THE TRUTH ABOUT MIGRAINE TRIGGERS

If you are one who has migraine headaches, you may have been told about migraine triggers; those things that bring on a migraine. However, many times what you think is a trigger may not really be one. There are many experts who classify certain foods, light, and exercise as triggers for headaches. For some, this may be true. However, for many people, those are not triggers at all. You have to know your body and observe what may bring on your headaches.

RESEARCH ON LIGHT AND EXERCISE TRIGGERS
In one new study from Denmark, researchers looked at the effect of light and exercise, both commonly believed by patients to trigger migraine with aura. They demonstrated that neither one caused attacks in most of the people enrolled in the study.

To investigate the impact of light and exercise on migraine, researchers at the University of Copenhagen enrolled 27 people who had migraine with aura, a condition in which headaches are preceded most often by other symptoms such as blind spots and light flashes. The 17 women and 10 men whose average age was 40 all said that light or exercise, or a combination of the two, triggered their attacks. To test their claims, the researchers subjected each of the participants to their triggers.

The first to be tested was the effect of light. Sessions between 30 to 40 minutes were conducted in which one of three different types of stimulation was used to mimic the light that patients said triggered their migraines.

The exercise portion of the study was equally intense. Participants went running or pedaled on a stationary bicycle until they reached 80% of their maximum heart rate. Afterward, researchers monitored the participants for three hours looking for symptoms.
Only three of the 27 participants had an attack of migraine with aura: one after exercise alone and two following a combination of light and exercise. Three other participants had a migraine without aura but none of the participants had an attack after being exposed to light alone.

UNNECESSARY CONCERNS
Although they don’t know exactly why, researchers agree that exercise may be a real trigger of migraine with aura, at least among a small percentage of people. However, for many people with migraine, exercise is not a trigger. Many individuals are afraid to exercise for feat of migraine headache without really knowing for sure that it is a trigger for them. Without authentication, excluding exercise from your routine can cause a real hearth hazard because exercise is very good for so many other health issues. Many people with migraines obsessively avoid certain foods, wear sunglasses indoors and outside, and engage in other burdensome, socially isolating behaviors.

WHAT TO DO
According to many doctors, those with migraine headaches need to keep track of their headaches and whether avoiding certain triggers really makes a difference. You need to write down in a migraine journal what you eat and do for several months. Then, eliminate one item that you suspect gives you migraines. This is called an elimination diet or process. If three months pass with no change in frequency, then it’s likely safe to say that what you are avoiding is not a trigger after all. Also, do not assume that because a certain food, activity, or substance is a trigger for someone else, it is a trigger for you. Everyone is different and what might bring on a migraine for one person may not necessarily bring it on for you.
Of course, this study only used two suspected triggers to achieve results. There are many substances that have not had any significant research to back up claims of migraine triggers. Here is a list of potential migraine triggers, some common, others usual.

• Weather
• Strong scents
• Hair accessories
• Exercise
• Poor posture
• Lights
• Cheese
• Red wine
• Cold cuts (processed meats)
• Skipping meals
• Smoking
• Caffeine
• Peanuts, peanut butter, other nuts and seeds
• Pizza
• Potato chip products
• Chicken livers and other organ meats
• Smoked or dried fish
• Sourdough bread, fresh baked yeast goods
• Certain fresh fruits including ripe bananas, citrus fruits, papaya, red plums, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple
• Dried fruits (figs, raisins, dates
• Soups made from meat extracts or bouillon (not homemade broth)
• Cultured dairy products, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt
• Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners

While some of the above substances have had research to indicate their possibility of migraine trigger in some people, most of these have not had any research. If you are not sure whether a certain substance or activity is causing your migraines, don’t jump to conclusions. Conduct an elimination diet/process on the food or activity or talk with your doctor. Eliminating activities like exercise from your routine, without justification, can cause you serious health problems in the future.

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