The Migraine Diet: Eating To Keep A Clear Head

21 April 2009

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Migraines make life hell for up to 15 per cent of the UK population and are three times more common in women than in men. On top of the debilitating, throbbing headache, symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances and sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. Sufferers can be bed-ridden for up to three days by an attack.

Triggers are said to include everything from adverse weather to energy-saving light bulbs, but foods are most widely accepted to be significantly contributing factors to a migraine attack.

By watching what you eat and following some simple dietary pointers, sufferers can dramatically reduce their chances of having an attack or reduce the severity of the migraine if they are stuck down.

"Watching what you eat, along with ensuring you get enough rest, cutting stress levels and using a licensed herbal medicine traditionally used to relieve migraines, can help reduce the severity and regularity of attacks in migraine in many cases," said leading nutritionist and naturopath Max Tomlinson.

"Migraine headaches might be a sign that you are allergic or sensitive to some of the foods you are eating, or to some of the chemicals you come into contact with daily. The list of potential food triggers is huge. The solution is to turn to a health food diet, eating only freshly-prepared meals and staying away from the unnatural chemicals in processed and packaged foods."

He added that people should also be aware of the common causes from a naturopathic point of view, including high blood pressure, bowel problems, low blood sugars, grinding teeth, poor sleeping position, poor alignment of the spine or neck, and a lack of oxygen.

There are herbs that can help migraine, such as feverfew  which is a well-known traditional treatment for migraines. In clinical trials, feverfew has reduced the severity, duration, and frequency of migraine headaches in double blind trials with migraine patients. Feverfew is now available in a registered form, which means it is checked for quality and safety by the government’s medicine agency - you can detect a licensed product by looking for the nine digit number preceded by the letter THR on the back of the box.

Eat To Beat Migraine

Careful with caffeine - caffeine causes dilation of the blood vessels. Withdrawing it causes blood vessels to contract, creating headaches of epic proportions. Stick to the healthy alternatives like water, fresh juices and warming herbal teas.