Migraine Diet: Foods That Prevent And Ease Migraine Attacks
Once youve identified which foods are triggering your migraine attacks, and omit them from your diet, you will likely experience fewer and weaker migraine attacks.
If youre ready to completely restructure your diet for better health, in addition to migraine control, you can safely eliminate most of the foods listed above altogether. Some physicians recommend a plant-based diet for migraine control.
Of course, if you have special dietary needs or are on medication for other conditions, talk to your doctor first. You may also need to consider a plant-based protein supplement if you switch to a vegan diet.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine lists the following as pain safe foods for migraine sufferers:
- Cooked Yellow Vegetables
- Cooked or Dried Non-Citrus Fruits
During a migraine attack, caffeine can help ease symptoms. The American Migraine Foundation recommends that migraineurs restrict caffeine intake to one or two beverages per day, in general, but a small amount of caffeine can help subdue an attack.
It Can Prevent Postmenopausal Symptoms
Hot flashes are no fun. Studies link the debilitating symptoms of peri- and postmenopause to declining levels of estrogen. And according to a review of 16 studies published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, soy isoflavones can aid with your menopause symptomsalbeit they only provide half of the maximum effect and work 10 weeks slower than traditional hormone replacement therapy drug, estradiol, in terms of reducing hot flash frequency. Isoflavones are a class of phytoestrogens, plant versions of human estrogen. In other words, they nearly mimic estrogen’s structure, allowing them to function in the same estrogen pathways which can help relieve hot flash symptoms. Chickpeas also contain phytoestrogen, which makes them one of the healthiest foods for women.
Look At The Whole Picture
Simply writing down foods you eat and when is only a small part of the picture. In your diary, its important to keep a record of other variables that may contribute to chronic migraine. Did you eat on time or skip a meal? Were you stressed that day? Where are you in your menstrual cycle? Did you recently change your migraine medicine? Are you drinking enough water? How many hours of sleep did you get before the migraine came on? It may seem like a lot, but all this intel can help narrow down possible migraine triggers.
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It Lowers Cancer Risk
Soy and its influence on breast cancer have long been a source of concern. Soy contains phytoestrogens, naturally occurring hormone-like compounds with weak estrogenic effects, whichin the labhave shown to fuel many cancers. However, human studies haven’t found diets high in soy increase breast cancer risk. In fact, quite the opposite. A longitudinal study in the Cancer journal that followed over 6,000 breast cancer patients found that women who ate the most isoflavones had a 15 percent decrease in mortality. The American Cancer Society’s dietary guidelines note that consumption of soy foods is not only safe but “may even lower breast cancer risk.” Another study in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism has also shown that increased soy consumption correlates to a reduced risk of prostate cancer for men.
Does Soy Sauce Cause Inflammation
We all know soy sauce as an Asian condiment that adds a lot of flavor to many dishes. According to Kikkoman, one of the major soy sauce producers, their style of sauce originates back in the 1600s. Traditionally soy sauce is made by fermenting wheat and soybeans using yeast or mold and can take months. A newer type of process — that is quicker and more cost-effective — uses acid hydrolysis to break down the wheat and soybeans, but it may also contain some fermentation.
The sauce with the recognizable umami flavor does come with some health considerations, though. For example, it can be quite high in sodium, according to WebMD, which can raise blood pressure and contribute to the development of heart disease and stroke. There have been many brands and variations of soy sauces, including those with lower sodium, to combat the stigma of soy sauce being salty . However, it turns out that soy sauce may also increase the risk for another type of health issue: inflammation.
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Note The Pattern Of Your Migraines
Sometimes, a specific trigger can be difficult to identify. For example, if you are low on sleep and decide to drink a cup of coffee to keep awake, it can be difficult to determine if a migraine that happens afterwards was caused by the caffeine or the lack of sleep. Its useful to think about the pattern of your headaches to try to isolate certain triggers. If youre unsure about whether it was the lack of sleep or caffeine that is causing the migraines, trying to control one factor like limiting caffeine consumption can help to determine the root trigger.
Msg Can Also Play A Role In Your After Meal Headache
In addition to tyramine and salt, monosodium glutamate, most commonly known as MSG, can also cause headaches. A long-known migraine trigger, MSG is a food by-product made during soy processing . But MSG may not only trigger a headache, especially to those with a sensitivity to it. Consuming high amounts of MSG can also lead to nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
It’s important to be aware that headaches related to foods containing soy may not appear until 24 hours after consumption . If you’re starting to notice a trend between certain foods and headaches, it’s best to start a food diary consisting of what you’ve eaten in the day or two before symptoms started. That way you can be prepared to speak with your healthcare provider and offer a full picture of events.
