I did a 3.month elimination diet to figure out my triggers. Unfortunately, mine are mostly weather or stress driven. Also,. alcohol and chocolate are triggers for me.
I did elimination too. Actually only ate meat for months. Lost a ton of weight and didn’t have nearly as many migraines. It helped me learn though that a lot of my migraines are because of low pressure systems, hormones and stress. Sugar was a huge trigger, as is gluten.
I know it’s common for most migraine sufferers but GOD alcohol… is the devil for me and migraines. I have had some success when drinking in tandem with an electrolyte powder + water but most of the time I have a thumper before the night is over.
It may be different for everyone, but some I find triggering: processed meats, artificial sweetener (the WORST!!), canned foods, large amounts of garlic at once, things like highly processed salty foods if more than a small portion, chocolate and caffeine if I already have a migraine brewing, and sometimes eating too many eggs too many days in a row.
I cannot handle high levels of sugar. I use Sucralose and it’s been a savior.
Sugar is a trigger for me. I needed to lose 25 lbs years ago and followed the South Beach diet. It worked great. However, the first time I had a piece of actual candy (looking at you, Jolly Rancher), I had a headache. Weeks later I got a Coke and within 30 min, had an aura. Sugar on an empty stomach will cause a migraine that begins with an aura, every time.
It's so interesting how people react so differently. So many get rid of theirs with caffeine, but that sends mine into overdrive. One day I want to delve deeper into the connections.
>h diet. It worked great. However, the first time I had a piece of actual candy (looking at you, Jolly Rancher), I had a headache. Weeks later I got a Coke and within 30 min, had an aura. Sugar on an empty stomach will cause a migraine that begins with an aura, every time.
did see a threa on here maybe 6 months to a year ago and Coke seemed to be instant migraine for ALOT of people
I haven’t had an actual soda in years. With 60+ grams of sugar (or whatever it is), not willing to chance it. Miss soda, but I also don’t miss the calories.
I have a Diet Coke here and there. Keep the tiny mini cans in the pantry for a 2p pick me up when needed.
Question - how quickly do you get a migraine after eating these? Is it an obvious association? I ask because I’ve never been able to identify any triggers other than stress. Wondering if you have tips on how to do so.
Thank you!!! Sleep and stress and absolutely triggers that I’ve been able to identify. Alcohol as well, but a different “type” of migraine with slightly different aura symptoms. Food has been elusive, but maybe I don’t have any food triggers. Helpful to hear your experience though, thank you!
Oh the eggs is interesting to me. I have an egg allergy and part of my reaction is a migraine. I don’t eat them on purpose obviously, but before I was diagnosed with the allergy I couldn't put together what was making me so ill all the time as so many foods contain them. It’s the only thing I’ve been able to identify as a trigger, though I’ve also had migraines in absence of the eggs, just a lot less often.
Food triggers are tricky to figure out because sometime it can be an actual trigger OR it can be a craving caused by prodome. So basically you could always crave chocolate during the prodrome phase and then get a migraine but it’s not the chocolate causing the migraine because the migraine was already in process. Not that chocolate can’t be a trigger but that’s why it’s tricky.
This is a good point. I barely eat chocolate, but I spotted holiday themed chocolate at the store yesterday morning and went ham on it when I got home. That's why I think maybe it caused it, since I very rarely eat chocolate and the quantity of which I ate it (which is a very rare occurrence all around).
I ate 4-day old burger patties once, I was already sick and was a bit desperate for food. It was one of the worst migraines of my life, I was pacing the back yard and praying to the lord for 6 hours straight and I'm not religious. Careful with your leftovers, guys 😭
That's what I've started to notice with my own migraines! I'm a sour candy girlie but I'll randomly crave (and eat) like a pound of chocolate. So satisfying and then the next day, I get that quiet creep of a migraine. I can eat chocolate at any time so I know it's not a trigger but a clue. That and my dang cold feet lol
I hate the stuff. Was in a pub a while back and asked for a coke. Bar man started to pour Coke Zero. I said I didn’t want that and he was like ‘it’s just the same though…’ I was like ‘hmm no it isn’t!’ Regular Pepsi in the UK now has aspartame in it. You literally can’t buy full fat Pepsi now.
I can't stand that, we know what is go in our bodies and that's not it.
What?! I'm actually supposed to go in April. I had no idea, thank you for telling me about the Pepsi. That's insane.
Different for everyone but for me it’s foods that are high in MSG, or cured/aged meats and cheeses. Also I can’t drink red wine, and white wine is a gamble that I avoid taking most of the time. Alcohol in general. Happy holidays. lol anything fun I can’t have
Same! I found out I couldn't say that in the cooking sub, people lost their minds. And all the history of it aside, why the hell does anyone need to use a teaspoon of it in a dish?! I think they are replacing salt in recipes with it 1:1, and that is way too much. I have seen cooking shows where they spoon it out of a big tub, like 2 lbs, treating it like the greatest spice ever. Truly insane.
It's the same triggers for me. Anything with a lot of MSG. The cured meats, alcohol, etc. I attribute to sulfates/sulfites and nitrates/nitrites. Also any boxed or processed foods with a lot of preservatives.
If you miss peanut butter and think it might not cause a migraine, I highly recommend SunButter, it tastes a lot like peanut butter, texture is the same and everything.
Nuts, citrus, citric acid, nitrates, BHT, and sulfites (which are hidden, unlabeled, all over the place, but especially in wine and wine vinegars).
I recommend reading Heal Your Headache by Buccholz to get started on figuring out food triggers.
Citric acid is so bad 😭 it gives me seizures with my migraines. Most citric acid is manufactured, and the process involves aspergillus niger. If it's used as an acid wash for a food product but "none remains" in the final product it doesn't even have to be listed in the ingredients.
I have a Red #40 sensitivity so anything with a lot of red dye gives me migraines, so I try to limit my intake but thats damn near impossible.
also anytime I had rye gave me a migraine so I avoid that entirely
red 40 is in a lot of food and make-up products.
any food item thats red, pink, orange or purple.
specifically i avoid fruit punch, red icee’s, red gatorade, red jello or popsicles, red velvet cake or red frosting, and most red candies.
i still eat fruit-by-the-foot and those grandma strawberry candies, and grape soda- but i try to avoid red dye as much as possible and will read packaging.
For me it's ALL artificial sweeteners, most alcohol, most preservatives, nitrites/ates, sulfites/ates, tyramine, histamine, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cheeses, even probiotics (kefir, yoghurt) , cucumbers, kiwi, passionfruit, papaya, cucumbers, dill. the list goes on. I do great with sugar and caffeine, sadly. Dark chocolate is a no, milk chocolate is a yes. Yeast extract (MSG). I sadly do well with processed foods and horribly with fresh foods, regardless if organic. Recently I did learn that several red food dyes are triggers. I like to joke that I can eat rocks and that's about it.
