New discoveries for those suffering from headaches and migraines: no drugs, but good blue fish. This is what researchers from the UNC School of Medicine discovered, who recently published the results of their work in The BMJ journal . It seems that a Mediterranean diet contributes to reducing the symptoms of migraines and headaches, but with some substantial changes.

NUTRITION FOR HEADACHE AND HEADACHE: THE DISCOVERY OF SCIENTISTS

The study can be summarized as follows: polyunsaturated fatty acids are indispensable at the table for those suffering from migraines and headaches, with resistance to drug treatments. The problem, however, is that modern nutrition is too biased in favor of polyunsaturated fatty acids called omega 6.

Notice it: everywhere on food labels you will find corn oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, soybean or peanut oil. Let’s add some fry, not only purchased from a rotisserie but also homemade with one of these oils. We think of snacks, brioches, biscuits, sauces, frozen foods.

In short, omega 6 are everywhere and these oils contain high quantities of them, much more than the reviled palm oil, which instead has very few. (Clearly this is not an invitation to abuse palm oil).

But in a correct diet, omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids should be balanced with the so-called omega3, which obviously does not happen.

When too many omega-6 polyunsaturates are introduced, inflammation increases and this also applies to ailments such as migraines and headaches.

More omega6 = more pain

The researchers did just that. They took a sample of participants and followed them for 16 weeks, either by reducing omega6 and increasing omega3 or by increasing only omega3 thanks to salmon, oily fish or, where it wasn’t possible, supplements. The results are that the sample who consumed the least omega6 and the most omega3 was the one who had the most visible improvements. That is much less pain for both headaches and migraines.
According to the researchers, the imbalance between omega6 and omega3 increases chronic pain.
A Mediterranean diet with more oily fish and no vegetable oil apart from olive oil (omega9 mostly) is the most beneficial dietary intervention for migraine sufferers.

See also: migraine diet.