Tell Me What to Eat if I Have Headaches and Migraines: Nutrition You Can Live With
208
Tell Me What to Eat if I Have Headaches and Migraines: Nutrition You Can Live With
208Paperback
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Overview
- Everything you need to know about diet and headaches.
- The most common food/drink migraine triggers.
- Which beverages are the worst.
- How to eat when under stress.
- Key facts about how to eat the right foods at the right times.
- The 10 food steps to freedom.
Magee is the content provider for WebMD and serves as a nutrition expert and 'Recipe Doctor" for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic. Elaine contributes to several magazines including Woman's Day, All You, and more.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781564148063 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Red Wheel/Weiser |
| Publication date: | 02/22/2005 |
| Series: | Tell Me What to Eat Series |
| Pages: | 208 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
The Who, What, Where, Why, and How of Headaches and Migraines
Welcome to the medical chapter of this book. My aim is to answer some of your general questions about headaches and migraines first, before we get into the nitty-gritty of the food and diet aspect (that starts in Chapter 3). I have tried to think of all the possible questions you may have, and I hope we've answered questions you didn't even know you had.
Q How many people suffer from headaches and migraines?
More than 45 million Americans seek medical attention for severe or chronic headaches. Within this group is the subgroup of people who specifically suffer from migraine headaches, which is around 16 to 18 million people. Another source estimates that 23 million adults in the United States suffer from them.
Q How do doctors diagnose headaches?
If you have headache symptoms, the first important step is to make an appointment with your doctor. He or she will probably perform a physical examination and headache evaluation where you will describe your headache history and characteristics of your headaches.
Certain tests may be performed so the doctor can get as much information as possible, including a CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). These tests will take cross-section pictures of your brain, and can reveal any abnormal areas or problems.
If you have lost consciousness during your headaches, an EEG (electroencephalogram) may be performed as well.
If your headache symptoms seem to get worse or occur more often, you may want to consider asking your doctor for a referral to a headache specialist or headache clinic.
Q How are headaches often treated?
A treatment plan for your headaches depends on all sorts of things, including the type of headache you are having, how often you have them, and the suspected cause of your particular headache. The treatment should be designed to meet your specific needs, and it may involve a combination of counseling on diet and lifestyle changes, medications (to prevent or treat your headaches when they occur), stress management, biofeedback, hypnosis, and so on.
Q What causes the pain we feel during a Li migraine or headache?
General headache pain is thought to result from signals between the brain and the blood vessels and the nerves around them. When a headache is taking place, specific nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles are "activated," and they send pain signals to the brain. Researchers are still trying to understand why these signals get activated to begin with.
Migraine headache pain is related to a "pain center" in the midbrain area. Researchers suspect that a migraine begins when hyperactive nerve cells send out impulses to the blood vessels, causing constriction at first. Then a dilation (or expansion) of these blood vessels results, along with the release of prostaglandins, serotonin, and other inflammatory substances that encourage the pulsing to be painful.
Q What are migraines?
Migraine headache pain is intense and throbbing, and usually occurs on one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or noise. Migraines, thought to be the most debilitating type of headache, are now considered to be a neurological disease with a hereditary link.
Q Are migraines hereditary?
There is a family history of migraines in about 90 percent of migraine sufferers, so the answer is yes. Sometimes people don't think they have a family history of migraines because members may have thought they had sinus or tension-type headaches, when in actuality they were having migraines.
It is estimated that when both parents have a history of migraines, there is a 70 percent chance that the child will also develop them.
If only one parent has a history of migraines, the risk drops to 25 to 50 percent.
Q What physiological changes occur before or during a migraine?
Stress is one of the most common triggers of migraines, so let's take a closer look at what is happening in the brain during stress that causes them. During a stressful event, your body reacts much like it would to an event where you need to physically get yourself quickly out of harm's way (known as the "fight or flight" response). When this happens, certain chemicals in the brain are released to help the body combat the situation. These released chemicals can provoke the vascular changes that bring on a migraine. The severity of the migraine can actually increase due to repressed emotions and fatigue surrounding the stress (anxiety, worry, and excitement can increase muscle tension and dilate blood vessels further).
We know that blood vessels dilate (expand) as a result of a migraine headache. Can decreasing this dilation of the blood vessels bring faster relief?
One of the latest theories on what actually causes migraines in the body involves trigeminal nerve activation in the brain, causing a drop in the level of serotonin (a brain chemical that affects pain receptors), which may cause blood vessel changes.
Q How long do migraines last?
Migraine attacks can last from four hours to three days, and often leave a person unable to work or do their regular daily activities.
Q What is a migraine "aura"?
Migraines with auras happen in about 20 to 30 percent of migraine sufferers. An aura generally includes visual symptoms such as:
• Bright flashing dots or lights.
• Blind spots.
• Distorted vision.
• Temporary vision loss.