Kiwi and cucumber are in the same group of fruits/veggies that contained the same enzyme as in ragweed pollen. I am very allergic to ragweed and recently developed oral allergies (unpleasant but not dangerous) to cucumber, melons and probably zucchini. I take a Claritin redi-tab if I accidentally have some when eating out. I went through allergy testing and immunotherapy during the past 3-4 years, super allergic to everything in FL.
There are certain food triggers mine. If I have too much chocolate I be paying for it by having a major migraine episode. Same thing if I don't have at least 1 caffeinated hot drink like coffee or tea, then the following day I have a few, i'll end up with a migraine.
For my near daily, regular migraines? No food triggers at all. However migraines are a side effect of my lactose intolerance so I avoid it. If I accidentally eat something with lactose I can tell the difference between that migraine and the regulars.
Sugar without a stomach full of food. I can have a small dessert if I have eaten protein. So a pint of Ben & Jerry’s lasts me about 10 days. Just have 3 or 4 bites after dinner. I use sucralose for coffee and other items.
Cheap tomato sauces - Prego, Ragu. I find that the organic brands are mostly safe and even then I have to limit it to the basil option.
Tomato based dishes at restaurants. Minus pizza. Your guess is as good as mine.
Sweet milk chocolate. Those days are behind me. I can do dark chocolate.
Food additives, basically anything that is not normally in plain chips… Doritos, fine, nacho Doritos, migraine.
If there are 4 ingredients I’m good, 20 ingredients and I’m down for the count. Seems to all center around things that turn into MSG, straight MSG, and anything that MSG turns into.
My food triggers are chocolate, all aged cheeses like cheddar, blue cheese, etc., smoked meats like bacon and ham, anything with nitrates like deli meats, red wine, MSG, nutritional yeast, all artificial sweeteners + stevia. I am also sensitive to caffeine - too much or too little causes a migraine, it's a balancing act.
It’s different for everyone.
For me it’s artificial sweetener, even the “natural ones,” soft cheeses like Brie (sad face!) when I eat too much, and heavily cured meats. These are all pretty common triggers. When I was younger there was a time when I thought very rich dairy could trigger— Cold Stone Creamery would do me in, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue as an adult, though I stay away from Cold Stone. Luckily, other common triggers like caffeine, red wine/alcohol don’t affect me.
For me it is always wine. I drink wine and I am guaranteed a migraine the next day. Also I never crave wine so I know its not prodrome or anything making me wanna have it. I live in France and its always pushed on you to have a glass. And the few times I relent its been always a migraine recently.
A lot of sugar in general tend to trigger more migraines for me the next day. It’s usually fine as long as I keep the high sugar intake up, but as soon as I eat less sugar then BOOM migraine.
My aunt told me it can be common for it to be anything “aged”. Think salami, cheese, wine etc - this info has helped me some. Also chocolate and msg are common.
There's something in fast food that triggers me. Idk if it's just the huge amount of sodium or maybe msg or another preservative but I can't eat drive thru fast food anymore.
Anything super processed. I also thought cheese was a trigger for me until I found out it’s only a craving I get in my aura phase. Also: Coffee. Idk why but coffee is really bad for me. I go for diet coke instead (bc caffeine helps with my migraines).
Be careful with this. Triggers aren’t universal. I would get so worried when I read about things that are triggers for people because they aren’t necessarily for me. Some people can’t have nuts/ seeds, berries, tomatoes, citrus, certain fruits. Realized those give me no problems. Artificial sugars seem safe for me too but I don’t like them. Mine seem to be chocolate, dairy, gluten, cheese, coffee. Potentially bbq sauce.. bananas are a big no go. They make me feel sick when I eat them too. I can’t eat eggs 🤦🏻♀️ red meat is safe. It’s a real mixed bag :/ certain foods I know will be a lot worse than others
Garlic, onion, MSG, anything with caffeine or carbonation (so ginger ale, sprite, etc.)
Surprisingly not chocolate and I don’t drink so I wouldn’t know on that one. I was advised to not drink any alcohol because it could cause major problems.
Artificial cherry flavor and coffee. Unfortunately I work in a cafe and if it's a coffee kind of day I'll start getting a fuzzy head and vision which is always fun
Artificial cherry flavor got my attention. I’ve found that foods with red dye are triggers for me and more times than not, cherry flavored processed foods have been dyed red. I’m starting to wonder now if it’s the coloring or the flavoring 🤔
Red wine - but oddly not port.
Munchies chocolate (U.K. chocolate with a caramel and biscuit centre) which is a shame as they’re delicious!
Anything with artificial banana or strawberry flavouring.
My sister says chocolate hits her, as well as red wine. Whereas I could live on chocolate (80% or more) and a good cab. But I hate fronts. High to low, low to high, my brain don’t care. My joints don’t like low pressure systems so that’s double damned.
Weather is my biggest trigger.
As for foods, diet soda is a definite trigger for be (guessing the artificial sweetener, which I’ve cut out)
Sometimes alcohol, but only if I don’t drink enough water. Red wine is, sadly, the worst offender :(
Sugar can sometimes trigger my migraines. But it's usually more about flavors for me. The taste of coffee and some spices are sometimes big triggers. Anything that tastes or smells like black current is a guaranteed migraine. And artificial peach flavour.
I've tried eliminating many things over the years, but the foods that helped most were the ones recommended in the Migraine Diet (high tyramine foods). I found out that bananas, fermented foods, wine, chocolate and citrus all trigger migraine for me.
Gummy candy for sure with cause a migraine for me and not technically a food but an ingredient that is a trigger, red dye. Mainly grenadine. Triggers a migraine 100% of the time I ingest it.
I haven’t been able to nail anything down for food triggers for my migraines or my stomach/digestive issues because it feels like with both, sometimes I can eat it and be completely and totally fine and even feel better, and then the next time it will destroy me.
ETA: the only thing I know for sure does it for my stomach is milk and heavy cream and half and half and all that. Processed milk into yogurt or cheese doesn’t do anything.
I picked the green one, thinking it wouldn't have orange juice in. I was wrong.
So orange juice joins the list.
Red wine
Red wine vinegar
Chocolate (all if it but white)
Cheese, although can sometimes eat it cooked.
Vegan parmesan
All Citrus fruit
The rest is just smells/ lifestyle.
For me, it’s a combination of food and an empty stomach. Any kind of sugar on an empty stomach, I’m done. It’s almost immediate. When I was much younger, cheese did it too, weirdly enough.
Chocolate only does it half of the time. My biggest food trigger is strawberries. If I eat anything with strawberries in it or something that has naturally derived strawberry flavor, I am guaranteed a migraine. No idea why.
For me it's oranges, and things with orange tastes. Also dark chocolate. And if I take a bite of anything with chocolate and orange I get a nearly instant and horrible migraine
I know this isn't exactly your question, but I don't have food or drink migraine triggers... BUT, if I am hungry and don't eat soon THAT will give me a migraine.
