Heal Your Headaches Through Your Diet

Is there a connection between the food that you eat and headache?
According to ancient holistic medicine such as Traditional Chinese Medicine
and Indian Ayurvedic Medicine, there is. In addition, recent research
indicates that certain substances in food may cause changes in blood vessel
tone, thus bringing on the headaches in susceptible people. Headache
experts have estimated that 10% to 30% of headaches are related to food
sensitivities.

There is also an increasing amount of information pointing to serotonin (a
neurotransmitter - chemical involved in the transmission of nerve impulses
between nerve cells - that's formed in the brain and primarily found in three
parts of the body — the brain, the lining of the digestive tract, and in blood
platelets) as playing a significant role in migraine. The good news is that
while not much is understood at this point in time, more attention and
research is likely to go into studying the relationship between serotonin,
food triggers and headaches.
In this report, I will be covering three main ways that you can heal your
headaches through your diet:
(1) Avoiding food triggers,
(2) Consuming herbal remedies and
(3) Consuming vitamins and supplements that have been shown to be

helpful in the prevention of headaches and migraines.

(1) AVOIDING FOOD TRIGGERS
Most doctors advise their patients to keep a diary of their activities and food
consumption so that they can relate occurrence of headaches to
consumption of food. Eating particular food causes the trigger points in the
brain to constrict and dilate the blood vessels, causing headaches.
Food additives are discussed in the next section as potential food triggers
for some of you.
Food Additives
Food additives are specific substances that are added to foods in order to add
different varieties and flavors to the food. They are best known to add
different colors to the food as well as giving food the ability to remain
preserved or sweetened. There are several types of food additives, all which
are put in different types of foods in different quantities. Knowing what food
additives are and how your body reacts to them is important in helping you to
maintain your health.
The major thing to consider with food additives is that they are not natural
substances that your body needs. Because of this, some of them can cause
problems with your system. Food additives, before they are put into food
must be approved by the USDA. Beyond this, they must always only consist of
a small amount. If it is larger than what should be used, it can cause your
body to become imbalanced.
You can find out whether your food has food additives by looking at the back
of the box. These will usually be labeled as coloring, preservatives or an
anti-oxidant. There are also several other different types of food additives
that are used in foods. They should also state how much of this is used in the
food. If you find that this is a higher consistency, it is best to not buy the
food, as your body does not need it for nutrition.

The main reason why food additives are used is because of the market of food
that is popular today. Food additives help to preserve food and allow for the
customer to have a better quality to the food. For example, preservatives
are mainly used to help from spoilage and food poisoning in foods.
Antioxidants are mostly used to stop oxygen from moving into oils and fats.
To add flavor to food, things such as flavoring agents, acids, and sweeteners
may be added to the food.
All of the types of food additives that are used are mainly used in order to
allow the food to be a better quality product on the market. If it is being
shipped from another area, it will help the food to last longer. If the
company wants to give the specific type of product a better taste, it can help
to intensify the taste that you are getting. Food additives have become a
part of the market in almost every single type of food, especially because of
the competition that is in the food market.
Before buying any food, you should look at the food additives that are in it.
Usually, food additives are tested by the USDA before they are put on the
market, which helps your body to stay balanced in some ways. Most food
additives in foods are also at a low quantity and do not affect your system
that much. However, consumed over long periods of time, they can be
unhealthy for your body and may cause problems such as headaches and skin
allergies.
Knowing that food additives are not even good or that necessary for nutrition
purposes in the first place, it is best to limit its consumption whether they
are a trigger or not for your headaches.
The best way to find out if a particular food is a trigger for your headaches is
to keep track of your diet and any symptoms and reactions that you observe
after the meal. Symptoms are likely to appear within one hour of food intake
but can also take one week to show up, according to some headache
sufferers.

Discovering if you have food sensitivities is not an easy exercise. It requires
you to be diligent in recording, keeping track and sticking to a trigger-free
diet.
Food triggers differ from individual to individual. What triggers your fellow
migraine sufferer may not be the same for you. A list of common food
triggers can help you to take special note of them and your reactions after
consuming them 

The rewards with the arduous task of maintaining a food log are well worth it
especially if you become successful in reducing the frequency and the
severity of your headaches.

