The key to minimizing or avoiding headaches

Headaches afflict about 70% of adults at least occasionally and provoke millions of North Americans each year to seek medical relief. Most headaches are transient and caused by tension or a temporary condition, such as a cold or the flu, but some reflect a serious underlying problem. Recurrent headaches warrant medical attention to diagnose the type and determine the best treatment. A migraine is a one-sided, severe, throbbing or pulsating headache often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound as well as by nausea and vomiting.

Cluster headaches, the most incapacitating of all headaches, last from 15 minutes to 3 hours and typically occurs in clusters. Often starting during sleep, they cause excruciating, stabbing pain on one side of the head, usually behind or around one eye. Tension headaches are the most common type and are caused by muscle contractions or an imbalance of natural chemicals in the brain.

Headaches also may be due to sinusitis, an inflammation of the lining of the sinus cavities. Another type, called rebound headaches, can result from overuse of over-the-counter analgesics, prescription pain medications and sedatives, and caffeine (which is a common ingredient in such drugs). Dental problems can cause very severe one-sided headaches, too. The many other factors that can cause headaches include squinting for hours in bright sun, eyestrain, hunger, excessive alcohol consumption, and too little or too much sleep. 5 to 10% of children and adolescents are affected by migraines.

Nutrition Connection
The key to minimizing or avoiding headaches is to avoid the elements that cause them, some of them dietary. Here are some factors to consider:
-Avoid common dietary triggers. Many foods, additives, and other dietary components can cause migraines, but the triggers vary greatly from one person to another. Keep a food diary, note what foods seem to prompt symptoms, and then eliminate them. Some common ones include: dairy products, such as aged cheeses; sourdough and other yeasty breads; fermented foods, including pickles; some legumes, especially dried beans, lentils, and soy products; nuts, seeds, and peanut butter; chocolate and cocoa; organ meats and meats that are salted, dried, cured, smoked, or contain nitrites; sardines and anchovies; many fruits, including avocados, bananas, citrus fruits, figs, grapes, pineapples, raspberries, red plums, and raisins; alcohol, especially red wine; seasonings and flavor enhancers, especially artificial sweeteners, ginger, and molasses; sulfites used as preservatives in wine and dried fruits; and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
-Keep blood sugar steady. Eat regular meals, because hunger or low blood sugar can trigger a headache.
-Use coffee to your advantage. The caffeine in coffee and other beverages—as well as in many over-the-counter analgesic drugs—can play a dual role in migraines. Regular and excessive ingestion can contribute to the frequency of the headaches. On the other hand, once you are completely off caffeine, you may be able to use it to fend off an impending attack, because it constricts dilated blood vessels. At the first sign of an aura or a pain, drink a cup of strong coffee or a cola, take two aspirin, and lie down in a dark, quiet room. The episode may pass within an hour or so.

Beyond the Diet
Headaches may be best managed by figuring out the causes and then avoiding them. Consider the following:
-Try muscle relaxation techniques. Meditation, yoga, biofeedback, or guided imagery may all be helpful.
-Take feverfew for migraines. Take one or two capsules of freeze-dried feverfew daily to reduce headache episodes. Research shows that regular feverfew intake decreases the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches and accompanying nausea. It cannot, however, stop an attack that has already started. Start slowly; feverfew can produce allergic reactions in some people. If you have no side effects, you can continue this regimen indefinitely.
-Consider medications. A number of medications are available to treat migraines. Medications used to treat other headaches include acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. For rebound headaches, stop using drugs that contain caffeine.