Reduce MIGRAINE Headaches by 95% (4 Simple Steps) 2024

Summary

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and former chronic migraine sufferer, discusses a study that suggests reducing linoleic acid and increasing omega-3 intake can decrease migraine frequency and severity. He advises eliminating certain vegetable oils high in omega-6 and cutting out added sugars, grains, and low-fat dairy. By following these dietary changes, many have alleviated their chronic migraines, potentially reducing reliance on medication.

Takeaways

• 🤔 Chronic migraines affect an estimated 4 million people in the United States, causing significant disruption to daily life.
• 🧬 Genetics play a role in migraine susceptibility, but diet is a significant factor in the frequency and severity of migraines.
• 🔬 A 16-week randomized controlled trial found that increasing omega-3 intake and decreasing omega-6 intake reduced migraine frequency and severity.
• 🍽️ Participants in the study did not take supplements but altered their diet to include more omega-3 rich foods and less omega-6 rich foods.
• ⛔️ The most common sources of omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, include various vegetable oils that should be avoided.
• 🚫 Dr. Berry advises against consuming packaged foods or dining out without confirming the absence of high linoleic acid oils in cooking.
• 🍬 Reducing added sugars and high-sugar fruits can also help decrease insulin levels and potentially alleviate migraines.
• 🌾 Removing grains from the diet can help normalize insulin levels, which may contribute to reducing migraines.
• 🥛 Eliminating liquid dairy products with high lactose content can prevent insulin levels from becoming chronically elevated.
• 📚 The American Migraine Foundation and the Migraine Trust have not emphasized dietary approaches to migraine reduction, despite the evidence.
• 💡 Dr. Berry recommends sharing this information with those suffering from chronic migraines to potentially improve their quality of life.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the research discussed in the script?

The research focuses on the impact of dietary changes, specifically increasing omega-3 intake and decreasing omega-6 intake, on the frequency and severity of chronic migraines.

Who is Dr. Ken Berry and what is his connection to chronic migraines?

Dr. Ken Berry is a family physician who also personally suffered from severe chronic migraines. He shares his insights and discusses research findings to help others manage their migraines.

How many people in the United States are estimated to suffer from chronic migraines?

It is estimated that about 4 million people in the United States suffer from chronic migraines.

What was the duration of the study mentioned in the script?

The study discussed was a 16-week long randomized controlled trial.

What were the three different approaches tested on the participants in the study?

The participants were divided into three groups: one group increased their omega-3 intake, the second group increased omega-3 and decreased omega-6 intake, and the third group, the control, did not change their diet.

Which group in the study experienced the greatest reduction in migraine frequency and severity?

The group that increased their omega-3 intake and decreased their omega-6 intake experienced the greatest reduction in migraine frequency and severity.

What is linoleic acid and why is it significant in the context of this research?

Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid that has been linked to oxidation and inflammation in the body, particularly in the brain. Reducing its intake is suggested to help decrease migraine frequency and severity.

Which oils are high in linoleic acid and should be avoided according to the script?

High linoleic acid oils to avoid include safflower oil, grapeseed oil, poppy seed oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, corn oil, wheat germ oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, and canola oil.

What additional dietary changes are recommended to reduce migraines besides adjusting omega-3 and omega-6 intake?

Additional dietary changes recommended include removing all added sugar, high sugar fruits, fruit juices, and smoothies, all grains, and liquid dairy from the diet.

Why is it important to reduce insulin levels in relation to migraine management?

Reducing insulin levels can help normalize hormone levels in the body, which is significant because hormonal imbalances are believed to contribute to the occurrence of migraines, especially in women who are three times more likely to suffer from chronic migraines than men.

What is the advice given regarding cooking oils and fats for those with chronic migraines?

It is advised to avoid cooking with oils high in linoleic acid and instead use fats like beef tallow, butter, bacon grease, or ghee. It's also recommended to check ingredients for these oils in packaged foods and to inquire about cooking methods in restaurants.

Outlines

00:00

💊 Chronic Migraines: Dietary Solutions

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and former chronic migraine sufferer, introduces new research suggesting dietary changes can reduce migraine frequency and severity. The video discusses a 16-week randomized controlled trial involving 182 participants, divided into three groups with varying omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid intakes. The study found that increasing omega-3 and decreasing omega-6 intake led to the most significant reduction in migraines. Dr. Berry emphasizes the importance of reducing linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in vegetable oils, and suggests avoiding these oils in cooking and salad dressings. He also recommends consulting the studies mentioned for a more informed conversation with healthcare providers.

