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Writer's pictureDiana Anderson

WHAT TO EAT WHEN MIGRAINES ARE COMMON

Does Food Trigger Your Migraine?


· When migraines are a common part of your life, the most important thing becomes avoiding more migraines.


· Some people are triggers by food, and this occurs when the liver and or the blood vessels are compromised and are not preforming their functions as they should. Because the liver is not cleaning the blood or the arteries are not able to expand to accommodate extra needs and adjust from pressure changes, the brain doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients that it needs.



You may or may not know if food is triggering your migraines. If you notice frequently or occasionally that migraines are an issue when you drink wine, eat cheese, travel to higher altitude, fly on an airplane, then this food list can be very meaningful to you. If you don’t know what causes your migraines, I suggest you take the migraine test which can be found on this website and in my book, www.RealMigraineSolution.com


How What You Eat Can Affect Your Headaches 


When migraines are a common part of your life, the most important thing becomes avoiding more migraines. Some people are triggered by certain foods, and this occurs when the liver and/or the blood are compromised and are not performing their functions as they should. Because the liver is not adequately cleaning the blood, the brain doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients that it needs. 


You may or may not know if food is triggering your migraines. If you notice or begin to associate migraines with drinking wine, eating cheese, or heavy foods, then this food list can be very meaningful to you. Thick blood with a sluggish liver can be affected by these food choices. Some foods thicken the blood and require extra hydration while some help to thin it for better blood flow. If you don’t know what causes your migraines, I suggest you take the Migraine Test that can be found on this website and in my book The Migraine Protocol.

Food List


Trigger foods: These otherwise healthy foods can trigger migraines because they work to coagulate the blood (increase blood viscosity/thickness/stickiness), and when circulation is already compromised, this can add enough to the equation to tip the scale into a migraine or make one worse.

As these foods increase blood viscosity, or sticky blood, they decrease ease of oxygen and nutrient delivery. This increases your chance of having a migraine if you are susceptible. Vitamin K thickens your blood and increases the risk of clotting or high blood viscosity. 



Blood-Thickening Foods to Avoid

Foods High in Vitamin K Units of Vitamin K per Serving


Kale, cooked 1/2 cup           531

Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup     444

Collards, cooked 1/2 cup     418

Swiss chard, raw 1 cup       299

Swiss chard, cooked 1/2 cup 287

Mustard greens, raw 1 cup 279

Turnip greens, cooked 1/2 cup 265

Parsley, raw 1/4 cup            246

Broccoli, cooked 1 cup        220

Brussels sprouts, cooked 1 C 219

Mustard greens, cooked 1/2 C 210

Collards, raw 1 cup              184

Spinach, raw 1 cup              145

Turnip greens, raw 1 cup     138

Endive, raw 1 cup            116


Foods High in Saturated Fat


Fatty beef

Lamb

Pork

Poultry with skin

Beef fat (tallow)

Lard and cream

 Butter

Cheese

Other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk

Cheese substitutes and butter substitutes may be high also

Some baked goods,

Fried foods

Palm oil

Palm kernel oil

Coconut

Coconut oil

Some fermented foods

Yogurt

Wine

Chocolate (as bars with other saturated fats, especially dairy fat)


Other Foods to Avoid During Liver Healing


Pickled foods

Excessive caffeine

Sodium nitrates

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Shellfish, ocean bottom feeders

All alcohol 


Foods With a Neutral Effect on Blood

Although these foods have some Vitamin K, the levels are low enough that they won’t trigger a migraine and do not need to be avoided. 

Units of Vitamin K per Serving

Broccoli, raw 1 cup                    89

Cabbage, cooked 1/2 cup     82

Green leaf lettuce 1 cup          71

Prunes, stewed 1 cup                   65

Romaine lettuce, raw 1 cup        57

Asparagus 4 spears                 48

Avocado 1 cup                         30-48

Tuna, canned in oil 3 ounces      37

Blue/black-berries, raw 1 cup    29

Peas, cooked 1/2 cup                   41                     

Blood-Thinning Foods and Supplements to Eat

SPICES

Curry powder

Cayenne pepper

Ginger

Paprika

Thyme

Cinnamon

Dill

Oregano

Turmeric

Licorice

Peppermint 


VITAMINS

Vitamin E

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B2

Vitamin D

Omega 3

FISH HIGH IN OMEGA 3

Anchovies

Salmon

Albacore tuna

Mackerel

Lake Trout

Herring


FRUITS

Raisins

Prunes (In moderation as they have some vitamin K)

Cherries

Cranberries

Blueberries

Grapes

Strawberries

Tangerines

Oranges

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Peaches

Fruits high in moisture

Coconut water


VEGETABLES

Celery

Garlic

Onions


LIQUIDS

Water

Pure fruit juice

Coconut water

Herbal tea 

You can heal your body from migraines by following the healing protocol found in my book The Migraine Protocol. Until you no longer have migraines or your liver or blood vessels are healed, you will want to follow the food guidelines above. Once you are well, you can enjoy these foods again as you would like.

Happy eating! Find more information about healing your body at realmigrainesolutions.com 


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