- Health Problems Associated -
- with Some Foods -

Migraine and food

A variety of factors have been reported to trigger migraine attacks. Stress is probably the most widely recognized trigger for migraine. Stress may be brought about by emotional shock noise, glare or some other condition. Some studies on migraine have claimed that diet is a trigger factor. Between 5 and 30 per cent of migraine sufferers believe that food plays a part in their migraine. Much of the evidence linking diet and migraine is scientifically unsound. It frequently relies on the patient recognizing a link between the eating of a certain food and the attack Such links may be difficult to establish, particularly if the food responsible is consumed up to 24 hours before the attack The foods most commonly associated with triggering migraine are given in Figure 42.

Many other foods are implicated, but less frequently. There have been conflicting results from scientific studies examining the effects of food on migraine sufferers; probably a combination of factors is involved in triggering an attack It may be that there is a spectrum of response to dietary items, varying from very mild to very intense. With some sufferers, a particular food might always precipitate an attack, while with others, the food trigger may only be effective in combination with other factors, such as hormonal change or stress. Diets that avoid certain foods can have serious nutritional consequences if maintained for long periods, depending on the number and type of foods avoided, and they should only be followed under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian.