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“You have certainly experienced this more than once. The pain suddenly appears on the left side of the head and subsequently shifts to the right.
However, you tell yourself that in no case could this pain have arisen directly in the head, but it must have some external cause. It is not any metaphysical crisis. God has just punched you in the head. “
The above description of migraine is from Andrew Levy, author of the book The Brain Wider Than the Sky: A Migraine Diary, in which he captures the torments associated with migraine.
Occurrence, symptoms and typical migraine
According to experts, migraine causes severe throbbing pain, usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
It is a very unpleasant condition that affects roughly one in seven people. Essentially it is the third most common and the sixth most debilitating illness in the world.
The most frustrating aspect about migraine is that you do not know what triggers it.
Most people who suffer from it partly know what may cause it. Usually these are factors related to diet or weather, such as:
- for coffee drinkers, not having coffee one day can trigger a migraine the following day
- changes in air pressure (especially during pressure drops on rainy days)
- consumption of alcohol
- consumption of aged cheeses and salamis
- canned/preserved foods
- sometimes freshly baked bread
- onions
- avocado
- bananas
- kiwi
For a long time it was a mystery why certain foods tend to trigger migraine. Until now.
Findings of a new study on the cause of migraine
Recently the British newspaper The Guardian reported the findings of a new American study originally published in the medical journal mSystems.
The study found that migraine occurs more frequently in people who have larger amounts of bacteria in the gut that digest nitrates.
Researchers explain that when nitrates break down, nitric oxide is produced, which is then absorbed into the blood.
Nitric oxide is not dangerous, however it has the effect of dilating blood vessels. Therefore it is also used for this purpose, for example during heart surgeries. Nevertheless, patients who are given it commonly experience side effects in the form of severe headaches.
Based on this study, scientists now suspect that it is precisely nitric oxide that is responsible for the onset of migraine.
How to use this insight to prevent migraines
For people suffering from migraines, this new finding has truly monumental significance.
For researchers it has inspired considerations about producing mouthwashes and other medicines aimed at suppressing bacteria that digest nitrates. Such preparations would bring the gut microflora into balance and prevent excessive production of nitric oxide.
Until then, however, patients themselves can take steps to reduce migraines. Specifically, they should reduce consumption of foods that contain nitrates.
These are particularly the following foods:
- processed meats – hot dogs, bacon, ham, salamis and sausages
- root vegetables – potatoes, carrots, kohlrabi, celery
- spinach, broccoli, cauliflower
Conclusion
The foods listed above contain the highest proportion of nitrates. Therefore, if you suffer from migraines, try to avoid these foods or at least limit their consumption.
If you liked this article, don’t forget to share it with your friends and acquaintances, who this information may also help to get rid of migraines.
