Let's say you're trying to find some solid information about a serious health problem that concerns you, high blood pressure, diabetes.

Yet everywhere you look, someone's trying to sell you something like vitamins

yoga mats blenders drugs. Well, breathe a sigh relief because all we bring you are

the facts.

Welcome to The Nutrition Facts Podcast.

I'm your host, Dr. Michael Greger.

Does even thinking about migraines give you a headache?

Well, you're not alone.

Migrains affect an estimated 10% of the population worldwide.

In our first story, we put plant-based diets to the test for treating migraine disorders. Headaches are one of the top five

reasons people end up in emergency rooms and one of the leading reasons for

which people see their doctors in general.

One of the things you can try to do to prevent them is identify the triggers and avoid them.

Common triggers for migraines include stress, smoke, hunger, sleep issues, certain trigger foods like chocolate cheese and alcohol,

your menstrual cycle, or certain weather patterns. In terms of dietary terms,

the father of modern medicine, William Osler, suggested trying a strict vegetable diet.

After all, the nerve inflammation associated with migraines may be reduced by a strictly

plant-based diet, as many plant foods are high in anti-inflammatory compounds and

antioxidants and likewise meat products may have pro-inflammatory

properties but it wasn't put to the test for another 117 years.

Among those given a placebo supplement, half said they got better, half said they didn't,

but when put on a strictly plant-based diet, they did much better, experiencing a significant drop in the severity of their pain.

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