Good Nutrition for Migraine Reduction
I am a chronic migraine sufferer. I have them at least 2-4 times a week. I lose entire days to them. However, things have improved since a year ago when I was having migraines that lasted sometimes up to 10 days and required emergency room visits for serious drugs to stop them. I would end up dehydrated, sometimes vomiting and unable to walk or see straight.
I have improved greatly, and some of that is due to paying very close attention to my diet. I wrote the following for a women’s migraine support group that I admin so I’m sharing it here because a good diet is a great thing for all of us to aspire to!
“Your diet is key to many things: weight loss, energy levels, illness prevention, clarity of mind, eliminating mood swings and even migraine reduction for many people.
Possible food or ingredient triggers: msg, gluten, aspartame, citrus, nightshades (eggplant, peppers, tomatoes), corn, caffeine, chocolate, aged cheeses, fermented foods, red wine, alcohol, tyramine, preservatives, hfcs, deli meats, yeast and more.
These are not triggers for everyone, and often the only way to know is to make a concentrated effort to eliminate them from your diet for about 3 weeks. After that, slowly add them back in and pay close attention to how you feel and what, if anything seems to happen when you consume them. Also, pay attention to how your stomach feels and how your digestive processes are because your gut health is closely tied to your brain health and function.
Consider eliminating soda, especially diet. If you can find brands that are sweetened naturally and don’t contain high fructose corn syrup, then they may be okay, but most name brand sodas contain a lot of sugar, fake sugar, artificial colors, flavors and/or ingredients that aren’t healthy for you. They are also very bad for your bones and can dehydrate you which in turn will lead to more migraines. Drink more water!! Try adding lemon or fruit to your water for a little flavor.
If you improve your digestion, you will absorb more nutrients from food, and your medications will work quicker and better as well which could mean fewer meds needed! By eliminating waste more efficiently, your entire system will function more smoothly.
Intuitive eating is really crucial to learning what works and doesn’t work for you, not just for migraine reduction, but for over all good health. By eating mindfully and paying close attention to how you feel eating certain foods, you’ll tune in to what’s best for you. Over time, this will get easier and easier to do and you’ll feel better and better.”
