headaches? can a diet change help?

tigertrax3
tigertrax3 Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not sure if i'm posting under the right category.....but anyway I'm a headache sufferer and have been my whole life. Its always been a part of my life and it runs in the family too. I get all kinds. Sometimes bad, somtimes moderate. I can predict some based on pms or whether i ate too much chocolate, etc.
However lately, since i've been trying to live healthier, i've noticed i have almost a constant headache. Its not severe, and most of the time i don't even feel the need for pain relief unless it gets worse. I just feel it all the time right smack in the middle of my forehead or over my right eye.

I was wondering if anyone had this problem and if a diet change had helped. I thought i was doing everything right. I've cut out almost all added sugar. I don't even eat artificial sweetners. I haven't had caffiene in months. I only have chocolate once a week or so. I cut back my drinking. I drink tons of water. I'm not a big dairy eater. I've been trying to limit my sodium to the 2500 a day.... But instead of getting a headache 2 days a week, now its 7.

Any advice?
(I don't have my diary open because i'm lazy. I record my calories, but its usually inaccurate because i'll post breakfast under dinner etc. I usually eat my 1800-2000 a day though. I also excercise 5x a week moderately. Walking and c25k)

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    I get headaches if I do not eat enough in a day.

    Otherwise, I haven't done any research on the matter. =/
  • Valera0466
    Valera0466 Posts: 319 Member
    Are you doing low carb and are you drinking enough water? When you start low carb diets you go through a withdrawal phase of about two weeks in which time you can have headaches. Even if you aren't going low carb but have naturally cut them drastically by eating healthier foods this can happen. They can also be caused by dehydration which lessens the protective and cushioning fluids around the brain.
  • nturner612
    nturner612 Posts: 710 Member
    did u just recently start MPF? i get extremly BAD migranes..behind my eyes, and every part of my head. when i started mpf, because i drastically cut my calories i was literally going home every day with a terrible migraine behind my eye. went to see a doctor FINALLy and i got a prescription for low blood pressure which would help keep my migraines under control. it took a tgood 2 weeks for my body to finally get it that i wasnt gonna keep eating 2000+ calories a day. with all that being said, i havent had a headache in a while and it feels great to walk @ pain free. See a doctor. makes a big difference. :)
  • medeamama
    medeamama Posts: 47 Member
    Have you been diagnosed with migraines? I get them pretty regularly, and overall, diet and exercise helps. That is, the severity and frequency of them go down when I am in better shape.

    But when they come on, if I am exercizing, they are bad, and I think, for me, it is because of the pressure while I am involved with my activity - squats, weights, etc. Also, I need much more water as well, and have to balance all the nutrition stuff.

    It really sounds like you are tracking all the right things. Perhaps it's time to see a doctor. The increase in frequency of your headaches might not even be related to your healthy living - perhaps it is your age or other hormonal things.

    Some trigger foods for me include caffeine (which also sometimes helps!) soy (oh, that's a VERY bad one!), almonds, some cheeses, alcohol, dark chocolate, and sometimes even potatoes. Be careful with things like snack bars and meal replacement bars. They are full of soy, which does very bad things with your hormone levels.

    And consider seeing a neurologist to get those headaches diagnosed! :)
  • Lunarokra
    Lunarokra Posts: 855 Member
    I have been getting headaches all my life too that I can remember. i am not a big coffee, caffeine drinker either. I started some acupuncture and it helped alot. I noticed before getting pregnant, and I was working out twice a day and eating healthy that my headaches did minimize.
    Recently, I restarted my focus on eating healthier and yes these headaches are kicking in full gear, I take acetaminophen otherwise it will never go away and become a horrible Migraine.

    Hope these headaches stop occuring after a few weeks of healthy eating & exercise.


    :)
  • tigertrax3
    tigertrax3 Posts: 37 Member
    i think i'm drinking enough water. I'm not drinking as much as i was when i first started(a gallon then, maybe half a gallon now). I don't think i've gone low carb. I eat less than i used to, but i still eat them. I had tuna and crackers for lunch today.

    I've been on MFP regularly since the end of july.

