Do you suffer from migraine headaches? Do you suspect that your diet
may have triggered them? Certain foods may be to blame, but the cause of
migraines is not well understood.
A migraine headache is severe, throbbing head pain, with additional
symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light,
sound and smells. An attack can last from four to 72 hours, during which
time the sufferer may be forced to bed with the shades pulled down. If
you have head pain, a proper diagnosis by a physician is recommended to
determine the right course of treatment.
Susceptibility to migraines runs in families, and is three times more
common in women. Scientists suspect that an abnormal drop in serotonin,
a brain chemical, causes the blood vessels to swell and causes the
nerves to stimulate pain sensations. Factors such as stress, diet,
menstruation, weather changes, medications, physical activity, skipped
meals, extremes in food temperature, bright lights, and smoke have been
known to trigger a migraine. Estrogen levels are a strong determinant of
migraines; a drop in estrogen around menstruation can cause severe
headaches in many women. Not every one has the same triggers, and
sufferers react in different ways at different times. The migraine
puzzle still needs to be solved.
Ten to 30 percent of migraine sufferers can pinpoint diet triggers.
Here is a list of suspected foods.
- aged cheese -- such as cheddar and blue cheese. The amines and
tyrosine are suspect.
- chocolate
- alcohol -- red wine, champagne, Scotch, beer. Alcohol causes the
blood vessels to expand. Certain substances in wine, such as
tyramine, phenols, sulfites and congeners, may be the culprits.
- smoked or pickled meats and fish, cold cuts, hot dogs, sausage,
liver -- Some migraine sufferers claim that food additives provoke
the headaches. Sulfites in preserved food and MSG (monosodium
glutamate) in Chinese food, restaurant food and processed foods may
be suspect. Some people claim that the sweetener aspartame gives
them headaches, not necessarily migraines.
- citrus fruits, overripe bananas, sauerkraut -- high amine content
- bouillon cubes, soy sauce, canned soups, soup mixes, marinades,
meat tenderizers
- nuts and peanut butter
- sourdough and yeast breads
- beans ( like broad beans, lima, soy and fava), lentils and peas
- coffee, tea and cola
The relationship of caffeine and headaches is somewhat confusing. A
small amount of caffeine can relieve a headache, but too much may bring
one on. Coffee initially constricts the blood vessels, reducing the
pain, but too much causes the blood vessels to dilate, causing more
pain. Brewed coffee has much more caffeine than tea or cola.
Some medications contain caffeine. A new pain reliever medication
offers extra caffeine for migraine sufferers! Most people can tolerate
one to two caffeine drinks a day. However, if you decide to cut caffeine
out of your diet, do this gradually over a week. "Cold turkey"
withdrawal from caffeine can give you another headache!
Researchers have suspected that lower magnesium levels in
relationship to higher calcium levels may cause migraines. Another study
found that riboflavin, vitamin B2, reduced frequency and duration of
migraines. A diet lower in fat, 20 grams of fat a day, reduced frequency
by 71 percent and intensity by 66 percent in a study by Dr. Bic at the
University of California at Urvine.
Diet is only one of the many suspected triggers for a migraine, so do
not unnecessarily restrict your diet if these are not your triggers.
Keep a food diary for a month, tracking your headaches. You may be able
to determine a relationship between food and headaches. A dietitian can
help you plan careful menus. See your doctor for medication treatment.
There are a variety of new drugs to arrest the onset, reduce the
severity and relieve the pain of that throbbing migraine headache. No
one has the migraine puzzle completely finished; it will take the
combined efforts of sufferers, researchers and doctors to put it all
together.
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