Migraine and diet

Migraine is multidimensional and complicated condition stemming from both genetic and environmental factors. Efforts have been made to find efficient and safe prevention and treatment strategies, however the available medications or protocols not related to drugs are still an incomplete solution. Therefore, migraine is still difficult to manage. Researchers have tried to elaborate lifestyle change strategies to prevent and treat headache, inlc. to adjust diet as a therapy for headache, including migraine 1 Nutrients. 2020 Jun; 12(6): 1658. Published online 2020 Jun 3. doi: 10.3390/nu12061658; PMCID: PMC7352457; PMID: 32503158; Migraine and Diet; Parisa Gazerani .

The idea of specific migraine diets evolved along with other diets. Many of them are not targeting migraine-triggering mechanisms and are not evidence-based. In order to achieve the optimum result, it could be worthwhile to try diets with proven efficiency.

Referring to the results of a study 2 Bunner, A. E., Agarwal, U., Gonzales, J. F., Valente, F., & Barnard, N. D. (2014). Nutrition intervention for migraine: a randomized crossover trial. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 15(1). doi:10.1186/1129-2377-15-69 we recommend consuming or to avoiding the following products for migraine prevention:

Products to be avoided

Grains:

  • Wheat 
  • Rye
  • Barley 
  • Corn

Pulses:

  • Soybeans 
  • Peas 
  • Peanuts

Fruit:

  • Citrus fruits (all)
  • Bananas 
  • Apples

Vegetables:

  • Nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, potatoes)
  • Allium genus (onions, garlic) 
  • Sweet potato, 
  • Celery

Other:

  • Animal products (all)
  • Nuts and seeds (all) 
  • Chocolate 
  • Sugar 
  • Coffee 
  • Tea
  • Alcohol

Products to be consumed

Grains:

  • Oats 
  • Rice 
  • Quinoa 
  • Buckwheat
  • Sorghum 
  • Millet 
  • Teff

Pulses:

  • Lentils

Fruit:

  • Pears 
  • Apricots
  • Blueberries 
  • Plums

Vegetables:

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli, cauliflower 
  • Brussels sprouts 
  • Cabbage 
  • Carrots 
  • Mustard, spinach, leafy greens 
  • Zucchini, pumpkin

Condiments:

  • Olive oil 
  • Vanilla extract
  • Maple syrup 
  • Brown rice syrup
  • Salt