Patients should avoid drinking alcohol, such as red wine and beer^5–7

Excessive alcohol can cause vasodilation in the head, leading to an increase in blood flow, and thus could lead to a migraine attack.⁸ ​​​​​ ​​ Smoking should also be avoided as nicotine in tobacco can affect blood pressure⁹

Drinking too much coffee can increase blood pressure^7,10

If you cannot do away with coffee completely, you should limit yourself to 1 to 2 cups a day. Enjoy it slowly to control the amount you drink, or considering replacing it with herbal tea.

Reduce consumption of foods high in tyramine^5–7

Tyramine originates from food.¹¹ Generally, the longer the food is left out or fermented, the higher the amount of tyramine it will contain.¹¹ High tyramine levels in the body can cause nerve cells to release a hormone called norepinephrine, which could lead to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and hence could trigger migraine attacks.¹¹

Foods containing tyramine include^5–7,11:

1. Milk products, especially fermented cheese and yogurt
2. Chocolate
3. Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts and cashew
4. Foods pickled or smoked with nitrates and canned foods such as sausages, salami, canned luncheon meat and other processed foods
5. Citrus fruits such as orange, pineapple and grapefruit

In some patients, migraines can be triggered due to histamine intolerance^7,12

Additives such as monosodium glutamate, artificial sweeteners, artificial food coloring and preservatives contain histamine.¹³ Consumption of such additives is difficult to avoid if you dine out frequently. As such, reducing the frequency of dining out or only visiting restaurants you are familiar with are recommended.

The most basic step is to maintain a balanced diet^1,17

because the lack of certain nutrients (e.g., magnesium, folic acid) may induce migraines.^1,17

Drinking enough water^4,27

(i.e., 8 glasses of fluids per day) is also a way to prevent migraines.^4,27

Only eat fresh ingredients^3,11

The longer food sits, the higher the level of tyramine it contains, regardless of whether the food is stored at room temperature or inside a fridge.^3,11,25,26 Although the level of tyramine rises more slowly in food stored under room temperature, the level of tyramine within will increase within a few days.^25,26 Therefore, it is recommended to only buy the right amount of ingredients each time you cook, eating fresh food , and to consume food within 2 days if storage is necessary^11,25,26

Read food labels carefully ^28,29

especially to assess whether the food contains additives such as monosodium glutamate, nitrates/nitrites or aspartame.^28,29 If you are intolerant to additives, avoid buying products that contain them to prevent headache attacks.^29–31

Eat 5–6 small meals every day regularly^3,4,24

Missing a meal will cause your body to go into starvation mode, which is also a trigger for migraines.^3,4,24