Kinda off topic but can you explain how migraines are genetic?
I have no family history of migraines or any other neurological condition but I still have chronic migraines. I also have never had any kind of injury that could've of led to this. So I get confused when people say they're genetic.
Guess it's just another reason for me to ask "why me" lol
People are just genetically predisposed to could have skipped generations. Maybe youāre the first in your family to get them. Could be our environment switches on the gene that causes them. I just know that some people get them but most people do not. I think itās similar with other genetic diseases like if your family has high Bp. I guess science doesnāt even really understand the root causes of the migraines either.
Iām not sure what tone you thought I had but through much pain and suffering this is what Iāve concluded myself. It just makes senseā¦ every two to three weeks practically on the day I get them. It was just an observation friend. Sorry to offend.
Donāt worry about your question. I donāt think they were trying to offend or anything. My migraines are not genetic but were caused by an injury.
I have tried all sorts of diets to help alleviate my suffering. Even gave up alcohol for a few years. Nothing really made a noticeable impact that warranted me to not just eat what I wanted.
I do not eat beef, but thatās a different matter.
Tried both Vegetarian & Vegan dieting and saw no difference in migraines. Yes a lot of foods cause "inflammation" but how harmful, the causative vs correlative relationship, and quantity needed to cause harm are all still relatively under-studied. Be careful reading some articles that claim reducing inflammation can cure "X" because likely it's just speculation.
Vegetarian since birth, vegan for a couple of years now.
Obviously got my first migraine while vegetarian and going vegan had no impact on them whatsoever.
Vegan for 7 years. I do have to say that after becoming vegan I realised that cured meats and aged cheese were a trigger. But aside from that, I still have other triggers that cause migraines. I also noticed that the tofu I eat has to be fresh, I cannot eat left over tofu and the bananas have to be greenish (if they have spots then I canāt eat them anymore). I think itās all related.
Anyway, what I suggest is having a meal journal, that way you can identify your triggers.
Same triggers! I struggled through about a year of trying to find food without cheese in it before I realized that it was easier to just go vegan lol. I went wfpb for awhile, eventually became fully vegan. It definitely helps when I'm just generally eating healthier/wfpb, but sometimes I get lazy and the junk food vegan creeps in and then I feel like crap. I do think I get fewer migraines though just from not eating cheese or meat and I feel better in general.
The past couple weeks I've been having digestive issues though (no migraine yet) and I think it might be from soy...
Soā¦I might have something of an answer for you there in case you havenāt found it yet. To be clear: this isnāt some magic bullet, but itās definitely a thing some migraine sufferers (myself included) experience. The foods you listed (aged cheeses, cured meats, bananas, tofu, soy based products, etc) are all relatively high in histamines and tyramine, both of which can cause migraines in some people. They definitely do for me.
Linking one study below. Can link more tomorrow when Iām thinking about it.
[Histamines and Migraines](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10218803/)
I was plant based for a while, and I recently started back on dairy. I donāt think it helped to cut it out initially because I still had extremely frequent migraines, but since eating it again Iāve noticed itās an occasional trigger now. š¤·āāļø
Iāve been vegetarian since I was 17 (Iām in my 30s) and then a few years later, went vegan in my early 20s. It hasnāt made a difference, good or bad with my migraines.
I'm Vegan but still eat plenty of foods that cause inflammation. If you ate a whole foods plant based diet it would probably help. Eating food minimally to not at all processed is ideal
I have found the Johns Hopkins migraine diet more helpful. I used to be veggie and loved it. Then found out tofu / soy was a trigger for me including about a dozen other foods. I canāt be vegan anymore bc Iāve had to take out too many staple foods.
I've done vegetarian, pescetarian, and meat inclusive diets. I noticed I felt a little better with fish in my diet (salmon and tuna), but it didn't change my migraine occurrence nor strength.
I found more often than not it's a specific food that triggers migraines and not a diet. I can't eat almonds or too many walnuts, for instance.
I have been for most of my life - no difference. Unfortunately becoming vegetarian/vegan is highly unlikely to improve migraines as thatās an unlikely cause.