05:01

🍽️ Migraines and Diet: Eliminating Triggers

In the second paragraph, Dr. Berry outlines four dietary steps to further reduce migraines: 1) Eliminate linoleic acid-rich vegetable oils like soybean, corn, and canola oils, 2) Remove added sugars and high-sugar fruits, juices, and smoothies to normalize insulin levels, 3) Exclude grains such as wheat, rice, oats, corn, and teff to lower insulin levels, and 4) Avoid liquid dairy products with high lactose content, except for heavy cream or similar. He encourages viewers to share their success stories and questions the lack of information from migraine organizations and the American Heart Association on these dietary approaches. Dr. Berry concludes by urging viewers to share this information with those suffering from chronic migraines to improve their quality of life.

Keywords

💡Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are a type of severe headache characterized by intense pulsing or throbbing pain, often on one side of the head. They can be debilitating and are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. In the video, Dr. Berry discusses the impact of chronic migraines on daily life and work, emphasizing the pain and suffering they cause.

💡Chronic Migraines

Chronic migraines refer to a condition where an individual experiences migraine headaches for more than 15 days per month. This term is central to the video's theme, as it highlights the severity and frequency of the condition that the proposed dietary changes aim to address.

💡Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats that play a crucial role in reducing inflammation and supporting brain health. The video emphasizes the importance of increasing omega-3 intake as part of a strategy to decrease migraine frequency and severity.

💡Omega-6

Omega-6 fatty acids are another type of polyunsaturated fat. While they are also essential, high levels of omega-6 relative to omega-3 can lead to increased inflammation. The video discusses reducing omega-6 intake, particularly from vegetable oils, to help manage migraines.

💡Linoleic Acid

Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils. The video suggests that reducing linoleic acid intake by avoiding certain vegetable oils can help decrease the frequency and severity of migraines.

💡Inflammation

Inflammation is a biological response to harmful stimuli, including damaged cells, irritants, or pathogens. In the context of the video, inflammation in the brain is linked to the severity of migraines, and dietary changes are proposed to reduce this inflammation.

💡Dietary Changes

The video outlines specific dietary changes, such as increasing omega-3 rich foods and decreasing omega-6 rich foods, as a strategy to reduce migraines. These changes are based on research findings that suggest a link between diet and migraine frequency.

💡Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomized controlled trial is a type of scientific experiment that provides high-quality evidence for cause-and-effect relationships. The video references a 16-week randomized controlled trial that supports the effectiveness of dietary changes in reducing migraines.

💡Insulin Level

Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. The video suggests that high insulin levels, which can be influenced by diet, may contribute to migraines. Reducing certain sugars and grains in the diet is recommended to normalize insulin levels.

💡Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate various bodily functions. The video notes that hormonal imbalances, which can be influenced by diet, may play a role in migraines, particularly in women who are more likely to suffer from chronic migraines than men.

💡Liquid Dairy

Liquid dairy refers to dairy products in liquid form, such as milk. The video advises against consuming low-fat liquid dairy products due to their high lactose content, which can raise insulin levels and potentially exacerbate migraines.

Highlights

New research suggests a dietary path to decrease chronic migraine frequency and severity.

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and former chronic migraine sufferer, shares insights.

An estimated 4 million people in the United States suffer from chronic migraines.

Genetics play a role, but diet significantly influences migraine severity and frequency.

A 16-week randomized controlled trial involved 182 participants.

Participants were divided into three groups with varying omega-3 and omega-6 intakes.

The greatest reduction in migraine was seen with increased omega-3 and decreased omega-6.

Participants were not taking supplements but changed their dietary intake.

Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, is linked to brain inflammation.

Common vegetable oils high in linoleic acid include soybean, corn, and canola oil.

Removing these oils from the diet can reduce migraines.

Anecdotal evidence supports the reduction of migraines by dietary changes.

Removing added sugar and high-sugar fruits can further decrease migraines.

Grains like wheat, rice, and corn should be eliminated to normalize insulin levels.

Liquid dairy products high in lactose should be avoided to prevent insulin spikes.

Following these dietary steps may reduce or reverse chronic migraine status.

Migraine organizations and the American Heart Association may not emphasize these dietary recommendations.

Sharing this information could improve the quality of life for chronic migraine sufferers.

