Foods that trigger migraines?

Common triggers include red wine and chocolate. :grumble:

I cut out all artificial sweeteners - including HFCS - so my soda comsumption plummeted, which helped both with migraines and weight. :happy:

Some people are triggered by fluorescent lights; if that is a factor for you, changing the lighting in your work area should be considered a "reasonable accommodation".

My headache diary showed TOM to be a trigger, so my physician put me on continuous OC's.

Good luck!!

My migraines are triggered by certain pizza places' pizza sauce. Pizza Experts is one. They have something missing from the sauce, oregano I think, whatever it is I can tell from one bite. I don't have a problem with other chain restaurants. A friend says his migraines are when he eats pecans, though it was when he ate a slice of pecan pie which has a ton of sweetness. My husband can get migraines from bright sunlight reflecting on metal counters/windows at work.

My girlfriend used to get disabling migraines like the one's you mentioned. Once she started watching her sugar intake they went away almost completely. Now instead of once or twice a week she maybe gets one every 2 months.

I used to have horrible migraines too; I couldn't even get out of bed, they lasted 32-36 hours, and I was getting them several times a week (ended up having to withdraw from college for a bit because I couldn't go to class). My neurologist eventually put me on nitrate-restricted diet and it worked wonders. Basically everything I was eating was on the list of nitrate-packed foods! I'll try to find a the full list for you, but I remember having to cut out all frozen meals (Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, etc., which were a huge portion of my diet), wine, and cheese.

Edit: Just found this piece on the role of diet in migraine by a pediatric neurologist; it seems to include what I mentioned and a lot of other factors, so maybe you'll find something that looks like it might be relevant for you. http://superiorsites3.com/NNS02DietMigraineHeadaches.htm

I was diagnosed with hormonal migraines and hormonal anxiety in 2004 - actually put me in the hospital for three days. Twice a month I would get migraines and feel like my heart would pound out of my chest. I take magnesium and calcium which has helped tremendously and when I feel the migraine, I take maxalt mlt. The stuff is awesome! The only thing I knew that would trigger it or make it worse was diet coke. I don't drink it anymore and I try to stay away from any artificial sweeteners.

1. Being dehydrated is a huge one for me.( my dr said this is a big one for most people)
2. Not eating often enough.
3. Wine (I don't drink it at all, dont like it!)
4. Hormones
5. Cheese
6. Certain Fast Foods
7. Birth Control
8. Too much caffeine or not enough caffeine
9. Alcohol or cigarette smoke
10. Too much sun/heat
I’ve found that since I’ve been exercising and eating better, I’m getting fewer migraines.

It's reassuring to see so many others with smell triggers! People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them this is a problem for me. There seems to be what I call a "base" scent in some perfumes and body washes that just kills me! I also have hormone-triggered migraines, but I can't take birth control, so my doctor put me on Elavil. It has definitely helped.

I also saw on another topic someone who shares one of my food triggers: bananas! The real thing, not artificial. Also on the list: orange soda and more than half a glass of red wine

For me it was aspartame. Life is a lot better once I figured that out, I hope you find the trigger!

I started taking B-12 regularly and my every month, twice a month migraines stopped. I only recently got one about 3 weeks ago for the first time since November, because I hadn't been taking my supplements... didn't make that mistake again.

I get at least two migraines a week these days they are most weather related but I have cut out:

Anything with Aspartane
Sharp cheeses
Most alcohol (I'm ok with vodka though)

I try and be careful with


becoming dehydrated
not getting enough protein
and not eating at regular intervals
Going out when its super hot outside (this summer I'll for sure be loving up to the wii)
and Bright lights for flicking lights
Plus no 3-d movies for me

Common triggers include red wine and chocolate. :grumble:

I cut out all artificial sweeteners - including HFCS - so my soda comsumption plummeted, which helped both with migraines and weight. :happy:

Some people are triggered by fluorescent lights; if that is a factor for you, changing the lighting in your work area should be considered a "reasonable accommodation".

My headache diary showed TOM to be a trigger, so my physician put me on continuous OC's.

Good luck!!

Mine is always worse during TOM also, so I guess I'm wondering if it may be a food combined with my hormones. What are OC's?

Oral Contraceptives; I take the same dose every day (no Tricyclen, no withdrawal week).

Ah, thanks. I'm on some also, but maybe it is having the opposite effect?

In recent years it has actually been suggested that women on contraceptives who also get migraines be careful as they can increase migraines for some people. I think it's the higher estrogen ones that are most common for this and that women often, not always, should be on ones that use progesterone, but I don't remember for sure. Different women react differently, in terms of migraines, with different levels. The last two doctors I have been to have asked me about hormone contraceptive since I get migraines, but since I avoid such contraceptives it's been a while since I've heard the reason for avoiding them explained. You might want to ask about that because yes, if you get menstrual migraines it obviously has something to do with your hormones, at least those particular ones do anyway. Other times of the month could be something else.

Also - you could try reading The Migraine Brain for more information about triggers, especially less well known ones.