Bad Headaches.. Migraines

[VEGIHEAD]

Any way to elimanite bad headachs..

Is there something I may not be eating enough of?

[nogardsram]

There are many, many, many, many reasons why people get headaches.

If they're bad, start with a doctor.

[Fyvel]

Migraines often have a trigger, and sometimes it's food related, sometimes it's other things (for example, I sometimes get a migraine if I let myself get dehydrated). Common food related migraine triggers are chocolate, caffeine (or suddenly not having caffeine when you're used to having it on a regular basis), MSG, red wine, aspartame, cheese, yeast, etc.

You could try keeping a diary - what you eat, what activities you do, and when you get headaches. See if you can find something common to your headaches, and then avoid it.

Good luck... I know how tough it can be to deal with migraines :hug:

[Princess78]

Stress and lack of sleep will give me a headache.Sometimes they are so bad that I even get queasy as well.Also dehydration,skipping meals and cigarette smoke will cause them.

[VEGIHEAD]

I have been very stressed this year.. Emotionally...
And I am thniking that is what is causing it..
Pluse I have been eating a bit too much junk..

I need to get bak to eating right as of today... :)

Thanks for all the tips guys.. :)
Oh I am going to start Yoga tomorrow nite..
Hoping that will help.. :)

[Fyvel]

:up: Good luck!

[animallover7249]

Good luck! I also suffer with Migraines so I know how you feel! :hug: :hug:

[Angelwing]

I get headaches often, and sometimes migraines. Salt always gives me headaches. It could be a number of things (food, sleep deprivation, loud noises, stress, rollercoasters). If they are bad/often enough, consult a dr.

[VEGIHEAD]

Yeah its kinda been a weekend thing on going..
So I might need to do a scan....

Its now at the stage of... very frustrating... :(

[animallover7249]

:hug:

[Doktormartini]

Migraines could be cause from a number of things. One is it could be a sign of the body detoxing. I doubt you are on any kind of detox diet so that probably isn't the reason. Another reason could be that it is a sign of an allergic reaction to certain foods. Try cutting out the highly allergenic foods for a couple of weeks to see if you notice any positive changes. These foods include: dairy, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and gluten...etc Also, eliminate the consumption of artificial sweeteners (Sucralose, Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Neotame...etc) and artificial dyes and colorings. Aspartame and MSG especially because they are neurotoxins.

Migraines can also be a sign of magnesium deficiency. About 80% or so of Americans are deficient in Magnesium.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=10874
http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/index.php?mode2=detail&origin=ibids_references&therow=354941
http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/index.php?mode2=detail&origin=ibids_references&therow=519844

Check with a naturopathic doctor or nutritionist to see if you are getting the right amounts of magnesium and other vitamins/minerals!

EDIT: Someone mentioned chocolate and caffeine. Caffeine can actually be a little addictive. If you drink a lot then stop for a period of time, you can get headaches. I used to drink 7+ cans of coke a day and quit literally overnight and didn't have any problems, but I know many people who get headaches if they don't have caffeine. One of my coworkers takes caffeine pills because "she cannot function without them." If you drink a lot of caffeine, I suggest quitting. Gradually wean yourself off caffeinated beverages. Chocolate should be ok because it has small amounts of caffeine and Theobromine (a chemical that is similar to caffeine). But if you eat chocolate, eat dark chocolate or raw chocolate because milk chocolate is poison. Raw chocolate preferably because it is a superfood :) As mentioned before, food isn't the only factor but it is a big one that should be looked into. Good luck!

[VEGIHEAD]

Doktormartini,,, Thanks for that...

I am vegan therefore dont have milk or milk chocolate..
But I have been having soylattes a few times a day..
As well as dark chocolate..
I have hear that chocolate is great for you but can also cause headachs..

Maybe just theemotional year ive had plus a few food issues isnt helping..

What is high in magnesium?

[Doktormartini]

Doktormartini,,, Thanks for that...

I am vegan therefore dont have milk or milk chocolate..
But I have been having soylattes a few times a day..
As well as dark chocolate..
I have hear that chocolate is great for you but can also cause headachs..

Maybe just theemotional year ive had plus a few food issues isnt helping..

What is high in magnesium?
Well, raw chocolate is supposedly the food with the highest magnesium count according to David Wolfe. I don't know if this is 100% true, but it is very high in it. Green leafy vegetables have high magnesium contents as well.

Here is a list from the USDA showing Magnesium content of a number of foods:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/wtrank/sr17a304.pdf

Foods really high according to that chart:
Brazil Nuts
Oat Bran
Pumpkin Seeds
Soybeans (hint soybeans not processed soy). Tofu I believe is pretty good :)
Spinach

EDIT: Interesting! According to this, some people crave chocolate because they are low in Magnesium:
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0002822399003077

[jenni-anti-fur]

I get Badd Headaches myself and was trying to keep a log about what I was eating that triggered them..and found out it was splenda...so I cut it out of my diet completely and they have gotten sooo much better....Hope youre feeling better soon.:pibo:

[Doktormartini]

I get Badd Headaches myself and was trying to keep a log about what I was eating that triggered them..and found out it was splenda...so I cut it out of my diet completely and they have gotten sooo much better....Hope youre feeling better soon.:pibo:
Nice! Good job! Out of curiosity, did you happen to cut out the other artificial sweeteners as well?

