For some lucky people, certain foods are

known to trigger a headache every time they are eaten. Obviously, these foods should be avoided. But for the majority of people with headaches, certain chemicals in foods can create a “trigger load” that can reduce the threshold for developing a headache.

Common chemicals in these foods include tyramine, sulfites, glutamine (MSG),

aspartame and others. Reducing the amount

of “load” of these chemicals in your system

can significantly improve the frequency of headaches and sometimes result in complete resolution.

Some key things to remember….

• Stay on the Headache Elimination Diet for 3 months. After this period of time, you can slowly reintroduce foods one group at a time to see if the headaches return. Your headache threshold by this time may be much higher for a variety of reasons (better management of stress, exercise program, improved sleep, etc.), and you may be able to tolerate these foods without triggering headaches.
• Sometimes the foods we crave the most (e.g., chocolate) are the most likely culprits.

• Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar that trigger headaches.
• This diet can be a challenge when you are traveling. Try to avoid restaurant food, and pack snacks with you when you can. Many of those salty snacks on airplanes contain MSG.