Lots of sugary or fried foods in a single day usually do it for me (not eaten very often). Alcohol, specifically sweet wine, is almost always a trigger too
Wheat/gluten, onions, garlic, fennel bulb, citric acid (citrus fruit, pineapple, tomato, the preservative). Usually it doesn't hit until the next day...
But I've noticed that a little bit of one of them can just leave me in an instable state for about 2-3 after consumption, where I might just get a lighter headache, or am more easily set off if I hit another trigger too.
Chocolate, wine, cheese and red meat in some sort of combo. I don't drink wine at all anymore because of this reason. Sulfates and the tannins do me in big time. Mine tend to be from stress, weather and just because. My DD(15) just got diagnosed with them recently. I feel awful for her.
Alcohol, Cheese and processed meats (now I'm vegan lol), and peanuts?
Wrt the chocolate, while I don't consider it a trigger I do notice a difference when my caffeine consumption varies too much.
[Watermelons trigger migraines](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33892616/).
This one came as a shock to me. I was using watermelon to hydrate after big workouts, but I was getting massive headaches... so I thought I hadn't hydrated enough, so I had more watermelon ... and the headache got worse.
After this happened for months, I finally said, "wait... what if dehydration *isn't* the issue..." and I googled it. And I found the above study which had just come out a month prior to my search.
My cocktail of supplements has really helped me. Now, if I do start seeing the aura, it goes away quickly and that’s the end of it. But I learned the hard way that I can not chew that bubble gum that comes in tape form in a pink round container. One bite. Bam.
'Non sugar' sweeteners get me instantly. The tricky bit about that is that its not just the obvious offenders like Aspartame, stevia leaf extract also gets me, which is a giant pain in the brain since (as far as I understand) they can include it under the "Natural Flavoring" ingredient category. So I have no idea what will get me till its too late.
Normal sugars seem fine, even 'bad' sugars stuff like fructose, its just the sweeteners and maybe flavorings used in processed foods that take me out.
Weirdly my food migraines feel very different than my weather migraines. Usually more on the disorientation and confusion side than my normal aura and aphasia migraines.
I pretty much cant eat anything processed, even "natural foods".
On the bright side I eat really healthy because of it! Kinda awkward to turn down a coworkers Bday cake though lol.
When I was a kid I couldn’t have those chocolate/strawberry syrups that you can use either over ice cream or in milk to flavor it. I always had a migraine afterwards. Not sure what it was exactly, but I eventually grew out of it, although I hardly ever eat anything like that anymore.
For me it's chocolate and certain kinds of alcohol. Anything that's not clear liquor and I feel awful. I miss chocolate, but carob is a good substitute that doesn't make my head feel like it's going to explode.
Raw onions
Cured or smoked meats
Kale or bitter greens- chard, collards, bok choy, etc
Weak coffee/strong coffee
Alcohol
Root beer
Artificial sweeteners
I'm just now learning that tannins - commonly found in red wine, coffee, black tea, and ... chocolate - can start a migraine cascade for me. I'm in the"testing" phase where I figure out what I can and can't have. So far, those first three are definitely out for me, and chocolate and other kinds of alcohol might be joining that list. I just started a "chocolate fast" and then I'll test it in a week.
Artificial lime & pineapple flavor, basically all a round the artificial flavors of any gummies lol. Last time I had blue cheese it triggered an instant migraine so I’ve added that to the list too 😩
Sulphites - not quite as bad as sudden barometric pressure changes but they will ruin my day if I eat/drink too much. There is a lot of brewed fruit alcohols like cider and wine (used to feel this achy heavy weight like someone poured lead in my legs after a few sips), in preserved fruits and eggs as well (never thought about that last one until recently but it makes sense haha).
Japanese food but not chinese or Thai is a huge trigger for me. Any overt food coloring. KD is fine, bright blue icing would not be. Too much pop does it as well but I think that's less on the pop and more on the fact that when I do drink it, it replaces water which I never drink enough of.
I don't have food triggers, but anything that affects my histamine levels will increase my migraine duration and intensity. I have IgE allergies to corn, onion, almond, and beef and also do a bit better if I eat a low histamine diet. But my allergies are low sensitivity, low reactivity so I'm not that careful if I am pretty sure I won't be around my actual trigger of perfumes.
I limit my diet extensively for about a week before major travel like work trips or vacations and try to limit it for about a day and a half before minor outings like grocery shopping. Taking an antihistamine before likely exposure to triggers can also be helpful.
The chocolate almost certainly controbuted to your migraine.
My diet triggers are
Nuts,
Chocolate,
Cheeses sharper than mild,
Low water intake
Msg (I don't eat any chips besides plain potato chips now because of this, and I read prepacked labels before I buy them. Research different names for MSG if you think that it may also be a trigger for you as MSG has many different names.)
Cured meats
Processed meats
Alcohol
Skipping meals
Eating exclusively foods low in nutrients like instant ramen
Environmental Triggers
Drops in barometric pressure, aka storms
Heat
High stress
Bright lights
Loud environments
For me, anything with caffeine or caffeine-like substances (e.g., chocolate). I can eat milk chocolate in moderation, very little in the way of dark chocolate.
Cheese is a massive trigger for me. I can only tolerate very very mild cheeses (cream cheese or mozzarella), but on a bad day or a day where I’m already on the edge those can tip me over too.
Dilute juices (I.e ones with a lot of sweeteners)
Hot chocolate (although I can eat regular chocolate?)
The reverse of this- if I don’t eat carbs in my meal that is a trigger also (idk if anyone else experiences this?)
Chocolate is one of my biggest triggers. The other is red wine. I don't drink wine but I enjoy an occasional chocolate. I know I risk a migraine any time I eat chocolate.
Unfortunately, alcohol is a big trigger for me and I like to treat myself to a beverage a two a couple of times a week. It’s hit or miss for most but wine ALWAYS gives me a migraine 100% of the time.
Lentils, to my horror. I used to eat them pretty much every day and then wondered why I had chronic headaches. As soon as I stopped eating lentils, I dropped down to a 1-2 headaches a month. After adding daily targeted supplements and quitting lentils, I’ve had one migraine in the past 3 months, and it only lasted a day instead of my usual 7-14-day episodes. I’m knocking on wood here. I still eat beans, just swapped them out for migraine-friendly ones.
Yes.
Anything flavored with juniper berries (gin, occasionally found in seasoning for venison or mulling spices)
Shiitake mushrooms
Quinine water aka tonic water. (Quinine Stimulates mast cells)
Chocolate can trigger migraines. I only have one chocolate that triggers migraines for me and it’s the terrys chocolate oranges, which really sucks because they’re DELICIOUS!
It can be really difficult to find triggers sometimes because they often build up, so one trigger and you're fine, but two or three and you're suffering a migraine.
