Food for headaches

What is an aching or throbbing headache, perhaps every person knows. According to recently published statistics, about 70 million people suffer from chronic headaches. At the same time, some try to get rid of it with the help of medications, others just to survive, and still others – to find the right ways to prevent and alleviate it in everyday life, for example, with the help of ordinary food.

Headache: causes and effects

According to the scientific definition, a headache is pain that occurs anywhere in the head and accompanies many diseases and conditions. However, most often it is the result of emotional distress or mental strain. Often, a common headache is confused with a migraine. However, despite their similarities, these concepts are different.

Unlike normal headaches, migraines are very severe, recurring headaches that are accompanied by tingling in the hands and feet, increased sensitivity to light or sound, and nausea and vomiting. Migraine is a neurological disorder.

Causes of headache

1. 1 long-term work at the computer;
2. 2 Poor posture, particularly when the shoulders are lowered and the chest is tight
3. 3 old injuries, the presence of diseases – we are talking not only about neurological, but also about flu, glaucoma, etc.
4. 4 dehydration of the body;
5. 5 stress and overstrain;
6. 6 carbon monoxide poisoning;
7. 7 lack of sleep;
8. 8 nervous exhaustion;
9. 9 unhealthy diet and problems with the digestive tract;
10. 10 change of weather;
11. 11 bad mood;
12. 12 lack of estrogen in women during PMS;

It is important to remember that the key to success in treating headaches lies in identifying and eliminating the true cause of their occurrence.

Vitamins and minerals for headaches

According to numerous studies of scientists, not only to prevent the appearance, but also to get rid of various headaches, you can add certain foods to your diet that contain the vitamins and minerals the body needs at the moment.

For migraines, preference should be given to vitamin B2, or riboflavin. It will reduce the incidence of migraines by up to 48% as a result of improved metabolism in the brain. Moreover, riboflavin takes an active part in the synthesis of nerve cells and increases the access of energy to them. It is found in dairy products, meat, fish, eggs and mushrooms.

For hormonal headache, which often occurs in women during PMS and is a consequence of a lack of estrogen, you need to take magnesium. It helps to restore the sodium-potassium balance in the body and allows you to get rid of overexcitation. Magnesium is found in bananas, sunflower seeds, potatoes, and even chocolate.

Coenzyme Q10 will help with overexertion and stress. It is a powerful antioxidant that is responsible for the health of blood vessels. It protects the body from stress, thereby minimizing the risk of associated headache attacks. It is found in eggs, fish (tuna or mackerel), cauliflower and broccoli.

With colds and flu, headache attacks are most often caused by dehydration. A glass of water or a serving of moisture-containing fruit will help fill the lack of fluid. For example, watermelons, grapes, melon, strawberries, or pineapple.

It is interesting to know that in China for several millennia there has been a tradition of getting rid of headache attacks with the help of ginger tea. You can replace it with mint, plum or green. All of them allow you to relieve tension and, as a result, the headache itself.

Top 16 headache products

Water or fruit juices, which will not only relieve dehydration headaches, but also saturate the body with useful substances.

Cherries or cherry juice. It contains quercetin, which has powerful antioxidant, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. Its uniqueness is that it helps to reduce sensitivity and pain.

Bananas. They contain vitamin B6. Like vitamins B3 and B2, it successfully fights headaches by promoting the production of serotonin. The latter acts as an antidepressant. In addition, studies have shown that vitamin B6 helps relieve mental fatigue, which is also the cause of headache attacks.

Watermelon. It will relieve dehydration headaches. It can be consumed alone or in salads with melon, berries and cucumber.

Flax-seed. It contains enough omega-3 fatty acids. They have anti-inflammatory properties and help relieve migraines.

Hot peppers and other spices. They will allow you to get rid of the so-called. sinus headache resulting from blockage of the paranasal sinus. The mechanism of their action on the body is quite simple. The pungency they contain helps to cleanse the sinuses. This will relieve pressure and relieve headaches. At the same time, this product is not suitable for people suffering from chronic migraines, as it can only aggravate the situation.