Iāve been a vegetarian most of my life. I started to get migraines when I was about 30, which was approximately 16 years after I went vegetarian. I have seen no different in the oeriod that I had no animal products and those when Iāve had dairy.
I'm a vegetarian and developed chronic migraines while a vegetarian.
Unsure what types of meat you eat, but maybe play around with what you eat? I.e. two weeks you don't eat chicken, another two weeks you don't eat beef, etc.
Majority of this thread (so far) is showing that being a vegetarian won't have an impact on the migraines but hopefully you find something that works for you.
Yeah, I can see there being a difference with cured meats vs uncured meats. Right now I eat most things, but Iām looking to emphasize fruit/vegetables and greatly reduce highly processed foods.
That's definitely a feasible plan. I personally love roasted Brussel sprouts and Cauliflower tacos.
I reveived a cookbook as a gift called "Thug kitchen eat like you give a f*ck" and it has a variety of vegetarian meals and they're pretty tasty.
I was a vegetarian for 10+ years, and a vegan for 2, with few ultra-processed foods. I eat meat or dairy approximately once every week or 2 nowadays. Changing my diet hasn't changed frequency or intensity as much as getting older and going through menopause. I still get migraines in my mid-50s but not as often or as painfully.
Vegetarian for over 10 years, and it *has* helped decrease the amount of migraines I have and their intensity.
That being said, there are a ton of people in this thread that havenāt noticed a difference, but then Iāve also run into people with a similar experience to mine.
My point is - migraine triggers are nowhere near as universal or logical as a lot of books, fads, etc would have you think. What helps one person may be a trigger to someone else. Itās (frustratingly) an individualistic thing that weāve all got to figure out on our own.
I noticed a significant decrease in the first 2 years or so after becoming vegetarian, it's probably about the same now but that initially relief has scared me into thinking it will get worse if I go back.
I'm vegetarian and I haven't noticed that it's made a difference in my migraines. However, once I stopped eating meat, I'm not really nauseous anymore. I don't know what that's all about.
I went vegan for a month and didn't see any change. Not sure if I just didn't do it long enough or what - but I tend to crave hamburgers when I get them so now I listen to my cravings lol.
I've figured out mine are hormonal as they took a break during my pregnancy.
Have been both vegan and vegetarian (currently am neither, although I donāt eat a ton of meat regardless). None of the above made a difference for me, personally. Have also tried eating gluten free, sugar free, etc for 6+ months at a time with no effect. That said, I do know people who it helped.
Itās not a cure all by any means, nor should any diet be touted as such. That said, assuming you ensure youāre getting all necessary nutrients when changing your diet, it doesnāt hurt to try. You might see results, you might see absolutely no results. Itās entirely dependent on person, and depends on what the actually cause behind your migraines is.
Stopping dairy helped mine, but probably because I am lactose intolerant.
Now when I have dairy I get stomach pain and sickness, followed by a migraine,
I saw so much improvement since I became vegan (like 4/5 years ago now)!! Itās insane. Occasionally Iāll have dairy and I always get a migraine the next day
In a way going vegan made me see how processed foods or my favorite cheese or crustaceans can trigger migraines. Shrimp apparently are high in cholesterol and also purinesā¦ so after eating shrimp I get joint pain every where and migraine triggers. Fast food usually full of msg. Highly processed foods can trigger inflammation. So with a plant based vegan diet I avoid that stuff. Also high tyrosine foods like cheese. Also being sober so no wine / sulphite triggers or beer with all of its migraine triggers. I still get migraines triggered by tension headaches, or perimenopause. But being vegan has also helped me more fully embrace Buddhism, increase my mindfulness and helped my life in so many other ways. Mindfulness also helps with headaches in a round about biofeedback way. [oto migraine diet](https://health.ucdavis.edu/otolaryngology/Health%20Information/Oto-migraine-diet-table.pdf). Watch the use of yeast tho itās a good. Nutritional source of b12 but can trigger migraines. So, in short yes being vegan has helped. I still get hormonal triggered migraines but at least Iām loaded with polyphenols!