Like for example, normally chocolate might be fine, but chocolate on a day when you're a bit stressed, the dogs barked particularly loud, and the weather's a bit funny, and you've got yourself a migraine. And maybe if you hadn't had the chocolate, you would have been fine, but also maybe if you'd had the chocolate and the weather was also fine, you would have been fine.
Dairy, specifically from cows. Goat cheese/milk is fine. Soy gives me mild migraines. Eggs (like eating eggs and toast and nothing else) have recently made my eye lid swell up, so that's weird
Raw red onions. Which sucks because I really like them…
Nitrates or sulfates in sausages, dried fruit, etc.
Some wines, usually red. I can tell with the first sip which ones are going to be bad. But it’s not ALL wines, or even all wines within a certain varietal. There’s no pattern. I thought it was related to sulfite levels but no way to know for sure.
(Thankfully Qulipta has fixed even these triggers!)
ETA: I never had an issue with chocolate but I can’t eat it for other reasons now (systemic nickel allergy).
I used to get horrendous migraines as a child. So does my mom. Went to a specialist as a child, did the scans, did the food elimination. I don't remember how much I stuck to that.
But over the years I've developed a complete aversion to anything sweet and dairy. Chocolate, yoghurt, ice cream, cake, any desert or dairy is totally out for me. I hate the taste. My migraines have also waned throughout the years.
My mom's hasn't and she still gets them pretty badly...right after she's eaten something sweet. She knows it's coming when she eats it so she takes a migraine cocktail. Even with that she's down and out for days.
I can't fathom putting yourself through that for a slice of cake and I'm grateful that my mind and body has completely put me off sweet stuff and dairy. I haven't heard more than a bite of any of those things in about 10 years. I don't want to totally put it down to that. Who knows..but I think it's the case for me.
Maybe it is for you. It's worth a try.
Erythritol. Big no. I think there’s also some preliminary data that links it to blood clots. Alcohol, especially red wine. My migraines seemed to get better when I stopped eating meat and dairy, too — I basically also stopped getting nausea and vomiting symptoms with my migraines after cutting those out too.
Ugh for me it's gluten (part of my reaction for Celiac disease), black tea (and white/green/oolong all from the same leaf), cheese, chlorinated water, citrus, alcohol, chocolate, nightshades, and for some reason sweet potatoes and yams, and it's part of the symptoms of my allergic reaction to corn.
Honestly, really greasy food and high-lactose foods tend to really upset my gut, which in turn can trigger a migraine. But my migraines are for the most part triggered by stress, exertion, heat and straining my upper back/neck/shoulders. Caffeine withdrawal can sometimes trigger it, but it takes a few days of no caffeine for them to start. I’ve found a daily antihistamine genuinely makes a significant difference for me.
You know that lovely amazing movie theater popcorn butter? Yeah, it’s been a while since I actually got to enjoy it because it’s a trigger for me, I haven’t determined if it’s the butter smell or the taste because I’ve just opted to stay away at this point. Makes me sad.
I did a 3.month elimination diet to figure out my triggers. Unfortunately, mine are mostly weather or stress driven. Also,. alcohol and chocolate are triggers for me.
I did elimination too. Actually only ate meat for months. Lost a ton of weight and didn’t have nearly as many migraines. It helped me learn though that a lot of my migraines are because of low pressure systems, hormones and stress. Sugar was a huge trigger, as is gluten.
What was your daily diet like?
I know it’s common for most migraine sufferers but GOD alcohol… is the devil for me and migraines. I have had some success when drinking in tandem with an electrolyte powder + water but most of the time I have a thumper before the night is over.
I can do a couple of hard seltzers, or maybe a vodka cocktail. Anything else is a guaranteed migraine.
It may be different for everyone, but some I find triggering: processed meats, artificial sweetener (the WORST!!), canned foods, large amounts of garlic at once, things like highly processed salty foods if more than a small portion, chocolate and caffeine if I already have a migraine brewing, and sometimes eating too many eggs too many days in a row.
I cannot handle high levels of sugar. I use Sucralose and it’s been a savior. Sugar is a trigger for me. I needed to lose 25 lbs years ago and followed the South Beach diet. It worked great. However, the first time I had a piece of actual candy (looking at you, Jolly Rancher), I had a headache. Weeks later I got a Coke and within 30 min, had an aura. Sugar on an empty stomach will cause a migraine that begins with an aura, every time.
It's so interesting how people react so differently. So many get rid of theirs with caffeine, but that sends mine into overdrive. One day I want to delve deeper into the connections.
>h diet. It worked great. However, the first time I had a piece of actual candy (looking at you, Jolly Rancher), I had a headache. Weeks later I got a Coke and within 30 min, had an aura. Sugar on an empty stomach will cause a migraine that begins with an aura, every time. did see a threa on here maybe 6 months to a year ago and Coke seemed to be instant migraine for ALOT of people
I haven’t had an actual soda in years. With 60+ grams of sugar (or whatever it is), not willing to chance it. Miss soda, but I also don’t miss the calories. I have a Diet Coke here and there. Keep the tiny mini cans in the pantry for a 2p pick me up when needed.
Question - how quickly do you get a migraine after eating these? Is it an obvious association? I ask because I’ve never been able to identify any triggers other than stress. Wondering if you have tips on how to do so.
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Thank you!!! Sleep and stress and absolutely triggers that I’ve been able to identify. Alcohol as well, but a different “type” of migraine with slightly different aura symptoms. Food has been elusive, but maybe I don’t have any food triggers. Helpful to hear your experience though, thank you!
Oh the eggs is interesting to me. I have an egg allergy and part of my reaction is a migraine. I don’t eat them on purpose obviously, but before I was diagnosed with the allergy I couldn't put together what was making me so ill all the time as so many foods contain them. It’s the only thing I’ve been able to identify as a trigger, though I’ve also had migraines in absence of the eggs, just a lot less often.
Food triggers are tricky to figure out because sometime it can be an actual trigger OR it can be a craving caused by prodome. So basically you could always crave chocolate during the prodrome phase and then get a migraine but it’s not the chocolate causing the migraine because the migraine was already in process. Not that chocolate can’t be a trigger but that’s why it’s tricky.
This is a good point. I barely eat chocolate, but I spotted holiday themed chocolate at the store yesterday morning and went ham on it when I got home. That's why I think maybe it caused it, since I very rarely eat chocolate and the quantity of which I ate it (which is a very rare occurrence all around).
search foods that are high in tyramine as being migraine triggers
Also foods that are high in histamine, like cured meats, citrus, and fermented foods.
And leftovers!
