Nutrition expert’s advice for headaches: “We need foods that regulate inflammation”
Thursday, October 24, 2024 07:04
Solving such a common situation as headache is a difficult task both for medicine and for specialists in various fields. Nutrigenomics specialist Itziar Gonzalez de Arriba believes that these ailments can be alleviated with an adequate diet because, like back pain, which “mainly occurs due to internal inflammatory problems that can be controlled through diet.”
Itziar Gonzalez de Arriba, who has studied physical therapy, nutrition, nutrigenomics, immunonutrition, biochemistry, osteopathy and myosfacial therapy, explains that “migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity caused by stress, certain foods, environmental factors or something else.” “Most medical experts believe that the attack actually starts in the brain and affects several nerve pathways and chemicals, and these are changes that affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues,” he adds.
That said, Irunesa, an advocate of physiogenomics, remembers the main signs before a migraine or severe headache: “Changes in vision or aura are considered a warning sign that a migraine is approaching. An aura occurs in both eyes and can include any of the following: temporary spot blindness, blurred vision, eye pain, seeing stars or zigzag lines, or tunnel vision.
Among the causes of migraines, he includes the following with recommendations for mitigating them, always keeping in mind that “there is no cure, since there can be many causes and each person requires different treatment”:
Recommendations against headaches:
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Mental stress, influence of time or climate, use (abuse) of stimulants (coffee, tea, chocolate, etc.), taking certain medications: in this case, dietary intervention may consist of eliminating the stimulants or even replacing them with others. relaxing foods such as linden blossom, or rich in tryptophan or serotonin such as oats, chicken or yogurt.
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Decreased melatonin levels. In these cases, it is important to know that caffeine can reduce melatonin levels in the body, and foods rich in serotonin and tryptophan can increase these levels.
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Alteration of prostaglandin and/or leukotriene metabolism: This may be alleviated by magnesium supplementation and/or evening primrose oil.
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Effect of estrogen on migraine in women. On a nutritional level, it can be combatted with nutrients such as evening primrose oil, which reduces estrogen levels, magnesium or yam, as this type of pain also appears to be caused by an increase in prostaglandins.
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Other causes that appear to be associated with headaches without sufficient evidence are: hypoxia, hypoglycemia, or liver dysfunction.
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Some food intolerances: Certain chemicals, histamine, tyramine, glutamate, copper or gluten sensitivities may cause headaches.
Regarding the last point, Itziar Gonzalez de Arriba notes that “gluten has been blamed for causing migraines; The journal Neurology published a report on patients with headaches and emotional instability. An MRI showed inflammation of the central nervous system. Likewise, “gliadin antibodies” were detected in the blood, and 90% of patients on a gluten-free diet experienced complete or partial relief.
The specialist, who became famous for his recovery of footballers such as Sergio Canales and Dani Carvajal, explains that there is a link between diet and migraines, citing several studies. However, “even knowing the close connection between diet and migraine, in many cases this condition does not disappear after stopping the consumption of the most problematic foods, since there are many other factors that cause it, such as the aforementioned stress, menstruation, fasting, exercise. exercise, lack of sleep, or taking certain medications such as birth control.
In any case, Gonzalez de Arriba identifies several “problem foods” that may be the cause of recurring headaches:
Unwanted Products
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Biogenic amines. Some foods, such as chocolate, wine, beer or canned fish, contain high concentrations of biogenic amines such as histamine, tyramine, phenylethylamine or serotonin. Its excess in the body can cause headaches. On the other hand, taking tyramine along with monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) drugs, used for example to treat depression or anxiety, can precipitate a hypertensive crisis characterized by headaches (Maintz, 2007; Hanington, 1967).
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Phenolic compounds: present in foods such as chocolate, tea or coffee. Some, such as flavonoids, inhibit the action of enzymes that process biogenic amines, which leads to an increase in their levels in the body and, as a result, to the risk of migraine (Maintz, 2007).
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Food additives: MSG and aspartame are used to improve the taste of foods; the first is as a flavor enhancer, the second as a sweetener. Glutamate and aspartate, the chemical components of these additives, are amino acids that act as inflammatory mediators in the body, which explains the occurrence of migraines associated with the consumption of foods containing these additives, such as processed foods, sweets or confectionery, and others (Koehler, 1988; Lipton, 1988).
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Migraine and food allergies. The connection between food allergies and migraines has been studied for several decades. Some of the foods found to be the most allergenic include milk (Ratner, 1983), eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, legumes (peanuts and soybeans), and some fruits (peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, strawberries, and kiwis). Once a food allergy or intolerance is diagnosed, migraines can resolve with an exclusive diet that does not include allergenic foods. And if a person does not have an allergy, but is hypersensitive to any food, he will feel a noticeable improvement from the diet (Grant, 1979; Monroe, 1980).
Finally, the nutrition and osteopathy expert explains that “with all headaches, the health of the hepatobiliary system must be taken into account, as a tired and overworked liver gives rise to a wide range of physical symptoms; and since the liver is responsible for the formation of albumin and hormones, its malfunction has a direct impact on the immune and hormonal systems.
However, Itziar González de Arriba recommends a number of products that, due to their properties, help relieve some of these symptoms and therefore headaches.
Recommended Products for Headache Relief
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Fruits. Although some fruits (a very ripe banana or avocado) may aggravate the headaches that accompany a migraine, the truth is that those that have a noticeable concentration of vitamin C or vitamin B2 (Schoenen, 1998) may have an analgesic effect.
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Juices. Good grapefruit juice can help relieve headaches.
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Nuts: Their unsaturated fatty acids are beneficial, with walnuts and almonds especially recommended (McCarren, 1985; Glueck, 1986).
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Suitable supplements: ginger, calcium and vitamin D (especially for migraines associated with menstruation) (Thys-Jacobs, 1994).
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Foods that are good for liver health: artichoke, thistle, carrots, onions and broccoli.
Given that the causes are multiple, his treatment proposal will cover all etiologies described, so that most migraine cases are expected to improve or be “cured”:
– Recommended Diet: Avoid coffee, commercial tea, tobacco, alcohol, chocolate, processed meats, dairy products, nuts, oranges, bananas, strawberries, kiwis, stale fish, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, fried foods, flour products (cookies, baked goods, bread).
– Addition: Ergitaurine Detox for 1 month. It will then be changed according to evolution.
If there is partial relief after these modifications, “you can try eliminating gluten completely for a few weeks to see if gluten intolerance is the cause; Once the migraine is under control, eliminated foods are gradually introduced to identify those that actually trigger migraines in each person,” explains Gonzalez de Arriba.