Plant-based diet 'eliminated' man's migraines, research claims

His migraine problem was solved by changing his diet. Photo / 123RF

A man with "chronic migraines" managed to completely eliminate the painful events just by making a few simple changes to his diet, researchers have claimed.

The astonishing case of the 60-year-old man was recently published in the BMJ Case Reports.

The patient had been experiencing frequent migraines for more than 12 years, during which time he had approximately 12 to 18 headache days per month.

He had tried everything from prescribed medication, to yoga and meditation and even cut out potential trigger foods but nothing seemed to alleviate the pain.

"The quality of pain was throbbing in nature, and it lasted for 72 hours. His headaches were accompanied by photosensitivity, phonophobia, nausea and vomiting," the research paper stated.

"On a pain scale of 0–10, the headaches were a 10–12/10."

Six months to his initial consultation, his migraines became chronic and he was advised to follow the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet, which is a nutrient-dense, dark green leafy vegetable-rich, whole food plant-based diet.

"Within two months, his headache frequency declined from 18 to 24 headache days per month to 1, and he discontinued his preventive and abortive migraine medications," the paper states.

"After three months, the patient had no headaches.

"These results far exceed the goal of migraine treatment with medication, which is to reduce migraine frequency by >50 per cent per month."

In addition, the positive impacts of the diet were lasting, with the man becoming migraine free for seven and a half years.

Before starting the LIFE diet, the man's diet had consisted of shredded wheat with soy milk or one slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter and four egg whites omelette for breakfast and a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain toast or tuna sandwich on whole grain toast for lunch.

Dinner was usually a chicken cutlet or fish with sweet potato, apple and water.

Switching to the LIFE diet saw the patient dramatically increase his dark green leafy vegetable intake and reduce his animal protein consumption.

"Adherence to the diet was measured subjectively by the patient's daily food diary and objectively by serum levels of betacarotene, which is found primarily in dark green leafy vegetables," the research paper said.

"The patient was advised to continue his routine medications during the intervention. He did not alter his lifestyle or medications in any other way.

"By three months follow-up, the patient's migraines were eliminated."

Between three and six months after implementing his new diet, the patient challenged himself with different foods to see if his migraines would return.

"When he consumed egg whites, salmon or iced tea, atypical triggers, he experienced headache attacks, rated 4–5/10 in intensity and much shorter in duration," the paper said.

"After the three to six month period of challenging himself, he was migraine-free for seven years, and he stopped all of his migraine medications after month two of LIFE diet initiation.

"Overall, the patient reports improved quality of life and functionality since he started the diet."