Heal Your Headache Naturally: Diet Adjustments

I’ve brought you some basic information about headaches. I’ve discussed the first steps you can take to naturally heal your headaches. And now, it’s time to think about the foods you eat. Sometimes a problem diet may be responsible for more than simply chubby thighs or a lack of energy.

Ever wonder about that old, “I scream, you scream, we all scream” ice cream chant? Catchy as this little jingle may be it is also true. Ice cream (or slurpees; if that’s your poison) headaches feel like a sharp stabbing pain in your head. When you quickly slurp up an icy treat it can temporarily alter blood flow in your brain – which in turn causes a headache. Ice cream headaches are usually brief and unless you get them frequently, they aren’t something to be concerned about. Plus, come on, you know that you can lick that cone slower.

But icy goodness is not the only dietary cause of headaches. The National Headache Foundation suggests that folks who suffer from migraines try to follow a diet that’s low in tyramine. Tyramine is produced from the natural breakdown of the amino acid tyrosine. While tyramine is not a causative factor in all individuals who suffer migraines it is worth a shot. Some studies show as much as a 25% improvement for migraine suffers who cut the tyramine from their diets.

What tyramine does is cause dilation and constriction to your blood vessels, which can result in a headache. You’re more likely to run into high levels of tyramine if you eat foods that are aged or kept for long periods of time, as tyramine increases with time. The National Headache Foundation suggests a general list of foods you should limit or cut if you’d like to try the low tyramine diet:

Eat These Items Cautiously:

• Bacon, hot dogs, and bologna.
• Parmesan or Romano cheese (as a garnish).
• Figs and raisins.
• Fermented vinegars (apple, wine, etc).

Avoid These Items Altogether:

• MSG (in large amounts)
• Aged cheeses; blue, brie, cheddar, swiss, and so on.
• Fermented soy products such as miso and teriyaki sauce.
• Fermented, aged, dried, and smoked meats like salami and liverwurst.

This list is by no means totally inclusive. Your doctor can tell you more about low tyramine diets. You should always talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about starting any new diet plan.

Other Dietary Triggers

Foods that contain extra tyramine are not the only headache trigger foods out there. Other notable foods from various studies that may bring on headaches include:

• Alcohol.
• Chocolate. Sad but true. Many people find that cutting chocolate from their diet altogether can heal their headaches.
• Caffeine. There’s mixed reviews in studies about caffeine and headaches. But the general consensus is that you should try to cut caffeine down to a typical two cups of coffee per day; two cups of soda per day, etc. By typical I mean about 8 ounces; not a Big Gulp “typical” cup of soda. Or if you’re like me the biggest carry around cup of coffee you can find. Stick to under 16 ounces.
• Sour cream.
• Pizza.
• Bananas and citrus fruits.
• Beans and nuts (including peanut butter)

Again this is not an inclusive list. Many more foods can cause headaches.

So, now you’re thinking, “Exactly what can I eat? I can’t live on wheat grass and water.” And you don’t have to. In this article, I discussed the headache diary. If you’ve been working on logging your headaches or start to work on this, then it should be easier for you to see what your personal food triggers are. The likelihood that each and every headache causing food will cause you personally a headache is thankfully slim.

If you’ve been logging headaches every single time you eat chocolate – then I’m afraid I have some bad news. If you love nuts and are not logging headaches each time you take a handful then continuing to eat them is likely fine. If you’re not sure (say you eat chocolate cover nuts) what food item is causing your headache you can cut the food and re-introduce it later on into your diet. If your headaches start up again than you have pretty good self research that tells you not to eat that item. Your doctor can also help you to determine which food may be affecting you personally.

You can also try reading up on headache diets. Amazon has some great books about headaches. Like this one.

Soon to come, other natural headache remedies including exercise, items you should be eating, aromatherapy, massage and more. Stay tuned.