Journal of Nutraceuticals and Food Science

Abstract

Introduction: According to Western medicine headache is not a symptom but a disease in its own right. There are four types of primary headache: migraine, tension headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia, and other primary headache disorders. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory classifies migraine as an external invasion or an internal disruption. Depending on the area where the headache is occurring, the doctor will be able to identify which energy meridian is affected. Frontal headache means involvement of the Stomach meridian. Temporal headache (Gallbladder); parietal (Liver); occiput (Bladder). Weight pain means moisture retention. Purpose: The aim of this study is to demonstrate that there is a correlation between eating certain types of food and headache. Methods: Through an extensive literature review by PubMed and NCBI on headache in Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine and the report of a clinical case demonstrating the importance of dietary counseling in the adequately treatment of headache symptoms. Foods that imbalance the Liver and Gallbladder are: fried foods, chocolate, honey, alcoholic beverages, coconut, eggs. foods that imbalance the bladder are: coffee, soda and matte tea. And foods that impair the balance of Spleen- pancreas meridian could cause the sensation of weight pain are; dairy products, cold water, sweets, raw food.  Results: The patient had a significant improvement of her headaches symptoms changing completely her dietary habits and rarely had headaches like in the beginning of her treatment Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is that the ingestion of some kind of foods is correlating with the headaches symptoms .To prevent the headache symptoms, it is important to understand which energy  meridian is affected by the patient and which kind of food should be inducing or maintaining the patients symptoms.