If you are experiencing headaches, there are specific nutrition and hydration recommendations. Speak with your family doctor about the causes of your headaches and develop a plan together.
Below are the specific nutrition and hydration recommendations from the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) best practice guidelines for headache management:
Regular Meals: Skipping or delaying meals can trigger headaches in some people. It is important to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and avoid delaying or skipping meals. The Canada Food Guide [website] provides information on making healthy food choices.
Hydration: Dehydration can trigger headaches in some individuals, so it is important to drink enough water. Water needs depend on a lot of things like weather, activity levels, and health. You can learn more about drinking enough water from HealthLinkBC [website].
Caffeine: Too much caffeine (i.e., coffee, soft-drinks) should be avoided as caffeine consumption and withdrawal can cause headaches. However, when an individual does not consume caffeine regularly, a caffeinated beverage may be helpful to minimize intermittent bad headaches. Talk to your family doctor or dietician about how much caffeine is right for you.