Migraine can be influenced by proper nutrition – experts agree on that. But what role does food play in triggering migraines? Can a change in diet help prevent the headache attacks? While the actual causes of migraine have not yet been researched, it is considered certain that the individual attacks of pain are caused by an interplay of individual triggers. Such so-called trigger factors can be different environmental influences, for example stress, changes in the weather, noise or hormonal changes. Nutrition also plays an important role.
Diet as a migraine trigger?
Often, sufferers observe an impact of diet on their migraines. Many report migraine attacks after eating certain foods: frequently mentioned, for example:
- Red wine
- Cheese
- Citrus fruits
- Sweets
The flavor enhancer glutamate, preservatives such as nitrates and histamines contained in alcohol and hard cheese, for example, are also suspected of causing migraines.
However, the triggers cannot be named so simply. Some sufferers describe coffee, for example, as a migraine trigger, while for others caffeine withdrawal leads to attacks. And while chocolate used to be considered a trigger for migraine, it is now known that cravings for sweets are in fact a sign of an impending migraine attack.
In addition, it is often reported that migraine patients suffer from certain intolerances, for example to histamines or glutamate. So sufferers should keep a close eye on the role diet plays in their own attacks.
Find your own migraine triggers
Experts recommend identifying individual trigger factors with the help of a migraine diary. In addition to the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, the following factors, for example, should be recorded in detail in it:
- Sleep duration and quality
- Weather conditions
- Nutrition
It should be borne in mind that usually several hours pass from the intake of food to an attack.
Together with a doctor, sufferers can thus possibly find the personal triggers of migraine. If it turns out that one’s diet is a trigger, targeted omission or eating certain foods can bring about an improvement.
Diet tips for migraine
Because the influence of diet on migraine varies from individual to individual, doctors advise against a blanket omission of certain foods. Targeted omission is recommended only when individual foods have been clearly identified as triggers.
However, even known trigger factors do not have to trigger a headache attack every time, as it is often only the interaction of several factors that tips the scales.
Eat a balanced and regular diet
Experts suspect that stimulus processing in the brains of migraine sufferers is accompanied by increased energy requirements. To prevent attacks, sufferers should therefore eat regularly, not skip meals – especially breakfast – and ensure that the body is supplied with nutrients by eating small snacks. Drinking enough is also important.
Migraine sufferers should make sure they eat a healthy, balanced and wholesome diet that does not put a strain on the body. For example, too much fat, salt or spicy foods can be hard on the stomach. Ready-made meals often contain dyes, preservatives or flavor enhancers and are therefore less tolerable than a fresh, home-cooked meal.
Vegetarian or vegan as a solution?
A basic switch to vegetarian, vegan or alkaline diets – as well as fasting diets – can bring about improvement, as these diets forgo some strong stimuli from foods. However, such omission diets can also lead to deficiency symptoms and subsequently to an aggravation of the symptoms.
It is therefore important to monitor one’s own body closely and seek medical advice if necessary. Those affected should also pay attention to their magnesium and vitamin B2 levels. In addition to relaxation and exercise, the right diet can thus help prevent migraine attacks.
