For example, caffeine and chocolate are among the “suspected” foods, but this is not always the case. And it investigates the mechanisms that link those suffering from headaches to the consumption of sweets
Was it something I ate? Often those who suffer from
recurring headaches tries to attribute the cause of the attacks to external factors, in the hope of being able to control them. Foods fit into this hypothesis. But they really exist foods that promote headaches
or, on the contrary, can they avert it?
“Ambivalent” foods
“There are classifications of foods allegedly harmful to migraine sufferers, but many of these are even protective for other patients – he replies Cherubino Di Lorenzo, neurologist of the Polo Pontino of the Sapienza University of Rome -: there is no rule and the dynamics are very subjective. This is the case of the chocolateOften referred to as a pejorative factor, there actually seem to be far more people benefiting from it. The coffee for many it is a detonator of the attack, yet several migraine medications contain caffeine. Also milk derivatives in some they induce crisis because lactose or casein (if not digested well) can have an inflammatory effect on the intestine, but this does not always happen ».
The role of sweets
In recent studies, attention has shifted to the mechanisms that bind headache sufferers to consumption of sweets: while before it was thought they were triggers of the disorder, now it is thought that they may be predictive. The search for sugars would be an extreme attempt by the brain to “cure itself”: the food itself is ineffective, but when the headache arrives in the patient’s memory, the association between having eaten sweets (or carbohydrates) remains and having been hurt. «The migraine crisis is always a discrepancy between the energy demand of the brain and the available energy. When we eat sugars – explains Di Lorenzo – we unconsciously have the idea that more energy will reach the brain and we are pushed to do so also because, with the insulin spike that is created later, we are able to better absorb tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is a prelude to production. of serotonin (the neutrotransmitter of tranquility and good mood). The desire for sweets is therefore an automatism driven by these factors that is set in motion by the brain just before the crisis, but it does not mean that these foods are the very cause of headaches “.
The suspects
Net of subjectivity, we can say that alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, citrus and dried fruit are the most suspicious categories to be potential headache facilitators (for those prone to the disorder). On the other hand, it seems that there are no preventive foods, but we know that some spices (ginger or turmeric) are used in food preparations more appreciated by patients.
The timetables
Another factor to take into consideration are the methods and characteristics of meals: it is not advisable to fast (but above all change schedules), or eating very heavy foods or do the loading of sugars. Generally all aspects of the so-called western diet (the typical diet of Western countries with a high fat and sugar content and low fiber intake) are associated with a worsening of migraines: “Those who follow these habits generally also have an unhealthy lifestyle – specifies Di Lorenzo -. Certainly in countries that tend to “westernize” the incidence of headaches is increasing: there are lifestyles that are a bit calmer which ensure that even the brain is better off ».
Follow your body
Since the impact of individual foods on the body is subjective, one must learn to getting to know each other to understand which foods are good for us (or bad): «Headache is an alarm bell and signals something that is bothering us and it can be food – observes the expert -. It is best to eat as balanced and healthy a diet as possible and to exercise, trying to keep your weight under control. The advice is to eat as if grandma were cooking us without demonizing anything. Also be careful not to follow scribbled diets: there are dietary therapies aimed at migraine sufferers, but they must be prescribed by a doctor ».
July 4, 2022 (change July 4, 2022 | 10:48)
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