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Can Food Cause My Headaches?

Many different things cause headaches – stress, fatigue, other illnesses, and even food. Food? Yes, certain foods are potential headache triggers, especially if you are a migraine sufferer. It might be a good idea for you to identify the foods that trigger your headaches so you can avoid them.

The most common headache triggers include:

• Foods that contain tyramine, usually present in high-protein foods as they age, such as cheeses; also present in red wine and other alcoholic beverages and processed meats

• Food additives, such as nitrates, which are used as preservatives in processed luncheon meats (cold cuts)

• MSG, a common additive in Chinese food

• Foods that commonly cause allergies, such as chocolate, eggs, citrus fruits and wheat

• Caffeine and artificial sweeteners, either separately or in combination, such as in coffee, carbonated beverages and colas

• Nuts, that can cause an overabundance of protein or fat in the body

We suggest that you keep a food journal to track what you eat and when you get headaches. You would then eliminate these foods to determine whether your headaches become more infrequent or even stop entirely. Most food-induced headaches begin within 20-25 minutes after eating the suspected trigger.

Some herbal remedies for headaches include taking feverfew several times a day, instead of popular over-the-counter pain relievers, or rubbing your temples with peppermint oil.

Of course, chiropractic care has shown tremendous results in relieving the causes and symptoms of headaches of all kinds, including migraines. So, make sure you are keeping up with your regular adjustment schedule while you are attempting to determine the foods that are headache triggers for you.