Many things can trigger a migraine, including loud noises, bright lights, stress, changes in sleep patterns, some medications, certain odors and fluctuations in hormones. Certain foods, such as green peppers, may also trigger migraines in some individuals. On the other hand, green peppers may have a positive effect on migraines, including reducing inflammation. Since every person is affected by food in different ways, analyze the way your body reacts after eating green peppers to determine if they are beneficial or detrimental in managing your migraines.
Food Triggers
Although some foods are known to trigger migraine headaches, green peppers are not one of them. Some of the most common food triggers include chocolate, caffeine, alcohol and foods that contain MSG, nitrates, artificial sweeteners or tyramine. However, since every person's biological makeup, hormones and lifestyle are different, it is possible that green peppers may trigger migraines for you and not for other people.
Food Journaling
It may prove useful to keep a food journal to determine if green peppers may be triggering your migraines. To keep a food journal, simply record the food you eat, the time you ate the food and any symptoms you experience after eating. Eating green peppers at the same time as other foods may make it more difficult for you to determine if they alone are causing your migraines, so eat them without other food if possible. Keep recording in your food journal for a couple weeks, then analyze the data for patterns. If you notice that a migraine headache always occurs after you eat green peppers, consider eliminating them from your diet and see if your migraine symptoms occur less frequently.
Considerations
Whenever you have a migraine, you also have inflammation in your brain. Green peppers contain large amounts of luteolin, a plant flavonoid known to reduce inflammation in certain types of cells. A study published in the May 2008 issue of "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" showed that luteolin may prevent inflammation in the brain. If green peppers are not a known trigger for your migraines, eating them on a consistent basis may prove useful at preventing or reducing some of the inflammation you experience as a result of your migraines.
Warning
Although making dietary changes may improve your migraine symptoms, many migraine sufferers prefer medication to properly manage this condition. Your doctor can prescribe medications to prevent migraines from occurring, to shorten the length of an existing migraine or to lessen the pain or other symptoms of the migraine. Always talk to your doctor to determine treatment options that are most appropriate for your situation. Seek immediate medical attention if your migraine pain is worse than ever before or if the migraine is more severe when lying down. Any changes in speech, vision or balance should also immediately be reported to a doctor, especially if you have never had these symptoms with your migraine before.
References
- National Pain Foundation; Food Triggers and Migraine; Christine Sun-Edelstein et al.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Plant Flavonoid Found to Reduce Inflammatory Response in the Brain; Diana Yates; May 2008
- MedlinePlus; Migraine; Kevin Sheth; November 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Migraine Headache; Steven D. Ehrlich; September 2009
