By medical nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer, an expert in food, herbs and supplements

Migraines are estimated to affect as many as 1 in 10 adults, with three times more women affected than men. Symptoms usually begin at puberty and cause recurrent attacks until middle age, when they often disappear. Recurrent headaches should always be assessed medically to determine the cause. If you receive a diagnosis of migraines, the following nutritional approaches will help.

Nutritional Approaches
Follow a well-balanced diet, avoiding refined carbohydrates, fasting or skipping meals. Drink sufficient fluids to remain well hydrated, and eat little and often to reduce the stress effects of low blood glucose – skipping meals can bring on an attack. Having a night-time snack significantly reduces the odds of experiencing a headache on the following day by 40% compared with having no food.

Some people find their migraines are triggered by eating certain foods – common culprits include milk, chocolate, German sausages, cheese, fish, wine, coffee, garlic and eggs. Other reported dietary triggers include beans, beef, citrus fruits, corn, fried foods, nuts, pork, shellfish, tea, tomatoes, caffeine and artificial sweeteners.

Keep a food diary to help pinpoint associations for at least two weeks, or long enough to cover three migraine attacks – bear in mind that trigger foods are usually eaten/drunk 24 to 48 hours before the migraine occurs.

Other foods are protective. A good intake of olive oil and fish oils (purified oils that do not contain fish proteins) can reduce the frequency, duration and severity of migraines. Eat magnesium-rich foods (for example spinach, sweet potatoes and wholegrains) as levels are consistently low in people with migraines.

Supplements
In Ayurvedic medicine, migraines are treated with turmeric extracts (curcumin) in capsule form. Select a liquid form for maximum absorption (eg Opti-Turmeric from Healthspan.co.uk).

Many people who suffer from migraines have underlying deficiencies of magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and co-enzyme Q10. A study involving 130 adults who normally experienced at least three migraine attacks per month showed that a combination of these supplements reduced migraine days by almost a quarter, compared with inactive placebo. The intensity of migraine pain was also significantly reduced. Other studies show that adding vitamin D to anti-migraine treatment can reduce the number of migraine attacks.

Feverfew is a traditional herbal medicine used to treat migraines. A review of six trials found that feverfew was more effective than placebo, and that there are no major safety concerns or adverse effects.

Ginger is an effective herbal treatment for nausea which frequently accompanies migraine headaches.

About Dr Sarah Brewer
Dr Sarah Brewer is a medical nutritionist and an expert in food, herbs and supplements. She qualified from Cambridge University with degrees in Natural Sciences, Medicine and Surgery. After working in general practice, she gained a Master’s degree in Nutritional Medicine. Sarah is a licensed medical doctor, a registered nutritionist and a registered nutritional therapist.

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For more information on diet and supplements, visit Dr Sarah Brewer’s Nutritional Medicine website at www.DrSarahBrewer.com.