Vegans and Migraine

It was seriously suggested to me today that if I became a vegan and meditated regularly then my migraines would stop.

So my question is this: Are there any meditating vegans out there who are also migraine sufferers?

[Paulacg]

The vegan thing sounds dubious - you might be better off going for regular, balanced meals, cutting junk food right down, exercising regularly and getting to a healthy weight to improve your health.

In terms of meditation - mindfulness meditation has been studied and proven to help with chronic pain and is used in the NHS. I've used it to really good effect, but it's not a 'cure' - its a way to learn to cope with pain and reduce your stress levels. It needs commitment and time, but is 100% worth it.

Try this book: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00...

[CarolC-M]

Hi the surveyor. My wife is vegan, she also does mindfulness mediation, but still suffers from them at least once a month - hers only last for a day and the meditation has helped to cope. I suppose it depends on the type of migraine and your triggers - good luck!

[Hidden in reply to CarolC-M]

Thanks for your reply. I'll share your comment with the friend who made the suggestion to me.

[woodlog]

Almost. I practise Yoga every morning and follow the paleolithic diet: no cereals,no proceed food of any kind, no dairy products, lots of fresh fruit, fresh meat and fish, lots of water, no caffeine, no junk. Headaches have improved dramatically.

[Hidden in reply to woodlog]

Personally, I would steer clear of the paleolithic diet, particularly the meaty part. Animal fat is thought by many to be carcinogenic. You acknowledge that fact yourself by avoiding dairy products.

But you didn't answer my question.

[Trinalynnb in reply to Hidden]

Is it any wonder that the fat that composes our own bone marrow and most of our brain, saturated fat, should also be the fat that we consume? Saturated fat has been demonized mainly because most sources are also high in cholesterol. Surprise, cholesterol in one of the most important constituent of life, every cells need it, the brain contains large amounts and cholesterol is the precursor to all sex hormones. In fact, a high saturated fat intake has been shown to reduce what we call the bad cholesterol, small particle LDL, and to raise what’s called the good cholesterol, HDL. LDL and HDL are not cholesterol, they are transport lipoproteins, but the whole lingo is understood upside down.

Most sources of natural saturated fat like butter, lard and tallow contain high amounts of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Those vitamins need the presence of fat to be absorbed and are primordial for the absorption and proper utilization of other vitamins and minerals.

Furthermore, the air spaces in the lungs are coated with lung surfactant composed entirely of saturated fat. When the consumption of saturated fat is too low, the composition of this lung surfactant is compromised and the lung’s air spaces can collapse. This is arguably one of the main reasons why children have so much asthma problems today.

Some sources of medium-chain fatty acids like coconut oil and butter also have potent antimicrobial properties.

Saturated fat also helps the liver flush out any fat accumulation in the liver. A fatty liver is really bad news and is normally caused by excess alcohol and fructose consumption.

[Hidden]

I'm sorry, but this is not an answer to my question, does it?

[Paulacg in reply to Hidden]

Well I thought that it imparted some useful information on the subject. Another piece of useful information would be stop looking for a simple miracle cure and learn about managing them.

[Hidden in reply to Paulacg]

I wasn't looking for a miracle cure. I was looking for (and found) someone who is a meditating vegan who might still be suffering from migraine so that I could suggest to my friend that he should stop spreading false hopes based on what you (and I!) believe is dubious information.

I have suffered from migraine for about 65 years and have tried most things myself. I've consulted numerous family doctors, five neurologists and tried many alternative or complimentary treatments as well as medication prescribed by the medical personnel I've seen, so I think I have some knowledge and experience.

I apologise for being a bit curt. I guess you were trying to be helpful but several people offered me information that I was not looking for and not offering the kind of information that I was looking for.

Take care and good luck.

[MaryF in reply to Hidden]

Hi I am a great believer that anything involving stress reduction and healthy lifestyle supports migraine reduction. I have never heard of being vegan as being the answer. Meditation does help with pain though, I do it myself.