Also for those that don't know, Splenda = Sucralose.

[janiejones]

also....if you have any pressure/drainage in your head or face area, it could be a sinus infection....those are pretty bad and hopefully you could get something to clear it up quickly if that was the case.

[Kristen4382]

*hugs*
Have been on preventative meds for a few years now. 'Preventative' my ass. I had two or three weeks this year where I had 9 migraines. Sometimes I find I'm dehydrated, so as the others have said make sure you drink plenty of water, other times I just wake up feeling like I'll spend the entire day with my head over the toilet bowl :( On those days when I'm feeling sick, I generally [eventually] try to force myself to eat something, whether its a banana [works for me. I rate bananas very highly] or a piece of toast with vegemite. Just something to take the focus off the pain. Also massage occasionally helps but not a great deal in my case. I find massage also works when you don't have a migraine. :yes: I think someone here or on facebook suggested rosemary, as well as acupuncture [I'm a cheapskate and look for the cheapest methods! Yeah, like medication every day of my life...]

A decent diary [can't find the one I use]...:
http://www.migrainehelp.com/pdf/MigraineDiary.pdf

Info:
http://www.nationalpharmacies.com.au/advice_cards/Migraine.pdf

Good luck, hope it's only temporary.

[Elanor]

Another thing to keep in mind if you get headaches is teeth-grinding while sleeping. I grind my teeth while I sleep and have to wear a bite guard, otherwise I wake up with a terrible headache.

For you, it does sound like a trigger, but if you're stressed and grinding your teeth, too, then you may want a bite guard.

[Doktormartini]

*hugs*
Have been on preventative meds for a few years now. 'Preventative' my ass. I had two or three weeks this year where I had 9 migraines. Sometimes I find I'm dehydrated, so as the others have said make sure you drink plenty of water, other times I just wake up feeling like I'll spend the entire day with my head over the toilet bowl :( On those days when I'm feeling sick, I generally [eventually] try to force myself to eat something, whether its a banana [works for me. I rate bananas very highly] or a piece of toast with vegemite. Just something to take the focus off the pain. Also massage occasionally helps but not a great deal in my case. I find massage also works when you don't have a migraine. :yes: I think someone here or on facebook suggested rosemary, as well as acupuncture [I'm a cheapskate and look for the cheapest methods! Yeah, like medication every day of my life...]

A decent diary [can't find the one I use]...:
http://www.migrainehelp.com/pdf/MigraineDiary.pdf

Info:
http://www.nationalpharmacies.com.au/advice_cards/Migraine.pdf

Good luck, hope it's only temporary.
Eat chocolate! Preferably raw but dark is good too! Really high in magnesium!

[Kristen4382]

Eat chocolate! Preferably raw but dark is good too! Really high in magnesium!
Magnesium....would be found in the vegan chocolate too yeah? Might have a look next time I'm at the vegan store. Is it sort of a preventative thing? Like, how they say a glass of red wine each evening is good for you [in between when they warn you about alcohol and addiction etc!]? [Thanks for the tip :)]

PS. I have that picture on your avatar shirt on a bag. Love it!

[Fyvel]

Magnesium....would be found in the vegan chocolate too yeah? Might have a look next time I'm at the vegan store. Is it sort of a preventative thing? Like, how they say a glass of red wine each evening is good for you [in between when they warn you about alcohol and addiction etc!]? [Thanks for the tip :)]

PS. I have that picture on your avatar shirt on a bag. Love it!

Be aware that red wine and chocolate can both be migraine triggers for some people.

[Kristen4382]

Be aware that red wine and chocolate can both be migraine triggers for some people.Yeah, I've heard that... luckily I'm not so much into either [I refer to red wine as 'poison', which is not cool when I work in a restaurant and openly referred to it as such at a wine tasting last year:help:]

It's so annoying when you go and have scans, eliminate certain things from your diet, try medication etc and still nobody can put their finger on what it is that's causing them :-/ I ended up with glasses and getting the wisdom teeth out in a bid to help things. Of course I needed these things anyway, but it began because of my head :no:

[Shmi Skywalker]

Make sure you're drinking enough water, and maybe try a calcium supplement if you think you might possibly be deficient.

[VEGIHEAD]

Thanks heaps guys...

Im going to go and get glasses as I need them for long distance and Im going to cut back on the chocolate.. Cause I eat dark vegan chocolate and a bit too much...lol..
That can be a problem..

I think they are coming with a few different things..
So Ill see how I go..


Thanks again.. :)