8 foods that every women with migraine should avoid

What you eat can directly influence migraine attacks.

By: Sandhya Raghavan | | Updated: January 24, 2018 6:15 pm

No matter how eloquent you are, it’s difficult to put into words the horror that is migraine. It can be best described as a throbbing pain in one or both sides of the head. Women, in particular, are more prone to migraines thanks to the hormonal upheavals that take place every month in the female body. Most working women also experience tremendous amounts of stress, worsening the migraine symptoms all the more. Also Read - Suffering from constant headaches? This is what your body is trying to tell you

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Although other factors such as sleep, medication, sun exposure etc. can influence migraine, studies say that the onset, frequency, duration and severity of migraine attacks in women may also be influenced by dietary factors and nutrition. What is a weekend migraine? Also Read - Suffering from high uric acid? Try these foods to keep gout at bay

So understanding these factors can be of great help in preventing migraine attacks in women. Based on these observations, a 2012 study published in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research list down some foods that can influence migraines in women and avoiding them can prevent future attacks. Here is a list of common migraine triggers

1 Chocolate:

Nobody likes to hear this but chocolate is a known trigger for migraines and should be avoided as much as possible to prevent migraine attacks. Phenylethylamine in the chocolate is a triggering factor for migraine attacks.

2 Dairy products:

Excessive consumption of dairy products such as cheese and sour yoghurt can trigger migraine in some women. Many types of cheese contain migraine-triggering ingredients such as tyramine. So try limiting the intake of dairy products.

3 Greasy foods:

Deep fried, greasy foods can offer a lot of comfort. Yet, it is also named as one of the commonest food triggers for migraines. If you are prone to migraine, limiting consumption of chips, fries and other deep fried foods can help preventing attacks in the future.

4 Red wine:

Almost all alcoholic drinks can trigger migraine in women who are prone to it. But of them all, red wine is the most notorious. Like cheese, red wine also contains the migraine trigger tyramine apart from tannin.

5 Artificial sweeteners:

Aspartame is a common sugar substitute used in a variety of sweet foods. Along with alcohol, aspartame is yet another common migraine triggers in women. Present in over 6,000 food products and as well as carbonated beverages, it’s not easy to escape aspartame. So make it a point to read ingredient labels.

6 Citrus and sour fruits:

They may be a great source of vitamin C, but a nightmare for migraineurs. Acidic fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and mandarins can worsen or trigger migraine in some women.

7 Tomato:

In addition to belonging to the nightshade family, tomato also vilified for being a common migraine trigger. Tomato products such as soups and ketchup are also not spared since they contain histamine, tyramine, sulfites and nitrates, all of which can be bad for migraine.

8 Canned and preserved foods:

Most canned foods come loaded with preservatives such as Monosodium Glutamate, which is known to cause migraine. Cured meats such as salami, ham, sausage and other varieties of luncheon meats contain headache-causing preservatives known as nitrates.

Reference:

Nazari, F., & Eghbali, M. (2012). Migraine and its relationship with dietary habits in women. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 17(2 Suppl1), S65 S71.

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Published : January 24, 2018 5:41 pm | Updated:January 24, 2018 6:15 pm

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