Sometimes migraines are triggered by allergy to anything from a mould to gluten. My family all have severe migraines, but we have Hughes Syndrome/APS so taking Aspirin was right for us under strict guidance plus other drugs. However a family friend of mine who had had migraines for 35 years with no gap, went onto the correct dose of magnesium with great results. He also gave up any form of food additives whatsoever, noticing that MSG and certain preservatives were triggers also. Two books I read along the way, which I got second hand of Amazon were 'How to heal your headache by Dr David Bulcholz' and also another by Dr Cohen about Magnesium, book number one discounts magnesium, but my friend is living proof that it worked, and of course he did consult is doctor about his progress and dosage. Best of luck to you. MaryF

[Hidden in reply to MaryF]

Thanks. I'm sure you want to be helpful, but I need to know if meditating vegans suffer or do not suffer from migraine.

[DancerM1]

Maybe if you keep a diary of your life style, diet, exercise regime, sleep pattern and levels of tiredness, it may help you to find your personal triggers to migraine and assist you in finding a solution. I have found that Yoga and meditation, coupled with cutting out or reducing certain foods has helped me - but it takes time! Good Luck

[Hidden in reply to DancerM1]

I've been doing that for about ten years!

[Imgram in reply to Hidden]

l am a vegan, however l do not meditate. There has been no improvement in my migraines since becoming a vegan 14 months ago.

[Hidden in reply to Imgram]

Thanks for your reply.

[MaryF]

and the man who ended up finding magnesium suited him had tried everything by the way, stress reduction, meditation and every diet...... MaryF

[Hidden]

At the risk of being shot down, your friend sounds like one of the many 'experts' people with chronic illnesses tend to encounter with all their well meaning based on pop science and latest fad advice. Good luck to to. I hope you see some improvement in your migraines and your friend (in the kindest way possible) learns to leave medical advice to the scientists and actual medical and holistic practitioners.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I think he, like many of the other self-styled experts here, was trying to be helpful.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It all comes from a good place.

[Vegania]

Hi,

I don't meditate but I'm vegan (have been for 9 years now). I never got migraines, but I do get head aches, and my change in diet made no difference there.

My mother has been a vegetarian for about 40 years and is now more or less vegan and she does have fewer migraines (she used to have one every week, not it's maybe 2 or 3 a year), but I think what helped her more was homeopathy. Maybe you can talk to a specialist about it? She also stopped all caffein, and that really helped her. Good luck!

[Trinalynnb]

I would certainly suggest meditation and it helps me, but I would not suggest going vegan, but rather paleo. Your brain needs all those healthy fats. The more strict paleo I go (eliminating grains and high GI foods, increasing coconut oil, fish oil and animal fats) the better I feel. Lots of veggies of course.

[Hidden in reply to Trinalynnb]

Thanks but I wasn't asking for advice. I wanted to know if meditating Vegans got migraine or not. That's all.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Incidentally, animal fats are not healthy according to many.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I think migraines are completely random and affect whoever justly or unjustly. When I was trying to pin down a cause for my migraines about this time last year I was told by a neurologist they sometimes just behave this way. Bizarrely, I started on treatment for Raynaud's disease (secondary to Scleroderma) and my migraines suddenly disappeared almost completely.

[Fluffychops]

Even if you did find a meditating vegan who either did or didn't suffer from migraine, it wouldn't necessarily provide an answer to your migraine triggers. The only way of knowing whether meditation and a vegan diet would help you is to give it a try.

For example, some people swear that cheese triggers their migraines, so I decided to try it out for myself and I've eaten no cheese for the past 2 weeks or so and will continue for a few more weeks and then see if eating it again seems to trigger migraine.

[CJA2012]

I am not a vegan - I heard this can cause a person to start suffering migraines due to the lack of certain proteins and vitamins found in meat.

I do meditate though - to an extent. When I get the nausea symptoms, I sit in the bathroom with the window open to cool down, sitting on the edge of the bath and leaning over the sink. I try to breathe in and out in long drawn breaths and close my eyes. I imagine I am laying on a warm beach in Hawaii, under a palm tree, listening to the waves washing in and out, and the temperature I feel is the sun and not the nausea fever

I suppose this is 'happy place' thinking but I feel it has helped me before. I think there is some research into 'happy place' thinking for patients undergoing certain treatments for illnesses and it has helped them.