Just as there are foods that can trigger migraines, there are certain ingredients that can help us control them and reduce their symptoms.
Migraines, those who suffer them often know their complex reality and their suffering. That dull and intense pain on one side of the head, which can reach an eye even reaching the neck… what can we do? Is there a way to control them, to alleviate them at least? We explain what the experts tell us.
Migraine mainly affects women, and usually appears between the ages of 15 and 45. According to dr. K. Michael Welch of the University of Kansas Medical Center, this reality can undermine the quality of life of people, hence his career focused exclusively on the headaches research center at the National Institutes of Health.
His investigations provide us with results where it is determined that migraines originate from certain nerve cells in the brain, which are excited by certain elements, then producing discharges similar to “the waves of a lake.” There are therefore a series of tips that we can take into account to face them.
1. First trigger: your diet
DAO enzyme and Histamine
People with migraines have an alteration in a digestive enzyme called DAO. Thus, this enzyme is in charge of breaking down all those foods that contain histamine. What happens then? Lacking this enzyme, histamine accumulates in our body, thus directly affecting these nerve terminals in our brain, producing migraines.
What foods should I avoid?
- Alcoholic drinks
- Cheeses and any dairy.
- Any processed, fermented, marinated, or marinated food
- Baked goods
- Chocolate
- Smoked fish
- Avocado, bananas, citrus
- Lentils, chickpeas and beans.
- Soy derivatives
- Sausages
- Walnuts
2 Second trigger: external stimuli
Obviously we cannot control these stimuli, but at least they keep you alert that it is very possible that soon, you could suffer a new migraine. According to experts, these stimuli affect the nervous circuits of the brain that produce the known pain, it usually starts with an “aura”.
- Sudden changes in temperature
- High temperatures along with high humidity
- The bright lights
- Loud sounds
- The sudden increase or decrease in environmental pressure (for example on an airplane)
- Certain odors and perfumes, sometimes too intense
3. Third trigger: the physiological
In addition to what has been previously mentioned regarding food, you should also take into account the following aspects that can cause migraines to appear.
- First, sleep poorly
- Go to bed late
- Physical efforts, such as walking a lot during a day, carrying a lot of weight.
- Very hot showers or baths
- Also, certain medications, where oral contraceptives are included.
- Hormonal changes, such as menstruation.
4 Fourth trigger: emotional states
It is obvious. Our outer world is thus always correlated with our psychic health. So the problems are those double-edged weapons that always end up in a migraine. And the people who suffer them, according to Dr, Welch, thus have a special sensitivity in certain brain structures where blood vessels dilate and pain appears.
- Concern
- Stress
- the anxiety
- Depressive states
5. Protect yourself against migraines: remedies
There is something that we must be clear about: migraine, for the moment, is not cured. However, it can be treated. Sometimes it is hereditary, and so we have to learn to live with it knowing its indicators to alleviate its appearance, thus knowing what will cause it to be triggered (as we have indicated). It is best to go to the doctor and follow her instructions. Meanwhile, for our part we can follow the following tips:
- Magnesium: It is a mineral very apt to prevent migraines thanks to its relaxing power, and its ability to alleviate over-excitement of the nerves. Check with your doctor what is the dose indicated in your case.
- B12 vitamin. Experts have also concluded that taking Vitamin B12 could help alleviate migraines. It is best to consult with your doctor or neurologist the indicated dose.
- Omega 3: The role of this fatty acid has been investigated and, although it is not clear, it seems that it could be beneficial in the treatment of migraine. It is best to consult a specialist and follow his instructions.