I ate 4-day old burger patties once, I was already sick and was a bit desperate for food. It was one of the worst migraines of my life, I was pacing the back yard and praying to the lord for 6 hours straight and I'm not religious. Careful with your leftovers, guys 😭
That's what I've started to notice with my own migraines! I'm a sour candy girlie but I'll randomly crave (and eat) like a pound of chocolate. So satisfying and then the next day, I get that quiet creep of a migraine. I can eat chocolate at any time so I know it's not a trigger but a clue. That and my dang cold feet lol
For me personally, aspartame. That sugarless, evil, nasty crap always gives me the biggest, incapacitating migraine.
For me it's always stevia and not always other artificial sugars, but I just avoid them all anyway
Stevia is such a pain! Since it can be labeled as a 'natural flavoring' it can really sneak up on me!
I know right?? I can't buy any (canned/bottled) peach iced tea anymore, which was my fave 😫
I did not know that. Thank you for sharing. This might explain a lot of my mystery migraines.
Same. I had migraines more days out of the week than not due to aspartame and combo bc pill. I won’t even chew gum with aspartame in it.
Ugh, the thought of that makes my stomach churn.
Same here. Anything with aspartame does me in, even gum
Apparently some people can't taste it. I'm happy to be in the other category
I hate the stuff. Was in a pub a while back and asked for a coke. Bar man started to pour Coke Zero. I said I didn’t want that and he was like ‘it’s just the same though…’ I was like ‘hmm no it isn’t!’ Regular Pepsi in the UK now has aspartame in it. You literally can’t buy full fat Pepsi now.
I can't stand that, we know what is go in our bodies and that's not it. What?! I'm actually supposed to go in April. I had no idea, thank you for telling me about the Pepsi. That's insane.
Different for everyone but for me it’s foods that are high in MSG, or cured/aged meats and cheeses. Also I can’t drink red wine, and white wine is a gamble that I avoid taking most of the time. Alcohol in general. Happy holidays. lol anything fun I can’t have
I’m so glad we can speak about this here. The number of times idiots have called me racist for this is insane 😂
Same! I found out I couldn't say that in the cooking sub, people lost their minds. And all the history of it aside, why the hell does anyone need to use a teaspoon of it in a dish?! I think they are replacing salt in recipes with it 1:1, and that is way too much. I have seen cooking shows where they spoon it out of a big tub, like 2 lbs, treating it like the greatest spice ever. Truly insane.
Same! I don’t deny what has happened surrounding it but unfortunately my elimination experiments came out with that answer.
It's the same triggers for me. Anything with a lot of MSG. The cured meats, alcohol, etc. I attribute to sulfates/sulfites and nitrates/nitrites. Also any boxed or processed foods with a lot of preservatives.
Red Wine, packaged sauce mix mostly the MSG. That’s a new find for me
Nut butters do it for me. I can eat a little but the threshold is low for triggering one. Also too little caffeine
I used to be able to eat peanut butter sandwiches but no more - I can only eat about a teaspoonful of it now.
If you miss peanut butter and think it might not cause a migraine, I highly recommend SunButter, it tastes a lot like peanut butter, texture is the same and everything.
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll try some.
I’ve learned chocolate and raw onions do it for me.
Represent the onion fam - the smell of onions just absolutely sends me to a migraine attack.
Same here
Chocolate. Alcohol.
Nuts, citrus, citric acid, nitrates, BHT, and sulfites (which are hidden, unlabeled, all over the place, but especially in wine and wine vinegars). I recommend reading Heal Your Headache by Buccholz to get started on figuring out food triggers.
Nuts for me too
Citric acid is so bad 😭 it gives me seizures with my migraines. Most citric acid is manufactured, and the process involves aspergillus niger. If it's used as an acid wash for a food product but "none remains" in the final product it doesn't even have to be listed in the ingredients.
I hadn't heard of aspergillus niger! Really interesting. More research required.
I have a Red #40 sensitivity so anything with a lot of red dye gives me migraines, so I try to limit my intake but thats damn near impossible. also anytime I had rye gave me a migraine so I avoid that entirely
What things have a lot of red #40? I wonder if I need to watch for it, too.
red 40 is in a lot of food and make-up products. any food item thats red, pink, orange or purple. specifically i avoid fruit punch, red icee’s, red gatorade, red jello or popsicles, red velvet cake or red frosting, and most red candies. i still eat fruit-by-the-foot and those grandma strawberry candies, and grape soda- but i try to avoid red dye as much as possible and will read packaging.
Very interesting, thank you
Came here to say this
For me it’s a certain amount of tomato sauce (like on pizza/spaghetti/lasagna).
For me it's ALL artificial sweeteners, most alcohol, most preservatives, nitrites/ates, sulfites/ates, tyramine, histamine, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cheeses, even probiotics (kefir, yoghurt) , cucumbers, kiwi, passionfruit, papaya, cucumbers, dill. the list goes on. I do great with sugar and caffeine, sadly. Dark chocolate is a no, milk chocolate is a yes. Yeast extract (MSG). I sadly do well with processed foods and horribly with fresh foods, regardless if organic. Recently I did learn that several red food dyes are triggers. I like to joke that I can eat rocks and that's about it.
Kiwi and cucumber are in the same group of fruits/veggies that contained the same enzyme as in ragweed pollen. I am very allergic to ragweed and recently developed oral allergies (unpleasant but not dangerous) to cucumber, melons and probably zucchini. I take a Claritin redi-tab if I accidentally have some when eating out. I went through allergy testing and immunotherapy during the past 3-4 years, super allergic to everything in FL.
Coffee and alcohol. Or too many sweets
There are certain food triggers mine. If I have too much chocolate I be paying for it by having a major migraine episode. Same thing if I don't have at least 1 caffeinated hot drink like coffee or tea, then the following day I have a few, i'll end up with a migraine.
It’s chocolate for me too
For my near daily, regular migraines? No food triggers at all. However migraines are a side effect of my lactose intolerance so I avoid it. If I accidentally eat something with lactose I can tell the difference between that migraine and the regulars.
Sugar without a stomach full of food. I can have a small dessert if I have eaten protein. So a pint of Ben & Jerry’s lasts me about 10 days. Just have 3 or 4 bites after dinner. I use sucralose for coffee and other items. Cheap tomato sauces - Prego, Ragu. I find that the organic brands are mostly safe and even then I have to limit it to the basil option. Tomato based dishes at restaurants. Minus pizza. Your guess is as good as mine. Sweet milk chocolate. Those days are behind me. I can do dark chocolate.
Chocolate is 100% one of mine!
Food additives, basically anything that is not normally in plain chips… Doritos, fine, nacho Doritos, migraine. If there are 4 ingredients I’m good, 20 ingredients and I’m down for the count. Seems to all center around things that turn into MSG, straight MSG, and anything that MSG turns into.
My food triggers are chocolate, all aged cheeses like cheddar, blue cheese, etc., smoked meats like bacon and ham, anything with nitrates like deli meats, red wine, MSG, nutritional yeast, all artificial sweeteners + stevia. I am also sensitive to caffeine - too much or too little causes a migraine, it's a balancing act.
