Migraines and food intake

[Onthemove1971]

I would like to hear from you guys about how food impacts your migraines.

I learned many years ago if I skip a meal or do not eat protein in each meal, I quickly get a migraine. Is that the same for everyone?

Also, when I am in the beginning "tinge" of a migraine if I eat something, usually protein the migraine goes away. This usually happens if I only eat something small or if it doesn't have protein in what I am eating. Is that the same for everyone?

Lastly, if I do not feed my craving.. I get a migraine.. sometime I just feel I am weird.

But I have ready about the craving issue.

Thanks!

[Gambit62]

sounds pretty normal. blood sugar dropping is a common factor in migraines. protien not so commonly mentioned but I can certainly relate to that.cravings often an early warning.

You may find listening to the heads-up podcasts reassuring

nationalmigrainecentre.org....

particularly episode 2

[Onthemove1971 in reply to Gambit62]

If that is the case why not take medication to keep blood sugar stable and then we would not have any migraines.

[Gambit62 in reply to Onthemove1971]

blood sugars are never stable - they will vary as you go through the day and depending on what you have eaten - this is rather different from diabetes which is a condition in which the natural mechanisms that the body uses to regulate blood sugar levels stop working properly. The range of variation that results in migraines is much less than the variation caused by diabetes and taking meds designed for blood sugar regulation as found in diabetes is likely to cause more problems with levels than it solves.

[Cat00]

Food makes no difference to my migraines. I regularly do intermittent fasting and for the past 4 months have done 5 day fast mimicking diets to try and keep my weight in check now that the gyms are closed and I'm doing so much less exercise.

Drinking coffee will sometimes stop a migraine coming on I think but diet and migraine is so subjective it's hard to tell if food has anything to do with it unless you can really monitor, stress and hormones etc. at the same time.

I just find if my brain is in an excitable state things that are normally not triggers can become triggers, especially sleep.

[Slim66]

Skipping meals, late with meals also trigger mine. Anything with Nitrites, artificial sweeteners or raw from the onion family. To name but a few. Not considered protein so will try that with early onset.

[GlennyGran]

No you are not wierd-it is quite well known. The only difference with me is that a small cracker or two will stop mine don't have to be protein but it has been annoying all my life to having everybody not believing that I have to eat on time. Anyway hope that helps.

[Decode]

Yep skipping meals or ignoring my hunger can trigger them. Also chocolate and alcohol can sometimes trigger it. Eating too much of very unhealthy fast food can sometimes trigger it. Yet when I 'be good' I still get migraines, so a bit of chocolate is sometimes worth it!

[Onthemove1971 in reply to Decode]

I know..I did a food log in details and could not discover what was causing them. Like you some times my body needs " bad" food since I crave it.. then when I am super good I get them..So unsure.

[dubstepMaul]

Foods with tyramine cause my migraines, although with some tyramine foods such as aged cheese I can eat small amount without triggering a migraine. I recently discovered that onion is causing headaches for me too.

[chelsea00]

hi,

Yes, missing a meal definitely brings a migraine on. Also some particular white wines.

I found real coffee(not nescafe type) helped with my migraines.

i sometimes eat cheese but i had a blood test for intolerances(paid for by myself) -this showed i should avoid all dairy.

I eat 70% dark chocolate without problems -as that is non dairy, and is good for you

Getting cold is a trigger.

Applying a heated wheatbag is very good for easing pain for me.

hope this is of interest to you.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to chelsea00]

Thanks.. I hate getting cold.. but never connected it to my migraines.

[chelsea00]

Yes, we all have so many different triggers so it's good to know your own.