Headaches seem such a common ailment that many of us do not even find the need to take them seriously. Stress, tension, arguments, work or exams pressure-anything and everything seems reason enough to trigger a headache. In many individuals, food allergies, low sugar levels, intake of very cold liquids, sudden cessation from caffeine or nicotine or poor food choices are also seen to bring on headaches. Reaching for an aspirin may be the easiest way of dealing with an headache, but remember, by doing this, you may be enabling a more serious problem to remain undetected.
The vast majority of headaches are benign and self-limiting. Common causes are tension, migraine, eye strain, dehydration, low blood sugar, and sinusitis. The most common type of vascular headache is migraine. Often described as an intense throbbing or dull aching pain in one area of the head, migraine is frequently accompanied by nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, inability to concentrate and intolerance towards light, sound, odor etc. Migraine attacks could last for hours, days or weeks disrupting your lifestyle. Though the exact cause of migraine is unknown just about anything can set it off. Migraine is often hereditary and is also largely interlinked with the dietary choices you make.
Muscular (or myogenic) headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles and cervical headache is often precipitated by neck movement and/or sustained awkward head positioning. Inflammatory headaches, on the other hand are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from stroke to sinus infection.
Headaches may also be triggered by certain specific foods, and simply changing your diet could be the most effective treatment. Once you and your doctor have ruled out other potentially more serious causes for your headaches, take a look at what you eat every day and see if eliminating common trigger foods eliminates your headaches.
Common foods believed to trigger migraine include cabbage, tomato, onions, brinjal, pineapple, potatoes, canned fish, alcohol (mainly red wine and beer), chocolates, smoked meats, yoghurt, canned fish, peanuts, caffeine, milk, yeast-based foods such as cakes, bread etc, foods containing mono-sodium glutamate, food colours and artificial sweeteners present in jams, jellies etc. Cheese, citrus fruits such as oranges, sweet lime, lemon and grapefruit and ice-cold food or drinks are also believed to trigger headaches.
DIET THERAPY
It can be challenging to discover the exact food or foods that may contribute to headache and migraine. It is best to consult health care professionals to ensure an appropriate diagnosis and course of action. Generally speaking, treatment options can include:
- Blood sugar headaches – avoid high glycemic index foods and try keeping your blood sugar levels constant by eating regularly.
- Caffeine headaches – Quitting too abruptly and too suddenly might lead to severe headaches. Your body needs time to adapt, so gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume over a period of days or weeks.
- Detoxify from time to time. Detoxification which can be done by using specific herbs and vegetable juices helps to eliminate accumulated toxins (a cause for headaches) from the body enabling smooth functioning of your body organs and improves health. Once you detect the causative factor behind your migraine attack, you might be able to defend yourself against a future attack. All you have to do is inculcate a certain amount of discipline. Avoid the particular food that annoys you, no matter how much you like it. Take preventive measures, if it is pre-menstrual, stress-related or due to skipping a meal and soon enough you will find the flashing of bulbs in your head fizzle out.
- Fish oils such as Omega 3 can help to prevent onset of headache. Likewise, garlic (fresh or in capsule form) is also an effective remedy for this condition. Estrogen supplements and oral contraceptives are also believed to be migraine triggers, which perhaps explain why more women suffer from migraine as compared to men.
- Consume ground flaxseeds or alsi seeds everyday- these contain Omega-3 fats which control prostaglandin synthesis that control pain. 2-4 tablespoons of alsi seed powder consumed regularly for 2-3 months could reduce frequency of headaches substantially. Eating fish 2-3 times a week also delivers similar benefits.
- Try some ginger. It helps control prostaglandins, the hormone like substance that controls pain. Yes ginger is a pain reliever. Take one teaspoon of pickled ginger or just slice an inch of fresh ginger, squeeze some lemon on it with a dash of black salt and chew it slowly. At the first sign of a headache if you manage to do this you may prevent a full-blown migraine. Ginger works like asprin leading to reduction in pain.
- Meditations, deep breathing exercises (pranayam) or exercising are good ways to de-stress. In fact, even walking briskly for half an hour could make a difference and help to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.
- Head aches related to muscular problems may be solved by physiotherapy and those related to eye problems with a qualified opthamologist.
Most headaches have more than one contributing factors, hence being able to investigate and address each contributing factor would only ensure a successful treatment.
(As published in Hindustan Times dated November 18, 2019)
ANJALI MUKERJEE, Nutritionist, Founder Director-Health Total, having health centres in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune-treats obesity & other health related disorders.
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