10 Foods That Triggers Migraine
Isn’t a pounding or throbbing headache most annoying! Such pounding headaches may make you hide from the world and seek refuge in a quiet and darkroom. A throbbing headache is a result of changes in brain activity that affects our blood vessels as well as nerve signals. The migraine attack involves a throbbing headache, along with nausea or vomiting, or extreme sensitivity to light sound.
Well, we are all aware that stress, lack of sleep, and hormonal changes are common migraine triggers that give rise to such chronic headaches. Nurofen migraine pain capsules, available at online chemist helps to relieve such throbbing headaches. But did you know that your diet plays a part too?
1. Excessive caffeine:
Caffeine causes headaches. Foods and drinks that contain caffeine include coffee, tea, chocolate. But in our routine life, we notice that a cup of coffee or tea every morning serves as a daily booster.
At times, a little caffeine helps to relieve headaches and prevent an ongoing migraine attack. But at the same time research shows that excessive caffeine consumption is harmful and can cause a migraine attack as caffeine acts on certain receptors in the brain that are linked with migraines.
So you need to limit the intake of tea or coffee to about two cups a day i.e. 200 milligrams a day. Chocolates also contain beta phenylethylamine which triggers headaches in some people. Moreover, many people with migraines have an increased craving for chocolates before their headache starts.
2. Alcoholic drinks:
Alcoholic drinks such as red wine, beer, whiskey, scotch, and champagne are commonly identified headache triggers. Certain compounds in wine such as tyramine, tannins, histamine, and flavonoids are the main culprit that causes migraine.
And red wine contains the highest amount of tannin. Moreover, drinking alcohol causes increased blood flow to your brain and may lead to dehydration which can also contribute to headaches. People going through a period of cluster headaches should avoid alcohol.
3. Aged cheese and pickled and fermented foods:
Blue cheese, camembert, mozzarella, feta, parmesan, and cheddar are all considered to be aged cheese. Foods that are aged cause the proteins in the food to break down and create tyramine. Aged cheese contains tyramine which may interact with the neurotransmitters in the body and lead to migraines.
The longer a cheese ages, the more tyramine it contains. Similarly, pickled and fermented foods such as pickles, olives, kimchi, kombucha are also aged and contain a high amount of tyramine and thus trigger a migraine.
4. Food containing nitrates and nitrites:
Many cured and processed meats like ham, bacon, sausages, deli meats and hotdogs contain preservatives called nitrates to preserve color and flavor. These nitrates release nitric oxide into the blood that causes our blood vessels to swell which can lead to a headache. Thus, think before you shop for bacon for your breakfast.
5. Citrus fruits:
Usually eating a lot of fruits helps us to stay healthy and avoid migraines, but you should be careful with citrus fruits. Citrus fruits although are not common migraine triggers but consuming them may occasionally cause headaches. Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lime, and lemons may trigger headache and thus you should consume it in limited numbers say about ½ a cup daily.
6. Artificial sweeteners:
Artificial sweeteners are sugar alternatives that are added to foods and drinks to add sweetness. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are 200 times sweeter than natural sugar. It is commonly found in diet coke and other calorie-free drinks and increases the risk of migraine headaches.
7. Foods containing MSG:
Monosodium glutamate is sodium salt of glutamic acid. It exists naturally in our bodies. It is a flavor enhancer and is used in a variety of processed foods like frozen or canned foods, seasoning, meat tenderizer, snacks, soup, and soy sauce. It is also naturally found in tomatoes, cheeses, and hydrolyzed vegetable protein. It can cause cramps, diarrhea, and spark migraines within 20 minutes with a terrible headache. In addition to MSG soy sauce also contains excess salt which can lead to dehydration and trigger migraine.
8. Nuts and legumes:
Almonds, peanuts, and other nuts and seeds contain a high level of tyramine which contributes to headaches. Moreover, salty nuts lead to dehydration and cause headaches. Also, beans such as broad beans, lima beans, fava beans, snow peas, and lentils are suspected to trigger a migraine.
9. Yeast:
Yeast contains a high amount of tyramine. Sourdough bread and fresh baked goods like doughnuts, cakes, bread, and rolls contain yeast. Such tyramine-rich food triggers a migraine.
10. Cold foods:
if you get a stabbing headache after eating ice cream, do not blame the ice cream but it’s the coldness that causes the pain. Eating frozen foods and drinks like ice cream and slushies can cause terrible headaches. You are most likely to experience a migraine attack if you eat or drink cold foods after exercising or if you are overheated. Also the pain peaks in about 30 to 60 seconds. For people who are not migraine sufferers, eating ice cream gives quick relief from headaches. Thus, it is advisable to eat your ice cream or drink your cold drinks very slowly.
Food triggers are individualized and differ from person to person. Apart from the above common migraine triggers, other food items that may trigger migraine in some people include avocados, figs, raisins, papaya, red plum, banana, potato chips, cultured dairy products, onions, chicken livers, and pate. Avoiding or limiting the intake of these food triggers can help in controlling migraines. Also, over the counter medication is available at pharmacies online.
Ways to prevent migraine:
As the food items that trigger migraine differ from person to person it becomes difficult to find which food triggers a migraine. Thus you can do an elimination diet. If you suspect that after eating or drinking a certain thing you experienced a headache cut out those foods and drinks from your diet for some time.
Then slowly add them back. If you find that your migraine symptom returns after consuming a certain food item that it is a sign that this food triggers a migraine. Also do not cut out every food item that causes headaches at once. Slowly eliminate the food one by one.
This will help you to figure out which food exactly triggers a migraine. Maintaining a diary will also help to keep a track of your diet. Some food may trigger migraines immediately while some may affect after some time. So if you experience a migraine note down the food items that you have eaten in the last 3 days.
Consult your doctor to help you in keeping a track of the food triggers. Also prescribed medicine is available at pharmacy online UK.
Conclusion:
Regular exercising can help to maintain a healthy weight and gives you a sense of control of your feeling. Along with these precautions medicines for migraine can also be taken from online pharmacist.