If you are sensitive to eating soy foods, it goes without saying that you should consider avoiding them. However tyramine is not only found in soy. High tyramine foods include fermented, cured, aged, and spoiled foods . Moderate to low tyramine foods include but are not limited to avocados, raspberries, fresh chicken, and fish. While there are some benefits to eating soy-rich foods, it’s necessary to weigh the risks and benefits. If you get a nasty, pounding headache each time you eat a delicious tofu dish, it may be time to look for some new recipes to try!
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Chocolate: Is It Really A Migraine Trigger
Research recently presented at the International Headache Society suggests that cocoa may actually protect the nerve cells that cause migraine headaches. But 22 percent of headache sufferers identify chocolate on the list of foods that trigger migraines or headaches. “Chocolate may be getting a bad rap as a migraine trigger,” says Dr. Rosen. “Many people with migraines have increased appetite and food cravings just before their headaches start.” Reaching for a chocolate bar may be the result of a migraine, rather than the cause.
Keep A Headache Diary
To control your migraines, its important that you understand the current trend of your migraines and what might cause them to happen. To determine when your migraines are occurring and how severe they might be, it would be a good idea to keep a headache diary in a physical organiser or on a notes application on your phone. Take note of when you get migraines, how often and how severe each episode is, and potential factors surrounding the episode that might have contributed to it. This can make it easier for you to identify whether your migraines have been getting more or less severe in response to certain factors.
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Foods That Trigger Headaches
Headaches and migraines are often triggered by certain foods. But not all headache triggers deserve their bad rap.
Theres nothing like a pounding headache to make you seek refuge in a dark, quiet room and hide from the world. If you suffer with chronic headache pain, you have great company. More than 45 million Americans have chronic headache pain from migraine, tension, or cluster headaches.
Women suffer headaches more frequently than men, perhaps because of variations in the brain chemical called serotonin, which plays a role in pain and depression. When levels of the hormone estrogen plummet, levels of serotonin change as well.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common headaches include:
- Cluster headache
- Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia , cluster headache and paroxysmal hemicranias
Whether you suffer with migraines, tension or sinus headaches, or headaches from arthritis or jaw pain, all headaches have one central thread that weaves them together: inner or outer triggers cause the body to react with pain thats felt in the head. These triggers may stem from foods, tobacco, chemicals, stress, environment, or your hormones, among other things, and may vary from one person to the next.
Experience Lasting Migraine Relief In Wapakoneta With Upper Cervical Care
Life can be challenging when you often experience migraine symptoms. Thankfully, you can improve your symptoms by making minor lifestyle adjustments like avoiding the migraine food triggers and finding sustainable options for migraine relief in Wapakoneta.
One example of a migraine remedy that should explore is upper cervical care. Many patients who complain about migraine symptoms have experienced significant changes in their episodes after seeking the help of Dr. Aaron Kiefer.
Notably, most of these individuals arent aware that they have misaligned neck bones. This is because their cervical spine misalignment barely manifested physical symptoms. However, their neck bone structure changes affected their brainstem and brain function.
The additional mechanical pressure on the brainstem tissue impedes communication between brain and body. Moreover, the bones obstruct the proper drainage of blood and CSF fluids, increasing ones risk for neurovascular compression and worse migraine attacks.
If you suspect having C1 and C2 bone misalignments or if you keep on suffering from intense bouts of migraine headaches, we strongly suggest seeing our doctor of chiropractic. The sooner we can assess your neck bones, the quicker we can schedule your upper cervical chiropractic adjustments.
To schedule a consultation, call our Wapakoneta office at . You can also click the button below.
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Components Of Foods That Trigger Migraines
There are several natural components and additives that have been linked with migraines, and the different foods that have been noted to cause these headaches may have one or more of these ingredients. That said, the exact migraine-inducing components of some trigger foods are not known.
Dietary triggers induce migraines through several different mechanisms, such as altering the release of serotonin, causing constriction or dilation of blood vessels, or by directly stimulating neuronal pathways in the brain.
Other Remedies For Chronic Migraines
Managing your diet isnt the only thing you need to prevent your migraines from recurring. Instead, it would help to try some proven remedies for chronic migraines. A few examples of these options include the following:
- Release muscle tension in your neck by getting a relaxing massage
- Try aromatherapy and use it to soothe or calm your nerves
- Explore relaxation techniques like yoga and biofeedback therapy
- Be sure you get enough sleep at night
- Take magnesium or B complex vitamins
- Go for a quick dip in the hot tub
- Apply cold compress on your neck to soothe inflammation
- Seek migraine relief in Wapakoneta from an upper cervical doctor
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Avoiding Foods That Trigger Migraines
Written and verified by Holly Hazen
Identifying the exact foods thattrigger migraines for you is trial and error. Experts say the offending food must trigger 100% of the time to be a true trigger.
So where does that leave you, in desperation, to find out what to avoid? There are some well known food triggers, but everyone has different reactions to food. It can get a little confusing.