(2) HERBAL REMEDIES
Feverfew is the primary herbal remedy for migraine headaches. It has been
the subject of many clinical studies proving that it helps in the relief of
headache pain.
One study taken recently showed that 60% out of 100 migraine sufferers
reported a significant drop in the frequency and severity of their headaches
after taking feverfew leaves. Ann Turner, Director of Migraine Action
Association said: “The results of this survey are very encouraging. Migraine
is a complex condition and to manage it effectively sufferers require an
individualised treatment approach. This survey confirms previous research
and indicates that Feverfew Leaf can help to reduce the severity and
frequency of migraine attacks and is a useful addition to the range of
treatment options available.”
The results of the survey confirm those of previous studies that have
documented the ability of dried Feverfew leaf to help stave off the
frequency, pain and nausea of migraine type headaches. Feverfew is one of
nature’s oldest headache remedies and its therapeutic qualities have long
been recognized. Feverfew is also available as a dietary supplement in
herbal shops and pharmacies.
Another way to consume herbal remedies is by brewing herbal teas. At the
first sign of headache, a herbal tea of feverfew, chamomile, lavender,
lemon balm, rosemary or sage has been shown that it can help to relieve
stress and headache pains.
Although most herbs have little or no side effects, there are some that can
induce powerful reactions. Feverfew is one example. If you are pregnant,
do not use feverfew.
It is also important that herbs used be of the highest quality. Always
consult with a qualified herbalist on the use of herbs for your headaches.

(3) VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS
It is possible to have a higher tendency for migraines and tension headaches
due to the lack of specific vitamins and supplements in your diet. To
diagnose any deficiencies accurately, it is best to consult a doctor. Your
doctor can then prescribe the correct dose that will help relieve headaches.
A food supplement has been tested in recent studies to be helpful in
reducing the severity of headaches is Omega 3 commonly found in fish oil.
Fish oil has a natural anti-inflammatory compound and can relieve
headaches. Recent reports of the beneficial effects on migraine from the
ingestion of fish oil capsules have caused excitement among millions of
migraine sufferers. Decreased frequency and severity of migraine attacks
were noted in a few double blind studies. In double blind studies, neither
the physician nor the patient knew what was being taken. The severity of
headaches has been shown to reduce by as much as 80-90% in terms of
severity and decreased headache frequency.
Omega 3 oil
Omega 3 oil is becoming a recommended part of one’s diet. It can provide
for certain nutrients that one needs in order to help with their body keeping
a balanced lifestyle. Knowing why Omega 3 oil is important as well as
knowing where to find the substance will help you in determining how much
and if you would like to include this in your diet.
Omega 3 is known as an essential fatty acid. This type of fatty acid provides
your body with several different levels of functioning. Without these types
of fatty acids in our system, our body will be unable to maintain balance.
We can not produce this type of fatty acid without having substances and
nutrients moving into our body.

Omega 3 oils are essential for the functioning of several different areas of
your body. They can help your nervous system function at a higher level,
including better brain functioning and lowering stress levels. They are also
known to help with maintaining regular cholesterol levels. It is also known
to help with better skin and hair. Omega 3 oil also provides for support with
your bones and joints. By having Omega 3 oil as part of your daily meal, or
as a supplement, it can help with the nutrition levels of your body.
Omega 3 oil is best known to be in fish. Having fish once or twice a week
will help in maintaining the right level of this fatty acid in your body.
However, you can also find Omega 3 oil in the form of flax oil that you can
use for cooking. Nuts, especially walnuts, also usually provide a good
amount of Omega 3 oil in your system.
If you don’t particularly want to use any of these foods in order to get your
supply of Omega 3 oil, than you should consider looking into a supplement
that has this fatty acid in it. There are several fish oil supplements that will
give you the nutrients that you need. These come in both gel forms as well
as in liquid form, making it easier for you to take on a regular basis.
Omega 3 oil is a fatty acid that can help promote better health and
balanced functioning of your body. By incorporating it into your meals and
making sure that you are getting some sources of this type of fatty acid, you
will be helping your body. Your nervous system, cholesterol levels and
other secondary functions of your body will all thank you for providing this
fatty acid.

IMPLEMENTING DIETARY CHANGES FOR HEADACHE PREVENTION
You can combat many a headache by changing your dietary patterns. Diet
constitutes the major part in your body functioning by providing necessary
energy. It is best to have three full meals each day with healthy snacks in
between. Stay away from fasting or depriving your body of essential
nutrition.
Eat fresh food as old food has a higher concentration of chemicals. These
could cause headaches. Increase intake of seasonal fruits in your daily diet,
as they contain natural sugar.
Natural sugar does not increase your blood sugar levels to alarming highs
although it does increase to necessary levels only. Rather, natural sugar
contains chromium in the glucose tolerance factor molecule. Chromium
works with body insulin and other vitamins and enzymes to process sugar
within the body.
However, refined sugar and sugar products do not contain chromium and
therefore, natural processing of sugar does not take place. This increases
blood sugar levels to alarming levels often causing severe headaches.
Your diet should contain wholesome food with many vegetables, fruits, and
other fiber. Besides, your diet should contain moderate amounts of salt.
Include many vitamin supplements like vitamin C, vitamin B6, and
tryptophan, omega-3 essential fatty acids as present in nuts, uncooked flax
seed oil, fish, and wheat germ.