Contents
- 1 Food for migraine
- 1.1 Diet to remove the migraine
- 1.2 How can nutrition reduce migraine?
- 1.3 Symptoms of DAO deficit
- 1.4 Is the diet without histamine recommended?
- 1.5 Migraine diet
- 1.6 Choose foods that maintain constant blood glucose level
- 1.7 How can adequate blood glucose levels be maintained?
- 1.8 Protein rich foods for migraine with DAO deficit
- 1.9 Distribute food properly for migraine with DAO deficit
Food for migraine
Diet to remove the migraine
The opinion of the experts seems to come closer every day to the conclusion that taking care of food is one of the most important factors to prevent and cure the onset of migraine.
Many people, even eating healthy foods, suffer from migraines. The DAO deficit could explain these symptoms.
How can nutrition reduce migraine?
For a long time, migraine was considered a disorder of unknown origin and with little success of treatment. In recent years, it has been shown that migraine is related to more than 80% of people suffering from DAO deficit.
DAO is an intestinal enzyme that is responsible for eliminating histamine from food (not all foods have histamine). By not having this enzyme, there is an accumulation of histamine, which is what produces migraine. For this reason, the dietary treatment of DAO deficiency consists mainly of avoiding foods that contain histamine.
Symptoms of DAO deficit
A characteristic of migraine due to DAO deficiency is that it is usually associated with gastrointestinal, inflammatory and dermatological disorders.
Is the diet without histamine recommended?
The discovery of the DAO deficit has allowed the treatment of patients with migraine to be very successful. There are more and more clinical studies and cases that confirm the success of the dietary treatment of migraine, which is also very simple to carry out and that can save a lot of money on medicines.
Migraine diet
Migraine diet consists of an adequate diet that eliminates the dietary agents that cause it, such as the accumulation of histamine (a component found in some foods). This type of feeding should be followed usually, since otherwise, migraines would occur.
The dietary solution of migraine would go through the following guidelines:
- Foods that do not produce migraine
- Avoid those foods that can trigger migraines, which are those rich in histamine. The richest in histamine are the following: seafood, milk and derivatives, citrus and egg white.
- Progressively eliminate the drugs used against migraine, since they block the action of DAO and worsen the symptoms
- Take DAO supplements, only in sporadic cases of not being able to follow an adequate diet. It should be mentioned that the cost of these supplements is high.
All the points related to the treatment of migraine through a healthy diet are discussed below.
Choose foods that maintain constant blood glucose level
The brain feeds on glucose so that, for the brain to function properly, the body must maintain adequate levels of glucose in the blood. When the levels are low, a state of hypoglycemia occurs that manifests itself in the body in different ways. Among them could be responsible for the onset of migraines.
How can adequate blood glucose levels be maintained?
To achieve adequate glucose levels we must choose those foods that the body absorbs slowly so that our body always has an adequate reserve. The foods that meet this requirement are complex carbohydrates.
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, unlike those that contain many simple carbohydrates, are slowly absorbed which facilitates prolonged stay in the blood
Among the foods that contain many complex carbohydrates we have the following:
- Cereals and their derivatives (bread, rice, oats, millet, etc.)
- Tubers and vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, etc.)
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, soy, etc)
Protein rich foods for migraine with DAO deficit
Complex carbohydrates should be combined with a smaller amount of protein. Proteins are foods that are also slowly absorbed so they keep us sated for longer without the need to eat other fast-absorbing foods.
On the other hand, we must not forget that the amino acids with which proteins are formed are responsible for numerous brain functions. The lack of any of these amino acids may be responsible for abnormalities such as anxiety, stress, compulsive desire for food or lack of appetite, depression etc.
Distribute food properly for migraine with DAO deficit
In addition to choosing this type of food, it is important to distribute the food. It should be eaten several times a day, so that there are no prolonged periods of fasting that are responsible for causing drops in the blood glucose level, which, as we mentioned above, could be responsible for the appearance of migraine .
The ideal is to make a good breakfast early in the morning, accompanied by a mid-morning lunch. Afterwards, we will have lunch, lunch in the middle of the afternoon and, finally, dinner. With the help of these five meals we can ensure that our brain always has the necessary fuel to function properly.
| It is better to make several light meals than a few heavy meals. Most people who suffer from migraine feel worse after eating high amounts of food. This is especially evident when eating at dinner is abused. At night the food intake should be especially moderate to avoid feeling bad. The large dinners prevent sleep, cause nervousness, heaviness of the stomach and, in many cases are responsible for the appearance of headache or migraine. |
* Related information: Avoid foods that may trigger migraines
More information on migraine.
