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8 Nutrition Hacks for Headaches
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1) Drink plenty of water
Often the first step to take when tackling a headache is to sit down and drink a glass of water or two. Even mild dehydration can cause a headache. Severe dehydration or chronically being dehydrated can significant and reoccurring headaches. Make sure to get 8 cups a day minimum. High temperatures, altitudes and physical activity increase your need for fluids. Source: http://www.webmd.com/women/news/20120120/even-mild-dehydration-may-cause-emotional-physical-problems Design Pics/PhotoSpin
2) Cut back on salt
Few things throw off electrolyte balance and increase blood pressure as much as excess salt — explains getting headaches so severe you can hear your heart pump. Check the labels on everything for sodium content and stick to the American Heart Association’s guidelines of no more than 1500-2400 mg sodium. Source: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/The-American-Heart-Associations-Diet-and-Lifestyle-Recommendations_UCM_305855_Article.jsp MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin
3) Avoid toxic food chemicals
Toxic food additives such as monosodium glutamate and artificial food dyes can cause headaches. Makes sense that having chemicals bouncing around in your body would upset your brain. Unfortunately a lot of toxic food chemicals are in our food supply. The good news is, day by day we’re seeing less food additives and healthier alternatives. Additionally, there is an app that helps you decipher if food additives are safe or not. Download the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s app called Chemical Cuisine. Source: http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm PS Productions/PhotoSpin
4) Eat more magnesium-rich foods
Magnesium is needed for over 300 functions in the human body. Long story short, one of the many functions is acting like an off switch for pain. Don’t rush out for a supplement! Magnesium is also an electrolyte and too much at once can cause upset stomach and horrible diarrhea. Make magnesium-rich foods a staple in your diet: seeds, nuts and beans. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium, serving up about half a day’s worth in just one ¼ cup serving! Plus they’re a delicious, easy snack full of protein, zinc and iron as well. Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=75 Vitaliy Pakhnyushchyy/PhotoSpin
5) Eat more potassium-rich foods
If you want to knock out a a headache, eat more potassium-rich foods on the regular. Not a nutrient to supplement with unless prescribed by a physician, as it’s a major electrolyte and excess can affect your heart. There are plenty of delicious, potassium-rich foods. If you don’t like bananas, there are at least 80 foods to choose from. Most fruits and vegetables are loaded with potassium. All-stars include beet greens, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, spinach, beans, and — as any Idaho college alumni with tell you — potato skins are loaded with potassium. Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=90&tname=nutrient Auremar/PhotoSpin
6) Control your caffeine consumption
Too much caffeine can trigger a headache, not enough caffeine can also trigger a headache. To give the situation a soap opera angle, turns out a little caffeine can actually help with a headache. Here’s the deal. Practice safe caffeine consumption. Generally speaking, keep consumption to 400 mg a day or less and spread it out over time, rather than all at once. That’s roughly 2 cups of coffee or 4 cups of tea. If you’ve been hit hard with a headache, try 2 ounces of coffee or tea after a tall glass of water. This is roughly the same amount of caffeine as you would find in OTC headache medications. Source: http://coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/guidelines-on-caffeine-intake PS Productions/PhotoSpin
7) Get tested for food allergies
Sounds crazy, but it’s true: sometimes food allergies and sensitivities present as headaches. Thinking about what you ate the three days leading up to your headache may help. So can journaling your food intake for 4 to 6 weeks and seeing if there is a relationship to your headaches. In the meantime, schedule an appointment to be tested for food allergies. Source: http://acaai.org/allergies/symptoms/allergy-headaches Auremar/PhotoSpin
8) Call in a Nutritionist
This option is often overlooked, but nutrition can do so much to help with headaches. Having a nutrition professional take an in-depth look at your intake can help you find what foods and deficiencies may be contributing to your headaches. He or she can recommend foods to get you feeling better. A nutrition professional can literally give you a recipe for headache relief. Written by Nutrition Sheila Reviewed June 30, 2015 by Michele Blacksberg RN Edited by Jody Smith Tags: headache, water, salt, chemicals, magnesium, potassium, caffeine, food allergies, nutritionist MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin
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