I have headaches...who eats organic fruits/veggies?

curvykim78

I have had headaches for over a year now. I have them usually 3-4 days out of the week. I've been to the doctor and tried a bunch of medicines...anti depressants, muscle relaxers, blood pressure medicines, and more. Nothing has worked. The muscle relaxers worked for a little while, but now my headaches are coming back. I've also seen a neurologist as well who says they sound like cluster or rebound tension headaches.
I asked a few friends today about their headaches and it was mentioned to me that maybe it's the foods I am eating. It was suggested to me that maybe since I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, I should buy organic. Maybe it's the chemicals and pesticides giving me a headache all the time. ( I eat generally healthy most of the time.) Has anyone else had this problem or does eating organic foods make a difference in your health?

curvykim78

bump

skinnynerd

Foods trigger my headaches. My triggers are corn and corn products. Look at your food diary the next time you get a headache. I started writing down every single time I got a headache and then I figured out that it was corn. It might be worth a shot.

curvykim78

Thanks, that might be worth trying.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Processed foods caused my migraines, any and all of them. Even salad dressings, ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc.

I started making my own marinades, dressings, sauces, etc

Some fruits and vegetables I eat conventional and others I eat organic. No more headaches.

curvykim78

I'm just wondering if the extra cost of organics are worth it...i was hoping others would help me out.

skylark94

It's always worth a try, but I wouldn't count on it. Trial and error is all you can do.

I've been struggling with rebound headaches for years. I'm certain that the Excedrin I take is what is causing them, but I have never been able to beat them. Cutting out all or various combinations of ingredients has yielded no results and only led to debilitating pain. For now, I live with the headaches and 2-3 doses of Excedrin every day.

What did your neurologist day about possible food causes?

dward2011

I am a long-time sufferer of migraines and headaches. Eventually my doctor and I figured out that my trigger was a hydration issue. At first we thought it was a food trigger so I began keeping a journal/log of everything I ate (and included liquids). Long story short: I HAVE to be properly hydrated every day with water. I drink 8-10 glasses of water on a typical day, and bump that up with activity (ie: I drink much more after running a long distance race).

Something to consider, but please keep in mind that I did not arbitrarily choose my water intake. I still have an odd day where I do not reach my intake goal... and the headaches/migraines hit me. They are much more manageable now and I only need an over-the-counter remedy.

Good luck!

EccentricDad

Have you tried a Gluten Free and Casein Free diet yet? You could be feeding yourself a food intolerance and not even know it.

EccentricDad

I'm just wondering if the extra cost of organics are worth it...i was hoping others would help me out.

In the long run? Yes, organics are always better than processed. In the short run, you won't feel the difference unless EVERYTHING you eat is organic.

doubglass

It is very unlikely that it is pesticides. Tension or sinus are much more likely. Keep a diary--not just a food diary. Note travel, your general environment. Note, video games and tv use (both can trigger seizures in overly sensitive people. Watch the barometric pressure, weather and wind and note how much sleep you get (a clue to tension). Watch what is blooming outside. Mold, mildew, or simple allergies are more likely. You will encounter them in higher concentrations than pesticides. Much of that stuff breaks down long before food gets to the market and it is all washed pretty well and often.

DeeDel32

A friend of mine suffers from cluster headaches and was told by his MD to avoid nitrates.

Maybe give that a try?

WendyTerry420

The only foods that have ever given me a headache are foods containing MSG and foods containing suclarose.

saverys_gal

I wish you luck! It's worth trying for a while to see if it helps. I've been suffering from migraines for over 4 years now and after all that time the only triggers my neuro and I have found are stress and weather. However, personally I notice that if I get off track with my exercise and start eating a lot of processed and/or takeout food I get them more frequently.

hatescardio

I would also suggest taking a look at the artificial sweeteners if you're using any. Some can have some pretty uncomfortable side effects for different people. Also - if you're taking in less caffeine than normal that can give you headaches. One last suggestion that I just recently found was that headaches can be a sign of dehydration - the article I found suggested drinking a glass of water and give yourself a little time to see if that takes away your headache.

**you can never go wrong going organic**

hatescardio

The herbal supplement Feverfew helps with migraines....but you cannot take it as a constant supplement. As with anything, too much is never a good thing.
Do some research but I do know people that it has helped. This is preventative only - not something you take, like Advil, if you're symptomatic

eireannyoung

I have a friend who used to get migraines all the time - her triggers were soy and MSG. It had something to do with how the glutamic acid was processed in those.

LishaCole

I suffered with migraines/headaches for years. I have found that proper hydration and magnesium supplementation (250 mg+/day) have been key. 85% of North American women are deficient in magnesium, and it is essential for muscle relaxation. I used to get headaches 3+ times a weak, and they would often progress into migraines. I maybe get headaches once a month now. Normally only when I eat peanuts or dark chocolate while being dehydrated/stressed.

126siany

If they are cluster headaches, I wonder if the common migraine triggers also influence them?

Off the top of my head (migraines in the family):

-Nitrates. So any cured meats and some cold cuts. Bacon, hot dogs, etc.

-Citrus

-Chocolate

-Caffeine

-MSG

-Aged Cheeses

-Wine

I know I'm forgetting some.

Hormones can also play a big role. I've had a few migraines and they have nearly always come on the first day of my cycle. If you mark your headaches on the calendar, you may find that your headaches coincide with a particular point in yours.

I hope you can figure out a way to prevent your headaches.

ThePhoenixRose

my brother has had debilitating migraines for as long as i can remember. to the point where he would end up in the hospital usually about once a month vomitting so much and in such pain that all they could do is put him on enough narcotics to knock him out till it passed. NOT FUN!

roughly a year ago, he went to a diet of only fresh fruits and veggies. beans and legumes as well, so he gets a bit more protein. he's not had a headache since. not one.

efarester

I have had migraines for years. I read the book the 1-2-3 Migraine Diet earlier this year. It gave a nice explanation of how triggers work and how food triggers work. Food triggers can take up to 2-3 days to cause an issue. They can also cause an issue one time and not another. This can make finding them super tough. Because of MFP - I could look at a week of headaches - go back 2-3 days from each one and look for common foods. I have found that both chocolate and bananas (Boo) are triggers for me. I haven't found anything else yet food wise. The other big trigger I recently discovered is barometric pressure. It has been raining off and on and our weather has been nutty this summer - so I think that is playing a huge role for me too. Tracking is definitely key. I hope you figure out a few triggers. I know by eliminating chocolate, I dropped my headaches quite a bit.