Migraines are a particularly strong type of heartache, which can be accompanied by nausea, malaise and a host of unpleasant situations . It is estimated that it affects between 11 and 16% of the world population .
Unlike other headaches, or headaches, migraine is especially persistent and painful. And the most curious thing is that we do not really know why it occurs, despite the countless efforts we have made to understand it . Luckily, there are some things we do know about her. For example, the role of the tiraminas and how some foods can play a trick on us.
Table of Contents
We do not know why migraines occur
It is very striking, in the absence of a better expression, the ignorance that exists about this evil. Especially if we take into account its consequences and the large number of people affected. There are numerous hypotheses about its origin, although none seems to square with what was observed in the studies.
What we do know well is his clinical picture, which begins with prodrome, diffuse symptoms that appear hours before migraine; the aura, which manifests itself with a loss of vision in a point or of an entire eye, or the appearance of bright spots, etc; followed by pain, intense, throbbing, which affects a particular side of the head and can last many hours. It can also be accompanied by vomiting, nausea and other unpleasant sensations.
Once a migraine attack is triggered it is very difficult to do anything. Some drugs can help, although they do not always work and not for everyone. In general, the best option is prevention . And how is something prevented that is not known why it occurs?
What researchers have observed is that episodes of migraine are intimately related to lifestyle habits . Indeed, migraine can be triggered by bad breaks, stress and other psychological circumstances, some external factors such as weather, hormones (especially during menstruation) or food, which is directly related.
What are tyramins?
The glutamate , the caffeine , the spirit … all these substances are related to migraine. But there is one in particular that we know from its more than proven relationship: tyramine . Tyramine is a molecule that produces a change in blood vessels (it is a vasoactive) and is present in many foods.
This substance appears by the natural process of fermentation in certain foods . Tyramine from the diet is directly related to headache and migraine . Although the exact mechanism is unknown, some hypotheses suggest that sensitivity to tyramine has similarities to the interaction of dopamine in our system . Even so, there are many unknowns about it. For example, not everyone is affected by miniature films or they do not do it in the same way.
In any case, especially if they are under stress, patients who are susceptible to migraine are discouraged from consuming fermented foods that may contain minesweeping. And what foods do we talk about? And, above all, what do we eat then?
Diet low in tiraminas, what to eat and what not to eat
If we are in a tense moment, we have been resting a few days or simply, we are not well and, in addition, we usually suffer from migraine, it is a good time to know what foods could help to provoke it. As tyramine appears in the fermentation of certain foods, it is convenient to eliminate all products related to this process . It is also necessary to eliminate others related to migraine or headache:
- The hard cheese (yes that allowed fresh cheeses and cream cheese).
- Pickled or dried herrings
- chocolate .
- Anything fermented, pickled or marinated.
- The sour cream.
- Bread with sourdough, breads and cookies that contain cheese or chocolate.
- Foods that contain monosodium glutamate .
- Figs, raisins , papayas, avocados and red plums.
- Citric fruits.
- Bananas .
- Pizza .
- Excessive amounts of tea , coffee or cola drinks.
- Processed meats (sausages and pepperoni).
- Livers and pate.
- Alcohol .
It is a fairly extensive list. So, what can we include? Let’s give some acceptable examples to prevent migraine. If we want to enjoy the cheese, in addition to the fresh one, we can take advantage of this strawberry and fresh cheese mousserecipe , or these sugar-free cheese cakes (it only has an orange zest, which is not a problem).
If we are sweet and can not do without chocolate, these fitness chocolates will help us to keep the craving at bay. We can also take advantage of a multitude of legumes, as in this recipe of baked chickpeas with carrots and chia seeds . We do not need to renege on pizza, but instead of eating pizza with bread dough, we can enjoy this fitness pizza based on oats and sweet potatoes, or these mini-pizzas with a chickpea base.
Fish is a good source of nutrients, if it is fresh , and we can eat it in a myriad of recipes. Meat, if it is fresh, can also be a good option. For example, turkey gives us healthy and tasty recipes.
Finally, we have a lot of recipes with pasta that can help us to maintain a free feeding of tiraminas without the choking of the dish, like this ” red lentils pasta with sautéed cherry tomatoes “. Although it may seem complicated, staying away from this substance is easier than it seems. Moreover, we can do so by maintaining a healthy and balanced diet . And if not, you just have to look at the multitude of options we have.
