Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 6, 1 June 2022 — Treat Your Migraines by Eating More Greens [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Treat Your Migraines by Eating More Greens

V MALAMA I KOU KINO V ^ CARE FOR YOUR BODY *

ByJodi Leslie Matsuo, DrPH Anyone who has suffered a migraine knows how crippling it ean be. Native Hawaiians, and women in general, are among those at higher risk of having migraines. Migraines are a type of headache commonly accompanied by blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivities to touch, smell, sound, and light. A migraine ean last from four hours to three days. Nine out of 10 people who get a migraine cannot work or perform their everyday activities. Certain things ean trigger a migraine attack. Daily caffeine use of more than 100mg per day is a eommon trigger, regardless of whether the caffeine is from medications or beverages. If you are experiencing daily headaches, try avoiding caffeine completely. If that is difficult, then reduce your intake of caffeinated beverages by about 25% per day. This helps to minimize caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Skipping meals or long periods of time between meals may trigger a migraine due to low blood glucose levels. Eating regular meals at regular times eaeh day, along with a regular sleep schedule and exercise, may help reduce the frequency of migraines. Staying hydrated and avoiding excessive heat also helps. Dietary triggers of migraines include aleohol, chocolate, aged cheese, processed meats, smoked fish, yeast extract, and certain food preservatives (nitrates, artificial sweeteners, and MSG (monosodium glutamate). Some people are only sensitive to specific foods; others may find that

a combination of these foods will do them in. Pay attention to what you eat and drink on the days you get migraines and see ifyou notice a pattern. Ihen try avoiding those specific foods or beverages to see if that makes a difference. While all these things ean help reduce your risk of getting migraines, heahh experts caution that following eaeh recommendation closely may not prevent migraines altogether. It is believed that one's genetics play a critical role in the onset of migraines, along with environmental and lifestyle factors. However, research is showing that a person ean change the way their genes work by changing their dietary habits. A recent study described a patient who was able to treat and prevent his migraines by switching to a plantbased diet rich in dark green leafy vegetables. For years he tried medication, eliminating known migraine triggers from his diet, and practicing yoga and other stress-reducing techniques without success. As part of his new diet, he drank a 32-ounce smoothie that included 8 ounces of leafy greens and ate 5 ounces (about ]A eup) of cooked dark leafy greens daily. Two months after changing his diet, he went from about 18-24 migraines a month to just one migraine. After three months, he was migraine-ffee and hasn't had another one in nearly eight years. Doctors believe this may be the longest period that a migraine has been in remission. Examples of leafy dark greens include luau, bok choy, spinach, kalamungay, and kale. Our ancestors knew what was right in eating their greens daily. ■ Born and raised in Kona, Hawai'i, Dr. Jodi Leslie Matsuo is a Native Hawaiian Registered Dietician and certijied diabetes educator, with training in Integrative and Functional Nutrition. Follow her on Paeehook (@DrJodiLeslieMatsuo), Instagram (@drlesliematsuo) and on Twitter (@DrLeslieMatsuo).