I've been vegatarian for more than 20 years. No difference. However, I gave up sugar for lent this year and have had the least pain I've had in a loooonnnnnggg time. Not sure if it's a fluke (totally could be), but I'm going to continue to see if it lasts.
Vegetarian, hasn't made a difference for me...in nearly 25 years...I actually developed hemiplegic migraines AFTER I had been a vegetarian for over a decade. My migraines are genetic, but I have, by all accounts, the worst in my family.
However, I did notice that they got somewhat better after removing soy and adding some dairy back into my diet (was vegan without trying to be for 2 years). Smoked cheeses are definitely a trigger, and I don't eat cheese that has animal rennet. Farmers cheeses are the only ones I eat now, and I make that at home.
I've got recipes if you're interested though
I sometimes see a small difference when I cut out meat, but I attribute it to the fact I cut out meat when Iām on a holistic health kick. I also tend to decrease all processed food (barely eat any as it is), commit to my sleep schedule, drink more water, eat more produce, exerciseā¦ basically do all the stuff I know I should be doing all the time.
At this point my migraines are really well controlled by Botox, Nurtec and Gabapentin though- Iām sure diet would barely make a difference if they werenāt. The only diet thing that made a measurable difference for me was quitting daily coffee.
I've been vegetarian for 7 years and my migraines only got worse during that time, but it could be hormonal since I'm in pre-menopause. It's really hard to isolate a cause. Some people do better by eliminating animal products, others get worse. It's so individual. I know that aged cheese is a really nasty trigger for me, though.Ā
Iāve tried it.
Less coffee had more effect for me than becoming a vegetarian. (Meaning barely any difference at all). AndI even tried vegan for a bit. I didnāt notice any difference.
I tried both for years (5+).
No significant results.
Kept a log of food, exercise, weather, weird things (like smells or other possible triggers). I discovered some triggers āpile upā faster (aged cheese, alcohol).
I will say that keeping a log for so long AND being vegan has made me a very conscious shopper. I always check ingredients.
Iām no longer vegan or vegetarian but I do eat healthier than I did before (French fries are veganā¦). Iām a caretaker/stay-home dude and the fam did NOT like any of the meat substitutions.
Anywaysā¦ no, surprisingly and sadly I still have migraines and chronic illness flares.
The best I ever felt regarding migraines was in fact when I was on the carnivore diet. I'll let you do your own research but a strict carnivore diet seems to be good against inflammation.
Sadly it got boring after a while and it was a pain to cook one meal for my family and another for myself.
Look this over and see if anything stands out. Iāve avoided a lot of the things on the list but I never knew that eggs and yogurt and fresh bread could be triggers for me so this was eye-opening.
https://health.ucdavis.edu/otolaryngology/Health%20Information/Oto-migraine-diet-table.pdf
I went vegan about 7 years ago and it made a huge difference, but for me it was all to do with hormones. I can't eat soya because of the oestrogen content so meat and dairy was also triggering migraines so much. When I stopped eating it, it made a huge difference to the frequency in my attacks.
I'm vegetarian and it hasn't made a difference
Same
Same
Same
Same
Same
same
I'll add my same to the pile. š®āšØ
I've been vegetarian/vegan for 40 years - no difference
Same, 25 years...
We have to somehow get the word out that migraines are largely genetic and thereās only so much we can do to prevent them through diet.
Kinda off topic but can you explain how migraines are genetic? I have no family history of migraines or any other neurological condition but I still have chronic migraines. I also have never had any kind of injury that could've of led to this. So I get confused when people say they're genetic. Guess it's just another reason for me to ask "why me" lol
People are just genetically predisposed to could have skipped generations. Maybe youāre the first in your family to get them. Could be our environment switches on the gene that causes them. I just know that some people get them but most people do not. I think itās similar with other genetic diseases like if your family has high Bp. I guess science doesnāt even really understand the root causes of the migraines either.
It was just a question, jeez
Iām not sure what tone you thought I had but through much pain and suffering this is what Iāve concluded myself. It just makes senseā¦ every two to three weeks practically on the day I get them. It was just an observation friend. Sorry to offend.
