A plant-based diet completely eliminated chronic migraine in one man

As anyone with a migraine says, this condition can be life-changing.But finding a successful treatment plan is Just like the monumental one.. And for a man who has had a migraine attack for over a decade, the key was to adopt a plant-based diet that is rich in certain nutrients.

The story of a man released today BMJ case reportIt’s dramatic. At age 60, the patient has previously experienced Migraine Over 12 years. And a few months before his consultation with the author of the study, his migraine attack became chronic. By then, he had tried several traditional treatments for migraine headaches. This includes medications (such as zolmitriptan and topiramate) and more traditional diets aimed at removing potential migraine triggers (chocolate, cheese, etc.). caffeine).

After consulting with the study author, the patient Hypoinflammatory foods daily diet. The LIFE diet not only drinks 32 ounces of smoothies daily (made from bananas, dark leafy vegetables, frozen berries and soy milk), but also adds nutritious plant-based foods throughout the day.Foods like these are believed to be useful reduce Chronic inflammation in the body — or at least does not contribute —. The LIFE diet also needs to limit the intake of dairy products, lean meats, whole grains, starchy vegetables and oils.

Within months of adopting the LIFE diet, patient results were significant. When he first started, the patient reported having six to eight “debilitating” headache attacks each month. Each attack lasted up to 72 hours, which was the 18th to 24th headache day of each month. Within two months, the patient reported experiencing only one day of headache per month. And three months later, he no longer had a migraine attack — a study shows that the effects have lasted more than seven years so far.

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If you are experiencing a migraine attack, experts say such dietary changes may help.

“I think this (case report) is a great start,” said Dr. David Dunayev, a research author who is an expert in integrative medicine based in New York. “This is a kind of revolution in that you can say,’Not only does it work, but it also works in the worst-case scenarios, and it works in a short period of time.’ “

The change in migraine frequency experienced by this patient is certainly “quite impressive,” said Dr. Charles Flippen, professor of neurology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, especially considering how long the effect lasted. rice field.

However, because this is a case study of only one patient, it is difficult to know if others will see the same results. “This is a very dramatic case with just one sample,” Dawn Booz, a clinical professor of neurology at Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein School of Medicine, said in an email today. “It’s worth learning from this person’s experience, but it takes a lot of samples to conclude about the benefits of dietary changes for migraine or chronic migraine.”

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And this particular person, who is infected with HIV and is taking antivirals daily, is “not the average patient,” Flippen said. While undergoing this dietary change, patients learned to be sensitive to the triggering of several foods such as egg whites, salmon, and iced tea. This was previously unnoticed and may have contributed to the results as well.

However, according to Buse, several recent studies suggest that major dietary changes can reduce migraine symptoms.For example, in a randomized controlled trial published in The BMJ In July, migraine participants who switched to a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fats Reducing the frequency and severity of headaches..

Dunaief said it was a possible LIFE diet Ability to reduce inflammation Oxidative stress in the body that is likely to be the cause of successful migraine attacks. (However, in a case study, the authors measured inflammation by monitoring the levels of C-reactive proteins in the blood of already low patients, so in this particular case, inflammation may be the cause. Is low.)

Although the exact mechanism of migraine is unknown, Flippen explained that the concept of the inflammatory process as part of the underlying physiology of chronic pain has existed for decades. “Therefore, the idea that there is a diet that reduces the production of pro-inflammatory substances fits well with the current understanding of migraine … it’s not purely magical.”

Still, this patient example is particularly striking and dramatic than what has been seen in other studies to date, Buse said. “A larger study will help answer the question of how sustainable the benefits of this type of intervention really are,” Flippen said. “But I think the dramatic results show that it deserves further investigation.”

Should I try something like a LIFE diet to manage migraine attacks?

Lifestyle changes such as nutrition prioritization (and trigger grasping and avoidance), regular exercise, and quality sleep are often An important part of migraine management Illness, Flippen said. And for many, changing these factors is preferable to taking medication. Therefore, it is understandable that patients may want to try something like a LIFE diet.

According to both Flippen and Dunaief, adding nutritious whole foods like dark leafy vegetables to the diet is generally a good idea and has few potential drawbacks. However, it’s also a good idea to chat with your healthcare provider before embarking on such a major dietary change. Especially if you are currently taking migraine medications or have certain other health conditions.

One of the reasons is that progress can be accurately monitored in terms of both nutrient levels and drug usage, Dunaief said.

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However, there are some specific cases where such a diet can be a bit dangerous. According to Flippen, people taking certain anticoagulants should be aware that this type of diet can interfere with the drug’s work. He added that people with inflammatory bowel disease may find it difficult to digest so many high-fiber fruits and vegetables. Dunaief also said that he would pay special attention to people with heart and cholesterol problems and make sure they were controlled before implementing this diet. If you are interested in trying this, talk to your doctor to see if it makes sense for you.