If you feel a throbbing pain in one side of the head, along with nausea and sensitivity to light at frequent intervals, you are suffering from migraine. It is a kind of headache where the pain feels like throbbing, mostly on one side of the head, accompanied by extreme sensitivity to sound and light. It makes one feel nauseous and can also lead to uncontrollable vomiting. A regular migraine attack can last for a couple of hours to a number of days. Proper medication can help deal with the condition, but it also needs certain lifestyle changes like your dietary regime.
What Is A Migraine Diet?
The migraine diet is a well-planned dietary approach that focuses on identifying the triggers and eliminating them from the diet, while still keeping it balanced. It is understood that the triggers might be different from person to person, foods and beverages like processed meats, cheese, caffeine, alcohol, etc. are common foods that act as triggers in most patients. As per anecdotal evidence, certain modifications in one’s diet have proven to be beneficial in people suffering from migraines.
- Consuming More Folic Acid: Folate helps convert the homocysteine compounds into methionine and significantly reduces the intensity of the attacks, as high homocysteine levels are directly associated with an increased risk of migraines.
- Increase Omega-3 Intake: The anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3 help reduce inflammation and minimize migraine headaches.
- Low Fat Diet: In many cases, monitoring the fat percentage in one’s diet and consuming less of this compound has helped reduce the intensity and frequency of migraine headaches.
- Reduce Carb Intake: Low-carb diets help burn fats, reduce neural inflammation, and affect the frequency of the attacks.
- Lower Sodium Content: Although there needs to be more research on the connection between sodium levels and migraine, anecdotal evidence suggests that controlling sodium intake lowers blood pressure, reducing the severity of migraine headaches.
Foods To Eat In A Migraine Diet
- Omega-3 Foods: Foods like fish, legumes, and seeds are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory properties which can help relieve migraines.
- Liquid Intake: Dehydration is one of the most common triggers for migraine headaches and can be easily dealt with by increasing the liquid intake, especially water.
- Fiber-Rich Foods: Fiber-rich foods like whole grains, dried fruits, berries, beans, lentils, etc. are high in fiber and can significantly lower the severity of these headaches.
- Magnesium-Rich Foods: Leafy green vegetables, whole grains, tuna, almonds, and more are rich sources of magnesium and may help reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.
Foods To Avoid In A Migraine Diet
- Vegetables And Fruits: Certain vegetables and fruits like tomatoes, lima beans, avocados, figs, etc. can act as a trigger for many migraine patients.
- Dairy Products: Dairy products like sour cream, cheese, and yogurt can also be the triggers and thus, need to be eliminated from the diet regime.
- Caffeinated Products: Caffeine and other products having caffeine compounds are highly discouraged when dealing with issues like migraine headaches.
- Alcoholic Beverages: Patients with migraine headaches are usually advised not to consume alcoholic beverages, especially malted beers and red wine.
- Artificial Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are highly discouraged when following a diet regime, tailor-made for migraine headaches.