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Migraine Headache Triggers and Fundamental Facts

By ebazaar ⋅ October 7, 2009 ⋅

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One part of taking care of one’s health is going after the sources of your pain. Knowing the reasons why you’re having a particular health problem could solve your problems, and you don’t necessarily need the doctor’s help all the time to determine the underlying factors and sources of your pain.

A friend of mine used to have severe recurrent migraine. Although the timing is not so close to one another but it’s terrible each time he was attacked by it. It’s the type of headache that makes him feel throbbing pain up to the point he felt like hitting his head on the walls. This kind of thing might be happening to you too.

There are two characteristic of migraine that distinct it from the common headaches:-

The sufferer usually experience recurrent attacks of headache in a year for several times.
It attacks only one side of the head.

Migraine attacks are believed caused by inherited abnormalities in certain brain cells. The pain is actually something that merged from the engorgement of the blood vessels of the head due to the dilation and inflammation of the arteries when the cells in its abnormal state are activated. It is a feedback response to a diminished blood supply to the brain. ‘Inherited’ here would mean that this disorder is something of hereditary, thus, meaning if someone in your family history suffers from migraine, it could attack you as well.

There are certain factors which can bring up and attack. If you are someone with this disorder, perhaps it is wise for to keep a diary to track down all the possibilities that can cause the attack, and learn to counter it. By avoiding the identified factors and sources as much as possible may be able to help you curb this problem.

Known migraine headache symptoms’ triggers:-

glaring or flashing lights, hot weather, loud noises, pungent smells
excessive and unnecessary stress
insufficient sleep or too much sleep
menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, oral contraceptives
changing barometric pressure and climate change

Healthy eating plans for migraine sufferers

One thing for sure, when you are experiencing a headache, whether it be a normal one or a migraine, it simply indicates that your body is lacking of water. So drink plenty of plain water. Integrate more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. There are also a few listed foods that is suggested for you to avoid if you’re suffering from migraine, but of course, not all of these foods are triggers to the problem. It depends hugely on the individuals. Therefore, you just have to do a trial and error and keep it jotted down in your little diary for further analysis. See for yourself if by removing a certain food from your daily diet helps in reducing your headache attacks.

Foods that could trigger migraines

herring, pickled or dried
chocolate
anything fermented, pickled or marinated
nuts, peanut butter, broad beans, lima beans
ripened cheese (including pizza since it’s main ingredient is cheese. Therefore, any food with ripened cheese in it)
foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG): soy sauce, meat tenderizers, seasoned salt
figs, raisins, papayas, avocados, red plums (no more than half cup a day)
excessive amounts of tea, coffee or cola beverages (no more than two cups daily)
sausage, bologna, pepperoni, salami, summer sausage, hotdogs, ham
chicken livers, pate (this foods has high amount of sodium and MSG)
alcoholic beverages (especially red wine)

If you go through again the list of foods above, you can detect that most of these foods are actually high in sodium (salt) and MSG. Therefore, it is best that you try to reduce your salt intake as well as avoid foods high in MSG. Migraine and severe headaches too are highly related to health problems such as hypertension. By practicing a healthy lifestyle, being on healthy eating plans, together with a little knowledge and willpower, you can help yourself curbing your migraine problem.

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