Do you suffer from frequent or occasional headaches? More than 32% of people report getting a headache at least once a week. The debilitating pain from a headache can ruin an otherwise productive day – costing you money. New research shows you may be able to avoid headaches just by changing a few things in your diet…
The worst culprit is caffeine. Eliminating caffeine from your diet can be tricky, because if you’re been drinking coffee or tea for a while, you may go through a series of “withdrawal” headaches for days after quitting. The best advice: Eliminate caffeine SLOWLY from your diet. If you drink 2 cups a day, try going to 1/2 cup twice a day for 2 days…then 1/4 cup twice a day for 2 days…then 1/4 cup once a day for 2 days…then try quitting altogether. Replace your old caffeinated drinks with decaf coffee, tea and soft drinks, and you could see your headaches dwindle or disappear altogether.
Another culprit may be high fat foods. Scientists have found that high fat foods (fast foods and high fat dairy) increase the frequency of headaches. Limit your fat intake to 20% of your calories. Avoid any foods that contain hydrogenated oils (usually found in margarine, snack foods, and many bakery foods).
You might also consider avoiding wine, aged cheeses, and deli meats. These are high in tyramine, which can cause vascular spasms. And lastly, stay away from foods with additives like MSG (monosodium glutamate), nitrates and nitrites, which dilate blood vessels and can trigger migraine headaches.
