People with migraine suffer from very severe headaches that are disabling, i.e. the symptoms prevent them from being able to carry out any activity normally. Migraine is very difficult to combat, even with specific medication, and there is no cure, but it is possible to work to prevent new episodes of pain from appearing. Diet plays a very important role in achieving this.
Causes of migraine
Migraine can be triggered by many causes:
-Stress.
-Hormonal factors (menstruation).
-Food allergies that provoke an inflammatory response in the body.
-Drugs.
-Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
-Insufficient or little sleep.
All these factors can be the cause of a headache, although 95% of migraines are related to an enzymatic deficit. It is DiAmino Oxidase (DAO), an enzyme found in the small intestine that metabolizes (digests) histamine. Histamine is a substance found in all foods. For this reason it cannot be completely eliminated from the diet.
In a healthy person histamine from food is metabolized in the intestine and eliminated in the urine. People with a DAO enzyme deficiency are not able to metabolize it correctly and instead of eliminating it, it accumulates in the blood and tissues.
The main causes for which a person may have a deficiency of the enzyme DiAmino Oxidase are: genetics (the most frequent cause), consumption of drugs (analgesics, antihistamines, antidepressants, antihypertensives, diuretics, expectorants, mucolytics, and antibiotics among others), diseases: especially inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease.
The accumulation of histamine in the body due to DAO deficiency can produce other symptoms besides migraine. Among the most common are: eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin, edema, muscle pain and fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, abdominal swelling, nausea, dizziness, bone pain (especially in the spine), high and low blood pressure, etc.
There are analytical tests to know if a person has a DiAmino Oxidase enzyme deficiency. It is performed in medical centers and hospitals.
What foods should be avoided
There is no direct cause-effect relationship between food consumption and headache. For this reason, it is difficult for one to relate the consumption of certain foods with the headaches one suffers. Migraine occurs when histamine has accumulated over time, not because of the occasional consumption of a food.
People with a DAO deficiency should avoid foods rich in histamine such as cava and champagne, seafood, eggplant and spinach.
And others that contain other biogenic amines that can saturate the DAO enzyme and consequently cause the accumulation of histamine in the body. These foods are mainly: chocolate, avocado, citrus fruits, nuts and beer.
Alcohol is an inhibitor of the DAO enzyme, i.e. it blocks its function. The consumption of alcoholic beverages of any kind can aggravate migraine symptoms.
Recommendations to avoid migraine
-Avoid fasting. Allow a maximum of 3 hours between meals.
-Sleep enough hours.
-Avoid drops in blood pressure. Avoid foods that raise blood pressure, such as coffee.
-Moderate the consumption of foods rich in histamine mentioned above.
-Avoid taking drugs that increase histamine accumulation.
-Eating foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin B2 and unsaturated fatty acids can help alleviate symptoms.
The dietitians – nutritionists at Alimmenta can help you improve your diet to prevent new migraine episodes from appearing.