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

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  • pikselinka
    pikselinka Posts: 154 Member
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    I've had similar problem. I tracked what I ate and I came to conclusion that RAW onion caused this, so I only eat well cooked onion anymore and have no problems. I really had pains with these migraines, a killer once I had one it lasted for days without break and it wasn't caused by periods. Try looking into which food you ate before you got a headache each time and you might get what's causing them.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    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.

    There are two major errors in this response.
    (1) " Yes, organics are always better than processed." The label organic refers to both the way something is grown, and the way it is processed. There are organically grown foods that are "processed" (e.g. refined sugar). And a conventionally grown apple is still "unprocessed," but covered in pesticides.
    (2) Levels of pesticide residue vary considerably among various fruits and vegetables, and not always in ways you'd think. For example, conventionally grown potatoes have high levels of pesticide residue, but conventionally grown sweet potatoes do not. If you cannot afford to do so (or just can't find everything you like to eat in organic), you do not need to eat 100% organic in order to *considerably* reduce your pesticide consumption. I'd recommend looking up the "dirty dozen" and the "clean 15" as a start for reducing pesticide consumption.
  • iLose2Gain
    iLose2Gain Posts: 138 Member
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    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?

    ^^I use to do this too until I read that 1.) Excedrin is really hard on your liver. & 2.) Taking over the counter meds longer than a week can cause what you are trying to prevent, in this case, headaches. I too am a migraine/headache sufferer & coming off Excedrin was HARD! My headaches were horrible!! I learned that I must drink water! If I stay hydrated they decreased!! For the time they don't, my doctor prescribe me Fioricet. This pill is great b/c it takes away the pain without the hard side effect like grogginess! I started taking them 3 times a day now I'm down to 3 times a month! I also learn that exercise is my best friend to overcome the onset of headaches. Just don't workout with one, it will get worse!!!
  • msrottie
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    A deficiency in magnesium can cause or make you more suseptible (sp) to migraine and cluster headaches. Migraines are usually caused by food and or environmental triggers, but a deficiency makes you more likely to get them. You need to ask your doctor about taking magnesium supplements if you have heart or bp problems, and you have to take calcium as well as magnesium, though at different times. your doctor can advise you on amounts that are safe for you - this is what worked for my sister who had cluster and migraine headaches for years - she did the whole food diary, kept a journal on stress things, seemed like she was always noting something so she could find the triggers - her headaches are pretty much gone now.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    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**

    this! I get migraines periodically and stress & allergies are my main triggers now however I used to get them 3-4 days a week and after reading up on artificial sweeteners I completely cut them out and noticed a HUGE difference. I didn't even realize how awfully clumsy I had become from them until I stopped using them. These days I use stevia for the most part, occasionally I'll have things with sucralose (that never gave me headaches but I did notice it was giving my stomach aches and made me bloated) or just have things unsweetened. Thankfully stevia is mainstream now so its pretty cheap and easy to get :)

    organic is good but I believe the effects of the pesticides are more long term than short term, its always good to eat organically as much as you are able to. there have been studies that test which foods have higher amounts of pesticides on them so you can aim to eat less of those, here's one article: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#slide-1
    in general fruits & veggies that you eat the skin of or that grow in the ground, or leaf veggies are higher in pesticides and should be bought organic whenever possible, foods with thicker skins (bananas, oranges, coconuts) are lower in pesticides because you peal off the skin that was exposed before eating.

    Side note: salad greens are super easy to grow organic inside, I grew them all winter (then my dogs destroyed my indoor greenhouse so I have to buy another one!) they grow quickly and are very cheap :)
  • anacsitham5
    anacsitham5 Posts: 814 Member
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    I agree with everyone else. Monitor what you have eaten when you get the headaches. It may take awhile but you should be able to narrow it down. I found mine were the result of my neck being out of alignment. I go to the chiropractor once or twice a month and I'm doing super now!
  • zoeluiisa
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    Have you had your eyes tested recently? Just a thought.
  • iLose2Gain
    iLose2Gain Posts: 138 Member
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    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!

    ^^^Yes pls consider water! It is very important! Also try ginger, they help with inflammatory problems such as migraines (which is inflammation of the brain vessels). I use to make a ginger drink 3 times a day, 8oz of hot water, 2 tbsp of grated ginger juice, 1 tbsp of organic, raw honey. Another drink for migraines @ the 1st site of it take 4 oz of hot water (as hot as you can drink fast) & 1 tsp of cayenne pepper. Drink REALLY fast!! Then rest for 15 min! Helped me a lot!!

    In regards to your fruit, you may also want to look at how much you are eating. Too much may cause headaches. Even though it is good for you, everything in moderation.

    Check out this article. http://www.foodandhealing.com/articles/article_headaches.htm

    Taking care of yourself is a journey. We all learned from trial & error!

    Hope this helps! :smile:
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
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    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.

    There are two major errors in this response.
    (1) " Yes, organics are always better than processed." The label organic refers to both the way something is grown, and the way it is processed. There are organically grown foods that are "processed" (e.g. refined sugar). And a conventionally grown apple is still "unprocessed," but covered in pesticides.
    (2) Levels of pesticide residue vary considerably among various fruits and vegetables, and not always in ways you'd think. For example, conventionally grown potatoes have high levels of pesticide residue, but conventionally grown sweet potatoes do not. If you cannot afford to do so (or just can't find everything you like to eat in organic), you do not need to eat 100% organic in order to *considerably* reduce your pesticide consumption. I'd recommend looking up the "dirty dozen" and the "clean 15" as a start for reducing pesticide consumption.