Plus different philosophies have different causes and triggers for migraines. And they often disagree with each others methods.
For example these four potential migraine triggers are taken from the macrobiotic ideology:
- Any food that causes fatigue or indigestion can indicate allergy or food trigger
- Anything spicy
- Any food with additives using “E numbers”, for more details please see my migraines and food article
- All microwaved food.
The macrobiotic diet leans towards eating pickled condiments with each meal to aid digestion, which does not suit us migraineurs. I’ve written more about that here – Migraine Headaches Diet And Macrobiotic Food.
Chinese medicine says to stay away from hot foods due to the LiverFire Blazing Upwards pattern associated with migraine.
You need herbs and foods that nourish the Yin anddispel heat. It would also consider climate, time of year, and your individual constitution first.
Contrary to western medicine, coffee is not recommend in Chinese medicine to aid migraine sufferers. It is considered to be hot and too stimulating.
Food is one thing we can control.
It Can Help You Sleep
Who knew? Soybeans contain some of the highest concentrations of magnesium out of all food sources, at 54 mg of magnesium per ½ cup, or about 14 percent of your DV. But because processing and GM soybeans will typically contain less magnesium, it’s best to eat organic sources of soybeans to reap the magnesium benefits. These include increasing protein synthesis and building lean muscle mass, as well as helping you fall asleep faster. In a study in the Journal of Research and Medical Sciences, magnesium had a positive effect on the quality of sleep in older adults with insomnia by extending the time they spent sleeping in bed and making it easier to wake up. Check out what other foods can help you catch some ZZZs.
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It Can Cause Mineral Deficiencies
Soybeans possess a notoriously high concentration of phytic acid. In fact, soybeans have a higher phytate content than any other grain or legume that has been studied. This anti-nutrient binds to important minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc and limits their absorption. Adequate levels of zinc are especially important for anxious people, as deficiencies are common and have shown to induce anxious behavior and depression. Unfortunately, soybeans have been found to be highly resistant to traditional phytate-reducing techniques like cooking, soaking, and sprouting , and the only way to significantly reduce the phytate content of soybeans is through fermentation.
At The Sushi Spot: Skip The Teriyaki Try Steamed
This one might hurt, but its true: Fermented soy products, such as miso, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce are foods that can trigger migraines thanks to their high tyramine levels. So if this compound is a trigger for you, the sushi or teriyaki place around the corner might not be your idea of a nice lunch out. Never fear: Ask for a steamed or grilled entree instead, and learn to love your sushi without dousing it in sauce. The National Headache Foundation suggests limiting these sauces to one ounce per day.
Not sure if tyramine is a trigger for you? Keeping track of what you do and dont eat in a migraine diary can help you determine which foods are migraine triggers. And once you have an idea of your triggers, restaurants can become less of a headache landmine and more of the enjoyable destination theyre meant to be.
See a doctor for diagnosis of migraines and migraine relief options.
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How Is Soy Sauce Made And Is It Bad For You
Soy sauce is a very flavorful ingredient made from fermented soybeans and wheat.
It originated in China and has been used in cooking for over 1,000 years.
Today, its one of the best-known soy products worldwide. It is a staple ingredient in many Asian countries and used widely across the rest of the world.
The way its produced can vary significantly, causing significant changes in flavor and texture, as well as health risks.
This article investigates how soy sauce is produced and its potential health risks and benefits.
What Is A Migraine
A migraine is a severe headache that is accompanied by a collection of other symptoms like extreme nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. Migraines are considered a brain condition and are often diagnosed through a set of symptoms. Before a migraine episode happens, one might experience the following signs:
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Seeing an aura of light around objects and people
- Sudden food cravings
- Unexplained anxiety
Migraines are often recurring and may become more frequent or severe in response to certain trigger factors. Lack of sleep, stress and bright lights are common factors which could make your migraines worse. Below well be talking about how diet can be another trigger and types of foods you should avoid to control your migraines.
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At The Salad Bar: Skip Snow Peas Try Anything Else
Youre all good when sticking to raw, fresh veggies at the salad bar, except for snow peas, which contain tyramine. Broad beans such as favas also contain tyramine, so consider passing them by, as well. And about the dressing: Citrus such as orange, lemon and lime can contain tyramine. But the National Headache Foundations low-tyramine diet suggests limiting citrus to half a cup serving per day, so a spritz of lemon on your salad hopefully wont be an issue.
Avoiding Certain Foods May Help Prevent Attacks And Reduce Symptoms
Dietary migraine triggers are very common. Some people notice migraines within a few minutes or up to several hours after consuming certain foods or drinks. While you may not have migraines in response to every single one of the known dietary migraine triggers, it is a good idea to become familiar with the most common migraine-inducing foods and to be on the lookout for migraine symptoms after eating them.
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