Your Diet Can Be Causing Your Headaches

While headache and migraine sufferers should really avoid certain foods and drinks, the sad truth remains -- only about 20% of people who suffer headaches and change their diet see any benefits in doing so.
If you suffer from constant headaches and migraines, it is best that you avoid the six Cs:

- Coffee
- Cola
- Chocolate
- Cheese
- Citrus
- Congeners

Other foods known to trigger headaches and migraines include the following:

- nuts and cheeses that contain Tyramine, an amino acid that triggers headaches. Tyramine is present in aged cheeses like parmesan, cheddar and brie.

- Beer and red wine, which both contain histamine.

- Processed meats such as hot dogs, luncheon meat, sausage and cured ham, which all contain nitrates to preserve the meat.

- Monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is mostly used in Chinese food.

It is believed that the ‘vaso-active’ amines in some foods enlarge the blood vessels. When the vessels are enlarged, they press on the nerves, which in turn cause pain, thereby bringing on a headache or migraine. For these foods, it is always really a case of what works or does not work for you. It is best to do a little experimenting and try them out one at a time in order to find out your own personal food triggers.

In the case of chocolate, even though it contains amines and is long thought of to trigger headaches and migraines, research is showing that this is not always true. If you love to eat chocolate, this bit of good news does not mean that you can go on a chocolate-eating binge.

Avoiding Foods that Trigger Headaches

While it’s true that avoiding foods that can trigger headaches and migraines can help the onset of headaches, headaches can still be brought on by other aspects of your diet. One of the most common reasons for headaches is dehydration, but it is a good thing that you can easily remedy this easily and quickly by drinking plenty of water.

If you have a child who often comes home from school complaining of a headache, it is most likely because they are dehydrated. While your child is at school, he or she typically do not have time to drink water as much as they would if they were at home. Your child may even be intentionally limiting his or her drinking at school because he or she is embarrassed to often go to the bathroom. Giving your child a small bottle of water to carry around at school will easily solve this problem.

Another thing is that it is often easy to become too engrossed in what you are doing at home or at the office so you end up forgetting to drink water. A solution is to plan regular breaks or drink while you work; you might be surprised at the difference it makes. If you need any more persuasion, it helps to know that drinking a lot of water is not only good for your body; it will also give you clear, glowing skin.

Low Blood Sugar and Headaches

A bad headache can also be triggered by blood sugar levels. After an appealing lunch of chips, sweet drinks and candy that is high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, a rapid rise in your blood sugar occurs, giving you a kind of high. However, your blood sugar level will suddenly drop, leaving you with a dopey and drowsy feeling and with a bad headache. Eat foods with complex carbohydrates (e.g., cheese, whole meal bread, turkey and fruit) because they tend to get digested longer. When you are on this kind of diet, you will experience headaches less frequently in addition to having more energy and a much improved digestive system.

For more help on the prevention, treatment and remedies for migraines please see the Complete Guide To Migraine Headaches.

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