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Last Updated on December 19, 2022 by Shabnam Sengupta
Diet can worsen as well as soothe migraines. Different compounds in food items impact people in different ways which can or cannot induce migraine. So, meat can worsen migraine in some people, while won’t affect others at all.
Migraine headaches cause severe pain in the head. Other symptoms are nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Research shows that brain disorders like migraine have affected 488 million Indian people.
In the answer below, we have discussed why non-veg food is a trigger of migraines and other related questions to it.
How does non-veg food affect migraine?
Non-veg food such as meat worsen migraine by increasing the intensity and frequency of headaches. A study published in 2012 shows that red meat, white meat, eggs, and canned food increase the frequency of headaches and migraine pain.
The available evidence informs that non-veg food contains nitrite/nitrate and monosodium glutamate. Both these compounds can trigger migraine in some people. However, the exact mechanism through which nitrite/nitrate and monosodium glutamate trigger migraine, is not clearly understood.
What are the general triggers of migraine?
Triggers can be anything. Irregular sleep patterns, lifestyle and environment changes, sedentary lifestyles, mood swings, diet and certain medications can trigger migraines.
People can avoid migraines by knowing their triggers. If the trigger is a single thing, it is simple to avoid. However, it can be difficult to avoid an episode if the trigger is a combination of things.
How to know if meat and other non-veg food triggers my migraine?
The best way to know whether non-veg food triggers migraine is by analyzing the symptoms each time you eat non-veg foods. If you frequently get a migraine attack after eating non-veg food, you can eliminate such foods from your diet. Eating a diet that does not trigger migraine is a step toward a healthier lifestyle.
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