Breakdown of the Headache Diet

In October 2012, my new doctor put me on a very restrictive diet: the headache diet (as I call it). Basically you are eliminating dietary triggers that may bring on a migraine/headache. I had no clue how many ingredients and foods triggered my headaches/migraines! Some of these I used on a daily basis. It was very difficult at first, but once I figured out safe foods, I could make some delicious dishes.

This diet is based on the book "Heal Your Headaces the 1, 2, 3 Program" by David Buchholz, M.D. of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Here is a list of what you cannot have:

Caffeine: coffee, tea, iced tea, and cola. Even decaf tea and coffee (which contain additional chemical triggers) may be a problem. Also, be careful of coffee substitute. Try to wean off soda and coffee until you can completely go off of it. I recommend drinking caffeine free cola, Sprite/7Up/Sierra Mist, and root beer. Be careful of the "10" drinks because they contain Aspertame (we'll get to that later).

Chocolate: (This one is very difficult to give up) No white chocolate (contains dairy), no cocoa, and chocolate subsitute like carob is questionable. This is another one to wean off of. Once you go strict with this diet for a couple months, you should be able to "test the waters" with chocolate to see how much is safe for you. Make sure you go off it first, though. I recommend using caramel as a sweet tooth treat.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Chinese restaurant food (I know this one is tough to give up for college students), soups, bouillon, accent and seasoned salt, artificial flavorings, salty snacks, croutons, bread crumbs, gravy, ready-to-eat meals, cheap buffets, processed meats (no more bacon), veggie burgers, protein concentrates, and low fat low calorie foods. Be careful for hidden MSG in foods like broth, natural flavorings, yeast extract, autolyzed heast, malt extract, enzyme-modified items, texturned protein, whey protein, protein-fortified items, malted barley, maltodextrin, carrageenan, soy protein concentrate, kombu, sodum or calcium caseinate, glutamic acid, gelatin, fermented or cultured items, and ultra-pasteurized items. Pretty much just stay away from anything processed. (It's very difficult, I know, but the relief will be so worth it)

Processed Meats and Fish: ages, canned, cured, fermented, marinated, smoked, tenderized or preserved with nitrates/nitrites, hot dogs, sausage, salami, pepperoni, bologna, liverwurst, beef jerky, certain hams, bacon, pates, smoked or pickled fish, caviar and anchovies, fresh beef liver, chicken liver, wilk game (contains tyramine). Get your meats from a butcher or if the package says "organic" and "no preservatives" on it.

Cheese and Other Dairy Products: No dairy (yes, this is very difficult). Beware of cheese-containing foods including pizza, yogurt (including frozen yogurt), sour cream, goat's milk, and buttermilk. The book just says to stay away from those items, but my doctor recommended eliminating ALL dairy. Caseinate, whey, and milk protein are also to be avoided. There are many great dairy alternatives at Whole Foods, Hy-Vee, and other local grocery stores. Many are embracing difficult diets and offer choices for you. I love soy cheese! It doesn't taste any different. I use a slice of soy american cheese on my sandwiches and grilled "cheese" all the time. Soy ice cream is very creamy and delicious! I use vanilla and put fruit on top of it for a tasty dessert treat.

Nuts: Avoid all kinds as well as nut butters. Seeds are okay. Some restaurants do not say they put nuts on their foods (which they should because there are a lot of those who cannot eat nuts without going to the hospital) so ask the waiter/waitress before ordering.

Alcohol and Vinegar: Avoid red wine, champagne, and dark or heavy drinks. (sorry, whiskey drinkers!) Vodka is best tolerated (the clearer the alcohol, the better). Chear (ideally distilled) vinegar is allowable. Don't overdo condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise made with vinegar.

Certain Fruits and Juices: Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines, clementines, and pineapples) and their juices. As well as bananas (contains tyramine). Also avoid raisins (and other dry fruit if preserved with sulfites), raspberries, red plums, papayas, passion fruit, figs, dates, and avocados. Citrus fruits was difficult to give up for me because I LOVE oranges. Anything that looked delicious needed to be orange-flavored. Apples, strawberries, pears, and peaches are great for fruit snacks in the morning.

Certain Vegetables, Especially Onions: Plus sauerkraut, pea pods, and certain beans (broad Italian, lima, fava, navy, and lentils). Allowed: leeks, scallions, shallots, spring onions, and garlic. Garlic will be your best friend when cooking. It adds a great flavor to anything and helps those with high blood pressure (like me)

Fresh Yeast-Risen Baked Goods: Less than one day old: homemade (or restaurant-baked) breads, sourdough, bagels, doughnuts, pizza dough, soft pretzels, and coffee cake. Make sure they are at least a day old before eating. The fresh yeast contains MSG which is a large migraine trigger.

Aspartame (Nutrasweet): Sweet'n Low may also be a trigger for some. Aspartame is found in diet sodas, the zero-calorie and ten-calorie sodas, and some natural sweeteners. Splenda isn't a problem, but Stevia is the better choice. Avoid Crystal Light.

Others: Perhaps soy products especially if cultured (miso), fermented (tempah), or otherwise highly processed. Watch out for soy sauce containing MSG. Less risky are unflavored tofu and soymilk. Tomatoes and mushrooms may be a problem, but that's up to you. They don't give me a problem and I use them for many of my dishes for added flavor.

So there you go! It's a very difficult diet to maintain, but once you're on it for a couple months (strictly), you'll feel better and it'll be a lot easier. Try cooking with fresh ingredients and experiment a little. When I first tried soymilk, I used a chocolate cereal (yes I know we can't have chocolate but I needed to acquire the taste) and then moved on to the safer Cheerios. When I recipe calls for milk, I use soymilk. Instead of cooking with butter, I use coconut (found in Whole Foods). I'll post more tips and trades, but here's just the beginning of a diet that'll help you in your path to healing.