give some people a
splitting headache.

Now for the actual trigger foods. Here are the world's most
prevalent dietary triggers:

-- Caffeinated products: chocolate, tea, soft drinks, coffee
-- Aged cheese: mozzarella, feta, cheddar, parmesan, and
blue cheese
-- Processed meat: hot dogs, cold cuts, lunch meats,
pepperoni sticks
-- Fish: smoked or dried
-- Potato chips
-- Dried fruit
-- Bakery items: pastries and even bread
-- Alcohol
-- Pizza
-- Peanuts
-- Chicken liver

This list is not entirely inclusive, but it's a good start. You
might have specific foods that tend to trigger a migraine for
you. A good way to figure this out is to keep a daily diary
of the foods you eat and your migraines. You should begin
to see a pattern after a while. By learning what your
triggers are and avoiding them as often as possible, you can
help control this frustrating condition.


Banyas, G.T., "Foods as triggers for migraines,"
Optometry, Aug. 2009; 80(8): 416.
"Migraines and Headaches Guide," http://www.webmd.com/migraines-
headaches/guide/triggers-specific-foods.

News

---

In evidenza

"L'informazione presente nel sito serve a migliorare, e non a sostituire, il rapporto medico-paziente."

Per coloro che hanno problemi di salute si consiglia di consultare sempre il proprio medico curante.