Monday, February 25, 2008

No MSG = No Migraines?

I receive many emails asking about my diet: what exactly I avoid, what I eat, how long it took before I saw positive results, etc. So let me see if I can answer some of those questions.

When I first started my diet (I use the word “diet,” but please don’t confuse it with a diet you would do to lose weight. This was a lifestyle change I made in the entire way I ate) my migraines were in full blown, crazy mode. I had literally been bedridden with what felt like one, long, never-ending migraine for about a year and a half. So, it took about 6 months for my body to get rid of all the toxins built up in my system, and for me to start to see some positive results from the change in my diet. My “diet” consisted of eliminating all major migraine triggers from the food I consumed. So I eliminated caffeine, alcohol, citrus, MSG, nuts, chocolate, and much more. I eat frequent, small meals throughout the day to help maintain consistent blood sugar levels. Every time I eat, I eat a carb and a protein together (ALWAYS!). My neurologist explained when you eat more carbs than proteins, a spike in blood sugar happens. If you wait too long between meals, then a “crash” follows the spike. Low blood sugar levels cause headaches (or migraines for those of us already prone to migraines). Eating a carb and protein together, and eating more often throughout the day (though much smaller meals) helps prevent headaches/migraines due to low blood sugar levels.

One of my biggest migraine triggers is MSG, and eliminating it from my diet has had amazingly positive results on reducing my migraines. It frustrates me how little information is out there about MSG as a trigger for migraines, because it is an extremely common trigger but very few migraineurs are aware of it. MSG is tricky to eleminate from your diet, because it “hides” under many different names. Here is a list of some of the most common names MSG “hides” under in ingredient lists, and on labels:

enzyme modified, anything fermented, anything protein fortified, anything ultra pasteurized, autolyzed yeast, barley malt, broth, bouillon, calcium caseinate, carrageen, flavoring, natural flavoring, gelatin, hydrolyzed oat flour, hydrolyzed vegetable, olyzed protein, malt extract maltodextrin, natural flavors, pectin, plant protein extract, potassium glutamate, sodium caseinate, soy protein, soy sauce, stock, textured protein, whey protein, yeast extract, yeast food

Here is a great article that explains what MSG does and how it causes migraines: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=888663

Simply eliminating MSG from your diet can drastically reduce the number of migraines many people have. MSG is a hard trigger to track with a headache journal because the average consumer is almost constantly consuming MSG without ever realizing it. And you don’t have to believe me… take the list above, and start reading the labels in your pantry. Notice any of the list above on the labels in your pantry? I was shocked the first time I went to the grocery store with this list in hand…I thought I would never be able to eat anything again! LOL…don’t worry! I’m still alive, and eating well (lol…too well, somedays). I did have to learn to cook a little bit more, and I shop more at health food stores now than I do at regular grocery stores (and I don’t miss the fluorescent lights there either J). I’ve amassed an intense collection of MSG-free recipes, and even have my family eating healthier (without realizing it…ssshhh!). It can be frustrating to go on a restrictive diet in the beginning. I’ve been there. I’ve also come out the light at the end of the tunnel, and would do it again in a nano-second! There are, of course, many things you can try to attempt to reduce or eliminate your migraines. What works for some doesn’t mean a cure for others. I’ve tried a LOT of things to ease my migraines, and this is one that has helped me. If you have any questions or comments, let me know! Other diet questions I’ll be happy to answer in future blogs, as they come up.

Wishing everyone a peaceful, healthy day!

11 comments:

pallanders said...

Hi
I Just would like to thank You for this exellent site! You´r doing a great job spreading knowledge about migraine. I had it more or less since the age of 6. I was sensitive to carbonmonoxide, strong sunligtht, hard fysical activity and some other things. It was quite debiliating during the years in grammarschool, probably because a increased stress level caused by bullies. I was prescribed the usual "aspirin" sometime in high doses. Most often the only thing was to go to bed in a dark room, emptey the stomach and sleep for a couple of hours.
As I grew older the pattern changed a little. The headache often came some time after lunch and was´nt that muck better by a pill. At some point a read about the "China food syndrom". That was the start of my "getting rid of my headache journey" It was about 1986. Some time later I also discarded all milk products from my diet, mostley to get decrease my exceema, but at the same time a experienced a big improvement in the way that I reacted on i e skipping a meal. Prior to the change, that would most certainly have ment a migraine epiosode. Not so any moore. What a relief!
Nowadays headaches are quite rare thanks to a strikt diet without any milk product and "MSG"-content.
It would be interesting to here from You, and others, if there sensitivity to "MSG" have increased as a result of avoiding it. That is my experience. I could feel "the signs" after half a cracker with malt in it, or one glass of beer.
It would be great to hear from You.
Yours
Anders Åsberg
Sweden

Anonymous said...

Have you ever considered acupuncture for your migraines? I have helped a lot of patients become migraine-free without the side effects of medication. You should look for a good acupuncturist in your area.

Anonymous said...

Please Research before you write. Gelatin contains absolutley NO MSG!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Gelatin is alway has MSG . You should read up on Gelatin.

fivefeetzero said...

hi. i just found this blog. i'm 26 and i've recently discovered that i'm a migraine sufferer. i have a question about foods that have MSG in it -- does the migraine occur with foods that have naturally occuring glutamates too? aren't those really difficult to cut out from your diet. and how do i know which natural foods have them and which don't?

Anonymous said...

I'm so grateful to you, and a couple of other migraine bloggers that I found about a year and a half ago. Had migraines since my early 20's, and have two sons that have suffered since 4 and 6 years old.
I've been told that my migraines are caused by hormones, by food allergies, by stress, by lack of sleep, etc. I'm sure all of that is true to some degree, but after years of taking all types of triptan medications, going to accupuncture, the chiropractor (who at least provided a little relief), etc., I was still having a LOT of migraines where it was interfering with my work and social life.
I cut out all of the "msg" that I could find on labels, including the ones on your site and most of the ones on this one http://www.msgmyth.com/hidename.htm
and it has made a huge difference!
I get auras still, especially from lack of sleep, but I've only had one full blown migraine in about 14 months, and I'm quite sure it was related to the food I ate.
It's hard to avoid all of the foods at the grocery store, but worth it to have a normal life.
Thanks for your blog.

Zing Blog said...

Getting rid of MSG and aspertame have pretty much gotten rid of my migraines. I still occasionally get one after drinking a beer or two after a period without (probably hidden MSG related). Now vitamin C pills seems to bring one on and recently strawberry Kool Aid (possibly) gave me a few bouts. Sucralose does it too.

Zing Blog said...

I have no problem from naturally occurring glutamates. Strong dark chocolate seems to cause a migraine if I eat quite a bit.

Anonymous said...

Very valuable info. Have had migraines since childhood (I was worried I had a brain tumour!) One of the most valuable things I've recently learnt is how caught up you can get in a rebound cycle with things that affect the blood vessels (vasoactive substances) which include MSG, caffeine, codeine, triptans and others. If you chronically use a lot of pain killers, you would do yourself a world of favour to cut down the use of these substances to no more than TWO times per month. I'm currently going off sumatriptan, it is hell, but I know for the first time, that I understand about rebound and that I can control more than I thought. To all you sufferers out there - you are not alone. Be positive, be strong - you can do it!

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Anonymous said...

This article definitely rings true for me. Since actively cutting out msg and being careful and checking labels of things that I eat, my migraines have drastically reduced in numbers.