MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MIGRAINES |
Essense-of-Life.com encourages personal research and a balanced view of health and nutrition topics. The links below provide a broad overview of various research findings and hypothesis on the role of nutrition in health. This information is not intended to promote any particular product. Unless noted, the articles below do not include any scientific references. |
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01. |
Migraines / Headaches: Nutritional Causes, Prevention and Therapies |
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One important step in the prevention of migraines or a headache is keeping a diary to help identify as many triggers as possible. The most common dietary offenders include sulfites, red wine or other alcoholic beverages, nuts, aspartame, monosodium glutamate (MSG), caffeine intake or withdrawals (tea, cocoa products, chocolate), tyramine (some cheeses), nitrites / nitrates (salami, hot dogs, spinach, radishes, lettuce, celery, cabbage). |
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| 02. |
Vitamin B and Folic Acid 'Help Fight Migraines' |
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Migraines cause severe headaches and can also trigger nausea, vomiting, pins and needles and increased sensitivity to bright light, sound or smell. A typical attack can last from four to 72 hours and can be so debilitating that the sufferer is unable to work, and in some cases, even to leave a darkened room. The trial was founded on the theory that vitamin B supplements and folic acid will reduce the homocysteine and in turn, improve migraine symptoms. The success of the trial proved that "safe, inexpensive" supplements - rather than expensive medication that can have adverse side effects - could treat migraine patients. |
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03. |
Are Migraine Headaches a Symptom of a Magnesium Deficiency? |
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The link between magnesium deficiency and migraine headaches has been established through a large number of clinical studies. Studies show that around half of all the people who suffer from migraine headaches have a low amount of ionized magnesium in their blood. |
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| 04. |
Take Two Aspirin and Some Bacteria |
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Some headaches may be linked to infection with a common bug and daily doses of friendly bacteria could ward them off, preliminary research suggests. A study found that about 18 percent of chronic migraine sufferers were infected with the stomach bug helicobacter pylori and antibiotics appeared to clear the headaches. Adding the friendly bacteria Lactobacillus seemed to work even better. |
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05. |
Aspartame Consumption Strongly Associated with Migraines |
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There is little doubt that food allergy/intolerance is the major cause of migraine headaches. Aspartame is among the most common allergens. In one study, aspartame increased migraine frequency in more than 50 percent of the migraine patients. Aspartame may lower serotonin levels. |
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| 06. |
Relieving Headache and Migraine Pain Naturally With Food |
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Ginger, fish oil, and copper-rich foods are discussed. |
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| 07. |
Feverfew: An Herb To Stop Migraine Headaches |
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The compound in Feverfew is parthenolide, which inhibits the brains chemicals that dilate blood vessels. |
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| 08. |
Lithium Carbonate in the Treatment of Cluster Headaches |
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Beneficial results were obtained with dosages lower than those used for effective treatment of bipolar illness. It appears that lithium can be a useful drug in the treatment of cluster headaches |
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| 09. |
Glucosamine for Migraine Prophylaxis? |
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In one study, a substantial reduction in headache frequency and/or intensity was noted.
SCIENTIFIC STUDY |
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| 10. |
Serotonin: A Key to Migraine Disorders? |
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Low serotonin levels might cause blood vessels to dilate and cause migraines. |
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| 11. |
Coenzyme Q10 May Ward Off Migraine Attacks |
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Coenzyme Q10 proved to have a significant effect in reducing migraine propensity and had an extremely favorable side-effect profile. Migraines may be caused by a decrease in mitochondrial energy reserve, and that CoQ10 serves as an energy boost in the brain. |
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| 12. |
Low-Tyramine Headache Diet
(pdf file) |
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Each person may have different sensitivities to certain level of
Tyramine or other vasoactive compounds in foods. If you are not on
an MAO inhibitor, you should test the use of restricted foods in
limited amounts. |
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Key words for internet research: migraine and magnesium, migraine and lithium, migraine and Lactobacillus, migraine and seotonin, migraine and glucosamine sulfate, migraine and feverfew, migraine and ginger, migraine and fish oil, migraine and coenzyme q10 |
