Beat the Headache: Simple Eating Habits to Prevent Migraines

Migraines can be debilitating, affecting both your daily life and overall well-being. While medication can help, adjusting your diet and lifestyle is a natural way to reduce migraine frequency and intensity. By making small changes to what and how you eat, you can take control of your health and prevent migraines from interrupting your day. In this post, we’ll explore simple eating habits and lifestyle tips to help keep migraines at bay, so you can feel your best and stay migraine-free.

1. Eat Regularly

Skipping meals or fasting can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, which may trigger a migraine. Eating every 3-4 hours can help keep your blood sugar steady.

• Why This Helps: Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) can make you more sensitive to pain and can trigger a migraine. Small, balanced meals throughout the day are key.

  
  

2. Avoid Processed Foods

Highly processed foods contain preservatives, artificial colors, and flavor enhancers, which may trigger migraines in sensitive individuals. Preservatives like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and nitrates can cause problems.

• Why This Helps: These chemicals and additives can affect the nervous system and cause a migraine.

• Examples to avoid: Fast food, canned soups, packaged snacks, and processed meats.

  
  

3. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can easily trigger migraines, so it's important to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and also eat foods with high water content.

• Why This Helps: Water helps maintain proper blood volume and flow, and can prevent the blood vessels from narrowing, which can lead to headaches.

  
  

4. Keep a Food Diary

Keeping a food diary helps track which foods might trigger your migraines. It can be difficult to figure out patterns on your own, so writing down everything you eat and drink can help you make connections between foods and headache patterns

Sample Detailed Meal Plan

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with chia seeds (high in omega-3s), a handful of blueberries (rich in antioxidants), and a few almonds (magnesium-rich).

• Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus (high in fiber and healthy fats).

• Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with spinach (magnesium-rich), avocado (healthy fats), cucumber (hydrating), and olive oil dressing (anti-inflammatory).

• Snack: Apple slices with almond butter (fiber, healthy fats).

• Dinner: Grilled salmon (omega-3s), quinoa (fiber), and steamed broccoli (magnesium-rich).

  
  

By focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods and keeping track of potential triggers, you can develop a diet that minimizes migraine frequency and severity. If you want to learn more about ways to improve your health, the therapists at Engage have experiencing working with people along their health journey. Call our office in Syracuse NY at 315-810-2423 or email us at info@brainbodybetter.com with questions.