8 SEEMINGLY-HARMLESS FOOD THAT CAN TRIGGER MIGRAINE
1. Coffee: Contrary to the popular belief of coffee relieving headaches, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that drinking more than 3 cups of coffee in a day can increase the risk of getting migraines. In fact, excess consumption of other caffeinated drinks like tea and colas were also found to be quite dangerous.
2. Alcohol: If you’re prone to migraine attacks, you don’t want to worsen your situation by drinking alcohol. No, this isn’t another one of my attempts to get you to stop or limit your alcohol consumption.
A study published in the European Journal of Neurology reported alcohol as a trigger for migraines. You obviously know how booze can relax your blood vessels. But what you don’t know is how that relaxation can lead to an increased blood flow to the brain which can trigger a severe headache and make your migraine worse.
3. Chinese food: From the mouth-watering kung pao chicken to the spicy chilly-garlic noodles, all things Chinese can cause migraine, thanks to the presence of MSG (Monosodium glutamate), a food additive used extensively in Chinese cuisine to enhance the taste of the food.
4. Artificial sweeteners: The American Foundation of Migraine touts artificial sweeteners like aspartame as a big-time migraine trigger. So be careful, ladies. The idea of cutting down sugar and calories can backfire to give you a headache.
5. Chocolate: Many neurologists believe that the presence of the amino acid tyramine in chocolates is the reason behind this heart-breaking connection between everyone’s go-to sweet and the much-hated migraine. However, many others give chocolate the benefit of doubt because usually we crave for chocolates in times of stress and headaches could happen because of stress, not the chocolate.
6. Hot dogs: Just like Chinese food, frozen meat, salami, and sausages contain a powerful food additive for the purpose of preservation. I am talking about the super-harmful nitrates which can disrupt the flow of oxygen in the blood and trigger a migraine attack.
7. Fancy cheeses: Turns out, chocolates and cheese have a commonality other than being everyone’s absolute favorite. They both contain the headache-causing tyramine. So, you might want to stay away from cheese if you’re prone to migraines.
8. Yogurt: A recent study conducted at the University of California, San Diego, found out about the involvement of gut bacteria in triggering a migraine. As it turns out, yogurt can be an enemy for people suffering from migraines.
