Not every migraine attack is triggered by a food. We should never forget that food triggers migraine 1) only when a person is already under emotional stress, and 2) when the stabilizing effect of normal adrenal hormone output is at a low point in its daily cycle. What this means is mat without our being aware of it. Stages 1 and 2 in the headache process could have already occurred.
But studies have shown that at least 25 to 30 per cent of migraineurs can benefit from diet and nutritional therapy, while the elimination of trigger foods could probably prevent migraine attacks in as many more. Only a few may actually be triggering your headaches.
Assuming you are suffering from fairly frequent chronic migraines, you should be able to identify your personal trigger foods by using an elimination diet. This involves a simple three-step process.
* Step 1. Begin an anti-migraine diet, eating only foods unlikely to trigger a headache. If after ten days, your migraines have ceased, this is a good indication that your headaches may be due to one or more trigger foods.
* Step 3. Every two days, reintroduce a single suspect food into your diet. During a 48-hour period, eat several helpings, especially in the evening. If you get a headache, eliminate mat food and return to your antimigraine diet for another 4 days. Then introduce the next suspect food. And so on.
At this point, you are cautioned not to begin an elimination diet without your doctor’s specific approval. However, provided you do not test more than four foods at one time (over a total of eight days of testing), there is little risk for a healthy person. If at any time while on the elimination diet or while testing foods, you experience any unusual symptoms, pain, digestive disorder or pronounced discomfort, stop the diet and return to your normal eating patterns immediately.
OB the other hand, you don’t need to give in too easily. Don’t give up just because you crave a certain forbidden food, or because it’s difficult to adjust to new eating patterns, or because of pressure from relatives or friends.
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