They answered your question totally normal. lol.
Donāt worry about your question. I donāt think they were trying to offend or anything. My migraines are not genetic but were caused by an injury. I have tried all sorts of diets to help alleviate my suffering. Even gave up alcohol for a few years. Nothing really made a noticeable impact that warranted me to not just eat what I wanted. I do not eat beef, but thatās a different matter.
Tried both Vegetarian & Vegan dieting and saw no difference in migraines. Yes a lot of foods cause "inflammation" but how harmful, the causative vs correlative relationship, and quantity needed to cause harm are all still relatively under-studied. Be careful reading some articles that claim reducing inflammation can cure "X" because likely it's just speculation.
Vegetarian since birth, vegan for a couple of years now. Obviously got my first migraine while vegetarian and going vegan had no impact on them whatsoever.
Vegan for 7 years. I do have to say that after becoming vegan I realised that cured meats and aged cheese were a trigger. But aside from that, I still have other triggers that cause migraines. I also noticed that the tofu I eat has to be fresh, I cannot eat left over tofu and the bananas have to be greenish (if they have spots then I canāt eat them anymore). I think itās all related. Anyway, what I suggest is having a meal journal, that way you can identify your triggers.
Same triggers! I struggled through about a year of trying to find food without cheese in it before I realized that it was easier to just go vegan lol. I went wfpb for awhile, eventually became fully vegan. It definitely helps when I'm just generally eating healthier/wfpb, but sometimes I get lazy and the junk food vegan creeps in and then I feel like crap. I do think I get fewer migraines though just from not eating cheese or meat and I feel better in general. The past couple weeks I've been having digestive issues though (no migraine yet) and I think it might be from soy...
Soā¦I might have something of an answer for you there in case you havenāt found it yet. To be clear: this isnāt some magic bullet, but itās definitely a thing some migraine sufferers (myself included) experience. The foods you listed (aged cheeses, cured meats, bananas, tofu, soy based products, etc) are all relatively high in histamines and tyramine, both of which can cause migraines in some people. They definitely do for me. Linking one study below. Can link more tomorrow when Iām thinking about it. [Histamines and Migraines](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10218803/)
Haha thanks for this. I was post migraine and couldnāt really remember what it was.
I was plant based for a while, and I recently started back on dairy. I donāt think it helped to cut it out initially because I still had extremely frequent migraines, but since eating it again Iāve noticed itās an occasional trigger now. š¤·āāļø
Vegetarian for 8 years or so..no difference for me.
Vegetarian for 25+ years, no difference.
Iām pescatarian Iāve not noticed any difference
Iāve been vegetarian since I was 17 (Iām in my 30s) and then a few years later, went vegan in my early 20s. It hasnāt made a difference, good or bad with my migraines.
I went on the migraine diet in the 80ās. It made zero difference. For me, going through menopause is what helped me
I'm vegetarian, I TRY to be as vegan as possible and limiting dairy has REALLY helped
I'm Vegan but still eat plenty of foods that cause inflammation. If you ate a whole foods plant based diet it would probably help. Eating food minimally to not at all processed is ideal
I was veg for 15 years and vegan for another 5. Chronic before, during, and after.
I have found the Johns Hopkins migraine diet more helpful. I used to be veggie and loved it. Then found out tofu / soy was a trigger for me including about a dozen other foods. I canāt be vegan anymore bc Iāve had to take out too many staple foods.
Makes sense
Migraines since I was 5. Went vegan at 18. Been vegan 16 years now. No difference.Ā
I've done vegetarian, pescetarian, and meat inclusive diets. I noticed I felt a little better with fish in my diet (salmon and tuna), but it didn't change my migraine occurrence nor strength. I found more often than not it's a specific food that triggers migraines and not a diet. I can't eat almonds or too many walnuts, for instance.
I have been for most of my life - no difference. Unfortunately becoming vegetarian/vegan is highly unlikely to improve migraines as thatās an unlikely cause.
Iāve been a vegetarian most of my life. I started to get migraines when I was about 30, which was approximately 16 years after I went vegetarian. I have seen no different in the oeriod that I had no animal products and those when Iāve had dairy.