• Wavy or jagged lines.
An aura generally presents itself one hour before a migraine attack and lasts from 15 to 60 minutes. The symptoms always last less than one hour.
Auras have also been reported to include nonvisual symptoms, such as ringing in the ears or a change in smell, taste, or touch.
Q What types of medications are available to treat migraines?
Work with your doctor or neurologist to figure out what, if any, of the following medications may be appropriate for you:
• Pain-relief medications. Over-the-counter pain-relief medications are effective for some people with migraines, and include active ingredients such as ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine. Be cautious when taking these: they can sometimes contribute to a headache, or overuse can cause a dependency problem and "rebound" headaches. See your doctor if you are taking these medications more than three times a week (there may be prescription medications much more effective for you).
• Antinausea medications. These medications may be prescribed by your doctor to relieve the nausea that can accompany migraines.
• Abortive medications. These are medications that are taken at the first sign of a migraine and are designed to help stop the process that causes the headache pain. They work by constricting the blood vessels, attempting to bring them back to normal, and therefore relieve the throbbing pain.
• Preventive or prophylactic medications. These may be prescribed if your headaches are severe and frequent. These medications are generally taken on a daily basis, with the intention of reducing the frequency and severity of the headaches.
Q What medications are best for menstrual migraines?
There is really only one type of medication used to treat menstrual migraines — non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The ones most often used for menstrual migraines are:
• Orudis.
• Advil.
• Motrin.
• Nalfon.
• Naprosyn.
• Relafen.
The general rule of thumb is to start taking the dose recommended by your doctor two to three days before your menstrual period starts, and to continue taking them until your period ends. Gastrointestinal side effects are small because women generally take this type of medication for only a short period of time each month.
If you are taking birth control pills, speak to your doctor directly, but many recommend taking a NSAID starting on the 19th day of a cycle, and ending on the second day of the next cycle.
Q What are the options for migraines when you are pregnant?
This can be tough because no treatment is recommended to treat migraines during pregnancy. Medications can affect the uterus and cross the placenta, affecting the baby.
Speak to your obstetrician before taking any medication while pregnant.
Q What are the most common migraine triggers?
Stress is the No. 1 migraine trigger, and, according to some estimates, certain foods and beverages may be responsible for triggering up to 30 percent of migraines.
Migraines can be triggered by many factors, including:
• Stress. (Emotional stress is one of the most common triggers of a migraine.)
• Anxiety.
• Bright light or reflective sunlight.
• Smoking and second-hand smoke. (Nicotine stimulates blood vessels in the brain to constrict or narrow. Smoking also stimulates the nerves in the back of the throat, which contributes to headache pain.)
• Any change in sleeping habits (either getting too much or too little sleep).
• Menstrual cycle and hormonal changes in women.
• Changes in weather, climate, or barometric pressure.
• Changes in altitude or time zones.
• Fasting or skipping meals.
• Specific foods.
• Excessive caffeine consumption or caffeine withdrawal.
Q What are some other possible migraine triggers?
• Depression, anxiety, or strong emotions.
• Physical exercise.
• Alcohol (red wine and port).
• Aspartame (an artificial sweetener found in diet sodas, light yogurts, and other sugar-free or light food products).
• MSG (an additive found in many packaged food products and Chinese/Asian cuisine).
• Nitrates/nitrites (an additive found in cured meats, including hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and cold cuts).
• Tyramine (an amino acid found in aged cheese, yeast, and pickled or marinated foods).
• Certain foods, including chocolate and citrus fruits.
• Birth control pills or hormone therapy.
• Certain medications that dilate blood vessels.
• Overuse of pain medications (may trigger rebound headaches).
• Polluted air.
• Odors from things such as perfume, paint, dust, and certain flowers
Q Are certain medical conditions associated with migraines, and are there potential intertwined problems that should be considered?
The following are medical conditions that are more commonly associated with migraines:
• Asthma.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Hypertension.
• Raynaud's phenomena (occurs when blood vessels narrow, causing pain and discoloration, usually in the fingers).
• Stroke.
• Sleep disorders.
The following are potential intertwined problems that should be considered when treating women with migraines:
• Eating disorders.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Mood disorders.
• PMS and premenstrual dysmorphic disorder.
Q Are there any herbal or vitamin supplements that may help prevent migraines?
Herbal or vitamin supplements that may help prevent migraines include:
1. Feverfew.
They may have had it right back in the first century when a famous Greek botanist noted the herb feverfew as being a valuable headache remedy. Hundreds of years later, researchers are still studying its effects.
Feverfew has been shown to be useful for migraine prevention in about 40 percent of patients, according to Dr. Christina Peterson, M.D., medical director of the Oregon Headache Clinic. Keep in mind, though, that it may take two months of use to be most effective.
