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Migraine Relief Food

Millions of people experience excruciating migraines every year. Many of these migraines are caused by the foods we eat. Foods with tannins and tyramines and acid-forming foods cause blood vessels to dilate and can cause a headache. Likewise, food allergies are one of the leading causes for migraines. Take the right steps to finding out what food to eat and avoid for your migraines.

  1. Food Allergies

    • The most common allergies people have are to gluten, egg, peanut, fish, shellfish, soy and milk. To get the most conclusive test for food allergies, go on the food-elimination diet. Purchase a food journal and write down everything you eat on a given day. Take out all of the foods above for a month and write down how you feel. After a month reintroduce one food, and then go on to the next one. Record what you eat, when you eat and how you feel. You should be able to see a pattern when your reintroduce allergens. One of the most important things to remember is to read food labels on everything. You will be surprised to find allergens like gluten in unlikely places such as soy sauce, ketchup, white pepper and even in toothpaste.

    Migraine-Causing Foods

    • The amino acid tyramine is a compound that naturally occurs when the amino acid tyrasine is broken down through a cooking process or after a food has been stored in the refrigerator. Tyramine causes the blood vessels in your brain to dilate and sets off a migraine headache in some people. Foods with tyramine are any meat that has been smoked, cured, salted or pickled. Any aged cheese has tyramine. All nuts and alcoholic beverages contain this amino acid. Tannins are another compound known to produce migraines. Found in plants, tannis prevent the body from absorbing proteins. You can find them in teas, chocolate, vanilla, raspberries and wine. Your best bet to avoid tyramine and tannins is always to eat fresh produce and lean meat.

    Foods to Eat

    • Plan five small meals a day to keep your blood sugar from fluctuating. Many who suffer from migraines have hypoglycemia. Migraines can be set off by skipping meals or eating processed food. Fill your meals with whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products. Certain foods have been touted for benefiting migraine sufferers. Green leafy vegetables are full of calcium, which helps those with migraines. Eat plenty of kale, broccoli and spinach.Additionally, spinach has a wealth of migraine-benefiting magnesium. Other foods to eat with magnesium are garlic and oatmeal. Low serotonin levels have been found to trigger migraines. However, serotonin is not something that your body gets from food, rather your body makes it from the amino acid tryptophan. Fill your diet up with foods that contain tryptophan like turkey, duck, black-eyed peas, granola, rice and wheat germ. Take these migraine-benefiting foods and create wonderful meals. The cookbook "Migraine Headaches and the Foods you Eat" by Hartnell and Tyler is a great for getting ideas. Eating foods that enhance your body's immunity and cuts down on migraines is going to give you a new lease on life. Be creative and come up with some recipes of your own.

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