    Ive never been OFFICIALLY diagnosed with migraines, but i know i get them, and much more frequently than i used to. I am ready to go to the doctor. I was just wondering if anyone had any change in diet (ie paleo or gluten free or something) that helped significantly.
  • aschep02
    aschep02 Posts: 2
    My former pastor's wife had migraine headaches for years. Headaches that would take her out for the whole day. She finally got allergy tested and found out she was allergic to beef, cheese, tomatoes and corn. She took those out of her diet and never had a problem again. It might be something to look into.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    I'm not sure if i'm posting under the right category.....but anyway I'm a headache sufferer and have been my whole life. Its always been a part of my life and it runs in the family too. I get all kinds. Sometimes bad, somtimes moderate. I can predict some based on pms or whether i ate too much chocolate, etc.
    However lately, since i've been trying to live healthier, i've noticed i have almost a constant headache. Its not severe, and most of the time i don't even feel the need for pain relief unless it gets worse. I just feel it all the time right smack in the middle of my forehead or over my right eye.

    I was wondering if anyone had this problem and if a diet change had helped. I thought i was doing everything right. I've cut out almost all added sugar. I don't even eat artificial sweetners. I haven't had caffiene in months. I only have chocolate once a week or so. I cut back my drinking. I drink tons of water. I'm not a big dairy eater. I've been trying to limit my sodium to the 2500 a day.... But instead of getting a headache 2 days a week, now its 7.

    Any advice?
    (I don't have my diary open because i'm lazy. I record my calories, but its usually inaccurate because i'll post breakfast under dinner etc. I usually eat my 1800-2000 a day though. I also excercise 5x a week moderately. Walking and c25k)

    persistent headaches is sometimes one of the only symptoms of high blood pressure. get it checked. make sure that's not the cause.
  • tigertrax3
    tigertrax3 Posts: 37 Member


    persistent headaches is sometimes one of the only symptoms of high blood pressure. get it checked. make sure that's not the cause.



    thanks, i hadn't heard this one. I'll look into it
  • robmcd88
    robmcd88 Posts: 85 Member
    I’ve always had issues with headaches as well. When I first started here I quit because my headaches increased while dieting but subsided when I ate more. I changed my goal and can’t say they went away, but they became more manageable. Increasing my exercise to add weight lifting seems to have helped a bit as well. I forced myself in the gym with a headache the other day suffered through the first few sets thinking my head was going to blow up, but after a while it went away which is really rare for me, typically I would have to sleep it off.
  • MySunshine76
    MySunshine76 Posts: 389
    I used to get REALLY bad debilitating headaches. My husband could squeeze my head as hard as he could and they would stop, until he let go. I went to my doc, he said he thought I had chronic migraines. That didn't seem right to me, but I tried the meds anyway. They didn't help. I was referred to a neurologist and had to do an MRI. He found out it was Pseudotumor Cerebri (hope I spelled that right). It was just a build up of CSF around my brain causing pressure against my skull, when that happened, I would get tunnel vision, see spots, couldn't think straight, and had almost no short term memory. Anyway, that *kitten* fix was to tell me to lose weight. I hate doctors sometimes. Anyway, when the headaches started I was in school for nursing and was learning about the brain among other things. I decided I would try water, because the brain is mostly water, I thought maybe I was dehydrated, so my body was trying to compensate with CSF (I NEVER drank water before that). Anyway, the first two days of water drinking (alot of water) my headaches were even worse, but the third day, it was MUCH better, but not completely gone. So I thought some more, I don't know about any of you, but caffeine makes me have to pee like crazy. So I thought maybe the caffeine I was consuming was still making me a little dehydrated. I decided to not consume any more caffeine. None. And low and behold, I rarely get headaches anymore. When I do, it's usually a stress headache, and just calming myself for a few minutes helps. On the down side, it took so long for me to figure this out, by myself cause the crappy docs couldn't seem to help, I had taken so many aspirin and Goody powders that now I have an ulcer that I constantly have to deal with. But no headaches.

    I know it was long, I hope I didn't bore you, maybe it will help. Good luck.
  • fattypattybinger
    fattypattybinger Posts: 337
    I do get headaches if I don't drink enough fluids, or eat enough. I hae found out small frequent meals do the trick for me. But sometimes I do add something salty
  • emcdonie
    emcdonie Posts: 190 Member
    Aspartame is a major migraine trigger for me. Hormones can as well. So can caffeine. You already said you eliminated the first two. Of course so MANY MANY things can cause them. My best advice is log them. WHen you get one, log it in the notes of your food diary. Log the type and pain intensity too. Eventually you might see a pattern.

