Seven foods that may trigger a migraine
Processed meats
New research from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine has found that nitrates - a type of salt used to preserve meats like salami, bacon and sausages - could be responsible for triggering migraines in some people. This is because people who eat a lot of processed meats everyday are less likely to have sufficient bacteria in their guts to be able to "deal" with nitrates effectively - leading to painful neurological effects up in your brain.
Omega-6 fatty acids
Commonly found in deep fryers, many people get a huge number of Omega-6 fatty acids from a diet that's high in vegetable, canola and soybean oil. Compared to Omega-3 fatty acids - which have been shown to help reduce headaches - Omega-6 fatty acids elevate the inflammatory hormones that may just trigger a migraine. A simple way to combat this is to ensure that most of your fats come from "healthy" sources like avocados, nuts and olive oil.
Caffeine
Everybody loves a hit of caffeine in the morning to wake them up, but drinking too much may be prompting you to have some pretty devastating migraines.
When consumed in large amounts, caffeine blocks a chemical in your body called adenosine, which allows the blood around your brain to flow freely and prevents things like headaches and migraines. To be sure, start by reducing your intake by one coffee a day until you can pinpoint your caffeine threshold.
Artificial sweeteners
Much has been said of late about how artificial sweeteners may be making us fatter, but they might also contribute to headaches, too. Much of this has been linked to anecdotal reports, and the majority of science says that artificial sweeteners are not triggers for headaches - but this varies enormously depending on the person. Many people believe a diet high in artificial sweeteners is also a diet that's likely to be of poor quality, so it's hard to pinpoint the exact trigger.
MSG
Otherwise known as monosodium glutamate, MSG is a potent type of salt that may trigger migraines in some people.
Most commonly found in Asian food, MSG works by dilating the blood vessels in your body which more or less "opens the highway" for your body to send a variety of complicated messages to your brain. Much research has been made on the link between salt and brain sensitivity, with much of it linking MSG as a very real trigger of potential headaches.
Alcohol
Although alcohol is often used to soothe the pain of a headache, it could actually be the trigger of the headache itself.
Many people believe that red wine is the primary alcoholic trigger, but most experts say any alcohol could prompt such a response - largely because it increases the sensitivity of your brain to new information.
Excessive carbohydrates
In a somewhat controversial finding, Italian researchers found that a ketogenic diet that's high in fat and very low on carbohydrates, could actually treat people who suffer from chronic migraines.
They speculate that a diet that's very high in carbohydrates (far more than the official recommendations) overloads the brain with potential fuel sources, and may prompt people to be more susceptible to painful migraines.