One of the most useful remedies for reducing migraine involves a change to your diet. Certainly for me, that has been the case. After suffering almost daily with migraines ranging anywhere from a 4 to a 9 on the pain scale, one of the biggest life changes I made was to my diet. This resulted in a drastic change to my migraine patterns. Make no mistake though, it wasn’t just about the food. Certainly there were other natural life changes I made that helped produce today’s result. However, certain foods have been shown to affect the frequency and severity of migraines and migraine pain.
SOME of these include:
• Dairy
• Chocolate
• Peanut butter
• Onions
• Fruits (e.g., avocado, banana and citrus)
Other foods that have a higher chance of causing migraine include:
• Meats with nitrates (bacon and hotdogs)
• Foods containing MSG
• Foods containing tyramine (processed meats, red wine)
• Fermented or pickled foods
So if diet has a large impact on your migraines, how do you find a way to be healthier – especially when you live a super busy life?
Quick Tips for Eating Healthy No Matter How Busy You Are
Find ways to add greens;
If you are heating up soup, stew, chowder, chili, or other hot dishes, thinly slice some leafy greens (kale, mustard greens, chards, etc.) and place them at the bottom of your bow or plate and dish up your hot food over them. The heat from the food will warm the greens and you will get a huge health boost and benefit;
The healthier you are eating – the fewer processed foods – the better your migraines will be;
When you have bits and pieces of fruits and vegetables that you can’t use for anything else, don’t throw them away. Instead try throwing them into a smoothie or juice.
The more natural the foods are that you eat, the better off you will be. Avoid processed foods as they have a tendency to induce migraines.
By eating more healthy and more natural choices you will:
- Find better relief for your migraines and chronic headaches;
- Shed a few pounds in the process; and
- Increase your energy
I have found that when I am off my preferred way of eating, I get a lot more migraines – and they are more intense. So for me, in trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, when it comes to the effect of my lifestyle on migraines, I often have to ask myself, “If I do this [whatever that choice may be], is it worth the risk of waking up with a migraine tomorrow?” 99% of the time, my answer is a resounding “no!”
If you experience migraines, think about some of these things and whether some of these foods trigger migraines or help migraines.
Whole Foods
I cannot stress enough the importance of eating whole foods (from their natural state) as opposed to processed foods.
- If you can tolerate eating more vegetables and fruit, you should do so.
- If you can add meats that are not processed, the better off you will be.
- Instead of reaching for the white rice, try substituting it with brown rice, couscous or ancient grains such as quinoa.
Note: If you know certain foods cause migraines for you, when you are tempted to eat them, slow down and think….is it worth the intensity and pain you will feel when that migraine kicks in?
Tips for Cutting Back on Processed Food
By doing this, you will find your migraines will become better over time, if you are anything like me.
- Instead of eating a turkey sandwich, try a grilled chicken sandwich;
- Lean white meat is a great lunch option but if you put on deli sliced turkey on your sandwich, you have basically put a bunch of sodium between two pieces of bread – and let’s face it, the bread alone contains a lot of sodium;
- Even better, grill your own chicken, slice it and cut it into some pieces or slice it. Put it between some nice, fresh wheat break and add some nice dark leafy greens to your sandwich; and
- Lay off the chips that go with the sandwich and instead use some nice, fresh fruit as a side dish.
Skipping Meals
It’s not always obvious what a hunger headache is, but if you skip one meal or multiple meals, your head could start to ache before you even realize you are hungry.
Skipping meals causes a dip in blood sugar, which can trigger a migraines. But don’t try to get rid of that hunger headache with chocolate, candy bars or other “sweet treats” as that will cause your blood sugar to spike and then drop even lower.
The solution…
Eat regular meals – eating well balanced meals throughout the day will help keep your blood sugar on an even keel which means no more hunger headaches.
Aim for meals and snacks that have a protein with a complex card (e.g., peanut butter on whole grain bread or chicken breast with brown rice – if none of these are a trigger food for you).
Some people do better eating three meals a day with two snacks in between.
Remember to carry healthy snacks with you even when you are on the go, so that you don’t miss a meal and don’t run the risk of triggering migraine.
Food to Alleviate Pain
Some people with headache pain and migraine find that specific foods help eliminate the migraine quickly. These often include foods like bread or some other type of carbohydrate. Also, many find that even a small amount of caffeine can help.
Tip: Even when you are in the throes of a migraine, you should still make the effort to put a little food and water inside you. Don’t make the migraine worse by being hungry and dehydrated.
Of course, your diet is only a part of how you will react when it comes to migraines. However, from personal experience, I do know that the way I eat has a great deal of influence over my migraines and headaches.
It’s important to be in tune with your body. Learn what your body is telling you – often you will get advanced warnings in little ways that could ward off a migraine for you.
If you would like to learn more about migraine triggers, and solutions to your migraine problems, schedule a free call with me to break through your migraine cycle. Schedule >>HERE<<