Migraines often last longer and have more physical effects than a common headache.
The great news is by looking at your daily diet you may be able to identify culprits that are triggering your migraine. Keep reading for some tips!
The pain intensity is often much greater than a common headache and can be accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Prior to a migraine a person may see flashes of light or experience tingling in the limbs. You may also be sensitive to noises and lights.
In terms of nutrition, the diet is a good place to start as you may be consuming a lot of foods that are triggering your migraines. By completing a food diary and tracking your intake and migraines you may be able to eliminate the culprits and reduce the amount of migraines you experience and the intensity of the migraine.
Top foods to eat if you suffer from migraines: (Are you including these in your weekly diet?)
- Water
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Fresh beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork, turkey
- Omega 3 (found in oily fish like salmon) – I also recommend a good Omega 3 Oil Supplement on its own and not combined with Vitamin D or other vitamins/ minerals.
- poppy seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- sesame seeds
- sunflower seeds
- homemade dips
- homemade dressings
- spinach kale, bok choy, any green leaves washed
- peppers, courgette, fresh potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower, squash, sweet potato
- Dark chocolate
Foods highlighted in yellow are the most common triggers.
(Think anything from a packet, jar, box that is processed including takeaways are huge culprits!)
It is worth completing a food diary for a few weeks and notice how you feel after certain foods / what foods triggered a migraine. Not all foods may be triggers for you. To complete correctly identify foods you eat a lot of to start with / begin working with 1-2 foods at a time.
- tomatoes
- onions
- dairy products
- wheat, including pasta and bread products
- citrus fruits
- Dried fruits
- nitrites found in foods
- alcohol, especially red wine
- caffeine
- Tyramine and / or Phenylethylamine are two amino acids or proteins found in chocolate , aged cheeses (chedder, blue cheese, brie , fermented cheeses) , soy foods, all nuts and seeds, seeds, citrus foods , vinegar, some vegetables
- food additives, such as MSG (think takeaways)
- food sweetener like aspartame (diet drinks, sugar free ice cream, 0% , reduced sugar drinks, chewing gum , flavoured yogurts)
- Saccharin, another food additive / sweetener. (chewing gum , sweets, baked goods, fizzy / energy drinks)
- Any type of processed meats
- Dairy chocolate
- aged cheeses
- nuts / nut butters
- salty / vinegar foods e.g. crisps
- Avocado (This can help migraines for some)
- Banana (This can help migraines for some)
Other Lifestyle Triggers:
- stress
- alcohol consumption
- changes in the weather
- changes in sleeping habits
- certain medications
- skipping meals and go for long periods without food
- sensory stimulus (certain lights, excessive smoke , repetitive noise
- hormonal changes like period / menopause
Sign up to my personal nutrition & wellness coaching or weekly weight management clinics to assist you on your journey!
