Foods to eat with a headache

@Shar19 (8231)
United States
October 31, 2011 11:22am CST
So I woke up this morning and sure enough I have a headache. I know this will become a migraine because I have been tracking when I get my headaches/migraines on a calendar every month and they always come around the same time each month and will last for 1 1/2 to 2 days. When I get these migraines I notice that some foods I eat or drink will make me feel even worse. One of those things is orange juice. It must be the acid that makes the headache go crazy. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any foods that can actually make a headache feel better or even help go away. It's lunch time here and I'm hungry but don't want to make it worse.
2 people like this
12 responses
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
2 Nov 11
You need to drink lots of water. The most common cause of headache is dehydration. Drink lots of good quality water and if need be you can also get tablets that help to hydrate your body as well. Do not drink anything else, especially coffee!
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I agree. I am trying to drink more water throughout the day. Will this make much of a difference though if the headaches are hormone related? I also like to drink coconut water too.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
4 Nov 11
We don't have fresh coconut around here in PA. I think it is mostly available to buy in the summer time. I have been buying coconut water in the can or box. One of the brands is Goya and the other is Vita Coco water. Do you have any other names of good coconut water I should look for? The grocery stores only carry one or two different brands. I'm sure I could find more at a health food store. The closest Whole Foods store is about a half hour way but I go there once in a while.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
3 Nov 11
Coconut water is amazing! Do you drink it straight from the fresh coconut or buy the processed stuff? I love to drink it straight from the coconut and then use the flesh if there is any in salads or smoothies. YUM!
@viju0410 (2286)
• India
1 Nov 11
hi, when i get migraine headache, I just can't eat anything. I always prefer to take a nap and once i feel better I do avoid junkies/ spicy food but take curd/ yogurt, rice etc.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
When I have the bad migraine I can't eat either. Then when the pain killer starts to kick in I can eat something. Sleeping or just laying still in a quiet room does help. I know spicy foods and acidy foods will just make the headache worse.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
That makes sense.
@viju0410 (2286)
• India
2 Nov 11
There is one more thing. Once the headache is gone and when I am relaxed then I feel more hungry and eat more than the usual dose.
@GardenGerty (157050)
• United States
1 Nov 11
For some people taking magnesium supplements all month long helps. That is because it is a smooth muscle relaxer, so it would help reduce the tension in the muscles and blood vessels that make your headache worse. If you can have some kind of soup that is full of good herbs it may help. I understand about the sodium, increasing the blood pressure and also the pain. Also lavender oil is soothing for some. Try a banana, if you are wanting fruit. Second best might be an apple. Roast turkey perhaps.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I heard of magnesium helping too. I would think that eating more foods that are high in magnesium would help. I think that would be nuts and seeds. I think I just have to be careful more with what I eat around the time that I know I will get the headaches. Thanks for your help.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157050)
• United States
2 Nov 11
Sea food is a good source as well. When I met my current husband he got me to eating a lot more sea food. That is when I made the connection. I used to get about four "master blaster" headaches a year.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I do like seafood, especially shrimp. My kids won't eat it though. They will eat tuna fish salad when I make it which is about once a week or every other week.
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
1 Nov 11
Might avoid foods with lots of salt. Sometimes caffeine can help and others harm, so if you haven't had any luck with a cuppa coffee, I would also avoid that.
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
2 Nov 11
have you talked to the doc about hormones? you really wouldn't be taking it for birth control, but for "mental health" after all, who can be healthy with migraines?
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I haven't talked to them about hormones. I need to schedule my yearly GYN exam. Should I mention it with them? Maybe they could test the hormones for me.
1 person likes this
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I'm trying to watch my salt intake around the time that I think I'm going to get a migraine. I'm sure it's all hormone related though. When I was pregnant with both of my kids I never got any migraines or headaches.
