6 Foods That Can Trigger Headaches

There can be a combination of reasons for headaches along with these foods like tobacco, stress, hormones, etc

Suffering from headaches once in a while is quite common and usual but people who go through regular headaches need to take a look at their lifestyle and dietary habits. At times, you keep popping the pills and visiting the doctors but a small change in your diet or lifestyle will do the magic.

Today we are here to talk about diet and headaches. Thus, we will highlight a few food items that are extremely harmful if you are a sufferer of regular headaches since these foods might be to blame. Research has proved that certain foods can be responsible for triggering headaches or migraines in people.

Though there can be a combination of triggers like tobacco, sleeping pattern, change in hormone levels, stress, bright lights, etc.

1. Wines or alcoholic beverages can be a reason for your headache. May eb a drink once in a while may not be that harmful but do not consume any form of alcohol daily. Both white and red wine has sulfites in them that are considered a potential trigger due to the combined effect of sulfites and alcohol. Alcohol causes increased blood flow to your brain and can cause dehydration thus resulting in a headache.

2. Coffee is a tricky food item, it can be a triggering factor but also a calming one. According to Penn Medicine, your headache may be a coffee withdrawal symptom and you may experience it when you wake up late past your coffee time in the morning or have to get rid of the habit due to health concerns. Now a small quantity of coffee is also helpful in these conditions. Moreover, few OTC medicines and you should limit your coffee intake to 200 mg in a day.

3. Aged Cheese: You may not know but even the best quality cheese may be the reason behind your headache, more specifically the aged cheese like Swiss, Parmesan, Brie, or cheddar are to blame. Aged cheeses are high in tyramine, a natural chemical found in some foods which can cause headaches by constricting and dilating blood vessels.

4. Processed meats can also be the reason for your regular headache attacks and if you are someone who eats meat on a regular basis, it is better that you consume fresh meat instead of frozen or processed ones since nitrates are used as preservatives in hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats result in dilation of blood vessels thus triggering headaches in some people (National Headache Foundation). Some people may be especially sensitive to these chemicals and even a small amount can be harmful.

5. Soy sauce: Few people may love Chinese but also get a headache after their favorite meal and it may be difficult for them to understand what can be the reason when everyone else at the table seems to be fine. The reason may be the soya sauce that contains Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food additive that acts as a common headache trigger. This chemical may also lead to digestive issues and extreme salt can lead to dehydration, another possible headache trigger.

6. Ice Cream: Who doesn't love an ice cream bowl after a tiring day or as a dessert but are you among the people who experience a brain freeze moment after a single bite of ice cream? Let us tell you- it is also a kind of headache and a terrible sensation. You are just afraid to eat ice cream because you might get hit with mind-numbing pain. Know the reason- when something cold touches the center of the palate, it affects the nerves that control the blood flow. The nerves cause the blood vessels in your head to swell up thus making the head hurt. The only way to prevent this is to eat small bites and slowly.