Oct 9, 2008 11:48 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Food & Migraines
What We Eat Daily Can Determine Intensity And Frequency Of Severe And Often Debilitating Headaches
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Eighteen percent of women and 6 percent of men suffer from migraines and sometimes the foods we eat trigger the pain.
Elizabeth Fillmore's migraines are unbearable.
"It doesn't relate to normal headaches. It's a completely different sensation. It's as if someone is ripping a part of your flesh open," Fillmore said.
A number of different foods can trigger the pain, but for Fillmore and many others, a drink tops the list.
"I used to think it was just wine and anything really fermented, but it's … I found out it's any kind of alcohol that will trigger a migraine in me," Fillmore said.
And it doesn't take much.
"Some people can have a toast at a wedding and that will be plenty to bring on a terrible migraine," said Dr. Mark W. Green of Columbia University.
Foods like aged cheese, processed meats -- hot dogs and deli-style slices -- are loaded with nitrites, a major trigger for migraine sufferers.
"We call those hot dog headaches so nitrites are widely used in the food industry," Dr. Green said.
Another migraine trigger food is actually an additive. Monosodium glutamate or MSG is hidden in an enormous number of products, including potato chips and salad dressing. And decoding labels isn't easy.
"If you ever read labeling and see 'natural food flavoring,' that's usually MSG or 'hydrolized vegetable protein,' that's usually MSG," Dr. Green said.
In terms of migraine triggers, it's not just what you eat that's important. Eating on a regular basis to keep blood sugar levels even is crucial.
Some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame and sucralose.
"A chemical in aspartame is very similar to a chemical on the brain that activates the cortex and can trigger a migraine," Dr. Green said.
Fillmore's migraines are now under good control, and she's looking toward the future.
"And I do have a son who is 9 months, and I am praying that he will not have one trace of it, but hopefully by then there will be a breakthrough," Fillmore said.
Caffeine is used in some headache medicines to treat the pain, but daily caffeine intake in migraine sufferers should be avoided. Withdrawal from regular coffee or soda drinking can trigger headaches.
Other common migraine triggers include stress, hormones and even weather changes.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
World's Greatest Fighter Jets
Click to enlarge
North Korea Fires 7 Missiles Off East Coast 7 mins ago
Stumble It!
Reporting
