Migraines—What Causes Them, and How You Can Best Address Them




Migraines—What Causes Them, and How You Can Best Address Them

                                  Migraine Attack

INTRODUCTION =
   
  • Migraine is one of the most common health conditions in the world—more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined. An estimated 13 percent of the world’s population suffer with migraines
  • An observational study recently found that people who get migraines have a different blood vessel structure in their brains compared to those who do not get migraines, causing greater asymmetry in hemispheric cerebral blood flow
  • Environmental factors appear to play a significant role in triggering a migraine attack. This includes certain foods and drinks, hormonal changes, stress, external stimuli like scents or lights, dehydration and changes in sleep cycle.
  • Preventing migraines begins by avoiding the triggers. Most often this means eating healthy whole foods (avoiding most processed ones) and managing your stress effectively. Following my eating plan seems to reduce migraines by about 80 percent.

Common Migraine Triggers

Environmental factors appear to play a significant role in triggering a migraine attack. While there are many potential triggers (and what triggers a migraine for one might not trigger it in another), the following are some of the most commonly reported:
Food and Drink: Many people experience migraines when they eat certain foods, especially: wheat, dairy, sugar, artificial preservatives or chemical additives, cured or processed meats, alcohol (especially red wine and beer), aspartame, caffeine, and MSG. Caffeine can also trigger an attack - and sometimes excess nuts
Changes in sleeping cycle:Both missing sleep and oversleeping can trigger a migraine
Hormones: Some women experience migraines before or during their periods, during pregnancy or during menopause. Others may get migraines from hormonal medications like birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy
Allergies: Including food allergies and food sensitivities, and chemical sensitivities
Stress/Post-stress: Any kind of emotional trauma can trigger a migraine, even after the stress has passed
External stimuli: Bright lights, fluorescent lights, loud noises and strong smells (even pleasant ones) can trigger a migraine
Dehydration and/or hunger:Skipping meals or fasting are also common triggers
Physical exertion: Extremely intense exercise or even sex has been known to bring on migraines
Weather changes, and/or changes in altitude

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