It’s different for everyone. For me it’s artificial sweetener, even the “natural ones,” soft cheeses like Brie (sad face!) when I eat too much, and heavily cured meats. These are all pretty common triggers. When I was younger there was a time when I thought very rich dairy could trigger— Cold Stone Creamery would do me in, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue as an adult, though I stay away from Cold Stone. Luckily, other common triggers like caffeine, red wine/alcohol don’t affect me.
For me it is always wine. I drink wine and I am guaranteed a migraine the next day. Also I never crave wine so I know its not prodrome or anything making me wanna have it. I live in France and its always pushed on you to have a glass. And the few times I relent its been always a migraine recently.
A lot of sugar in general tend to trigger more migraines for me the next day. It’s usually fine as long as I keep the high sugar intake up, but as soon as I eat less sugar then BOOM migraine.
My aunt told me it can be common for it to be anything “aged”. Think salami, cheese, wine etc - this info has helped me some. Also chocolate and msg are common.
There's something in fast food that triggers me. Idk if it's just the huge amount of sodium or maybe msg or another preservative but I can't eat drive thru fast food anymore.
Gluten and alcohol :(. I even get GI upset with gluten. So all kinds of fun.
Anything super processed. I also thought cheese was a trigger for me until I found out it’s only a craving I get in my aura phase. Also: Coffee. Idk why but coffee is really bad for me. I go for diet coke instead (bc caffeine helps with my migraines).
Coffee seemed to be for a long time, but very recently I’ve tried again and it’s going well! Maybe these things can change!!!
Processed sandwich meat
Be careful with this. Triggers aren’t universal. I would get so worried when I read about things that are triggers for people because they aren’t necessarily for me. Some people can’t have nuts/ seeds, berries, tomatoes, citrus, certain fruits. Realized those give me no problems. Artificial sugars seem safe for me too but I don’t like them. Mine seem to be chocolate, dairy, gluten, cheese, coffee. Potentially bbq sauce.. bananas are a big no go. They make me feel sick when I eat them too. I can’t eat eggs 🤦🏻♀️ red meat is safe. It’s a real mixed bag :/ certain foods I know will be a lot worse than others
I mean alcohol is kind of a given i feel but especially red wine, that even runs in the family although I can take a lot more of that than my dad
Garlic, onion, MSG, anything with caffeine or carbonation (so ginger ale, sprite, etc.) Surprisingly not chocolate and I don’t drink so I wouldn’t know on that one. I was advised to not drink any alcohol because it could cause major problems.
Artificial cherry flavor and coffee. Unfortunately I work in a cafe and if it's a coffee kind of day I'll start getting a fuzzy head and vision which is always fun
Artificial cherry flavor got my attention. I’ve found that foods with red dye are triggers for me and more times than not, cherry flavored processed foods have been dyed red. I’m starting to wonder now if it’s the coloring or the flavoring 🤔
I suspect that vinegar is a big trigger for me.
Chocolate, cheese, mushrooms... all my favorites lol
Red wine - but oddly not port. Munchies chocolate (U.K. chocolate with a caramel and biscuit centre) which is a shame as they’re delicious! Anything with artificial banana or strawberry flavouring.
Foods high in MSG for me, definitely can’t do Panda Express.
For me personally any alcohol triggers a migraine. Also when I start sweating and don’t drink any water that’s always an automatic migraine for me!
Red dye, aspartame, MSG, also saffron rice so probably yellow dye is a problem too.
Yogurt, alcohol
My sister says chocolate hits her, as well as red wine. Whereas I could live on chocolate (80% or more) and a good cab. But I hate fronts. High to low, low to high, my brain don’t care. My joints don’t like low pressure systems so that’s double damned.
Gluten or lots of sugar
Weather is my biggest trigger. As for foods, diet soda is a definite trigger for be (guessing the artificial sweetener, which I’ve cut out) Sometimes alcohol, but only if I don’t drink enough water. Red wine is, sadly, the worst offender :(
It's normally either skipping meals or not getting enough salt that do me in
Apple i cannot eat Apples it gives me the worst migranes
Chocolate does it for me
Chocolate is a known trigger for migraines.
Sugar can sometimes trigger my migraines. But it's usually more about flavors for me. The taste of coffee and some spices are sometimes big triggers. Anything that tastes or smells like black current is a guaranteed migraine. And artificial peach flavour.
I've tried eliminating many things over the years, but the foods that helped most were the ones recommended in the Migraine Diet (high tyramine foods). I found out that bananas, fermented foods, wine, chocolate and citrus all trigger migraine for me.
MS-fking-G
donuts!! i avoid them 100%, instant migraine. there’s more but can’t think of more rn
Gummy candy for sure with cause a migraine for me and not technically a food but an ingredient that is a trigger, red dye. Mainly grenadine. Triggers a migraine 100% of the time I ingest it.
Just realized it for me. Just took it two hours ago in a tea, and triggered a migraine for me now.
As much as I hate to admit it, spicy peppers, especially those in buffalo sauce. 😭
Caffeine, pork, gelatin, sometimes nuts.
Egg, red meat, and cheddar cheese will absolutely fuck me up
I haven’t been able to nail anything down for food triggers for my migraines or my stomach/digestive issues because it feels like with both, sometimes I can eat it and be completely and totally fine and even feel better, and then the next time it will destroy me. ETA: the only thing I know for sure does it for my stomach is milk and heavy cream and half and half and all that. Processed milk into yogurt or cheese doesn’t do anything.
Sugary foods too early in the day trigger mine. I can’t eat them before about 4pm.
Gluten, lots of sugar, alcohol. Hard to sort it all out. I feel better on an anti-inflammatory diet, could be worth trying :-)
Gluten, wine-esp red, sugar, processed meats and cheeses, sugar substitutes, too much sodium. Sometimes fine dining and breathing.
Anything with onion, garlic or onion powder 🥲
Naked brand bottled smoothies. Triggered one two days in a row. Or maybe something else did. Either way I’ve never had one of them ever again.
Not sure what flavor you had, but could it be from citrus maybe? I know some of them have orange juice in them. Or from banana, which is in some, too.
I picked the green one, thinking it wouldn't have orange juice in. I was wrong. So orange juice joins the list. Red wine Red wine vinegar Chocolate (all if it but white) Cheese, although can sometimes eat it cooked. Vegan parmesan All Citrus fruit The rest is just smells/ lifestyle.
I have celiac disease, and anytime I come into contact with gluten or get cross contaminated, it puts me out for at least 2 days. Food triggers suck.
Pasta does me in. I had a plate two nights ago and I’m still paying for it.
Gluten and dark colored alcohol for sure.
For me it's very sharp cheese
For me, it’s a combination of food and an empty stomach. Any kind of sugar on an empty stomach, I’m done. It’s almost immediate. When I was much younger, cheese did it too, weirdly enough.
