HealthDay Reporters
THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) – People who stay with power migraines undergo intense throbbing and pulsing, sensitivity to gentle and sound, nausea and vomiting.
Could a plant-based eating regimen, credited with quite a lot of constructive well being impacts, additionally assist ease these power signs?
It would possibly.
Researchers in New York have printed a case examine of 1 man with extreme power migraines who had tried the whole lot to curb them, after which switched to a plant-based eating regimen — loaded with a variety of darkish green leafy vegetables.
He shortly discovered vital reduction from the headaches, docs reported on-line Nov. 18 within the journal BMJ Case Reports.
“This report suggests that a whole food plant-based diet may offer a safe, effective and permanent treatment for reversing chronic migraine,” wrote a staff led by Dr. David Dunaief, who focuses on dietary drugs and has a non-public observe in East Setauket, N.Y.
One knowledgeable in migraine who wasn’t linked to the examine was cautiously optimistic concerning the findings.
“It is hard to make much from one case report, [but] it does illustrate the importance of all of these non-pharmacological, evidence-based treatments,” stated Dr. Noah Rosen. He directs Northwell Health’s Headache Center in Great Neck, N.Y.
As the researchers famous, greater than 1 billion folks worldwide have migraines, outlined as one-side, pulsating complications, typically with quite a lot of different signs, that final between 4 and 72 hours.
Some migraines are episodic, which means they occur fewer than 15 days monthly. Others are power, with 15 or extra migraine days monthly plus migraine options on eight days monthly.
To be thought of profitable, migraine therapy should reduce the frequency and size of the assaults in half or enhance signs.
The 60-year-old man whose experiences are detailed within the report had endured extreme migraine complications with out aura for greater than 12 years. Six months earlier than his clinic referral, his migraines had turn out to be power, occurring wherever from 18 to 24 days every month.
He had tried a variety of potential fixes, together with the prescribed medicines zolmitriptan and topiramate. He additionally reduce out potential ‘set off’ meals, together with chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine, and dried fruit. Beyond this, the person additionally tried yoga and meditation to curb the assaults.
None of these interventions had labored.
The man described the pain as throbbing, beginning immediately and intensely within the brow and temple on the left facet of his head. His migraines normally lasted 72 hours and in addition included sensitivity to gentle and sound, nausea and vomiting. His ache severity was 10 to 12 out of a scale of 10.
He did not have excessive ranges of systemic inflammation however had a standard degree of beta carotene in his blood, probably as a result of he ate sweet potatoes day by day. Sweet potatoes are comparatively low in meals vitamins often known as carotenoids, which carry anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the authors defined.
Leafy greens akin to spinach, kale and watercress do comprise excessive ranges of carotenoids, nevertheless.
So, Rosen’s staff suggested the person to undertake the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) eating regimen. It’s a nutrient-dense, complete meals, plant-based eating regimen. The routine advocates consuming no less than 5 ounces by weight of uncooked or cooked darkish inexperienced leafy greens each day, ingesting one 32-ounce day by day inexperienced LIFE smoothie, and limiting consumption of complete grains, starchy greens, oils, and animal protein, significantly dairy and crimson meat.
After two months on the eating regimen, the person stated his migraines had been dramatically diminished — to only one migraine day monthly, and even that headache was much less extreme.
At the identical time, his blood exams confirmed a considerable rise in beta-carotene ranges.
Soon, the person stopped taking all his migraine meds. His migraines stopped fully after three months and have not returned in 7 1/2 years.
The man was allergic, and beforehand printed analysis means that higher management of allergy symptoms can also result in fewer migraine complications. In this case, the person’s allergy signs additionally improved — to the purpose that he now not wanted to make use of seasonal remedy.
He was additionally HIV-positive, and HIV has been linked to a heightened danger of migraines. It is feasible that the person’s HIV standing and antiretroviral medication had contributed to his signs, the authors stated, although it wasn’t doable to review this additional with out stopping the antiretroviral therapy.
“While this report describes one very adherent patient who had a remarkable response, the LIFE diet has reduced migraine frequency within 3 months in several additional patients,” Dunaief added.
For his half, Rosen stated that “the role of proper diet and migraine has had a few studies demonstrating benefit.”
Being correctly hydrated, consuming a wholesome “low-glycemic” eating regimen and getting plenty of omega 3 fatty acids (akin to are present in oily fish) have all been proven to have a constructive impact on curbing migraines, he stated.
Beyond meals, getting good sleep, common train and psychological interventions akin to “cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation” can also assist, Rosen stated.
More data
Find out extra about migraines on the American Migraine Foundation.
SOURCE: BMJ Case reviews, information launch, Nov. 18, 2021
