What is a migraine?
A migraine is not just a headache! It is a neurological disorder characterized by headaches, as well as a multitude of somatosensory and kinetic disorders, such as photophobia, phonophobia, vomiting, nausea, etc., which vary depending on the individual. It is the 3rd most common disorder worldwide, with approximately 12-20% of adults worldwide suffering from it. It mainly affects women. Although its pathophysiology is not yet fully understood, it seems that various nutritional factors are related to it.
There are foods, ingredients and/or behaviors that trigger migraine
• Alcohol, especially red wine
• Caffeine
• Milk and aged cheeses, such as parmesan, gruyere and kefalotyri
• Chocolate
• Aspartame, a sweetener
• Nuts, especially walnuts and cashews
• Citrus fruits, such as lemon, orange, tangerine and
• Monosodium glutamate and nitrates, which are ingredients mainly of processed products, including cold cuts.
• Lack of food consumption for a long period of time
• Being overweight and/or obese, as well as
• A diet high in fat and/or carbohydrates
Non-nutritional behaviors are:
• The existence and ineffective management of anxiety, stress
• Poor sleep quality, as well as
• The migraine itself.
The above non-nutritional behaviors seem to lead to increased consumption of food and especially foods rich in fat, behaviors that, as mentioned above, can cause and/or worsen migraine.
The Importance of Individualization
It is important to note that the foods/ingredients and behaviors above are the usual “suspects” that can trigger a migraine and are common reports from sufferers. However, it must be emphasized that each person is different and it does not mean that a food, ingredient or behavior that affects one person will affect another in the same way. It is of utmost importance for every person with migraine to investigate and understand when and how a food, ingredient or behavior affects their migraine episodes and how. For this purpose, keeping a food-migraine diary is useful.
The person records the following on a sheet of paper or on a ready-made form for each day:
• The time they ate a meal
• What they ate and how much
• If they did any activity at the same time, before or after or if there was any emotion
• If a migraine occurred afterwards, and if so, the time the migraine started and ended, the intensity of the pain, as well as how to deal with it
Through the food-migraine diary, it is possible for each person to determine individually, which dietary factor is affecting or not their migraine and to subsequently limit or change it.
In the following link you can find a ready-made recording form:
And finally, what can I do if I suffer from migraines? Can diet help me?
Yes, diet and a healthy lifestyle can contribute to migraine management. More specifically:
• Avoid foods, ingredients and behaviors that you have observed through a food-migraine diary that trigger your migraine.
• Try to maintain a healthy body weight.
• Try to follow a healthy and balanced diet
.• Try to eat small and frequent meals.
• Try to have a routine in your daily life, a schedule.
• Try to have a calm and sufficient sleep.
• Try to reduce or at least manage your stress.
• Include physical activity in your daily life.
• Receive appropriate medication if deemed necessary by your treating medical doctor.
In conclusion…
Migraine is not just a headache, but a disorder that directly affects the daily life of the person who suffers and needs treatment. There are various nutritional “suspects” and behaviors that have been associated with the occurrence of migraine and each person must identify them individually. A tool that will help in this investigation is the food-migraine diary. Finally, maintaining a healthy body weight and adopting a routine and a healthy and balanced lifestyle will help in better managing migraines in combination with taking medication, in cases where it is deemed necessary.