In my last post I confessed that because of a small tumour in my head I suffer very but very often from migraine. Besides, the migration gets worse with what you eat and of course, this affects my stomach directly! But as I am a curious/studious person, besides reading about this topic, I usually also observe my body. Well, I must tell you that there are many variants of migraine, including abdominal migraine!
What exactly is abdominal migraine?
During this type of migraine, pain is located in the stomach more than in the head. Symptoms experienced are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, loss of appetite and paleness. Both adults and children can experience abdominal migraine. Currently, there are very few studies on abdominal migraine in adults. Is this something we should investigate?
The Poop Factor 😑
The connection between gut health and migraine is real. No one likes to talk about it, but, not being able to poop can affect everything 😑.
Your overall health, mood and mindset are affected, and being constipated can also act as a trigger for migraine and headaches 😟.
I know that many of you are forced to take medication for migraine and may experience constipation, causing even more stress! The anxiety surrounding this cycle is very real and I understand what you’re going through.
Trying to get on top of it all while keeping your life in balance is hard when you get a migraine attack 💜.
People said me “eat more fiber” and “drink more water” as simple home remedies but when you suffer from migraine, there are more factors that need to be considered.
Naturally occurring food chemicals in some fiber rich food are a no-go for migraine patients. Did you know this?
It’s important to understand the benefits of some type of foods if you have migraine.
1st. You need to know how the gut works;
2nd. You need to know how to read food labels and understand fiber content;
3rd. You need to prepare your pantry and fridge to be migraine friendly;
4th. You need to identify specific food triggers for migraine patients and how to substitute for them; and
5th. Some studies recommend increasing fiber in your meals for migraine sufferers.
In addition, did you know that food is one of the most common triggers for migraine? But what exactly is the reason behind this? 🤔. So, its time to we’re talking about food! 😋🧀🧄🌽🍅🍌🍖
-Aim for half of your grains to be whole grains. Whole grains have more fiber and vitamins. Try to change things like white bread, white rice, and pasta in your diet to whole grains.
-Aim for increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Half your plate should be fruits and vegetables, every time! Eat a variety of vegetables.
–Aim to eat healthy fats, not low fat. Limit “saturated” and “trans fats” when possible. Try to increase seafood consumption to two to three times per week to get your omega-3 fats.
-Limit sodium. Most salt in our diets comes from processed foods (heat-and-eat frozen meals, canned soups, and ready-to-eat snacks like chips and crackers).
-Don’t skip meals! This is a recommendation of my neurologue, in my case it triggers migraines.
–Consider eating 5 small meals per day. Eat a carbohydrate with a protein or a good fat to stay full longer.
–Some common food “triggers” are alcohol, aged cheeses, caffeine, and chocolate. So, I confess I can’t give up chocolate or coffee! But I’m trying to reduce their consumption. And in case of alcohol, I learned, for example red wine gave me a headache, I taste the white and tolerate it, experience but be cautious!
–Drink water through the day instead of sugary drinks like soda or juice. Avoid citrus juices especially!
Not sure if your triggers are even food-related? Tell me your opinion, I love gaining new knowledge 💕
The migraine risks and threshold apply to food as well. The same rationale that I was shared in the previous post on weather and migraine, applies to food too! I’ll explain it to you quickly:
Sensitive brain receptors trigger migraine symptoms when they get upset. They get upset when they are exposed to too much migraine risk. The risk level that brain receptors can withstand is called the migraine threshold. We are exposed to multiple risk factors at once every day. When the overall risk reaches the threshold, symptoms appear.
There are three levels of risk factor sensitivity: high sensitivity, medium sensitivity, and low sensitivity. We need to stay below your migraine threshold to remain free of symptoms! This can span from doing nothing to controlling almost everything 😊:
-Avoid high sensitivity risks, for example: being exposed to long hours of sun, or sunbathing in the middle of the day; listening to music at a super high volume, etc.
-Others controllable lifestyle risk factors: sleep disruption, neck pain, stress and anxiety.
-Controllable food risk factors: dehydration, skipped meals, alcohol, caffeine, processed food.
-Don’t be fooled by “healthy” food because they can contain risk factors for your migraine: broccoli, cucumber, pineapple, tomato, etc. I know, these foods are delicious, but I prefer to avoid them or to consume them occasionally. But remember that there will be factors that are out of your control, there are the weather changes and hormones 😑!
And before I say goodbye, as I have always said, my only intention is to help you have a better life, and in this case healthier! Free of migraines! Tell me if you would like me to write more posts related to food and our body. And if you have not yet read my article about foods that help depression and anxiety, I invite you to do so at this time through the following link http://atomic-temporary-127928292.wpcomstaging.com/2020/04/16/alimentos- for-depression-and-anxiety /.
Keep us still connected! A hug from my wings! 🦋.
Butterfly Spirit 
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