Can food cause and help prevent headaches and migraines?

The exact cause of migraine is unknown. However, doctors agree that short-term changes in brain activity play a role. These also appear to have an effect on blood vessels and nerve signals. The result: pulsating headaches that can sometimes last for days.

Many factors can trigger migraines, such as medications, hormonal changes, and lack of sleep. Nutrition also plays a role. Food is a trigger for around 10% of people with these headaches.

People with headache disorders have different sensitivities to certain foods. Reactions to foods can occur between 30 minutes and 72 hours after consumption, often making identification difficult. For this reason, it's recommended to keep a food diary — with columns for time, foods eaten (and quantities), and any headache symptoms.

Start with a conservative diet (usually one that doesn't include any of the foods listed below). Introduce a new food every three days and observe any patterns or changes in migraine symptoms. This can be really helpful and worth the effort.

Everyone is unique, but there are food categories that trigger migraines more often than others. They are grouped according to similarities in sensitivities (for example, people who find red wine a migraine trigger often find that chocolate can also trigger migraines).

The following food groups are considered common triggers for headaches and/or migraines:

Please note that migraine triggers may have an additive effect. For example, fatigue and skipping a meal are migraine triggers for many people. If you haven't slept enough, then you're in a hurry in the morning and skip breakfast, the chance of getting a migraine is significantly higher.

Only for women: Many women with migraines are particularly sensitive to triggers in the premenstrual phase. Foods that you don't mind the week after your period can trigger headaches or migraines the week before.

You can find out more about dealing with menopausal symptoms here.

Research by the Physicians Committee published in Journal of Headache and Pain, has shown that a plant-based diet reduces migraine pain. The intensity of the participants' most severe headaches improved significantly when they followed a plant-based diet. The decrease in migraine pain could be due to the omission of pain-causing foods such as meat and dairy products — or to weight loss or hormonal changes caused by the change in diet.

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sources: MacGregor EA. migraine. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Apr 4; 166 (7) :ITC49-ITC64.finocchi C, Sivori G. Food as a trigger and aggravating factor of migraine. Neurol Sci. 2012 May; 33 Suppl 1:S77-80.Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: “Migraine Diet: A Natural Approach to Migraines. “Journal of Headache and Pain — https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/