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| Headache Triggers |
| The following are just a few of the foods that have been linked to headaches, particularly migraines; if you are susceptible, you may want to try cutting these from your diet for a while to see if it makes a difference: |
| Nitrates from smoked meats, hot dogs, and other preserved foods, which cause blood vessels to dilate, causing throbbing head pain. |
| Chocolate, aged Cheddar and other cheeses, and red wine; they contain the amino acid tyramine, which can also make blood vessels contract and dilate. |
| MSG (monosodium glutamate), most commonly found in Chinese food but also in canned soups and other prepared foods, which causes headaches in many people, though researchers aren't yet sure why. |
| sume can be as important as what you do. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to tell whether your headaches are food-related, or which foods they may be related to, but if you are a frequent headache sufferer it's worth making the extra effort to pinpoint food culprits. Keeping a headache diary will help: keep track of when you get your headaches and what you ate in the preceding twenty-four hours; over time you may be able to pinpoint the problem foods. |
| But it's not all about eliminating foods from your diet; there are also certain nutrients you should get in order to help prevent headaches. Calcium, iron, and magnesium are effective against head pain, particularly the headaches associated with PMS. And vitamin B 6 is helpful for coping with stress, a common headache trigger. |
| Smart Foods |
| Low-fat yogurt and milk, tofu, leafy green vegetables, and almonds for calcium. |
| Lean red meat and potatoes for iron. |
| Wheat germ, whole grains, nuts and seeds, bananas, apricots, and shrimp for magnesium. |
| Wheat germ, walnuts, fish, turkey, bananas, and potatoes for vitamin B 6. |
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