how to cure migraine

Published by Pelagia Skordialou on November 24, 2013


A very large chapter of medicine is dedicated to migraine attacks. Migraine is such a complex subject not only because it has to do with Cerebral Function – which has not yet been fully explored – but also because there are too many disparate causes for migraines.
Unfortunately a very large number of the population is suffering from migraine attacks. Since migraine attacks are so widely spread it is imperative to investigate and understand what causes them.
Some of the reported causes that can trigger migraine are the following:

• Hormonal changes in women. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their periods, when they have a major drop in estrogen.
• Foods. Nutrition can cause migraine attacks.
• Drinks. Alcohol, especially wine.
• Stress. Stress at work or home can cause migraines.
• Sensory stimuli. Bright lights can induce migraines, as can loud sounds. Unusual smells  including perfume, paint thinner, secondhand smoke and others.
• Changes in wake-sleep pattern. Missing sleep or getting too much sleep may trigger migraines in some people, as can jet lag.
• Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity.
• Changes in the environment. A change of weather or barometric pressure.
• Medications. Oral contraceptives and vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin, can aggravate migraines.

Food plays a very important role in migraine attacks as well. Unfortunately the exact causes of this, although under heavy investigation, are still unknown . There are many foods that can trigger migraine. What you have to do is to find  foods that can cause, by smelling or eating, an unpleasant feeling or an aura of headache. This kind of foods should be eliminated from your diet. That way you will be able to control the frequency and the intensity of your migraine attacks.
Foods that cause migraine:

1. Pickles and this category includes everything that can be pickled (eggs, olives, peppers…)
2. Tannin which is found in red wine and all kinds of beans.
3. Sulfites which can be found in dried fruits and red wine.
4. Tyramine which is found in a lot of fruits such as avocado, citrus fruits, bananas, red plums, olives and also aged cheeses, red wine and balsamic and red vinegar (but not white vinegar- it doesn’t contain tyramine).
5. Capsaicin in chilly peppers is proven that causes migraines.
6. Yeast is also a migraine trigger and it is found in yeast bread, pizza, pies, etc.
7. Preservatives  in combination with tyramine in foods such as processed meat, bacon, sausages, hot dogs, packaged products for example cookies,croissants, breadsticks, chips, etc.
8. Choline in sour cream and whole milk.
9. Chocolate because it contains phenylethylamine, tannin and caffeine.
10.  The paradox of coffee: Some people drink coffee in order to overcome a migraine and some others avoid coffee in order to protect themselves from a migraine attack!
11. Artificial sweeteners.
12. MSG (monosodium Glutamate) is a food additive which should be avoided in general but especially when we have migraines. MSG can be found in many foods so here are some things you should do:

• Avoid eating processed foods.
• Read and analyse the food labels and avoid food additives which contain MSG such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein, autolyzed yeast and hydrolyzed oat flour.
• Avoid eating salty foods.
• Avoid eating packaged food with many ingredients.
• When going out to restaurants avoid eating the following foods: chicken, ranch dressing, croutons, dipping sauces, gravy and tomato and mushroom soups.

Fighting migraine is really complicated, but a good starting point in order to minimize the frequency and the intention of a migraine crisis is to try to observe the symptoms you experience after eating the aforementioned foods. Blocking out certain foods from your diet and measuring the type and frequency of the migraines you are having will do the trick! It is not easy but it can save you!
A LIFE WITHOUT MIGRAINES can cost you but believe me it worth the try!