Enough and don’t want to suffer from migraine anymore? In addition to using drugs, it is absolutely essential to avoid triggering factors in life. However, the cause of your headache may not necessarily make him suffer, and everyone has different traps to be careful of. Your best bet is to keep a headache diary and try to pinpoint the culprit. The Mayo Encyclopedia of Headaches recommends that a headache log should include: when and how the headache started; how long it lasts; where and how bad it hurts; what treatment you use and how well it works. In addition, the following methods teach you to avoid the crisis.

1. Avoid 3C foods
Cheese, chocolate, and citrous fruit may be the bane of some people. Because they contain tyrosine, they can cause vasospasm. Others include pickled sardines, chicken livers, tomatoes, milk, lactic acid drinks, etc.

2. Be careful of sausages and hot dogs biting you
Cured and cured meats such as sausage, hot dogs, ham, bacon, and processed meats that contain nitrites can cause migraines. Also, avoid foods high in MSG.

3. Avoid sugar substitutes
Studies have found that the sugar substitute “aspartame” may overstimulate or interfere with nerve endings, a neurotoxin that increases muscle tension. This includes some sugar-free yogurt, low-calorie beverages (low-sweetened cola, low-sweetened soda), sugar-free gum, ice cream, multivitamins, and many over-the-counter medicines that contain aspartame. So people who are allergic to sugar substitutes can trigger a headache with just a sip of a diet soda.

Pay attention to the food content label on the product packaging. Sometimes manufacturers will change the list of aspartame ingredients – amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

The book “Headache Survival” recommends sweetening foods or drinks with honey, maple syrup, and more.

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4. Coffee makes you happy and makes you sad
Caffeine can help relieve headaches, but it can also cause them, and you need to use them wisely. Some people find that drinking a cup of coffee or caffeinated soda can reduce headaches. But unfortunately, if you take caffeine a lot and don’t drink it for a while, you may experience headaches from withdrawal. Also, caffeine may constrict blood vessels excessively, stimulate the nervous system, and interfere with sleep.

Ideally less than 100 mg a day (about a cup of espresso). Other caffeinated beverages, such as tea, should also be avoided.

5. Get some magnesium!
Magnesium is a mineral that regulates blood flow and relaxes muscles. For some people, even a little magnesium deficiency can trigger headaches. How do you know if you are deficient in magnesium? In addition to headaches, if you have cramps in your legs, trouble sleeping, or needles in your hands or feet, you may need to make dietary changes.

Processed foods can deplete your body of magnesium, so eat less to avoid headaches. Eat more whole grains, nuts and seeds (such as sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc.), cauliflower, tofu, artichokes, etc. The National Headache Foundation recommends 500 to 750 mg of magnesium per day. But magnesium supplements have the side effect of diarrhea.

6. Supplement with vitamin B2
Studies have found that taking high doses of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) by mouth can reduce the frequency and duration of migraine attacks.

The dose should be around 400 mg a day. However, it is best to discuss with your doctor before taking it.

7. Regular sleep, no sleepless nights
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends and holidays, is especially important for people with migraines. In addition to lack of sleep triggering migraines, sleeping too much can also give you migraines.

8. Three meals a day, do not forget to eat
Don’t skip a meal in order to lose weight, the cost may be migraine headaches. Pay attention to a balanced diet, eat carbohydrate-rich, low-fat foods, and drink enough water.

9. Quit smoking and drink less alcohol
Quit Smoking Bar! All alcoholic beverages can trigger headaches, but red wine in particular contains more headache-inducing chemicals. Beer is also a headache for many people.

If you really want to drink it, opt for uncolored wines like vodka and white wine, but no more than two glasses.

10. Reduce stress
Learn any way to reduce stress. If you often have migraines due to work stress, take a warm bath sometimes to soothe your mood. You can also try some muscle relaxation techniques, or learn to use abdominal breathing, inhale slowly, the abdomen gradually expands outward, and when exhales, the abdomen gradually flattens inward. Or listen to soft music, meditate, etc. Of course, don’t forget to take it easy and be patient.

11. Regular exercise
Exercise is also a way to reduce stress. According to an online survey of headache sufferers by the National Headache Foundation, 72 percent consider exercise as part of their treatment plan. The majority of respondents preferred brisk walking, running, yoga or other stretching exercises.

Also suggested that for people with migraine, the nausea, vomiting and other symptoms that accompany headaches are similar to chronic autonomic nervous disorders. For example, some exercises that focus on breathing training and pranayama (such as yoga and qigong) can help stabilize the autonomic nervous system, relieve anxiety, muscle tension and other symptoms.

Exercise can also trigger migraines, usually because the exercise is too intense and exceeds your physical load. Therefore, before drawing up an exercise plan, you can discuss it with your doctor first. Don’t forget to warm up first when exercising, and replenish water in time during and after exercise.

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The book “Mayo’s Encyclopedia of Headaches” also recommends that, if necessary, taking pain relievers in moderation about 20 minutes before you start exercising under the direction of your doctor may help avoid headaches caused by exercise.

12. Use painkillers, cold syrup with caution
Painkillers can be a tempting trap. Many people take painkillers privately to relieve pain, abuse painkillers, and exceed the dosage indicated on the label or by the doctor. Not only will it not relieve the pain, but on the contrary, it will cause “rebound headaches” caused by drugs, which will give you chronic headaches every day for a long time.

13. Make good use of heat packs and ice packs
Ice and hot compresses can relieve headache discomfort. You can try putting a heat pack on your neck, or an ice pack on your forehead.

14. Do shoulder and neck exercises frequently
Neck pain can cause migraines, even in people who have never had a migraine problem. Headache experts have also found that migraines can be exacerbated by stress on certain areas of the neck and shoulder muscles.

Office workers use a lot of computers. Pay attention to the height of the screen, seat, sitting posture, etc. At least every 50 minutes of work, take a 10-minute break, look into the distance, and move your shoulders and neck.

15. Check Your Prescription Drugs
“Mayo’s Little Encyclopedia of Headaches” states that some prescription medications can make migraines or pre-existing headaches worse. E.g:

heart and blood pressure medicines such as nitroglycerin

Gastrointestinal drugs, such as antacids

■Hormonal preparations

■ certain antibiotics

some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

If you think your migraines may be caused by any one medicine, talk to your doctor about switching medicines.

16. Be careful with birth control pills
Birth control pills may increase the number and severity of migraine attacks. Some women start migraine attacks after taking birth control pills for the first time. In addition, some studies suggest that women with migraines who take birth control pills have an increased risk of stroke.

Migraine patients who want to take birth control pills, it is best to consult a doctor first; or use condoms for safer sex.

17. Wear Sunglasses
Temperature is also a factor in triggering headaches, whether cold fronts, warm currents, storms, rising humidity, etc. Wang Boren, director of Tainan Huoshui Neurology Clinic, who specializes in neurological diseases and headache clinics, reminded that patients with migraine should avoid direct blowing when the air conditioner is turned on in summer.

In addition, “Mayo Headache Encyclopedia” also pointed out that strong sunlight and reflected flashes cause about 30-45% of migraine headaches. Reflecting sunlight on snow, water, or glass can be particularly uncomfortable. Many people with migraines wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from bright light.

18. Are perfumes and detergents causing trouble?
Some strong odors may bother people with migraines and cause headaches. Typical unpleasant odors include: cigarettes and cigars, paints and exhausts, cleaners and chemical detergents, printing inks, colognes, perfumes and shaves.

29. Create a quiet environment
Strong light and noisy environments can trigger migraines. More than 70% of migraine sufferers are unusually sensitive to loud noises.