How to Avoid Foods That Cause Headaches
There are good foods for your body and bad foods for your body. Most of the headaches we get are referred to as tension headaches. The food one eats may also add to the headache pain. Here are some foods to avoid if you frequently have headaches.
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Instructions
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Tyramine Foods
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1
Avoid aged cheeses. The aged cheeses include blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Brie, cheddar, Muenster, feta, mozzarella, Stilton, Parmesan, Swiss and processed cheeses. Eat these foods in moderation or eliminate them from your diet when you are most prone to the headaches. There is more tyramine in aged foods and the tyramine increases blood flow to the brain.
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2
Stay away from beer and other drinks that are aged, including red wines. Again, this is the same reason as step one. The aging process allows for higher concentrations of tyramine. The amino acid tyrosine increases the blood flow to the brain which can lead to a headache. The more prone you are to headaches, the more you should avoid the substance.
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3
Eat fresh fruits, not aged or dried ones, which are high in tyramine. Avoid ripe bananas, avocados, figs, raisins, eggplant and other aged fruits.
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4
Consume fresh meats, not aged meats such as pickled herring, canned soups and aged canned meat.
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5
Limit favorites like chocolate, yogurt, caffeine and soy sauces.
Foods With Additives and Food Coloring
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6
Watch nitrite intake. This one is a killer at holiday time. The nitrites in ham are very high. Bacon is another food with high concentrations of nitrites. There is a new bacon on the market that is "all natural" and contains less nitrite than other bacons.
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Avoid food colorings that lead to headaches. There are some food colorings that research has showed to trigger headaches. Look on the ingredients list of the product. Cake frostings and other products with high concentrations of food colorings should be used sparingly.
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8
Ask restaurants to leave out the monosodium glutamate (MSG) when preparing your food. This one is still being debated by professionals, but there is definitely something in there that increases the pain felt in one's head after consume yummy Chinese food containing MSG. (In fact, many Chinese restaurants are now labeling foods on the menu and buffet that do not contain MSG.) Buy the potato chips that have no MSG. Read the contents on the back of the package.
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