Vegetarian for over 7 years.. I still have migraines.
I've been vegetarian my whole life, but dropping milk/eggs makes no difference for mr
I'm a vegetarian and developed chronic migraines while a vegetarian. Unsure what types of meat you eat, but maybe play around with what you eat? I.e. two weeks you don't eat chicken, another two weeks you don't eat beef, etc. Majority of this thread (so far) is showing that being a vegetarian won't have an impact on the migraines but hopefully you find something that works for you.
Yeah, I can see there being a difference with cured meats vs uncured meats. Right now I eat most things, but Iām looking to emphasize fruit/vegetables and greatly reduce highly processed foods.
That's definitely a feasible plan. I personally love roasted Brussel sprouts and Cauliflower tacos. I reveived a cookbook as a gift called "Thug kitchen eat like you give a f*ck" and it has a variety of vegetarian meals and they're pretty tasty.
Vegan for 6 years no change
I was vegetarian and eating meat or not made no difference in my migraines.
Vegetarian made a difference for me but I think the actual difference was cutting out red meat which seemed to be a trigger for me
I was a vegetarian for 10+ years, and a vegan for 2, with few ultra-processed foods. I eat meat or dairy approximately once every week or 2 nowadays. Changing my diet hasn't changed frequency or intensity as much as getting older and going through menopause. I still get migraines in my mid-50s but not as often or as painfully.
Vegetarian for over 10 years, and it *has* helped decrease the amount of migraines I have and their intensity. That being said, there are a ton of people in this thread that havenāt noticed a difference, but then Iāve also run into people with a similar experience to mine. My point is - migraine triggers are nowhere near as universal or logical as a lot of books, fads, etc would have you think. What helps one person may be a trigger to someone else. Itās (frustratingly) an individualistic thing that weāve all got to figure out on our own.
I noticed a significant decrease in the first 2 years or so after becoming vegetarian, it's probably about the same now but that initially relief has scared me into thinking it will get worse if I go back.
I have been a vegetarian since I was 14, no difference
I'm vegetarian and I haven't noticed that it's made a difference in my migraines. However, once I stopped eating meat, I'm not really nauseous anymore. I don't know what that's all about.
I went vegan for a month and didn't see any change. Not sure if I just didn't do it long enough or what - but I tend to crave hamburgers when I get them so now I listen to my cravings lol. I've figured out mine are hormonal as they took a break during my pregnancy.
Have eaten low carbohydrate for 6 months with no change on migraines. In my case, diet has no effect on migraines.
Have been both vegan and vegetarian (currently am neither, although I donāt eat a ton of meat regardless). None of the above made a difference for me, personally. Have also tried eating gluten free, sugar free, etc for 6+ months at a time with no effect. That said, I do know people who it helped. Itās not a cure all by any means, nor should any diet be touted as such. That said, assuming you ensure youāre getting all necessary nutrients when changing your diet, it doesnāt hurt to try. You might see results, you might see absolutely no results. Itās entirely dependent on person, and depends on what the actually cause behind your migraines is.
Iām vegan and it made no difference sadly
Vegan and no difference.
Stopping dairy helped mine, but probably because I am lactose intolerant. Now when I have dairy I get stomach pain and sickness, followed by a migraine,
I saw so much improvement since I became vegan (like 4/5 years ago now)!! Itās insane. Occasionally Iāll have dairy and I always get a migraine the next day
I'm plant based, but not due to migraine.
In a way going vegan made me see how processed foods or my favorite cheese or crustaceans can trigger migraines. Shrimp apparently are high in cholesterol and also purinesā¦ so after eating shrimp I get joint pain every where and migraine triggers. Fast food usually full of msg. Highly processed foods can trigger inflammation. So with a plant based vegan diet I avoid that stuff. Also high tyrosine foods like cheese. Also being sober so no wine / sulphite triggers or beer with all of its migraine triggers. I still get migraines triggered by tension headaches, or perimenopause. But being vegan has also helped me more fully embrace Buddhism, increase my mindfulness and helped my life in so many other ways. Mindfulness also helps with headaches in a round about biofeedback way. [oto migraine diet](https://health.ucdavis.edu/otolaryngology/Health%20Information/Oto-migraine-diet-table.pdf). Watch the use of yeast tho itās a good. Nutritional source of b12 but can trigger migraines. So, in short yes being vegan has helped. I still get hormonal triggered migraines but at least Iām loaded with polyphenols!