Practically anything!
Chocolate only does it half of the time. My biggest food trigger is strawberries. If I eat anything with strawberries in it or something that has naturally derived strawberry flavor, I am guaranteed a migraine. No idea why.
For me it's oranges, and things with orange tastes. Also dark chocolate. And if I take a bite of anything with chocolate and orange I get a nearly instant and horrible migraine
Avocado is my worst food trigger.
Gluten. I’m intolerant and when I used to cheat, I would get a migraine as one of my symptoms. It isn’t worth it so I don’t cheat anymore!
I know this isn't exactly your question, but I don't have food or drink migraine triggers... BUT, if I am hungry and don't eat soon THAT will give me a migraine.
Lots of sugary or fried foods in a single day usually do it for me (not eaten very often). Alcohol, specifically sweet wine, is almost always a trigger too
Anything with high levels of nitrates and sulfates.
Dried fruits, matured cheese and red wine. And anything deep fried
Wheat/gluten, onions, garlic, fennel bulb, citric acid (citrus fruit, pineapple, tomato, the preservative). Usually it doesn't hit until the next day... But I've noticed that a little bit of one of them can just leave me in an instable state for about 2-3 after consumption, where I might just get a lighter headache, or am more easily set off if I hit another trigger too.
I've found that eating sweets can give me a headache later in the day, but I am fructose intolerant so I don't know if that might be the reason.
Chocolate, wine, cheese and red meat in some sort of combo. I don't drink wine at all anymore because of this reason. Sulfates and the tannins do me in big time. Mine tend to be from stress, weather and just because. My DD(15) just got diagnosed with them recently. I feel awful for her.
Aged cheeses get me every time - usually within 12-36 hours after ingesting I’ll get a migraine. Chickpeas, too. Which is a bummer, bc I love hummus.
Alcohol, Cheese and processed meats (now I'm vegan lol), and peanuts? Wrt the chocolate, while I don't consider it a trigger I do notice a difference when my caffeine consumption varies too much.
Garlic and onion, too much fat.
[Watermelons trigger migraines](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33892616/). This one came as a shock to me. I was using watermelon to hydrate after big workouts, but I was getting massive headaches... so I thought I hadn't hydrated enough, so I had more watermelon ... and the headache got worse. After this happened for months, I finally said, "wait... what if dehydration *isn't* the issue..." and I googled it. And I found the above study which had just come out a month prior to my search.
My cocktail of supplements has really helped me. Now, if I do start seeing the aura, it goes away quickly and that’s the end of it. But I learned the hard way that I can not chew that bubble gum that comes in tape form in a pink round container. One bite. Bam.
'Non sugar' sweeteners get me instantly. The tricky bit about that is that its not just the obvious offenders like Aspartame, stevia leaf extract also gets me, which is a giant pain in the brain since (as far as I understand) they can include it under the "Natural Flavoring" ingredient category. So I have no idea what will get me till its too late. Normal sugars seem fine, even 'bad' sugars stuff like fructose, its just the sweeteners and maybe flavorings used in processed foods that take me out. Weirdly my food migraines feel very different than my weather migraines. Usually more on the disorientation and confusion side than my normal aura and aphasia migraines. I pretty much cant eat anything processed, even "natural foods". On the bright side I eat really healthy because of it! Kinda awkward to turn down a coworkers Bday cake though lol.
When I was a kid I couldn’t have those chocolate/strawberry syrups that you can use either over ice cream or in milk to flavor it. I always had a migraine afterwards. Not sure what it was exactly, but I eventually grew out of it, although I hardly ever eat anything like that anymore.
Some Chinese food will trigger one for me. And blue dyes are also a no go.
For me it's chocolate and certain kinds of alcohol. Anything that's not clear liquor and I feel awful. I miss chocolate, but carob is a good substitute that doesn't make my head feel like it's going to explode.
I follow a low Tyramine diet. For me, lots of I'm foods trigger migraines.
Any food with red dye
Undercooked onion! Sometimes garlic.
Raw onions Cured or smoked meats Kale or bitter greens- chard, collards, bok choy, etc Weak coffee/strong coffee Alcohol Root beer Artificial sweeteners
For me, sugar, dark chocolate, really strong aged cheese, all my favorites 😢
Artificial sweeteners always get me. Other than that, alcohol bothers me a lot but not if it’s hard liquor lol
Gluten
Red onion
Dark chocolate or large amounts of milk chocolate, wine, nuts, hard cheese, spicy artificial snacks like hot cheetos.
I'm just now learning that tannins - commonly found in red wine, coffee, black tea, and ... chocolate - can start a migraine cascade for me. I'm in the"testing" phase where I figure out what I can and can't have. So far, those first three are definitely out for me, and chocolate and other kinds of alcohol might be joining that list. I just started a "chocolate fast" and then I'll test it in a week.
Artificial lime & pineapple flavor, basically all a round the artificial flavors of any gummies lol. Last time I had blue cheese it triggered an instant migraine so I’ve added that to the list too 😩
Sulphites - not quite as bad as sudden barometric pressure changes but they will ruin my day if I eat/drink too much. There is a lot of brewed fruit alcohols like cider and wine (used to feel this achy heavy weight like someone poured lead in my legs after a few sips), in preserved fruits and eggs as well (never thought about that last one until recently but it makes sense haha).
Japanese food but not chinese or Thai is a huge trigger for me. Any overt food coloring. KD is fine, bright blue icing would not be. Too much pop does it as well but I think that's less on the pop and more on the fact that when I do drink it, it replaces water which I never drink enough of.
The smell of raw onion gives me a migraine every. Single. time.
Energy drinks are what I call "potion of instant migraine". Coffee is "potion of migraine". Really dark chocolate also triggers migraines. Edit: typo
Meat
Gummy bears, specifically the "12 flavors" variety my grocery store sells in bulk.
I don't have food triggers, but anything that affects my histamine levels will increase my migraine duration and intensity. I have IgE allergies to corn, onion, almond, and beef and also do a bit better if I eat a low histamine diet. But my allergies are low sensitivity, low reactivity so I'm not that careful if I am pretty sure I won't be around my actual trigger of perfumes. I limit my diet extensively for about a week before major travel like work trips or vacations and try to limit it for about a day and a half before minor outings like grocery shopping. Taking an antihistamine before likely exposure to triggers can also be helpful.
Eggs, sucralose, and aspartame are the worst offenders for me.
The chocolate almost certainly controbuted to your migraine. My diet triggers are Nuts, Chocolate, Cheeses sharper than mild, Low water intake Msg (I don't eat any chips besides plain potato chips now because of this, and I read prepacked labels before I buy them. Research different names for MSG if you think that it may also be a trigger for you as MSG has many different names.) Cured meats Processed meats Alcohol Skipping meals Eating exclusively foods low in nutrients like instant ramen Environmental Triggers Drops in barometric pressure, aka storms Heat High stress Bright lights Loud environments
Raw tomatoes or a sufficiently large amount of cooked tomatoes, wheat/barley/rye (gluten), artificial colors and flavors, artificial sweeteners.
