Having a Headache

We all get headaches at one time or another and the most common causes include stress, too much caffeine or not enough, allergies, eyestrain from being on the computer too long, hormonal imbalances, head trauma, the use of alcohol or drugs, nutritional deficiencies or exposures to perfumes, scents or pollution.   

Many experts agree that 90% of all headaches are from tension or anxiety while 6% are migraines.  Tension headaches are caused by anxiety or tension in the body but many suffer from what are called “cluster” headaches which are often very severe, painful and keep coming back.   Most headaches are the result of an underlying health problem and those who suffer from headaches frequently are largely due to a reaction to certain foods or food additives such as wheat, dairy, sugar, nuts, MSG, chocolate, sulfites found in wine and restaurant salad bars, deli meats, fermented and marinated foods and vinegar.

Other health problems including high blood pressure, hypoglycemia (high blood sugar), brain tumors, anemia, spine misalignments, B-vitamin deficiencies, too much Vitamin A, teeth grinding and diseases of the eye, nose or throat can cause headaches.  Dehydration is becoming very common in this country due to overconsumption of energy drinks, caffeine and sugary beverages instead of water which can lead to headaches.
 

Here are some recommendations to consider for eliminating or reducing a headache:

   1.Eat whole-foods at every meal and make sure you are eating a well-balanced diet throughout the day every 3-4 hours.  Avoid going way too long without food as this can kick-off a headache due to wide swings in blood sugar levels.  Include almonds, almond milk, watercress, parsley, fennel, garlic, cherries and pineapple in your diet which all offer anti-inflammatory properties.

   2.Eliminate foods containing the amino acid phenylalanine found in aspartame sold in the form of Equal, Nutrasweet and other artificial sweeteners.  

   3.Eliminate luncheon meats and hot dogs as they contain nitrites which are preservatives.

   4.Make sure you are not eating a lot of foods with the amino acid tyramine found in chocolate, bananas, herring, cheese, chicken, citrus fruits, onions, peanut butter, pork, sour cream, vinegars, wine and fresh-baked products made with yeast.  Tyramine increases blood pressure which can result in a dull headache.

   5.Sit up straight and practice deep-breathing exercises as a lack of oxygen can cause headaches.

   6.The minute you feel a headache coming on, drink a glass of water and continue drinking water throughout the day.

   7.Find the cause of your headache and not just treat the symptoms.  Relying on over-the-counter pain medications long-term can make chronic headaches worse by interfering with the brain’s natural ability to fight headaches.
 
   8.If you are taking birth control pills and experience headaches, talk to your doctor about lowering the dosage as oral contraceptives can cause a vitamin B6 deficiency resulting in headaches.   

 

If you suffer from headaches, keep a log journal for at least a month or two noting the time of day and location of each headache with a description of it, duration and severity which will help pinpoint the causes of your headaches.