Did you know that different foods and beverages can actually trigger migraines? If you’ve had a migraine headache before, you know that they are far from a walk in the park. I get them every now and then, and it can really turn my day upside down. Usually, my best remedy is sleep. Lots of it, and in a dark, quiet room. While it could be a variety of different things triggering those headaches, food could possibly be a suspect. So, here are some foods that could possibly be doing it:

• Aged cheeses: blue cheese, mozzarella, feta, cheddar, parmesan
• Alcohol: red wine, beer, whiskey, champagne
• Caffeine: coffee, chocolate, tea, colas, sodas
• Bread and other baked goods
• Pepperoni, hot dogs, luncheon meats
• Dried fruits
• Smoked or dried fish
• Potato chips
• Pizza, peanuts, chicken livers, and other specific foods.

A few of those jump out at me, like caffeine. Now this could work two ways; either the caffeine is causing the headaches, or the lack of caffeine (didn’t get your morning dose?) could also be doing it. Other foods like bread, and pizza, lunch meats and cheeses are all typical foods for many people; if you get migraines, have you thought about what you’re eating?

Did you also know that exercise could also be doing it? According to WebMD, while exercise is great for us, it could possibly be a suspect.

Aside from food, here are other common triggers: Emotional stress, menstrual periods, changes in normal sleep pattern, extreme fatigue, skipping meals, changing weather conditions, smoking, odors, and bright and flickering lights.

Here are a few interesting facts about migraine headaches:

1. Migraine attacks typically affect women between age 15 and 55. Each individual attack usually lasts from 4 to 72 hours.
2. About one in six women have migraine headaches; women experience migraines three time more often than men.
3. As many as 90 percent of migraine sufferers have a close relative who also suffers from the headaches.

Source: WebMD