Ask Mary

Very few scientific studies have looked at, let alone substantiated, a link between diet and migraines.  However, doctors commonly tell suffers to avoid caffeine, chocolate, MSG, and alcohol.  But Dr. David Buchholz, a headache specialist from Johns Hopkins, says that there are many more food “triggers”, including all foods that contain the natural food substance tyramine.  Tyramine is found in most overripe and dried fruit, in processed, cured and pickled meats, aged cheeses, fermented soy products, and some nuts.  Read about diet triggers at About.com and see Dr. Buccholz's diet plan in his book, Heal Your Headache: The 1-2-3 Program for Taking Charge of Your Pain.