How to Defeat a Migraine

In today's fast-paced world of economic growth, booming business, and rising gas, stress is everywhere. Ranging from work to road rage, for many life's tensions have peaked as migraines pulsate to the beat of everyday life. Surprisingly, migraines do not come, "out of nowhere, " and there are multiple ways to ease the pain and eventually avoid their often unbearable tension.

One of the largest factors, and often the most overlooked, is MSG, or monosodium glutamate, and it can be found in an obscene amount of places. If your migraines are nonstoppable, cutting the MSG and caffeine out of your diet immediately will make the greatest impact because they cause the constriction of blood vessels and palpitation of veins. MSG is found in a majority of prepackaged frozen foods like pizzas, dinners, and most fast food. It's tasteless, and basically being used to keep the food in its freshest sense while being a "flavor enhancer" but for many people it has lasting effects. It's also found in most Chinese foods, Ramen noodles, canned soups, and meat tenderizers.

Caffeine/Aspartame are also large contributors to migraines. Found largely in coffee and soda, caffeine is hidden in a variety of teas, but luckily almost all are now offered decaf. So, if you're still buying caffinated- it's time to switch over. Be careful though! When eating out at a restaurant, the teas are all caffinated. Caffeine is also found in chocolate, and if you are not careful it can be slipped into non-prescription medicines such as Advil. There is a variety of food, such as aged cheese, nuts, and processed meats that have an adverse effect on migraines. Cheeses, like cheddar; nuts; and meats such as sausage all exude oils which cause the temples to throb and the brows to furrow. Even worse is alcohol. In a category all its own, alcohol is a no-no for migraine sufferers.