2 people like this
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
2 Nov 11
Migraines are just so weird, I used to get them alot when I was younger, but I never figured out what triggered them. I have a nephew that has a lot of problems with them, he has a whole list of different foods and things that trigger them, one is caffeine, but the funny thing is, when he does have a migraine if they give him a energy drink thats full of caffeine it actually makes him feel better and helps the migraine to go away, that or chocolate. I don't understand how it does that. Things that trigger it, can also help it...hmmm.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
4 Nov 11
You are so lucky that you don't get the migraines anymore. It is funny how chocolate and caffeine can cause migraines but yet can take them away if you have a pain reliever with them.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Nov 11
I think that this is really something that is individual to the person that has migraines. For example, with my sister, there is nothing at all that she can eat that will help to relieve her pain because she is so nauseous when she has them. However, I find that for me if I eat a tablespoon full of peanut butter I will start to feel better soon after eating it. The reason that this works for me is because of the fact that I get migraines as a result of having low blood sugar.
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
1 Nov 11
Hi Shar! I think you should consult your doctor because according to you, that migraine is like a regular visitor to you. I would be worried if I get the same sickness on a certain period of the month. As for foods, I don't eat any particular kind of food when I have a headache. I just take medicines. But since headache is like an illness that can make you feel sick all over, maybe you can drink lots of water and eat soups.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I did talk to the doctor years ago about the headaches. I was told that I had nothing to worry about. I do know that it is common for women to get headaches and migraines the same time every month because of hormones. That is why I have been tracking mine and I'm convinced now that it is hormone related.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
31 Oct 11
my sister has migraines....I don't know what she takes that helps them. I do know that pineapple is one of the worst foods too like oj.....high in acid...I supposed yours are hormone related like hers?
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I never noticed if pineapple makes the headaches worse for me or not. I do know that pineapple is very good for the digestive system. I'm pretty sure that my headaches are all hormone related. At least I have a general idea of when I'm going to get them each month. I just wish I didn't get them at all.
@mimm45 (168)
• Australia
1 Nov 11
My best cure for migraine headaches is caffeine and sleeping in a dark room. I had migraines when I was pregnant and because I didn't want to take too much medicine my doctor told me drink coffee or coke and have a nap in a dark room. It also helps if the room is quiet and you don't move your head too much. Avoid eating too much chocolate when it's that time of the month. Going outside for some fresh air also helps.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I've heard from a lot of people about the caffeine helping. I do lay down somewhere dark when I get them. It's funny but when I was pregnant with both of my kids I never got any headaches. Thanks for your tips.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
31 Oct 11
Ibet this is a hormone caused headache. Look at tapping.com and watch the video this can work for any kind of pain, especially if you do it often and get ahead of the sever pain. It's free, safe and fast.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
31 Oct 11
I think it is hormone related too. I read something about tapping in one of the women's magazines. I'll check out the website too. Thanks for your help.
@Dassodils (2010)
• India
1 Nov 11
When I got head ache,First I take some rest....And after 1 or 2 hours,I will get up.. If there have till that,will have a hot tea or coffee....After that take rest for some time...Means don't do any type of hard work...And after some time,You will get relief from head ache...On this time,We should not use computer..Because it will increase head ache..The strain that we take on the screen will try to increase the Pain...The main medicine for head ache is take rest.... :-)
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I really think that a lot of rest helps with the headaches. The problem is that not everyone can lay down and rest at the time that they have headaches. I agree that using the computer just makes the headaches worse.
@Greninee (369)
• Philippines
1 Nov 11
what did your doctor say about this? migraine is the constriction of vessels in the brain and this is aching....Maybe you're stress at that same time in the calendar that's why the migraine happens exactly at the same time...foods? i think, it's because when we eat or when our stomach is full, there is less oxygen in the brain because our gastrointestinal system needs more oxygen to digest food. You should see your doctor about this.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
2 Nov 11
I've been to the doctor in the past for this and was told that it is normal. It's mostly hormone related. I think I just need to be careful more with what I eat and to drink a lot more water.