| Those who don't suffer from migraines don't | | | | functions normally in the brain. Serotonin is an |
| understand how the blinding pain and associated | | | | important part of understanding migraines, because |
| symptoms (nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and | | | | serotonin is a "brain chemical" that calms overreacting |
| sound, etc.) can be debilitating. Migraines often result | | | | brain cell activity. MSG excites the brain cells. If MSG |
| in the inability to work, or even move from a quiet, | | | | affects serotonin's ability to pacify overreacting brain |
| dark room for the duration of the migraine episode. | | | | cell activity, while simultaneously exciting brain cells |
| If you are one of the more than 28 million Americans | | | | further it is easy to understand how quickly a |
| plagued by migraines, pain relief may be as simple as | | | | migraine would develop. |
| a change in your diet. | | | | What can I do? |
| Neurologists specializing in migraine treatment have | | | | Unlike other migraine treatments in which you are |
| noted a correlation between monosodium glutamate | | | | given a drug and simply have to wait to see if the |
| (MSG) and migraines. Patients of such noted | | | | drug provides migraine relief, you can do something |
| neurologists were able to decrease their number of | | | | about your migraines right now! Just by reading this |
| migraines to a minimal amount after being placed on a | | | | article you are one giant step closer to getting your |
| MSG-free diet. | | | | migraines under control. You have the power! MSG is |
| What is MSG? | | | | a common migraine trigger for many, many people |
| MSG is an additive added to food to enhance flavor. | | | | suffering from migraines. Now that you know about |
| Glutamate is an amino acid (which is a building block | | | | MSG you have the power to remove the trigger |
| of all proteins), and can be found naturally in some | | | | from your diet. You can begin avoiding foods with |
| foods such as tomatoes, grapes, mushrooms, | | | | MSG in them, and begin MSG-free living and pain free! |
| parmesan cheese, and spinach. These foods rich in | | | | This can be a little intimidating at first, because MSG |
| glutamate naturally have enhanced flavor, which is | | | | hides under many different names in products: |
| why you often find them in many meals and recipes. | | | | hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), hydrolyzed plant |
| MSG is the synthetically manufactured version of | | | | protein (HPT), "natural flavoring", BHA, BHT, |
| natural glutamate. MSG is then used as an additive to | | | | maltodextran, modified food starch, whey protein, |
| increase the flavor in a variety of foods including | | | | glutamate or glutamic acid, carrageenan, and |
| soups, sauces, meats, Asian cooking, and snack | | | | caseinate are examples. There are large amounts of |
| foods. | | | | MSG in soy products, so you'll want to avoid all soy |
| How does MSG work? | | | | products (including soy sauce and products containing |
| Naturally occurring amino acids interact with brain cell | | | | soy lecthin). These can be large changes in diet, but |
| activity. When MSG is added to food, it changes the | | | | for those suffering from the agony of migraines it is |
| normal brain chemistry to make the food taste | | | | often a small exchange to make for pain free living. |
| better. Your tongue has several receptors which help | | | | It is so important to be an informed consumer. |
| identify tastes such as sweet, sour, etc. Free | | | | Reading labels on your next shopping trip may be a |
| glumatic acid registers with your taste buds to signal | | | | bit intimidating, but can also be very empowering. |
| the presence of protein. MSG, therefore, tricks your | | | | You will be amazed at the vast number of products |
| tongue into thinking the food in your mouth is both a | | | | containing MSG, and the large amounts of MSG |
| protein AND nutritious. Unfortunately, it also changes | | | | you've been consuming without even realizing it! Your |
| your tongue's ability to recognize nutrition in future | | | | local health food store or coop can make shopping a |
| foods as well (your tongue will register nutrition in | | | | new pleasure, as these markets offer a variety of |
| food that may not have nutritious value). This also | | | | products without MSG. Keep a "headache journal," or |
| allows portions of real, nutritious food to be replaced | | | | daily log in which you record what you eat, how you |
| with MSG and significantly bring down the cost for | | | | feel (any headaches, migraines, etc.), and what |
| food manufacturers. As a result of ingesting MSG the | | | | medications you take. Notice patterns and positive |
| pancreas is stimulated to increase insulin production. | | | | changes in your migraines the longer MSG is absent |
| The insulin flood causes a drop in blood sugar, and | | | | from your diet. |
| you're hungry only an hour after you've eaten. This is | | | | The headache journal is a very resourceful tool for |
| a definite plus for food manufacturers and | | | | both you and your doctor. Make sure and take your |
| restaurants. | | | | journal with you to all your doctor appointments. If |
| How does MSG affect migraines? | | | | you know other migraine sufferers, please share this |
| The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | | | | information and article with them! It is unfortunate |
| indicates there is a portion of population that may be | | | | how few migraineurs are aware of the MSG-migraine |
| sensitive to MSG. The Journal of American Medical | | | | connection. No one deserves the debilitating pain of |
| Association identifies MSG as a trigger for migraines. | | | | migraines, and for many simply eliminating MSG from |
| There is scientific evidence that MSG can cause a | | | | their diet is the difference between a lifetime of |
| migraine attack, while other evidence goes further to | | | | migraines and pain free living. |
| suggest MSG actually affects the way serotonin | | | | |