Top Foods to Avoid for Migraines
A migraine is a type of headache that can be very debilitating. Sufferers often report seeing “auras” and many experience nausea, vomiting, blind spots, and speech difficulties. Unfortunately, children can suffer from migraines as well. Many kids who suffer from migraines can miss out on important events, including school. Therefore, it’s important to discover the root causes and conditions of those migraine headaches.
It’s known that migraine triggers include foods, beverages, and stress. Thus, to help avoid a migraine, you can read the post below for information on foods to avoid for migraines. You can also consider regular massage therapy sessions to help reduce stress.
Please keep reading to discover the top foods to avoid for migraines.
High Tyramine Foods to Avoid for Migraines
Tyramine is a naturally occurring substance that is part of many of our common foods, especially aged and fermented foods. Unfortunately, it causes vasoconstriction in the brain, thus restricting blood flow. After a period of time, the brain’s blood vessels rebound with dramatic dilation which is thought to cause a migraine. Since the headache might not manifest for up to 12 hours, it can be difficult to isolate which food caused the migraine. To clarify, tyramine is a problem for migraine sufferers.
It’s been shown that ingesting 10mg or more of tyramine can trigger the onset of a migraine. If you are your child is taking Monoamine Inhibitors (MAOI) such as Zyvox (linezolid,) Provayblue (Methylene blue,) or Azilect (Rasagiline,) among others, you should take special care to avoid foods high in tyramine. Patients taking MAOI drugs have a reduced tolerance and can experience migraine headaches after ingesting only 6mg of the substance.
A List of Foods to Avoid for Migraines | |
Aged Cheeses to Avoid for Migraines
| Cured Meats to Avoid for Migraines
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Fermented Produce to Avoid for Migraines
| Condiments to Avoid for Migraines
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Alcohol and other Beverages to Avoid for Migraines
Alcohol is known to compromise every single system in the body and should thus be taken with high caution. This goes double if you are prone to migraine headaches. As a result, alcoholic beverages increase the rate of tyramine absorption in the body. Thus, if you are eating hot dogs at a cookout, you are advised to drink water, unsweetened tea, or nonalcoholic beer rather than an alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, alcoholic drinks can contain tyramine as well, which exacerbates the problem.
Chemical Additives and Migraines
Other beverages and their additives increase the chance of migraine as well. Consequently, drinks that contain aspartame and other chemical additives such as food colorings increase the chance of migraines according to the experts.
Condiments and Additives to Avoid for Migraines
It’s not only your main dish that can cause migraine but the flavorings you add to your meal can also cause a terrible headache. You’ll want to avoid seasoning your fries, fish, and salads with vinegar until you can eliminate that as a culprit. You should also look for an alternative to soy sauce and fish sauce. Experts consider Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) a possible cause of migraines. MSG is a primary flavoring agent in many popular chips and take out foods. Therefore, migraine sufferers should avoid these foods.
Eat Healthy Foods and Massage Therapy to Avoid Migraines
While there are many foods to avoid for migraines, there are loads of healthy foods that won’t produce such a horrible headache. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid foods that are aged, cured, fermented, or which contain tyramine. You should then look for healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Experts recommend that including a plate that is at least half filled with fresh produce can decrease migraine levels. Taking supplements that are known to help reduce the chances of a migraine. Finally, try to increase the levels of Omega-3 fats which are prevalent in seafood, flax seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds for a healthy brain.
Massage Therapy to Help Ease Migraines
Since migraines are often associated with a high stress lifestyle, include bodywork such as massage into your regular schedule provides relief. Children can also benefit from massage therapy to avoid migraines.
In conclusion, avoiding foods that can increase your chances of migraines and seeking therapies such as massage that reduce stress levels can lead to fewer migraine headaches.
Alice Palmeri, LMT works in Southwest Portland, Oregon where she specializes in massage therapy for everyone. License # 23983
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