Corn. It contains vitamin B3. It is responsible for the health of the circulatory system and has a calming effect on the nervous system. Its deficiency can lead to headache attacks as a result of stress. You can replace corn with legumes, tomatoes, or potatoes.

Oatmeal or millet. They are rich in magnesium and B vitamins, which can relieve headaches.

Spinach. One of the healthiest types of greens. It helps to reduce headache attacks due to the content of vitamin B2, which has a calming effect on the nervous system. Doctors say that a day started with spinach salad promises to go without a headache. Along with this, spinach cleanses the skin and adds shine to the hair.

Salmon. Basically, it is a protein that will help you get rid of headaches caused by hunger. In addition, this product is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce the frequency, duration and severity of headache attacks.

Coffee in moderation. Caffeine constricts blood vessels, thereby relieving headaches. This is why many headache medications contain caffeine. Meanwhile, when resorting to the help of a cup of coffee, it is important to remember that excessive consumption of coffee causes dehydration and only increases headaches.

Low fat milk. It is a source of calcium and potassium, the lack of which leads to an increase in blood pressure and, as a result, headaches. In addition, milk prevents dehydration.

Legumes. They saturate the body with magnesium and thus reduce headaches.

Potatoes. It is rich in potassium, which helps to restore sodium-potassium balance and prevent dehydration. You can replace it with melon. However, due to the alkaloids content, this product is not suitable for people suffering from chronic migraines.

Almond. It contains magnesium. This trace element normalizes blood pressure and relieves headaches.

Peanuts in moderation. Its high vitamin E content makes it one of the best remedies for hormonal headaches.

How else can you get rid of headache attacks

• Reduce your intake of overly salty, smoked, pickled and fatty foods. It dehydrates the body.
• Reduce coffee consumption. This is one of those drinks that in moderation can only bring benefits, as well as relieve headaches. And in large ones – to provoke dehydration of the body, a sharp acceleration of blood supply in the brain, as well as the emergence of a feeling of anxiety and overwork, which are the reasons for the appearance of headaches.
• Refuse alcohol, especially red wine, champagne and vermouth. These drinks also speed up the blood flow to the brain, which can lead to headaches.
• Reduce your consumption of chocolate, which in large quantities can also cause headaches.
• Give up ice cream. Like all cold foods, it can cause so-called. “Brain freeze” – painful sensations in the forehead. Most often they last for 25-60 seconds. Meanwhile, in some people, in particular those who suffer from migraines, they can develop into prolonged attacks of headaches.
• Limit consumption of all types of mature cheese. This cheese is Brie, Cheddar, Feta, Parmesan, Mozzarella, etc. They contain tyramine – a substance that causes headaches.
• Limit consumption of nuts and dried fruits, as they contain sulfites. These substances are able to accelerate blood circulation in the brain and, thereby, provoke the onset of headache attacks.
• Avoid soy foods, as they contain, among other things, tyramine, which provokes the appearance of headaches.
• Limit your consumption of nightshade vegetables if you suffer from chronic migraines. These are eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes and all kinds of peppers. They contain alkaloids, which are toxins for people of this category, as a result of which they cause severe headaches.
• Drink mint tea or rub mint oil on your forehead and temples. Peppermint has a vasodilating effect.
• Seek help from valerian. It has a calming effect and helps fight migraines.
• Rub lavender oil into temples and forehead. You can also take a lavender bath. Or make small pads out of lavender flowers, which, in case of a headache, should be applied to the forehead.
• Drink coriander tea. It relieves not only headaches, but also fatigue, irritability and drowsiness.
• Drink sage tea. In moderate amounts, it relieves hormonal headaches, and in large amounts, it provokes its occurrence.
• Drink verbena tea. It relieves headaches that occur during PMS or during overstrain and stress. Interestingly, in France, verbena tea is more popular than black tea.

And finally, sincerely enjoy life. Indeed, truly cheerful and happy people are less susceptible to any diseases, many of which are the cause of all types of headaches.