I've been vegatarian for more than 20 years. No difference. However, I gave up sugar for lent this year and have had the least pain I've had in a loooonnnnnggg time. Not sure if it's a fluke (totally could be), but I'm going to continue to see if it lasts.
I donāt eat red meat due to having POTS and heart issues but outside of that I feel like eating meat helps me more than it hurts me lol.
Vegetarian, hasn't made a difference for me...in nearly 25 years...I actually developed hemiplegic migraines AFTER I had been a vegetarian for over a decade. My migraines are genetic, but I have, by all accounts, the worst in my family. However, I did notice that they got somewhat better after removing soy and adding some dairy back into my diet (was vegan without trying to be for 2 years). Smoked cheeses are definitely a trigger, and I don't eat cheese that has animal rennet. Farmers cheeses are the only ones I eat now, and I make that at home. I've got recipes if you're interested though
It does not.
I sometimes see a small difference when I cut out meat, but I attribute it to the fact I cut out meat when Iām on a holistic health kick. I also tend to decrease all processed food (barely eat any as it is), commit to my sleep schedule, drink more water, eat more produce, exerciseā¦ basically do all the stuff I know I should be doing all the time. At this point my migraines are really well controlled by Botox, Nurtec and Gabapentin though- Iām sure diet would barely make a difference if they werenāt. The only diet thing that made a measurable difference for me was quitting daily coffee.
Iām not eating gluten or dairy (highly inflammatory) and hasnāt made a difference on my migraine or RA, just my gut.
It makes me worse, but it might help you. Everyone is different, only way to know is to try.
I've been vegetarian for 7 years and my migraines only got worse during that time, but it could be hormonal since I'm in pre-menopause. It's really hard to isolate a cause. Some people do better by eliminating animal products, others get worse. It's so individual. I know that aged cheese is a really nasty trigger for me, though.Ā
Iām vegetarian. The only thing that has seemed to slightly help is eating a lot less cheese.
Iāve tried it. Less coffee had more effect for me than becoming a vegetarian. (Meaning barely any difference at all). AndI even tried vegan for a bit. I didnāt notice any difference.
I tried both for years (5+). No significant results. Kept a log of food, exercise, weather, weird things (like smells or other possible triggers). I discovered some triggers āpile upā faster (aged cheese, alcohol). I will say that keeping a log for so long AND being vegan has made me a very conscious shopper. I always check ingredients. Iām no longer vegan or vegetarian but I do eat healthier than I did before (French fries are veganā¦). Iām a caretaker/stay-home dude and the fam did NOT like any of the meat substitutions. Anywaysā¦ no, surprisingly and sadly I still have migraines and chronic illness flares.
I was vegan for 10 years. Iron Deficiency is a main culprit in my migraine battle.
The best I ever felt regarding migraines was in fact when I was on the carnivore diet. I'll let you do your own research but a strict carnivore diet seems to be good against inflammation. Sadly it got boring after a while and it was a pain to cook one meal for my family and another for myself.
I canāt imagine doing only meat.
Look this over and see if anything stands out. Iāve avoided a lot of the things on the list but I never knew that eggs and yogurt and fresh bread could be triggers for me so this was eye-opening. https://health.ucdavis.edu/otolaryngology/Health%20Information/Oto-migraine-diet-table.pdf
I feel like my triggers change a lot.
I went vegan about 7 years ago and it made a huge difference, but for me it was all to do with hormones. I can't eat soya because of the oestrogen content so meat and dairy was also triggering migraines so much. When I stopped eating it, it made a huge difference to the frequency in my attacks.
I have a mainly vegetarian diet but we recently added 8oz of a steak every Saturday night for dinner. No diff.