Pretty much anything can cause a migraine, including climate changes, strong fragrances/smells, tension, lack of sleep, estrogen level fluctuation, and some drinks and foods as well.
As migraines can be so weakening, it might be very valuable to identify and maintain a strategic distance from potential triggers. Some specific foods can be migraine triggers for some individuals. Try to eat more of those foods that help in controlling migraines and avoid foods that trigger them. Doing this can help in decreasing the intensity of migraines you get.
Some foods might help in reducing the recurrence of migraine headaches and lessen the symptoms as well. While there is no exclusive “migraine diet” or “headache diet,” people can reduce their migraines by potentially checking what they are eating.
What does a migraine feel like?
Any person who has experienced migraines can tell how much migraine is different from a common headache. It is because it is a lot more intensive and accompanied by many other incapacitating symptoms.
Migraine is an extreme kind of headache and typically occurs on one side of the head. It is usually accompanied by light sensitivity or nausea. It is because of the temporary changes of nerve conduction inside the brain. Migraine initiates provocative changes in the nerve cells that cause pain.
Some people say that before their migraine starts, they see light flashes or experience shivering sensations in their body. On the other hand, few people say that they start having some food cravings or feelings of depression before the migraine.
When you are having migraines, you become sensitive to light and noises. You may likewise feel queasy and vomit. Migraines and its accompanying symptoms can last from some hours to many days.
What foods can help in preventing migraines?
Focusing on your diet is the standout fortification against migraines. You include foods into your diet that help in preventing migraine and exclude those foods out of your diet that is migraine triggers.
Fresh foods do not have any preservatives like mono-sodium glutamate. Preservatives can work as migraine triggers for certain people. So avoiding foods with preservatives can help in preventing migraines.
1. Legumes, fruits, and vegetables:Â
Legumes, fruits, and vegetables are rich in plant estrogen, which blunts the negative impacts of the estrogen our bodies normally make. It might be especially useful for ladies who get headaches with their periods, which might be because of an abrupt drop in estrogen level. It goes by the phenomenon that the higher your general estrogen level will be, the more remote it will fall during the drop.
The fiber in these migraine battling nourishments helps by expelling overabundance estrogen from the body alongside waste. So it’s not reused or sent back once more into your circulatory system.
Another amazing benefit of these nourishments is that they are low in fats. And when you eat less fat, there is less production of estrogen in your body. Try to consume at least 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
2. Water:Â
Water is not actually food, but there is an explanation of why water tastes so great when you are not feeling good. Dehydration is one of the greatest causes of headaches. So it justifies that drinking eight to ten glasses of water every day can help prevent migraines. Looking at the headache incidences and water intake, water is said to have strong connections with the decrease in the duration and intensity of migraines.
Studies show that 47 percent of migraines were relieved by drinking water than those 29 percent who did not. People with headaches or migraine problems must keep a full bottle of water around them all the time. Listen to your body for the early indications of thirst before it becomes extreme.
You can likewise fulfill your hydration needs by including a lot of fruits and vegetables with greater water content in your diet. Spinach, berries, cucumbers, and watermelon are all rich in water. They can help you quench your thirst and supply a wide range of significant minerals and vitamins to keep your headaches under control.
3. Fat Fish:Â
Fish is a very healthy food for the human heart, but salmon and other fatty fish like trout, herring, and mackerel, can help in controlling migraines as well. These fish are rich in omega-3 unsaturated fats and are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Preliminary research done on these anti-inflammatory agents’ shows that when you consume them in the supplement form for six weeks, they seem to diminish the intensity and frequency of migraines in certain people. 300 mg of DHA and EPA capsules and 700 mg of some other oils were used in the research. So, eating four 125 grams of fatty fish servings in a week can give about a similar amount of beneficial fish oils utilized in the research purpose.
4. Leafy Greens:Â
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and chard are full of vitamin B folate, which might do an exceptional job in the risk of migraines. Early research on ladies proposes that an eating routine low in folate may expand the recurrence of headaches contrasted with ladies with satisfactory levels of folate in their eating regimen.
