Migraine Headache Diet

Are you eating the right or wrong food?

Changing your eating habits and adopting a migraine headache diet can help to prevent future migraine attacks and even eliminate them completely. 

Migraines are severe, throbbing headaches that may also lead to nausea, visual occurrences such as flashing lights and other sensations such as numbness in the arms or hands.

Migraines can occur anywhere from once a week to once or twice a year and are very common in women at certain times of the month. 

The most common causes of migraine headache are:

• Low blood sugar
• Allergies, including food allergies
• Stress
• Too much or too little sleep
• Flashing lights
• Hormonal changes (menstruation)
• Changes in the weather (barometric pressure)

It is widely known that certain foods or drinks can trigger a migraine and these should therefore be avoided.

Food and drink that are known causes of migraine headaches:

• Cheese
• Chocolate
• Citrus Fruits
• Caffeine
• Red wine
• Port
• Alcohol in general

One or more of these could be a trigger for an individual so it is important, when a migraine attack occurs, to track back and see if one of the above foods or drinks have been consumed.

Foods to include in a migraine headache diet

• Almonds
• Watercress
• Parsley
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Pineapple
• Ginger
• Essential oils found in salmon and mackerel
• Magnesium, found in whole grains, nuts and dried fruit
• Ginger tea

Eating regular light meals to prevent sugar levels from dropping.

Drink at least 2 litres of water everyday to remain fully hydrated.  Add 1 litre for every hour of moderate exercise.

Other lifestyle changes to help control and avoid migraines

• Get sufficient sleep
• Maintain good posture to reduce muscular tension in the neck and shoulders
• Use a heat pad or hot water bottle to relax tense neck and shoulder muscles
• Take regular exercise
• Avoid foods containing additives, such as Monosodium glutamate (MSG), wheat, luncheon meats, diary products and fermented foods such as sour cream and yogurts.

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