the attacks in half or improve symptoms.
The 60-year-old man whose experiences are detailed in the report had endured severe migraine headaches without aura for more than 12 years. Six months before his clinic referral, his migraines had become chronic, occurring anywhere from 18 to 24 days each month.
He had tried a number of potential fixes, including the prescribed medications zolmitriptan and topiramate. He also cut out potential ‘trigger’ foods, including chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine, and dried fruit. Beyond this, the man also tried yoga and meditation to curb the attacks.
None of those interventions had worked.
The man described the pain as throbbing, starting suddenly and intensely in the forehead and temple on the left side of his head. His migraines usually lasted 72 hours and also included sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. His pain severity was 10 to 12 out of a scale of 10.
He didn’t have high levels of systemic inflammation but had a normal level of beta carotene in his blood, possibly because he ate sweet potatoes daily. Sweet potatoes are relatively low in food nutrients known as carotenoids, which carry anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the authors explain.
Leafy greens such as spinach, kale and watercress do contain high levels of carotenoids, however.
Migraines: Working With Your Doctor to Find Your Triggers
The low inflammatory foods everyday diet
So, Rosen’s team advised the man to adopt the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet. It’s a nutrient-dense, whole food, plant-based diet. The regimen advocates eating at least five ounces by weight of raw or cooked dark green leafy vegetables every day, drinking one 32-ounce daily green LIFE smoothie, and limiting intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils, and animal protein, particularly dairy and red meat.
After two months on the diet, the man said his migraines had been dramatically reduced — to just one migraine day per month, and even that headache was less severe.
At the same time, his blood tests showed a substantial rise in beta-carotene levels.
Soon, the man stopped taking all his migraine meds. His migraines stopped completely after