Vestibular Migraine Diet
The Elimination Diet is essential to identify if your Migraines are triggered
by any particular foods.
Vestibular Migraine Diet Donts
We asked our readers to rank what their top Vestibular Migraine trigger foods were to compile the below list. This list is a great place to start for any elimination diet.
01 Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is added to foods as a taste enhancer and is among the most common migraine food triggers. It is typically found in fast food and is comonly used among Asian cuisines.
04 Citrus
Known for their high tyramine content, citrus foods are an absolute no for any migrainer. Citrus foods include: oranges, tomatoes, lemons, limes, and vinegar.
07 Gluten
Gluten intollerances can cause similar
symptoms to migraine symptoms. Gluten intollerances can be identiied through elimination diets. Foods to avoid include: breads, pastas and pizzas.
02 Processed meat
Processed Meat is any meat which has been modified to improve its taste or extend its shelf life. Processed meat may have been salted, cured or smoked.
05 Sugar & Fake Sugar
Your body turns sugar to glucose when it enters your blood stream. This then leads to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels, which affects your central nervous system.
08 Coffee, Tea & Fizz
Caffeine is commonly used in headache suppression medication like Asprin. Long term the body can become reliant upon caffeine leading to major withdrawal symptoms.
03 Dairy
Processed dairy and non processed dairy are both known migraine triggers. Most shop purchased dairy may have been fermented or mixed with other items to enhance taste.
06 Fermented Food
Bacteria breaks down amino acids found in fermented foods. Common by-products of this are both histamines and tyramine. Avoid all pickled, smoked and aged foods.
09 Alcohol
Evidence suggests that the histamines found in red wine are a major trigger for migraine symptoms. We suggest avoiding beers and spirits as part of your diet also.
Elimination Diet
The purpose of an Elimination Diet is to identify any controllable triggers which could have an affect in your Vestibular Migraine symptoms. Prior to starting the diet, you must seek approval from your Doctor. You can find a template here.
Weeks 1-3
Elimination Phase
- Eliminate all known trigger foods and any other foods you suspect could cause your symptoms from your diet.
- Work with your Doctor to share your plan and also remember to document your progress.
- During these first few weeks you may face withdrawal symptoms, so refer to this list to identify good replacement foods.
Weeks 3-6
Re-introduction Phase
- Start by reintroducing each food individually and start documenting any potential symptoms. Leave a gap of 3 days per new reintroduction.
- Symptoms to document include: dizziness, nausea, headaches, rashes, bloating, IBS, or stomach cramps.
- Only when you are satisfied a particular food group is not giving you symptoms should you move to another food.
Elimination Diets Tips
- It's important to not extend the elimination phase for more than 4 weeks as your body may lack nutrients.
- Patience is key so take the whole process slow. You may find that your symptoms may not be related to food.
- We are all different and your trigger may be associated with other less well known foods.
- Tell us how you did so we can inspire others!