Foods That Trigger Migraine Pain
Foods that trigger migraine headaches vary greatly from person to person. What causes one migraine to affect another may surprise you. Even foods that seem unrelated to headaches can cause migraines. Migraine is no doubt a challenging health condition, especially concerning migraine and knowing what role foods play in our overall health could help you better manage your own health. What you eat can impact many different individuals in many different ways, however it’s not entirely clear why this occurs, or why it affects so many people.
Certain types of foods can increase the likelihood of migraines. For example, certain foods have been linked to an increased risk of developing depression. Depression and stress are both considered triggers for migraines and if you’re experiencing a headache after eating a certain food it may be best to eliminate that food from your diet altogether. This doesn’t mean that you can never eat chocolate or eat ice cream, but you should eliminate them from your menu plan completely.
Foods that trigger migraines seem to be highly processed and contain high amounts of fat, sodium and sugar. These ingredients can easily make a person feel sluggish and causes excess pressure on the blood vessels and veins in the head and neck area. Processed foods and refined sugars are hard on the digestive system which has a negative impact on your entire body. Brown rice is a great addition to a diet as it contains the protein and magnesium that are necessary for good digestive function.
Another thing to look out for is highly flavored and processed foods. High calorie and salty snack foods are one of the biggest chemical triggers known to affect migraine sufferers. Salty snacks such as pastries and white bread can cause an imbalance in blood sugar, which will stimulate a bout of migraine. Another thing to try is to minimize your consumption of foods that are high in tyramine. Commonly known as a “triggers,” tyramine can actually cause nausea and vomiting in some people.
Alcohol is another trigger that can cause migraine headaches. Some people believe that drinking alcohol just before a migraine can worsen the pain. However, this isn’t true. What does seem to be true is that alcohol increases blood pressure and this can increase sensitivity to light. If you do decide to drink alcohol, limit it to two drinks per day and see if your migraines improve.
One of the most common food additives used in the United States is sodium nitrates. These food additives are widely used because they mimic the effects of serotonin. Unfortunately, these food additives have also been linked to a number of different health problems including migraines. In fact, most doctors won’t recommend their use.
If you’re prone to migraine attacks and want to minimize your migraine pain, then you should definitely focus on avoiding or minimizing the intake of these four foods. If you find that you absolutely must consume any of these foods, then make sure you know exactly what they are. If you aren’t sure about something, simply avoid it. However, if you know you’re going to have a migraine attack, then you might want to eat these 4 foods for a short period of time to see if you have a migraine due to them.
Keeping track of your diet is an important part of controlling your migraine pain. This is because your diet has a direct impact on your blood pressure and blood sugar levels. By keeping track of which foods cause your migraines and which foods help reduce your frequency, you’ll be able to pinpoint specific foods that will help your migraines, helping you prevent them in the future. In the long run, this will save you time and money since you won’t have to go on medication to control your migraines anymore.
