Struggling with Migraines? Try the Plant-Based Migraine Diet

The recent news about migraines is enough to give anyone a headache. An experimental drug therapy may prevent migraines by disrupting the pathways, though it could be years before the medication is in development, and scientists don’t know the long-term effects of this drug. But the key to treating migraines might not be in your medicine cabinet—it could be in your fridge.

Migraines are much worse than the usual type of headache. Migraine sufferers experience a debilitating, throbbing pain with sensitivity to light and sound, often accompanied by nausea.

Certain foods have been known to trigger migraines, including dairy, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, citrus, meat, tomatoes, onions, corn, and even apples. Generally, safe foods include rice, cooked green/orange/yellow vegetables, and cooked fruits that aren’t citrus.

A recent study by Physicians Committee researchers shows that a plant-based diet, followed by an elimination diet may reduce migraine pain. An elimination diet helps to identify any food-based triggers. The basic process of an elimination diet is removing all types of trigger foods for two weeks while stocking up on foods from the safe list. After two weeks, reintroduce the potential trigger foods one at a time to see if there is any negative reaction.

For more information about trigger foods and how to reduce migraine pain naturally, check out the Physicians Committee’s guide to the Migraine Diet.