Migraines are more than just bad headaches. They are powerful, throbbing assaults often accompanied by nausea, light and sound sensitivity, and visual disturbances. The most frequent causes include stress, hormonal fluctuations, and sleep cycles contribute, but diet is one of the largest and least recognised trigger. For some women, foods can be unrecognised culprits that trigger a migraine attack. Therefore, knowing what food items can be secretly leading the harn will help in controlling and preventing attacks.
Foods That Trigger Migraine In Women
In an exclusive interaction with the editorial team of Onlymyhealth, our expert, Dr Bhumesh Tyagi, Consultant, General Medicine and Physician, Shardacare, Health City, Noida, shared a list of food items that you should avoid as a women dealing with migraine. Here are they:
1. Caffeine
Caffeine is deceptive as it can ease migraines in small doses but can trigger them if taken too much or too inconsistently. Coffee, tea, energy drinks, and even chocolate can lead to rebound headaches if your caffeine levels fluctuate.
2. Aged Cheese
Cheddar, blue cheese, parmesan, and other varieties that have aged contain tyramine, a naturally occurring substance that has been implicated in migraines. Women with tyramine sensitivity are likely to experience headaches shortly after consuming these dairy foods.
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3. Processed Meats
Hot dogs, salami, sausages, and bacon tend to have nitrates and nitrites, which cause blood vessels in the brain to open wide, which may provoke migraines. Choosing nitrate-free products or reducing processed meats can help.
4. Alcohol, Particularly Red Wine
Alcohol dries up the body and changes blood circulation, both of which can precipitate migraine attacks. Red wine is a frequent offender because of its tyramine and histamine content. Beer and champagne are also provocative beverages for sensitive women.
5. Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar substitutes such as aspartame and sucralose, commonly in diet soda and sugar-free foods, trigger migraines in some people. A moderate limitation to natural sweeteners might be less risky.
6. Salty and Pickled Foods
Sodium excess raises blood pressure and risk of dehydration, both of which are possible triggers for migraines. Pickles, soy sauce, instant noodles, and other highly processed salty foods can exacerbate migraine attacks.
7. Chocolate
For others, chocolate is a comfort food that also happens to be a trigger. It has both caffeine and beta-phenylethylamine, substances that can trigger migraine attacks in some people.
8. Citrus Fruits
Generally considered healthy, citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits have natural acids and chemicals that might play a role in migraines in some women.
How Women Can Manage Migraine Triggers
Dr Tyagi also explained a few ways women can manage migraine triggers. These include:
- Maintain a food diary: Monitor what you are eating and when migraines are happening to identify patterns.
- Stay hydrated: Dehydration is a recognized trigger.
- Maintain regular meals: Missing meals is also a cause of attacks.
- See a doctor: If migraines are common, professional advice is necessary for treatment and diagnosis.
Bottomline
Migraines can be debilitating, but by avoiding food triggers and recognising them, women are able to have better control over their daily lives and health. Minor dietary changes make a huge impact in averting painful attacks.