If you are not into salads, then you can eat legumes, avocado, and seeds to get your folate fix. Yet, besides, you must at least try to eat leafy greens as well. Leafy greens are not only high in folate, but they are also a phenomenal source of magnesium.
Studies show that migraine can be a reason for the low level of this fundamental mineral in one’s diet. So, it significantly makes it more important to get this mineral in your daily green dose.
5. Ginger:Â
Studies show that ginger is a warming spice, and it contains some intense exacerbates similar to the ones present in non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It works well against migraine and blocks inflammatory substances known as prostaglandins.
Though ginger has not been thoroughly tested for migraine relief, it must help mitigate nausea and sickness that frequently accompanies them.
There is no specific recommendation regarding ginger consumption, but you can use it fresh or in powder form in your cooking. You can also order food with ginger flavor whenever you dine out. On the other hand, you can also mix some ginger powder teaspoons in a glass of water and drink it after every 60 minutes. It will help reduce the pain. You can likewise suck on the raw ginger slice or dried ginger candy.
6. Milk:Â
Like magnesium, the other two significant bone-building supplements, vitamin D, and calcium appears to play a significant role in preventing migraines. One of the research shows that vitamin D and calcium supplements combination fundamentally decreased migraine attacks. While another research showed considerable improvements in migraine patients in just four to six weeks. Vitamin D plays a more significant role than calcium, yet you can get your fix of both from products like eggs, dairy, orange juice, and soy milk.
7. Almonds:Â
Studies show that people suffering from migraines have lower levels of magnesium in their bodies. Almonds are one of the best and yummiest source of meeting your daily magnesium needs. There are very little researches conducted explicitly to find the effect of magnesium-rich nourishments on migraine. However, studies show that consuming 600 mg of magnesium every day decreases the migraine’s frequency. Almonds are one of the richest in magnesium foods. While you might require a supplement, we suggest you go for a food-first approach. In case you are not into almonds, you can try consuming seafood, leafy greens, pulses, seeds, and other nuts.
8. Magnesium-Rich Foods:Â
Leafy dark green vegetables, whole grains, and beans are all rich in magnesium foods. And researches show that people frequently have an insufficient amount of magnesium present in their body due to which they get migraines often. Low magnesium levels make the brain additionally sensitive to migraine triggers.
The suggested daily intake of magnesium is 310 to 320 mg for ladies and 400 to 420 mg in gents. Focus on consuming 400 to 700 mg every day to control headaches if you are extremely deficient.
Pumpkin seeds are one of the greatest sources of magnesium. Almonds and Brazil nuts are among the great sources as well. You can likewise try halibut. It is a good magnesium source too.
What foods can trigger migraines?
- Nitrites and nitrates are present in processed meats such as lunch meat, hot dogs, and bacon. These foods might end up giving you a migraine.
- Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is one of the common causes of migraines. It is used mostly in Chinese food to make them taste better.
- Too much intake of caffeine a day can trigger migraines in certain people—specifically, those who suffer from migraines often.
- Chocolate can be a migraine trigger for some people because of the high level of phenylethylamine and tyramine in it.
- Artificial sweeteners can cause a headache. They potentially increase the risk of migraines.
- Alcohol tends to trigger migraines immediately. People with migraine problems must avoid drinking alcohol.
- Cheese can be another migraine trigger because the fermentation process increases the levels of phenylethylamine and tyramine in the food.
- Citrus foods with vitamin C can trigger migraines in certain individuals. It is because citrus fruits have greater levels of amino acid tyramine in them.
- Smoked fish and yeast extract can trigger migraines in some people too.
How can you identify your trigger foods?
Specialists may prescribe that individuals with headaches must keep a food diary with them to follow what they eat and any migraine indications that they experience. Some people might have an immediate reaction to food, while some people may not feel anything even after 24 hours of eating a portion of food.
The subsequent stage is to remove one potential trigger food from the eating regimen to check whether migraine still occurs or not. For instance, an individual may choose to evade all items that contain red wine for seven days, including red wine vinegar and the wine itself.
This methodology can guarantee that people do not exclude foods from their diet unnecessarily.