The word “headache” feels like a catchall metaphor for calamity. You invoke it when you’re stressed, when people annoy you, to describe tough projects, and when you’re not in the mood. But for many people, the phrase is more than just a clichéd way to decline a romantic rendezvous.
Persistent headaches cannot always be fended off with a couple of ibuprofens and a good nap. They can be debilitating. And they can feel like someone’s taking a j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-jack-hammer to your forehead.
The trouble, as you likely know, is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s because headaches are like dog breeds: There are many kinds. Some can be triggered by hormonal changes and fluctuations. Others can occur because of blood flow changes that cause constriction and dilation of the vessels feeding the brain. Some come about as side effects of medications or other conditions; others stem from changes in your sleep or diet patterns (not eating for a certain amount of time can certainly do it, as can lack of caffeine in regular users). Some headaches arise from environmental factors—whether exposure to toxins or stress or allergens or cranky mothers-in-law. And some people may simply have a genetic predisposition to getting a lot of those skull-knockers throughout their lives.
Because the neurons that make up your brain don’t have pain sensors, it begs the question: Where do headaches come from anyway? Well, although the cells that make you think don’t sense their own pain, other parts of the brain do—for example, the dural or larger cerebral vessels, along with the large veins and dural sinuses (the dura is the name of the tissue that covers the brain). When movement, constriction, dilatation, or inflammation stimulate these areas, they can activate pain fibers in the fifth cranial nerve (known as the trigeminal nerve). The stretch or pressure on a nerve fiber (or the pressure or instability of a blood vessel in the brain area) can cause pain. Some headaches, though, are also caused by muscles in and around the head; a strained muscle there (just like one you’d feel in other parts of your body) can cause your noggin to throb.
Caffeine: Yes or No?
Caffeine can help you get rid of a headache—but it can also backfire on you. When you don’t have your regular amount in the course of a day, you can experience a withdrawal headache. This can happen if you drink two, three, or more cups of coffee a day (Dr. R averages 8-plus), then skip a day entirely. As with any food, you need to identify whether caffeine is a consistent trigger and reduce or eliminate it if it is. But keep in mind that caffeine can also work as a short-term cure to help reduce the headache as well.
Because the causes (and treatments) are so varied, no one magic meal will help you fend off headaches. However, a lot of evidence suggests that food can be a common trigger, so being in tune with what and when you eat can be the first step to figuring out how food can help.11
Start by creating a food and headache journal in which you write down everything you eat (and the time you eat it), then make notes about when headaches come about. Over a period of a few weeks, you may be able to notice patterns (more often than you’d expect) and thus be able to perceive what foods might be triggers. Chocolate, red wine, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are common culprits.12 Note: The headache often happens within 12 hours of eating the food, so don’t just look to what you ate immediately before the onset. You’ll have to sleuth a bit to see if you can find patterns during that time frame, so share your journal with your doctor. Eliminate those triggers and you have a good chance of reducing the rate at which you get headaches.
The interesting factor here is that food can also play a role by bolstering nutrient levels that may have some influence in the onset of headaches. If you’re a persistent sufferer, you should learn how to adjust your diet (through addition and subtraction) to lower the chances of your head feeling like it’s constantly being bulldozed.
MVPs: Spinach and other leafy greens (kale and arugula included), already in your healthy food arsenal, are good staples because of the vitamins they contain. Spinach contains lots of folate and B6, as well as some vitamin B2 and omega-3 fatty acids; all have been found to reduce migraines.13,14,15 Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, has been shown to help reduce the length and frequency of migraine headaches.16 Use leafy greens in salad, sauté them with garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, or blend them in a smoothie (a stealth way to get more of them into your diet). Egg whites are also a good choice; four of them contain about half of your daily requirement of riboflavin.17,18 So say yes to that spinach egg-white omelet.
Key Players: It appears that many chronic headache sufferers may have lower-than-typical magnesium levels.19 This means that your snack of choice should be a handful of nuts or seeds, which are high in this important nutrient. Good choices include almonds, sesame seeds, cashews, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts. One study found that those who took magnesium supplements reduced their migraine frequency by 41 percent. Still, experts recommend increasing dietary magnesium, rather than taking supplements if at all possible.20,21
Cut From the Team: Red wine and other alcohol might make you feel buzzy and happy in the moment, but they’re common triggers for headaches (and not just the ones associated with hangovers). Why? First, booze can cause dehydration, which triggers headaches. Many people think the sulfites in red wine are to blame for headaches, but experts say no. Instead, most now believe it’s the tannins and the phenolic flavonoid components (the chemicals that affect the taste of wine), which vary greatly from vineyard to vineyard.22 Chocolate, caffeine, MSG, and other foods are also linked to headaches. The best bet: Start that food and headache journal to see what your triggers are and then try to eliminate suspects.
| SUB OUT… | SUB IN… |
| Fasting | Regular complex carbs, like whole grains and veggies with fiber to make sure you don’t experience hunger dips that can trigger headaches. |
| Red meat | Grilled salmon and ocean trout. Chronic headache sufferers can benefit from an increase in omega-3 fatty acids and B12, which is found in salmon and ocean trout.23,24 Plus, red and processed meat can often trigger headaches. |
| Artificial sweeteners | We don’t advocate the use of any sugar, but a dash of it, or better yet, a little cinnamon, can sweeten your coffee, instead of the artificial packets that are associated with headaches. Or better yet, try decaffeinated black coffee to reduce the possibility of two common triggers: sweeteners and caffeine. |
| Chocolate | If chocolate is one of your triggers, try roasting walnuts and mixing them with berries to get your sweet fix. |
| Soy sauce | Soy sauce contains MSG and sodium, which is linked to dehydration. Instead, sprinkle food with other spices you love, acids like lemon, or your favorite type of vinegar. |