Serious Food Triggers For Migraines

Chocolate

One of the reasons for chocolate triggering migraines is that many brands contain hidden caffeine. This means that migraine patients could be reliant on caffeine without knowing they are. Also, an amino acid called tyramine is found in many types of chocolate. Tyramine affects blood vessel dilation and lowers serotonin. Both of these effects can result in migraines.

Despite this, the major reason why chocolate can cause migraines is that individuals crave chocolate when they are stressed or because of changes in hormones. Stress and hormonal changes do cause migraines. However, consuming chocolate whenever these factors occur can make the brain build its own association with chocolate and migraines.

Uncover information on how sodium impacts migraines next.

Salty Foods

Sodium is a necessary part of an individual’s diet. However, it is very easy for individuals to consume too much salt. This puts them at risk for migraines in several ways. One is because after consuming salty foods, such as potato chips or lunch meat, individuals are often left feeling thirsty. Although they can fix this by drinking water, feeling thirsty means that they are already dehydrated. As mentioned previously, dehydration is a major cause of many headaches, including migraines.

Many salty foods are also highly processed. This means they will contain lots of chemical preservatives. Among the most common preservatives used are nitrates. Nitrates release nitric oxide into the blood. Many studies have made a strong connection between nitric oxide and migraine headaches.

Get the full details on another serious food trigger for migraines now.