The next time you say that you are suffering from migraines even if it is just a small pain in the head, be careful with your term because migraines do not just involve "a little pain." In fact, migraines can be really debilitating-ly painful. It can be so painful that you will not be able to even get up from your bed. Migraine is one of the most common reasons why people file sick leaves at the office.

Migraines occur when there are constrictions in the blood vessels at the brain center of the body. The constrictions cause the blood vessels to contract in some areas and swell in others to compensate and start off circulation. One of the main triggering factors for migraine is a problem brought on by the eye. People with problems in the eye often complain about having migraine episodes.

Migraines can also be brought on by the rapid changes in temperature, especially now that weather across the globe has become very unpredictable. Another reason for migraine attacks is the changes in the levels of hormones in the body. Examples of these times are menstrual periods of women, menopausal periods for both men and women and abnormal changes in hormones because of some defect in the body system.

Migraines can also be triggered by strong odors or really bright lights, especially for people who are very sensitive to them. Triggering factors for migraine may also be emotionally-based. Examples of these are emotional stress, depression and changes in sleeping patterns brought on distress.

Another major triggering factor that experts are looking into is the role of food in migraine episodes. Because hormonal levels are involved, experts recommend the avoidance of the following food items that may exacerbate your condition.

Food, scientists believe, can be the avenue through which a solution can be found. Chemicals in food that supposedly trigger migraines are studied and experimented with, hoping that one single chemical can be found that will help then discover a counter-chemical for it. As of the present, there are still no medicines available in the market that are solely used for migraine.

The only way that people can possible avoid migraines is by staying off from the triggering factors mentioned above and of course, avoiding foods that are closely associated with migraine attacks. It is important to note though the specific food that will trigger an attack. Some food items may trigger the migraine of one  person while leaving another person unaffected. Below are some of the foods that should be avoided especially by those people who are suffering from frequent episodes of migraine.

Processed foods are not good, whether it be for migraine or for other forms of illnesses. Artificial foods contain ingredients that can be harmful to the body. Examples of these artificial foods are those that are canned. Frozen processed food like bologna, ham and hotdogs may not also be good for the body. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), an ingredient found in chips and junk foods is also known to trigger migraine.

Alcohol can trigger changes in the body's internal chemical composition, which in turn may affect the hormonal levels of the body. Drinking alcohol may also trigger constrictions in the flow of blood. This can be a double whammy for migraines.

Other foods that may trigger migraine attacks are sugar-substitute aspartame; beans such as lima, pole, broad,  garbanzo, pinto, Italian, and navy; yeast and its products such as coffee cakes made from fresh yeast, sourdough bread; and donuts; and dairy products such as buttermilk, cheese and sour cream.