Headaches: Five Foods to Avoid and Minimize Them
Many people suffer with chronic headaches, and they often start at a very young age. Dr. Brian Woodruff, a pediatric neurologist at the Bronson Neuroscience Center, says re-occurring headaches affect 10-30% of kids.
Dr. Woodruff says there are five foods to avoid that can cause headaches:
- Processed meats that have nitrates in them. (Bologna, sausage, etc).
- Mono sodium Glutamate (MSG)
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Aged cheeses
- Alcohol and wine (in adults).
And he says smoking can cause headaches, as various chemicals in cigarettes cause changes in brain circulation.
Young teenage women, aged 11-15 often have a roller-coaster effect with headaches as they undergo hormonal changes.
Dr. Woodruff says there are five things that a person can do to minimize the occurrence of headaches.
- Get adequate sleep
- Proper hydration-drink lots of water
- Exercise
- Nutrition
- Stress Reduction
Learning a person’s recent and family history are important in helping someone overcome headaches. A pediatric neurologist will ask a lot of questions when a new patient comes to them.
After all that is gathered, Dr. Woodruff says that most of the time, doctors can help migraine patients. He says the problem is seldom out-grown and can come back after several “headache-free” years, but that by sticking to a routine, the headaches can be minimized and managed.
You can hear Doctor Woodruff’s interview Monday December 11th at 8:50am with Tim Collins on the 95.3 WBCK Morning Show.
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