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The Migraine Diet

Understanding a migraine diet can help you choose which foods to eat and which to avoid. Food is certainly a trigger of migraines as many people have reported migraine attacks after eating something. Knowing which foods trigger migraine headaches can help you prevent them from starting up in the first place.

Migraine Diet: Foods to Avoid

Foods which are rich in tyramine have long been suspected of causing migraines. While not particularly unhealthy, tyramine can produces migraines for people that are sensitive to it. Knowing which foods are rich in tyramine can help you formulate a balanced diet. Tyramine is found in many foods with protein and increases in levels as food is aged or fermented.

Dairy products which are rich in tyramine such as aged cheese (cheddar, blue cheese, feta, etc.) can be triggers for a migraine. A migraine diet may allow for a few bites of cheese, but not greater than four ounces.

Cured meat such as sausages, hams and cured fish are also high in tyramine. It is best to stay away form these or limit servings to 4 ounces per meal. Vegetables like beans which are fermented such as miso, tofu or soy sauce and bean curd should also be avoided as much as possible.

Alcoholic beverages are also a migraine trigger. Beers, wines and mixed drinks can all cause migraines if consumed in excess of 2 bottles or glasses. Other beverages which contain caffeine may have differing effects on people. Overdose of caffeine as well as withdrawal from caffeine can cause migraines.

Chocolate and nuts may also be triggers. While they don’t contain tyramine, they do contribute to serotonin release. Serotonin does help in pain relief, but sudden production of serotonin during a period of low levels can cause constriction and dilation of blood vessels which does cause pain and migraines.

Migraine Diet: Foods To Take

A well balanced migraine diet involves mostly freshly prepared ingredients. This greatly reduces the amount of tyramine found in your food. Carbohydrates from whole grains are also very helpful in making up the food you should eat.

Use fresh and unprocessed meat as much as possible. Vegetables rich in minerals such as kale, broccoli and spinach have also been shown to reduce migraine frequencies.

You should also eat regularly as much as possible. Hunger and stress are some of the triggers associated with migraines. Having a good meal schedule can help you fight both of these triggers. Drink plenty of water as well to avoid getting dehydrated.

Keeping A Diary Of Your Migraine Diet

Different food can have different effects on people. While some foods may seem innocent and unassuming, they can cause migraines as well. A migraine diet doesn’t always disallow you from enjoying a meal. Rather, it teaches you what kind of food and how much of it can cause migraines. To help you along with your diet, make a log of the times you had migraines and what you were doing and eating at the time. This can help you link which foods cause you migraines. By living healthy and following a migraine diet, you will be able to prevent and avoid these painful attacks.

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What Causes Migraines?

What causes migraines still remains a mystery. Although we now know that several events can cause migraines, it is still uncertain why they do so. Migraines can be very painful and debilitating. Often they interrupt our daily functions and cause serious problems.

What Causes Migraines

While the root cause of migraines remains unknown, there have been many factors that have associated with migraines. These are usually external factors such as changes in weather, stress and foods. Internal causes such as hormonal imbalance and problems have also been known causes of migraines.

Migraines occur when blood vessels in the brain become inflamed or enlarged. This is due to irritation in the brain stem. The inflammation itself causes the pain and the throbbing sensation we often associate with migraine attacks.

The pain felt by migraines is often a throbbing sensation around the head or can also be pain located on one side. The pain can last for several hours, subsiding a little and peaking in different intervals. Migraines can also be accompanied by aura. This is when people start to see jagged lines or waves or colors in their field of vision. Some attacks also result in partial visual impairment or even loss of motor functions.

Food rich in tyrmaines is a likely culprit of what causes migraines. These foods are those that have been aged or fermented. Cheese, hams and other cured meat have been documented to trigger migraine headaches in many people. Chocolate and caffeine are also likely factors as to what causes migraines. While you can limit yourself to about 2 servings of these kinds of foods, it may be best to avoid them. Go for fresh options and fresh ingredients, and avoid preservatives and artificial flavoring such as MSG.

Stress, hunger, fatigue and dehydration are also causes of migraines. This is why changes in lifestyle to avoid stress and unhealthy habits help in avoiding getting migraines. Eat right, and drink plenty of water. Get regular rest and avoid staying up late at night.

Hormonal changes such as those naturally occurring in old age as well as pregnancy can also cause migraines. In these cases you can consult your doctor on what steps to take to avoid migraines.

Getting Help For Migraines

As we understand more about what causes migraines, we can also learn for ourselves how to avoid these triggers. You can make a log of the different times you had migraine attacks and what you were eating at that time. This way you can determine what caused the migraine.

A lifestyle change along with taking different medication can be your best defense against migraines. You can ask your doctor about preventive medicine such as anti-seizure and anti-depressants, this kind of medicine has been shown to be effective in preventing migraines.

Migraine medication such as aspirin and ibuprofen has also been very effective in treating migraines. They are used most often when the migraine attacks already occur.

Learn for yourself what causes migraines in your case so you can be better prepared to manage and altogether avoid getting these attacks.

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Signs and Symptoms of Migraine Headaches

Learning the symptoms of migraine headaches can help you detect if you are suffering from a migraine. A migraine is not an ordinary headache and can usually warrant different treatment. Migraines are very painful and they can impair your daily activities and put you at risk for other health issues such as stroke.

Learn the symptoms of migraine headaches below and know how you can deal with them.

Symptoms of Migraine Headaches

Pre-attack symptoms – these include changes in the mood and cravings for certain food. Stiff muscles (usually in the neck) can also be observed at this time. Change in temperature and usual bodily functions are also signs that a migraine attack may be coming.

Aura – aura is a symptom that precedes a migraine attack. Though it is not present in all migraine sufferers. As one of the symptoms of migraine headaches, this is characterized by the appearance of lights, lines and waves in the vision. Vertigo and lightheadedness can also be present. Some aura also includes the sensation of pins and needles as well as the observance of different smells.

Nausea – dizziness and nausea are common symptoms of migraine headaches. Some victims of migraines will eventually vomit.

Paralysis or Impairment of Motor functions – migraine suffers can also experience a feeling of paralysis or inability to move in some parts of their bodies.

Visual Impairment – tunnel vision and temporary blindness can also be symptoms of migraine headaches. This is usually felt in one eye. Loss of perception is also observed in migraine sufferers. Some also experience high sensitivity to light.

Pain – pain is the most common of the symptoms of migraine headaches. Although there are some who suffer from migraines without going through headaches. The pain is usually very severe and can last from several minutes to hours and even days. The pain can be felt at one or both sides of the head. This can be throbbing pain as well as sharp pain. The intensity and frequency of such pain can vary from time to time.

Treating Migraines

Preventing migraines is perhaps the best way to deal with them. Migraines are often caused by stress, lack of sleep and different kinds of foods. Food which has been aged such as hams, cured meats and cheese are likely culprits for migraines. Learn which foods can trigger migraines by keeping a diary of what you ate when you had a migraine attack. This helps you keep track of what food to avoid.

You can also ask your doctor about medicine for migraines. Preventive medicines in the form of heart medicine, anti epilepsy and anti depressants are now prescribed for migraine prevention. When you are suffering from migraines, a host of different analgesics are also available.

Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Naproxen are effective in dealing with migraines. Fro more intense migraine you can take Triptans and Ergotamines which have also been effective in dealing with migraines.

Ask your doctor about these different ways to manage migraines. With the proper changes you can avoid suffering from the symptoms of migraine headaches.

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