Moderately effective treatment methods are best applied not separately, but in combination with other, more effective ones. Despite the fact that these treatments are generally less effective than traditional methods, relaxation, anti-stress therapy and butterbur extract, some patients notice an improvement in the state of such combinations.
It is well known that headaches can be provoked by foods high in protein with vasogenic activity, such as tyramine (aged cheeses, alcoholic beverages, sour cream), phenylethylamine (chocolate), nitrates (hot dog) and dopamine (legumes). The diet recommended for patients with headaches implies a restriction in the diet of foods enriched with these substances.
In general, such dietary restrictions improve the condition only in every third patient suffering from migraine, and are ineffective for other forms of chronic headaches.
The effectiveness of the diet was assessed with a special study, during which the incidence of headaches in patients suffering from migraine and following one of three types of diets for 18 weeks was compared: a familiar diet, a diet with a restriction of headache-provoking products or a diet with increased consumption of foods, possibly provoking headaches.
The headache has decreased equally with the observance of any type of diet, regardless of the specifics of the consumed products. However, the frequency of headaches has increased in obese patients and patients who consumed alcohol or chocolate. Citrus and nuts were also products that may cause headaches. A stricter diet restricting foods containing tyramine, nitrates and dopamine has proven to be useless and therefore is not considered an effective remedial measure for headaches.
Products to avoid in patients with headaches:
1. Drinks. Alcoholic beverages and beverages containing caffeine (no more than two cups of coffee per day)
2. Baked goods and cereals. Baking, Fresh Yeast Bread
3. Dairy products. Aged cheeses (“Blue”, “Brie”, “Camembert”, “Emmental”, “Gouda”, “Gruyere”, “Stilton”), cream, sour cream, yogurt (reduce consumption to 1/2 cup per day)
4. Fruits. Bananas, citrus fruits, figs, kiwi, mango, papaya, plums, raisins, strawberries
5. Meat products. Meat products of long-term storage or canned food (bacon, bologna, pepperoni, salami, sausages), peanuts and peanut butter, pickled herring, snails
6. Vegetables. Avocados, beans, corn, eggplants, olives, mushrooms, pickled foods, sauerkraut, spinach, peas, tomatoes and tomato products
7. Confectionery. Chocolate 8. Nutritional supplements. Aspartame, baking powder, monosodium glutamate