Food Culprits Trigger Migraine Headaches and Depression

Friday, July 02, 2010 by: Susan Laverie
Tags: migraine headaches, foods, health news

(NewsTarget) Migraine headache causes include one or more triggers such as sensitivity to external stimuli, hormone imbalances, stress and a group of offending foods and additives. Prevent migraine headaches caused by food by eliminating those foods that trigger pain. Discover which foods and food additives are responsible for triggering migraine headaches and accompanying migraine-related depression.

Although it may be discouraging at first to eliminate certain favorites, the good news is culprits found in processed foods aggravate migraine headaches and are easy to recognize and avoid. The rest of the good news is migraine sufferers respond well to replacing processed food with whole foods that support their overall well being while reducing or eliminating migraine headache pain.

Processed foods containing food additives such as MSG are some of the worst offenders on the list of migraine headache causes. Other problematic substances are artificial sweeteners, chemicals such as nitrates and nitrites, flavor enhancers, foods containing tyramine, chocolate, alcohol and caffeine.

Common Foods and Food Additives Causing Migraine Headache Symptoms

Research identifies the following food groups as common migraine triggers. Some are obvious and others may be surprising. Eliminating certain foods at least for a short time is the best way to find out which of them may be causing migraine headaches and depression for each individual.

Aged cheeses
Smoked, cured and processed meats
Peanuts and peanut products
Legumes including soy
Alcohol, especially red wine and beer
Caffeine found in coffee, tea, sodas
Refined sugars and white flour products (Gluten allergies may cause migraine headaches)
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and chemical additives
Artificial Sweeteners

Chemicals and Food Additives Cause Migraine Headaches and Depression

There is plenty of evidence pointing to food-additives as the source of multiple health problems including migraine headaches and depression. Most symptoms are common and easy to recognize appearing within 25 minutes after eating foods containing additives.

Headache
Dizziness
Flushing of face and neck
Pressure and tightness in chest and face
Disorientation
Tingling and numbness
Burning pains
Depression
Weakness

Check packaged foods for MSG. MSG is a flavor enhancer and preservative used in most packaged and processed foods. It is a major perpetrator of migraine headaches.

Natural Products Replace Offending Additives for Migraine Cures

Avoid products containing artificial sweeteners, saccharine and aspartame. Use stevia, a no-calorie, natural sweetener, to sweeten foods and eliminate migraine headache symptoms. Include lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, and whole grains.

Depression and Migraine Headache Symptoms are the Result of Tyramine

Aged cheeses contain high amounts of tyramine, a substance formed during protein breakdown. Studies report tyramine as the cause of migraine headaches for some. The older the cheese, the higher the tyramine content. People taking MAO inhibitors for migraines should avoid all foods containing tyramine. Tyramine also contributes to high blood pressure.

Foods containing tyramine are all aged cheeses including blue cheeses, Brie, Muenster, Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Swiss, and Feta. Other foods containing tyramine are red wine, alcoholic drinks, aged, canned or cured meats, onions, pickles, garbanzo and lima beans, raisins and avocados.

Find Migraine Headache Relief by Avoiding Cold Foods

Some migraine sufferers report that cold foods cause migraine headaches. Consume foods and drinks at room temperature to prevent migraine headaches. Cold foods and drinks will aggravate a migraine condition if a person is overheated before eating. More than 90% of headache sufferers claim that icy cold foods are a problem.

Decrease offending foods slowly to avoid rebound reactions creating additional migraine headache symptoms.

Sources:
https://www.naturalnews.com/028866_butterbur_...
https://www.naturalnews.com/028842_lavender_m...
http://www.relieve-migraine-headache.com/die...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-he...
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home...

About the author

Susan Laverie is a freelance writer whose focus is on alternative healthcare, holistic nutrition, foods that heal and green living. Laverie has written articles for Homeopathy Today, The American Homeopath, LiveStrong.com and Suite101.com, as well as elsewhere online. With a passion for history and design, her hobby has been collecting and selling antique jewelry. Having retired from practicing classical homeopathy and natural medicine for 25 years, Susan now spends much of her time writing about health, nutrition and alternative methods for healing body, mind and spirit.

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