There are many people who suffer from migraine attacks, perhaps for many and varied reasons, ranging from hormonal or emotional factors to physical and environmental factors.
Migraines often impair our ability to concentrate and make it very difficult to carry out our daily activities, as they cause severe pain. Migraines, in particular, are very stressful and can cause people to lie down in a dark room for a few hours until the headache has passed.
A recent study found that migraine attacks may not be as random as we think, and what we eat can play a big part in them.
In the study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Neuroscience, Nutritional neuroscienceThe researchers looked at historical patient data and found that mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition were associated with participants experiencing severe headaches more frequently.
Expressive
The researchers also noted that those suffering from severe headaches and migraines often ate a diet lacking in vitamins and nutrients.
More specifically, the team observed that the diets of severe headache and migraine patients tended to be deficient in vitamins and nutrients such as dietary fiber, total folic acid, riboflavin, selenium, potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C and vitamin K.
These individuals also drank more coffee and consumed more theobromine, which is found in chocolate.
As a result, the team concluded that diet is associated with migraine risk and severity.
Dr Sidney Green told Eat This Not That: ‘Migraines can be triggered by low blood sugar. If someone goes for long periods between meals, skip meals or eliminate major food groups, especially carbohydrates, as this can cause blood sugar levels to drop, which leads to headaches.
She added: “Prolonged malnutrition usually leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, deficiencies of certain vitamins (mainly B vitamins) and the mineral magnesium, and this can contribute to more severe migraine attacks.”
