The curse of migraine
More than two-thirds of the German population suffers from occasional headaches. About 10% of the population is even regularly afflicted by this pain. For some it even goes as far as chronic migraine. Unfortunately, in many social circles, headaches are still labeled as something insignificant. One should “just get a grip”. The frequent reproach and the diagnosis of the environment is therefore often: Wimp! We explain what migraine actually is and what role the right diet having migraine plays.
What is migraine?
To begin with, one thing can be stated: Not all headaches are the same, and not all migraines are the same. There are different forms of migraine. These in turn often all have a different origin and accordingly require a different form of therapy. Often, migraine is perceived as a pulsating, stabbing pain in one half of the head. In some cases, this pain may spread to the other side of the head and to the neck. This pain is also accompanied by other limitations such as hypersensitivity to light and noise sources. In some cases, the term “migraine with aura” is also used. In this form of migraine, restrictions affecting the field of vision, for example, and other hypersensitivities such as the sense of smell or skin sensitive to touch are added.
Causes – Tracking down the triggers
The triggers or causes of a migraine attack cannot be generalized. Every person who suffers from migraines reacts differently to different factors. Some people also have a genetic predisposition to migraine. However, the most common causes of the intensity and duration of a migraine are often reflected in one’s lifestyle. Stress, little sleep, excessive alcohol consumption or simply lack of fluids and food can provoke a new attack. So it is enormously important to keep track of what and how you did something before. You should also look back 1-2 days, as the reasons for the trigger may still be in this period. So you need to do some self-research to get to the bottom of your headache.
How the right diet can help with migraines
“You are what you eat!” – There’s more to this saying than you think. Everything we feed our body sooner or later also affects our well-being. Especially our food plays a big role in this. Not without reason, the templates for food production, whether fertilizers or food for slaughter animals, are controlled again and again under strict conditions. Many ingredients can have a supporting effect on triggering a migraine attack.
Water – The purifying source
It always sounds very banal and often as if the problem is not taken seriously: But water can make a lot of difference. Especially if you generally drink little or quench your thirst mostly with some sodas or alcoholic beverages, you should consider increasing your water consumption significantly. Other beverages should be consumed only occasionally. Especially sodas, as tasty as they are, are often loaded with a lot of dyes and artificial flavor enhancers that the body does not tolerate well. Instead, get yourself a water bubbler and, if possible, a decalcification system, then you will always be supplied with good water.
The ketogenic diet
It is controversial, but nevertheless already a therapy method, which promises improvement. Through the ketogenic diet you almost completely do without carbohydrates. You slowly acquire the physical state of so-called ketosis. In this state, the body begins to produce ketone bodies, which are an alternative source of energy for the brain. To explain the exact implementation of this ketogenic diet having migraine in detail here would be a bit beyond the scope of this article. However, in our main article on the ketogenic diet, we have already summarized for you exactly what happens with this form of diet and how you can benefit from it. In our interview with Elena Gross, we talked in more detail about the ketogenic diet as a diet having migraine and a possible form of therapy for migraine.
Organic food
Even though organic foods require a deeper reach into your wallet, you should consider staying away from cheap fruits/vegetables and meat. It is not uncommon for the animals that later end up in supermarkets to be fed certain additives. These additives can remain in the meat and likewise have an effect on your wellbeing. Migraine diet should consist of natural and unprocessed foods as much as possible. So if you have the ability to control what is in your food, do so. For example, even bake your own bread with certain ingredients using a bread maker.
Conclusion
So with migraines, it’s very important to pay attention to what foods you’re eating. Study the ingredients of your foods and drinks and try to find out if there are parallels between the intake of certain ingredients and the timing of your migraine attacks. Write down the suspected ingredients in a notebook and try to avoid or at least reduce them as much as possible. If you notice an improvement, you can be sure that these foods are the cause of your migraine. The right diet can help you fight your migraine attacks and increase your well-being. Nutrition influences our physical well-being to a great extent – who doesn’t know it, for example, when you have eaten a heavy meal and then feel totally tired and weak?