    Docs will often tell you to do that, and it was what helped me realize aspartame was a trigger for me.
  • SunnyAndrsn
    SunnyAndrsn Posts: 369 Member
    There are a number of factors that can be at play here. First, look at your diet...are there are lot of processed foods? Excess sodium and MSG can be triggers. Artificial sweeteners can be a trigger. Some preservatives can be a trigger for some people.

    Second, as someone else already pointed out, high blood pressure can be a trigger.

    How old is your bed? We got a new bed last year after a weekend in a hotel. Our room had brand new beds, and we realized we had a really old, beat up mattress. I had no headaches that weekend, despite crazy family stress. Since we got the new bed, very few headaches.

    Next is stress...is anything doing on in your life right now that could be contributing?

    Finally, just to make sure, go see your doctor. Sinus problems, ear infections, vision issues (do you where contacts or glasses? Maybe it's time to get a check up with this too.), all could be possible triggers and warrant having your doctor investigate.

    Good luck!
  • emcdonie
    emcdonie Posts: 190 Member
    correction I meant you elimated the art. sugars and caffeine....I didn't mean hormones. Obviously those are harder to figure out and control. LOL
  • cldaugherty
    cldaugherty Posts: 28 Member
    I am a migraine sufferer as well. I used to get them frequently. Now that I have lost a ton of weight and exercise a lot I only get them once/twice a month or during severe weather changes. I have seen a specialized headache doctor who assisted with correct medications, diet/nutrition, and exercise. I also go to a chiropractor. The chiropractor makes sure that all things are aligned so that the proper oxygen is received to the brain as to not trigger migraines. One of my triggers was not the correct type of sleep at night and that had to have adjustments as well. The body is a physiological amazement and it requires many types of expertise to figure things out. Migraines can very dangerous and are usually signs that something is off. I would seek medical opinion whether is be PCP, neurologist, special headache doctor, chiro, or a combination. Your brain and body will love you for it.
  • cldaugherty
    cldaugherty Posts: 28 Member
    I used to get REALLY bad debilitating headaches. My husband could squeeze my head as hard as he could and they would stop, until he let go. I went to my doc, he said he thought I had chronic migraines. That didn't seem right to me, but I tried the meds anyway. They didn't help. I was referred to a neurologist and had to do an MRI. He found out it was Pseudotumor Cerebri (hope I spelled that right). It was just a build up of CSF around my brain causing pressure against my skull, when that happened, I would get tunnel vision, see spots, couldn't think straight, and had almost no short term memory. Anyway, that *kitten* fix was to tell me to lose weight. I hate doctors sometimes. Anyway, when the headaches started I was in school for nursing and was learning about the brain among other things. I decided I would try water, because the brain is mostly water, I thought maybe I was dehydrated, so my body was trying to compensate with CSF (I NEVER drank water before that). Anyway, the first two days of water drinking (alot of water) my headaches were even worse, but the third day, it was MUCH better, but not completely gone. So I thought some more, I don't know about any of you, but caffeine makes me have to pee like crazy. So I thought maybe the caffeine I was consuming was still making me a little dehydrated. I decided to not consume any more caffeine. None. And low and behold, I rarely get headaches anymore. When I do, it's usually a stress headache, and just calming myself for a few minutes helps. On the down side, it took so long for me to figure this out, by myself cause the crappy docs couldn't seem to help, I had taken so many aspirin and Goody powders that now I have an ulcer that I constantly have to deal with. But no headaches.

    I know it was long, I hope I didn't bore you, maybe it will help. Good luck.

    Yes, caffeine makes us pee more. It is a bladder stimulant unfortunately. As us woman get older it definitely becomes more evident. Doesn't it just royally stink? I have laid off a lot but I still like my diet coke every once it awhile but as soon as I drink it, bathroom here I come.
  • gajidas85
    gajidas85 Posts: 10 Member
    I get frequent headaches and occasional migraines. Some weeks I get headaches everyday have since I was a kid. So does my dad. Of course doctors tell me to just lose weight, even when I was at a normal weight for my height. I've tracked my diet, stopped drinking caffeine, drank only water, cut out dairy, don't smoke, stopped consuming alcohol, was vegetarian, etc. for months to years. I've tried it all and nothing helped. One thing for sure is that smoke or strong odors are a trigger. And vigorous exercise too. So for the OP while diet can definitely help for some (or most) for others there might be an underlying cause. Which myself I'm still trying to figure out.

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