I have to avoid gluten and many artificial additives/preservatives in food as well as in Vitamin tablets etc. such as citric acid, malto-dextrin, sulphites, acetic acid, although malic acid (made from apples I believe) is OK. Does anyone have similar triggers? Does anyone know what the underlying cause may be - perhaps I have an under-active liver or perhaps its hormone related? I would love to know the answer because I love food and its a real pain having to check everything I eat.

Hi Sue - In a way you're really lucky. I have sufferred from migraines all my life and as yet have been unable to identify any triggers. My doctor reckons it's stress related but I can get them while away on holiday and totoally chilled out!! How did you work out your triggers? Bee

Hi there, I went to an alternative therapist who advised giving up wheat - and I was born again! Then however, I noticed I was still getting headaches and I latched on to citric acid as being the cause. Again when I eliminated citric acid I felt brill. Then I began noticing other additives... as long as I steer away from artificial food additives and rely on good wholesome, home cooked food with nothing added, I am absolutely fine. I do despair though when I have to eat in a fast food restaurant coz I know there will be pay-back, big time! so I counteract a meal that I know is dodgy by taking paracetamol and sometimes Gaviscon as soon as I get home. That way I can sometimes by-pass the headache/migraine. I also drink Goats milk before going out somewhere because it seems to line the stomach. I think we suffer because there are so many pesticides and chemicals used to firstly produce our food and then secondly to preserve it - so I try to avoid the second dose and avoid preservatives, food whiteners (found in flour etc) whereever possible. It really annoys me though when restaurant staff don't know what is in their food or how it has been made. Best regards.

Hi, I just posted on the 'backpain' forum and then noticed this thread. A Russian device called a
Prickle Pad that helps with back pain also halps with head aches. It's got instructions for how it can help different areas of the body. A really simle idea of just increasing blood supply to an area and letting the body heal itself. (There's another section that tells you how to improve sexual prefomance, but I haven't gone that far yet!!) If anyone does, let me know

Was thinking of trying a food intolerance / food allergy test. Sue did the nutritionist test you or did she just give general advice?

Just advice really and a process of being aware of your body. I always ask myself - what did I eat 1 or 2 days ago as my headache can take 2 days to come out. I have in the past had my hair analysed but not sure how accurate such tests are. I have also tried Keneiseology.