    All I was referring to was her migraine symptoms. Her body would have to repair whatever damage was done before she wowould get relief and if she eats some organic but mostly dirty and processed foods then she isn't going to get the relief she seeks sshort term. Also, organic is an unregulated term; so I can make a product that is handled organicly in my hands but the ssuppliers might not be as clean as I am and their organic flour might have pesticides on it. Sadly, we put too much faith in big brother to save us from the bad guys and the bad guys only have to pay fines when caught.
  • TheNewReen
    TheNewReen Posts: 27 Member
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    I've had migraines for as long as I can remember. Before I started eating organic & cutting out most of my processed foods, I was getting migraines at LEAST twice a week. Ever since I switched to organic and cut out my trigger foods (Caffeine, too much of either Yellow 5 and Red 40 food dyes, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are 3 of my main triggers. Certain non organic meats and veggies are as well but it depends on where its from etc.) It took me a year of journaling my food and health to figure some of these out. Anything is worth a try! If it doesn't work, at least you're eating healthier. And you can always try other things. :)
  • reddi2roll
    reddi2roll Posts: 356 Member
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    It is always worth eating organic but I doubt that it has anything to do with your headaches. They do cost more but you can't wash off the pesticides that are sprayed on non organic foods. The soft shelled foods are the worst ie celery, lettuce, blueberries, strawberries, apples, pears etc. Have at the pineapples, watermelon etc after washing the outside before cutting. If it is cluster headaches you would have to research it to find out about treatment but if it is migraine I would suggest you google migraine triggers. The food list is long and other factors such as hormone fluctuations, irregular sleep, stress etc. can trigger them. I avoided all migraine trigger foods for about 5 yrs. Not every food on the list would be a trigger for you but you have to monitor carefully. Migraines can occur from 10 min to up to 3 days after a trigger so if you are introducing a food back in you have to make sure you don't eat another trigger for the 3 day period. Once you get a migraine it can last up to 3 days so you end up just going from one to the next. Need to watch all ingredients for MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, aspertaine and artificial sweeteners. The other food items on the list are pretty self explanatory. Some people are sensitive to bread (yeast) and dairy but I was not. Once I started taking very low dose Pamelor my headaches went away and I can now eat anything I want. Good luck.
  • katiejarr
    katiejarr Posts: 251 Member
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    Hormones can be a huge trigger in migraines. I never got a migraine till I was in my 40's then I started getting them and they progressed and got much worse as I got in to peri menopause. I was on Imatrex for years and it worked great until it just stopped working.

    I finally ended up in the ER and went to a neurologist and after documenting everything I ate, drank and every time I got a headache for a month and trying lots of different meds Im on a very low dose of Pamelor and 200 mg of Topamax. I was getting migraines virtually everyday, to at least 3-5 times a week, now I get them maybe 4 days in 3 months, so I have seen a huge difference from the meds.

    But I also know that there are times that I can tell that if I drink wine I will get a head ache so I limit the amount of wine or beer I drink also.

    I would suggest you see a different neurologist that specializes in migraines. They can make your life miserable if you cant keep them under control. Good luck :)
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    You may be allergic to some foods you eat. Many people are allergic to fruits and veggies and have symptoms such as headaches and nausea. Perhaps get tested for food allergens.
  • draco706
    draco706 Posts: 174 Member
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    I buy some organic fruits and veggies. esp. anything on the dirty dozen list. MSG gave me lots of headaches and gastro issues. I stopped eating all food with MSG and within a month my gastro issues were gone and my night time headaches were gone. Now I just get sinus headaches.
  • bethfartman
    bethfartman Posts: 363 Member
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    Eating organic produce will most likely not help your headaches. I grow most of my own produce and if I didn't grow something I know the person that does; it is all grown organically and I still get terrible migraines. Like another poster mentioned, 'organic' is a term that is used pretty loosely and while there are regulations, most of the regulations to be 'organically certified' are truly in place to make extra money, not to protect the consumer or the environment. I work in the organic industry, so I know the ins and outs of it all- not all organic companies/growers are doing the bare minimum just to become 'organic' and make money, but many are.
    An elimination diet would be your best course of action, to find out what triggers your headaches. Making sure you’re drinking enough water and your eyesight is in check are also great suggestions.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
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    I had migraines and after going GFCF they went away. I've also quit caffeine, "added sugars", all preservatives, and a majority of starches.
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
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    Have you had your eyes tested recently? Just a thought.
    o.
    Yes I have. My eyes are good. I was also tested for diabetes since it runs in my family. I thought it might be due to sugar dropping, but that's fine also.
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
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    You may be allergic to some foods you eat. Many people are allergic to fruits and veggies and have symptoms such as headaches and nausea. Perhaps get tested for food allergens.

    It's not food allergies. My son has those and we deal with that constantly. I'm lucky to not have them, but thank you.
  • clee369
    clee369 Posts: 101 Member
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    Just because it's organic doesn't make it better for you. There's pesticides that are organic that farmers use. There's plenty or compounds that are natural that are harmful to you, so don't go around telling people that organic is better for your diet
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    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.

    You're mixing food types. Organic is better than processed, but the same is true for unprocessed non-organic food. There is no nutritional difference between organic and non-organic.