FOODS TO EAT FOR A MIGRAINE
May 5, 2011 | By
Migraine sufferers are often willing to do anything and spend everything they have in order to be rid of the torment of this debilitating and agonizing condition. Sometimes unaware of the role foods play in the creation of migraines, patients often eat known trigger foods that stimulate headaches and prolong suffering. Food not only nourishes the body but medicates as well. Becoming wiser about food's role in both triggering your migraines and soothing them can help.
WATER
Water helps flush the system of toxins and keeps the body hydrated. Dehydration can trigger migraines and aggravate them if you are also not eating properly. If headaches cause vomiting, it's even more important to replace lost fluids by drinking water.
SPICES
Certain spices can help raise the pain threshold for migraine sufferers like cayenne pepper and ginger, to soothe away nausea. Both are recommended by relieve-migraine-headache.com and the Mayo Clinic; however, be careful when consuming ginger, which can cause bleeding. If you are pregnant, planning elective surgery or prone to bleeding, caution should be used. Consult your health care practitioner.
If you do add ginger to your diet, the recommended amount is at least 1 gram to reduce the nausea associated with migraine headaches. Consume it as fresh ginger tea, by eating candied ginger, or drinking ginger ale as long as it has real ginger in it.
If you do add ginger to your diet, the recommended amount is at least 1 gram to reduce the nausea associated with migraine headaches. Consume it as fresh ginger tea, by eating candied ginger, or drinking ginger ale as long as it has real ginger in it.
MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM
Eat dark, leafy green vegetables, kale, spinach and broccoli, all rich in calcium and magnesium. Include additional magnesium-rich foods such as oatmeal, soy products, spinach, wheat germ, garlic, and seafood. Drink warm milk at bedtime for relaxation and a dose of calcium and magnesium. If you don't get relief from your migraines by adding additional foods high in magnesium, add a magnesium supplement to the diet. Magnesium assists in keeping blood vessels stabilized and helps with relaxation.
TRYPTOPHAN
Low serotonin levels are associated with several conditions including migraine headaches. The body gets serotonin from consuming foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, which contributes to the production of serotonin. Eating foods high in tryptophan stimulates this brain neurotransmitter, helping to reduce the incidence of migraine headaches. Include turkey, black eyed-peas, walnuts, almonds, sesame or pumpkin seeds, whole grains, rice and other dairy products in your diet regularly, suggests relieve-migraine-headache.com
HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS
Taking 5-HTP supplements, an additional source of tryptophan, helps the body produce more serotonin, relieving migraine headache symptoms. Herbs like feverfew and butterbur have been found to be helpful in relieving headaches, according to the Mayo Clinic, and coenzyme Q10 (or CoQ10) stimulates healthy blood flow and may help prevent headaches.
OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
Omega-3 oils have been found to protect nerves and fight against inflammation associated with migraines, according to MyMigrainConnection.com. Omega-3 oils are found in dark-colored fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, and supplements can be purchased at health food stores.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: TRIGGER FOODS
The Mayo Clinic lists the following foods as the most common trigger foods for migraine headaches and the ones to avoid to protect yourself from migraines: alcohol, especially red wine and beer, caffeine, coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate, processed and smoked meats high in nitrates, aged cheeses high in tyramine, peanuts and peanut products, certain legumes such as lima beans, broad beans lentils, soy, peas, the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (Nutrasweet and Equal), saccharin and Splenda.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/47644-foods-eat-migraine/#ixzz1ofNYnlUQ
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