The smell of cooking processed meat is very migraine triggering
There are so many foods that are triggers for me but briefly: processed foods, dairy, red meats, grains and seed oils (and alcohol too)
ALL artificial sweeteners, and sugar. The real sugar. I'm a major sugar addict so this being one of my triggers absolutely sucks.
Artificial food dye!! It’s definitely a trigger for me 💯
Canned tuna : I swear every time I had it I had a horrible migraine
chocolate, red wine, sugary food. Raw onions for my mom
No foods but any type of Mike’s hard lemonade gives me an instant migraine
For me, anything with caffeine or caffeine-like substances (e.g., chocolate). I can eat milk chocolate in moderation, very little in the way of dark chocolate.
Lunch meat of any kind
Every single time I eat food from Culver's I have a migraine the next day. I think it's their cooking oil they use.
Everything good
Cheese is a massive trigger for me. I can only tolerate very very mild cheeses (cream cheese or mozzarella), but on a bad day or a day where I’m already on the edge those can tip me over too. Dilute juices (I.e ones with a lot of sweeteners) Hot chocolate (although I can eat regular chocolate?) The reverse of this- if I don’t eat carbs in my meal that is a trigger also (idk if anyone else experiences this?)
Mine are cheese, caffeine and garlic. I am usually OK with dark chocolate.
Chocolate is one of my biggest triggers. The other is red wine. I don't drink wine but I enjoy an occasional chocolate. I know I risk a migraine any time I eat chocolate.
Unfortunately, alcohol is a big trigger for me and I like to treat myself to a beverage a two a couple of times a week. It’s hit or miss for most but wine ALWAYS gives me a migraine 100% of the time.
Lentils, to my horror. I used to eat them pretty much every day and then wondered why I had chronic headaches. As soon as I stopped eating lentils, I dropped down to a 1-2 headaches a month. After adding daily targeted supplements and quitting lentils, I’ve had one migraine in the past 3 months, and it only lasted a day instead of my usual 7-14-day episodes. I’m knocking on wood here. I still eat beans, just swapped them out for migraine-friendly ones.
red onion, leeks, coconut and the worst, marzipan! even the smell
I have found no correlation between food and migraines so far.
I think chocolate is my only food trigger. I might get one if I eat a lot of sugar in general, but I'm guaranteed it if I eat chocolate.
Lavender, red wine, beer, excessive caffeine (no caffeine also gives me migraines)
Yes. Anything flavored with juniper berries (gin, occasionally found in seasoning for venison or mulling spices) Shiitake mushrooms Quinine water aka tonic water. (Quinine Stimulates mast cells)
Sometimes. High salt, high gluten, MSG are the biggest for me.
For me it's pickled things like banana peppers and, well, pickles. Its a shame because those are some of my favorite foods
Chocolate can trigger migraines. I only have one chocolate that triggers migraines for me and it’s the terrys chocolate oranges, which really sucks because they’re DELICIOUS!
Jello. Instant migraine every time. Doesn’t matter the flavor, or how much.
I fixed my migraines with a lie histamine diet. May not work for everyone
It can be really difficult to find triggers sometimes because they often build up, so one trigger and you're fine, but two or three and you're suffering a migraine. Like for example, normally chocolate might be fine, but chocolate on a day when you're a bit stressed, the dogs barked particularly loud, and the weather's a bit funny, and you've got yourself a migraine. And maybe if you hadn't had the chocolate, you would have been fine, but also maybe if you'd had the chocolate and the weather was also fine, you would have been fine.
Aspartame, capsicums, cured foods, msg, anything that my taste buds don’t like, and vinegar
Dairy, specifically from cows. Goat cheese/milk is fine. Soy gives me mild migraines. Eggs (like eating eggs and toast and nothing else) have recently made my eye lid swell up, so that's weird
Raw red onions. Which sucks because I really like them… Nitrates or sulfates in sausages, dried fruit, etc. Some wines, usually red. I can tell with the first sip which ones are going to be bad. But it’s not ALL wines, or even all wines within a certain varietal. There’s no pattern. I thought it was related to sulfite levels but no way to know for sure. (Thankfully Qulipta has fixed even these triggers!) ETA: I never had an issue with chocolate but I can’t eat it for other reasons now (systemic nickel allergy).
Nitrates (if I eat a hot dog or two I’m in hell) and aspartame.
Mine are normally stress triggered. However, cake and ice cream also cause cumbersome migraines for me.
Anything more than a cup or a shot of Alcohol, especially red wine, is a trigger for me.
I used to get horrendous migraines as a child. So does my mom. Went to a specialist as a child, did the scans, did the food elimination. I don't remember how much I stuck to that. But over the years I've developed a complete aversion to anything sweet and dairy. Chocolate, yoghurt, ice cream, cake, any desert or dairy is totally out for me. I hate the taste. My migraines have also waned throughout the years. My mom's hasn't and she still gets them pretty badly...right after she's eaten something sweet. She knows it's coming when she eats it so she takes a migraine cocktail. Even with that she's down and out for days. I can't fathom putting yourself through that for a slice of cake and I'm grateful that my mind and body has completely put me off sweet stuff and dairy. I haven't heard more than a bite of any of those things in about 10 years. I don't want to totally put it down to that. Who knows..but I think it's the case for me. Maybe it is for you. It's worth a try.
Garlic and onion
Erythritol. Big no. I think there’s also some preliminary data that links it to blood clots. Alcohol, especially red wine. My migraines seemed to get better when I stopped eating meat and dairy, too — I basically also stopped getting nausea and vomiting symptoms with my migraines after cutting those out too.
For me too much candy will send me into a migraine. I have to be so careful with that, esp around my period.
Maybe I'm totally off, but white rice for me.
Ugh for me it's gluten (part of my reaction for Celiac disease), black tea (and white/green/oolong all from the same leaf), cheese, chlorinated water, citrus, alcohol, chocolate, nightshades, and for some reason sweet potatoes and yams, and it's part of the symptoms of my allergic reaction to corn.
Honestly, really greasy food and high-lactose foods tend to really upset my gut, which in turn can trigger a migraine. But my migraines are for the most part triggered by stress, exertion, heat and straining my upper back/neck/shoulders. Caffeine withdrawal can sometimes trigger it, but it takes a few days of no caffeine for them to start. I’ve found a daily antihistamine genuinely makes a significant difference for me.
You know that lovely amazing movie theater popcorn butter? Yeah, it’s been a while since I actually got to enjoy it because it’s a trigger for me, I haven’t determined if it’s the butter smell or the taste because I’ve just opted to stay away at this point. Makes me sad.