Migraine headaches are physically and emotionally taxing. While a person can withstand a single migraine headache with resilience, frequent migrainous episodes can break even those with the strongest spirits. Often, the foods a person eats act as triggers causing such headaches. Therefore, migraine experiencers need to cut out certain foods from their daily meals to keep painful headaches at bay for longer. Here are the 5 foods to avoid for people with migraine:
Coffee
Caffeine is a major trigger of migraines. One may find it challenging to steer clear of caffeine, as it is found in several foods such as tea, coffee, and chocolate. Coffee contains massive amounts of caffeine. Therefore, one must avoid consuming excessive amounts of coffee during the day. Caffeine is not entirely bad for people living with migraines. However, such people need to consume coffee in moderation. Instead of coffee, one can consider consuming black or green tea, which contains relatively smaller amounts of caffeine.
Teriyaki
Fermented soy foods also rank highly on any list of foods to avoid for migraine experiencers. Teriyaki, like miso, soy sauce, or tempeh, is a fermented soy product. This means that teriyaki has large amounts of tyramine, which commonly triggers migraine headaches not long after consumption. Therefore, instead of eating such items, people with migraine can have steamed or grilled foods. Also, hot and spicy foods are a strict no-no, so dousing one’s meal in hot sauces needs to be avoided.
Cheddar cheese
Tyramine, as specified earlier, is a major trigger for many people living with migraine globally. Tyramine is an amino acid that is already present in considerable amounts in the body. It helps regulate a person’s blood pressure. However, consumption of this element can cause certain chemical imbalances within the body. This sets off a chain reaction which ultimately brings about nasty headaches.
There are several kinds of cheese, out of which one must strictly avoid the ones containing tyramine in large amounts. Cheddar cheese, along with blue cheese, English stilton cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, Swiss cheese, and other types of cheese are high in tyramine. Therefore, instead of consuming them, one can eat cheeses made from pasteurized milk, such as cottage cheese, American cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, and farmer cheese. These are just as healthy to consume as the other mainstream cheeses.
Smoked Chicken
Smoked or processed meats contain several chemical preservatives and additives such as nitrites and nitrates. These chemicals widen an individual’s blood vessels, resulting in headaches for them. Additionally, such meats also contain high amounts of tyramine. Smoked chicken is a popular and delicious food but contains dollops of tyramine. Therefore, one can eat grilled or roasted chicken (unprocessed) and pair it with fresh green vegetables, instead of fermented items. Any kind of fermented or pickled foods needs to be off the table for people living with migraines.
Chocolate
Chocolate also features nitrates and tyramine, making it unfit for consumption by people with migraine. Chocolate also contains sugar and caffeine, two other major food triggers. Therefore, people craving sweets can have fresh fruits like apples and mangoes instead of chocolate. These fruits are refreshing as well as super sweet.
Pain management can be achieved by employing various treatment options, including therapy, exercise, oral and injectable treatments, and hands-on practices. These can also be employed to manage migraine pains. Alternatively, use natural remedies like lavender oil, peppermint oil, acupuncture, yoga, and massages as remedies for migraine pain. These practices can help reduce the intensity and frequency of migraine episodes.