If you have milder migraines (which sounds like a contradiction in terms, I know), studies in Europe suggest that you may help prevent migraines with a daily supplementation of 125 milligrams of dried feverfew leaf extract. This may work by preventing large and fast reductions in serotonin levels. (If you are allergic to ragweed — a botanical cousin to feverfew — or if you have compromised kidney function, this is not for you.)
2. Riboflavin.
Although preliminary, some new research has found that 400 milligrams a day of riboflavin (a.k.a. vitamin B-2) over the course of three months results in fewer than half the migraines than one would normally suffer. (The daily value for riboflavin is just 2 milligrams.) The average number of headaches per patient decreased from four per month (before the study) to two per month (during treatment with riboflavin). But that's not all! The research also found that the migraines also tended to be less severe and of shorter duration compared to the ones experienced by those taking the placebo. Researchers suspect it may have something to do with riboflavin influencing glucose metabolism in the brain.
Hang in there if you try this, because you need to take it for three months before you can tell if it is helping you. Also, a few adverse reactions were reported during the study, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and facial redness.
Q Are there other alternative therapies I should consider?
This isn't a book about alternative therapies and headaches, but I wanted to at least point you in the right direction should you want to consider any of these alternative therapies. (You can try these even if you want to continue with your medications.)
Other alternative therapies include:
• An ice pack placed on the painful area of your head, such as the temples, back of the neck, or forehead.
• Take a warm bath or shower, take a nap, or take a walk.
• Apply gentle, steady rotating pressure to the painful area of your head with your index finger and/or thumb. Maintain this pressure for seven to 15 seconds, then release and repeat.
• If you happen to have excessive muscle contractions in your neck, physical therapy exercises that you can do every day are often helpful. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a physical therapist for a consultation.
• Try acupuncture. The Consensus Statement on Acupuncture by the National Institutes of Health (1997) states that for conditions including headaches, lower back pain, menstrual cramps, and carpal tunnel syndrome, acupuncture was useful as an additional treatment or as an acceptable alternative to be included in a comprehensive pain-management program.
Q Can biofeedback help migraines?
Biofeedback can be very helpful for migraine sufferers for which stress is one of their headache triggers. It helps people to recognize the stressful situations that trigger migraines as well as teaches them techniques that will reduce the stress in their bodies. Biofeedback involves attaching small metal sensors (electrodes) to the skin that measure the amount of muscle tension or skin temperature. These electrodes give you instant feedback on what techniques are working to help you reduce stress and open up blood flow to these areas of your body. If your migraine begins slowly, some people can use biofeedback to stop the attack before it is fully underway.
Q Can massage help migrains?
Massage is a great way to reduce stress and relieve muscle tension, which goes without saying. Peppermint and lavender oils, when used to massage the skin, may help manage migraines as well. It can't hurt to try this one! The worst that can happen is your skin is softer and your stress level goes down a few pegs. Ask someone to rub your neck and back, or treat yourself to a massage when you feel your stress building and muscles tensing.
Q What is the common treatment for headaches in general?
Traditional therapies seem to rely heavily on prescription medications. But more and more headache clinics and headache experts are taking a holistic approach to headache management, including diet therapy.
In general though, if you have occasional severe headaches, over-the-counter pain-relief medications can usually treat them effectively. However, if you have frequent mild headaches that occur more than three or four times a week, you could wind up taking too many over-the-counter analgesics, which is not a good thing. When you use these too frequently, you can actually promote chronic daily headaches (known as rebound headaches). It's a very good idea to see a physician about your frequent headaches, even if they are mild.
Q Can Botox help prevent headaches?
Botox may be considered the fountain of youth by celebrities and countless others, but can it help headaches? A few studies over the past couple of years have indicated that Botox helps migraine sufferers, although the most effective places on the head to inject the Botox is still unclear. A recent German study specifically looked at the success of Botox for the treatment of migraines, using different injection sites (various muscle groups in the forehead and/or neck). They found no significant reduction of migraine frequency, number of days with migraine, or amount of drugs needed to treat the migraine in those using Botox therapy compared to those in the placebo group. The researchers do note that other injection sites and other doses of Botox might be effective in a defined subgroup of patients.
Q When should a headache be considered an emergency situation?
Is it the first headache you've ever had? If so, treat it as an emergency.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Headaches and Migraines"
by .
Copyright © 2005 Elaine Magee.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Frederick Freitag, D.0.,
Introduction,
Chapter 1: The Who, What, Where, Why, and How of Headaches and Migraines,
Chapter 2: The Most Common Types of Headaches and What You Need to Know About Them,
Chapter 3: Everything You Ever Wanted to Ask a Dietitian About Headaches and Migraines,
Chapter 4: The 10 Foods Steps to Freedom,
Chapter 5: 21 Recipes That May Help Your Headaches,
Chapter 6: Supermarket Shopping Made Simple,
Chapter 7: Restaurant Do's and Don'ts,
Chapter Notes,
Index,
About the Author,