Controlling migraine through diet

Hi all I've posted this on another site too so wanted to share it with you here

Controlling migraine through diet


.Has anyone had any success with this?

I thought I'd post as I have had reasonable success with this over the past few months.

For a long time I've believed that my migraines are hormone related since I always seemed to be at my worst around my period but over the past year my migraine pattern has changed so that now I get migraines at all times of the month and sometimes I'm migraine free during menstruation. Since there must be SOMETHING causing this pain I decided to try the diet route again.

So for the past two months I've paid very careful attention to my diet (with the exception of christmas where I went mad and got a monster migraine!).

I basically cut out any additives, preservatives, nitrates, tyramines, alcohol. I eat nothing packaged or canned and try to keep everything as fresh and natural as possible. My diet is incredibly boring as I can no longer add anything to my food (sauces, pickles ect).

Something I've noticed is that I am highly sensitive to tyramines. I was migraine free for a month following this diet all through Nov/Dec until christmas where I ate some brazil nuts and walnuts. Within 20 mins I had a bad migraine coming on that almost ruined the holiday if it had not been for Imigran! I since found out that nuts are high in tyramines. I have the same reaction to alcohol which is also very high in tyramines.

I thought if I tell you guys which foods triggered me in the past few months it may help someone

Nuts
Alcohol (why oh why do I have to be allergic to Baileys??! )
Salami
Hot dogs
Yoghurt (containing aspartame)
Chocolate (so unfair!)
literally anything containing monosodium glutamate
smoked ham

all the above foods have triggered a migraine for me within 30 mins of eating them.

Though I'd share these observations with you all in case it helps. I know that diet isn't the only cause of migraine, I also have many other triggers but this really seems to have helped me in the past few months, going from 3 migraines a week and constantly taking triptans to having NO migraines for 6 weeks unless I eat something I shouldn't.

Since my bad migraine at christmas I've been back to following this diet and now haven't had another since *fingers crossed* After 20 years of migraine it would be nice to finally find a solution even if it means giving up all my favourite foods lol....will keep you updated on my progress

Jul
x

That's great that you can control the migraines with diet. I have tried avoiding all the common triggers and then some with no results. It works for some people and you are one of the lucky ones.

It's a small price to pay to give up some foods to get rid of all that pain. Congratulations!

I have managed to reduce my migraines certainly with a combination of preventatives and food trigger management. Although I do struggle when I tell people 'I can't eat that' and they reply 'so you're allergic?' 'No, but it gives me migraine' 'Oh so you can eat it'..... No, no I can't, if it gives me migraine why would I even consider eating it? I too cook a lot from scratch, and I have a 'safe' food list so if I need to buy convenience food (I work late alot) then I know what I can eat without reading the labels all the time!

Diet is important for migraine sufferers.
I am mainly sensitive to stress. It's my main trigger but also certain foods must remain off limits:
alcohol
chocolate
onion
oranges

They have always triggered migraine, even in quiet periods of my life

In 20 years I havent found a single food item that makes any difference to me. The migraines come seemingly regardless of food, stress, and everything else.

So far alcohol is the only food/drink trigger I have found to stay away from. 1/2 glass of wine is all it takes for payback.

I cant cope with alcohol, but its the fibro, not the migraines that seem to not like it. It makes me feel strange....just one sip....weird.

I gave up alcohol for a long time and still got migraines so decided to give it a try again. Seems not to make a difference. I am either going to get one or not. I eat a healthy diet to begin with and it is good for you all the way aground. I honestly do not think diet is a factor with mine Hormones, weather changes flashing ights (maybe) but not diet. I focus on aborting mine. I'm glad you are having some luck. It sure would be nice to know "for sure" exactly what the culprit is. You may be giving up stuff you don't have to.

I did the salt thing, caffeine, sugar, gluten, nitrates, dairy; you name it - I tried it. The only trigger I ever found was alcohol and that was a no brainer.

Food is definitely not a trigger for me.

Hi Dan, Missed you. How are you?

I tried all the food stuff too.
Zilch.

There is a theory that food is not a trigger at all.
It is just that we are in the initial stages earlier than me realise. I cant recall it all, but, given how many things people have problems with, and if they stop one thing something else becomes a problem. It is perplexing..

Hi Pen,

I've been hanging in there, as we all do. I'm looking forward to a refill on my pain meds tomorrow morning. It's kind of sad that obtaining pain pills have become a marker in time for myself. Ah, the life of a migrainer.

The only reason why I went through the food allergy trials was to satisfy my MD. Sometimes you gotta play the game!

Hi Dan,

Yes I looked at all the foods too. Didnt eat some things for months. My doctors never even suggested this. I think it is a bigger thing there than here. Then again, I dont think migraines are taken very seriously here at all....You find a drug, you take it

Sure as I can be, for me, its not food.
TBH it seems it isnt anything. No matter what I do, eat or not, stress or not. They come, every 4th day at the best, and every other, or even every day if they choose. I have no idea 20 years later what is sparking them off.

hi,

glad you had results with the food "diet". i thought that there was only a 30% positive result with that so you are doing great.

i tried that myself. did the elimination diet. started removing foods and stayed that way. after a long time with no changes, started adding them back one by one.

got really frustrated with the no diet pepsi part. don't drink coffee. used to have a cup of tea a day many years ago. so not having diet pepsi. 2 cans - daily., was a hardship. esp. when the neuro. was so smug about it being a problem. guess what? after one year with no results (still having M.) i enjoyed it again.

i think i got crabby because i could see time passing and i was not getting any better. made me want it more.

anyways i am able to (finally) purchase a non-alcoholic coffee creamer from bailey's. pour it over ice and enjoy it immensely.

you can get organic hot dogs also without nitrates. might have some in our freezer - with the label. could look if you would like the company name.

glad you had good results.

rose

Not sure I fully understand it. But there is a suggestion from our dear experts, that food sensitivity is a reaction, not a trigger as such.

Seems the migraine is lurking and because it can effect the gut, it works against us. I need to find the article.

They say this is why, despite withholding things we think are triggers in a little while new ones pop up.
Thereby showing that it is us creating the problem, not the food.

I just read that back and it doesnt make much sense.
I will try to find the data...sorry.

Pen - it makes as much sense as anything else. With all the hundreds of articles out there, why is everyone still having migraines? Because they have no clue!!!

My feelings too Linda. I am sick of all the garbage they tell us and give us....They just dont know...