July 1, 2009
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Boys experience more migraines than girls prior to puberty. After age 11, however, girls begin to experience the majority of migraine headaches.
Women hardly hit with Migraine
Migraine is more prevalent in women than men primarily due to hormonal influences. This may also be because of fluctuations in estrogen levels in women.
Migraine Attack
Migraine attack is caused by a sequence of events that causes blood vessels in the brain to tighten, then dilate, resulting in the throbbing pain of a migraine headache. Alterations in serotonin, a naturally occurring chemical in the body, is the likely cause.
Risk of Strokes and Heart Attacks
Middle-aged women and older women who have migraines with auras appear to have a higher risk of strokes and heart disease.
» Read more: Migraine most common in women
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There is a fairly long list of foods that can trigger or cause migraine and migraine sufferers are well aware of that. Certain foods may trigger a migraine in some while others may not. In other words, migraine triggers depend on each individual food intake.
Fruits as a Migraine trigger
Citrus fruits, which contains octopamine and synephrine, can cause migraine or headache flare-ups. The most commonly implicated fruits are oranges, grape fruits, lemons, and limes. Overripe bananas, which contain high levels of tyramine, can also trigger headaches in some people. Most dried fruit, which contains high levels of sulfites can also cause migraine attacks.
Sulfites are group of chemicals used as preservatives in foods, alcohol and drugs. These chemicals give fruits and vegetables a “fresh” appearance and are used by some restaurants to enhance the appearance of salads. Chemical names for sulfites include potassium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, and sulfur dioxide.
Some fruits like kiwi fruit, some plums, raspberries, and pineapples have all been associated with migraines in some people. Also, avocados and raisins are foods in the fruit group that may bring on your migraine.
Source:
50 Ways to Control Migraine by Ceabert J. Griffith
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Nuts are known to trigger a migraine headache in some people.
Health Benefits in Nuts
Nuts are important in our diet as it contain the essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, which are vital for growth, healthy skin and hair, blood pressure control, immune system response and blood clotting. The fats in nuts, which mostly contain unsaturated fats, especially monounsaturated fats, does not raise blood cholesterol levels. The monounsaturated fats are known to contain the “good cholesterol.” Nuts is also the best natural source of Vitamin E, an antioxidant, and are rich in protein, dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and folate.
The Downside: High Level of Tyramine in Nuts
Tyramine is a monoamine compound found in a lot of healthy foods, including nuts. Nuts are known to trigger migraine in some people because of the high level of tyramine found in nuts. Almost any nut can trigger a migraine but just because peanuts trigger a migraine in you, that doesn’t necessarily mean that almonds do, too.
» Read more: Nuts are known to cause Migraine in some people
