Diet
Going vegan may reduce risk of chronic migraines
By Joe Morgan via SWNS
Switching to a vegan diet may reduce the risk of chronic migraine, suggests a new study.
In one case study, a man's, who had suffered non-stop attacks, migraines completely stopped and he was able to stop taking his medication after going vegan for just three months.
And in the eight years since switching to a plant-based diet, he has not had a migraine.
Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and watercress has been shown to be key in antioxidants that can ease extreme head pain.
Researchers are now advising chronic migraine sufferers to choose a whole food plant-based diet that is "safe, effective and permanent."
Many migraine sufferers are aware of their food triggers, whether it be chocolate, caffeine, cheese and nuts that trigger a debilitating attack that can last between four and 72 hours.
Migraines, which impact one billion people worldwide, fall into episodic-less than 15 single attacks in a month- and chronic- more than 15 days a month.
The researchers treated a man who had endured severe migraine headaches without aura for more than 12 years.
He had tried prescribed medication, cut out trigger foods, and was experienced in yoga and meditation in a bid to stop the severity and frequency of the headaches.
Six months before, the man's migraines had become chronic and occurred 18 to 24 days every month.
He described the pain as starting suddenly and intensely in the forehead and temple on the left side of his head. The pain was throbbing in nature, and usually lasted 72 hours.
His headaches were accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, and nausea and vomiting.
On a scale of 0–10, he scored the pain severity as 10–12 out of 10.
He was put on a vegan diet and ate at least five ounces by weight of raw or cooked dark green leafy vegetables, drank one 32-ounce daily green smoothie, and limited intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils and animal protein.
After two months on the LIFE diet (Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday), the man said that the frequency of his migraine attacks had fallen to just one day a month; the length and severity of the attacks had also lessened.
Even when he tried certain ‘challenge’ foods, such as egg whites, salmon, or iced tea, which triggered headache attacks, these were much less painful and much shorter in duration than before.
After three months, his migraines stopped completely, and they haven't returned.
The researchers noted that it was likely the man's HIV positive status, which has been linked to a heightened risk of migraines, contributed to his symptoms.
"This report suggests that a whole food plant-based diet may offer a safe, effective and permanent treatment for reversing chronic migraine," said Dr. David Dunaief, who works out of a private practice in New York.
“While this report describes one very adherent patient who had a remarkable response, the LIFE diet has reduced migraine frequency within 3 months in several additional patients (personal communication).”
The findings were published in BMJ Case Reports.