Transcripts

are you sick and tired of having

migraine headaches all the time

new research just published building on

existing research shows a path that you

can take to decrease the frequency and

severity of your chronic migraines I'm

Dr Ken Berry a family physician who also

used to suffer from severe chronic

migraines this video is going to help

you understand what steps you need to

take to stop being a chronic migrator

it's estimated that about 4 million

people in the United States alone suffer

from chronic migraines and I don't have

to tell you the days of lost work the

hours of lost enjoyment the pain the

suffering and the decrease in your

ability to just interact with other

people when you have chronic migraines

now it's definitely true that your

genetics make you more likely to suffer

from migraine headaches but the truth of

the matter is is that the severity of

your migraines and the frequency of your

migraines are determined by the foods

that you eat the study I'm talking about

was a 16 week long randomized controlled

trial in human beings there were 182

participants and they divided these

participants up into three groups one

group they just gave them more omega-3

rich foods to eat and everything else

stayed the same the second group they

increased the amount of Omega-3 rich

foods and decrease the amount of omega-6

rich foods and then the third group of

subjects was the control arm they just

they didn't change anything at all

these researchers found that the

greatest reduction in migraine frequency

and migraine severity

came to those in the the study group

where they increased the amount of their

omega-3 intake and decreased their

amount of omega-6 fatty acid intake now

these people weren't taking supplements

okay so don't go buy an omega-3 fatty

acid supplement they were just eating

more omega-3 rich foods and they were

also decreasing the amount of omega-6

rich foods that they ate and the omega-6

part is is peculiar because really the

vast majority of the omega-6 fatty acids

that you get mainly linoleic acid comes

from vegetable oils adding these

vegetable oils onto salads and other

cold foods or cooking with these omega-6

Rich vegetable oils there was previously

another randomized control trial in

human beings that showed that increasing

omega-3 intake and decreasing omega-6

intake also decreased the severity and

frequency of migraine headaches I'm

going to link to both of these studies

down in the show notes so that when you

have that conversation with your doctor

you can print these studies out and take

them along with you so now that you know

what these studies say how exactly do

you need to proceed to reduce your

frequency and severity of chronic

migraine headaches so the number one

thing based on these two studies that

you need to do is reduce your intake of

linoleic acid that is an omega-6 fatty

acid that many experts have linked to

oxidation and inflammation in your body

specifically in your brain the most

common offenders the the the vegetable

oils that have the highest percentage of

linoleic acid are as follows safflower

oil grapeseed oil poppy seed oil

sunflower oil hemp oil corn wheat germ

oil cottonseed oil soybean oil walnut

oil sesame oil dry spray and oil

pistachio oil peanut oil and canola oil

now by far the most highly consumed of

these for most people around the world

are soybean oil corn a corn oil canola

oil peanut oil you need to stop eating

anything that contains them or anything

that is cooked in them by doing this one

step you're going to drastically reduce

the amount of linoleic acid that you

ingest now keep in mind putting these

oils on your skin I think is totally

fine you're not going to absorb them in

any meaningful way so if you have any

kind of oil for your hair skin made of

these oils I think they're perfectly

safe and fine it's the eating the

ingesting of these oils that leads to

oxidation and inflammation in your brain

and other body organs so if you have any

of these oils in your house you need to

throw them in the garbage and then in

the future any packaged food you buy or

anytime you to you eat in a restaurant

you're going to ask them what's this

cooked in you're going to look on the

ingredient list and see if any of these

vegetable oils are in the ingredients if

so you're not going to eat that food and

when you go to a restaurant you're going

to ask them to cook your food in beef

Tallow or butter or in bacon grease or

Yi and that way you're avoiding these

very high levels of linoleic acid the

second thing I want you to take note of

is the tens of thousands of anecdotal

studies or individual people who have

had results they absolutely have results

by following the results of these

studies but they also number two they

remove all added sugar and all high

sugar fruits and fruit juices and fruit

smoothies from their diet that's going

to help even more and that works by

lowering your insulin level your insulin

level has a dramatic effect on your the

levels of your other hormones in your

body so when you return your insulin

level back to low normal all your other

hormones are going to normalize as well

and we know that hormones matter in this

because women are three times more

likely to have chronic migraines than

men although I'm the I'm the odd man out

I used to have them but on average it's

three times more common in women and

that's probably because of their the

differences in hormones step number

three is to remove all grains from your

diet the most common being wheat rice

oats corn and TEF removing all these

grains from your diet is again going to

help lower your chronically elevated

insulin level back to low normal which

is going to allow your other hormones a

chance to normalize and then step four

is to remove all liquid Dairy from your

diet that any liquid Dairy that's less

fat than heavy cream or whipping cream

or double cream

they are going to have two too high

proportion of lactose which is milk

sugar which again is going to break down

into galactose and glucose which is

going to raise your insulin level and

keep it chronically elevated so you're

not going to drink any of these lower

fat dairies and you're not going to eat

anything that contains fat for your skin

or two percent Dairy following these

four steps is going to drastically

reduce the severity and the frequency of

your migraine headache so much to the

point where you may not have to take

your preventative migraine medication

anymore and if you don't have to do that

anymore congratulations tens of

thousands of people have used these four

steps to either reduce or completely

reverse their chronic migraine status if

anybody's used these four steps in their

diet in their personal life please put

your story in the comments underneath

this video so that people who are new to

this way of eating who might not believe

this crazy doctor from Tennessee can

read your story and say oh yeah it

worked for them and they're just like me

I went to two of the larger websites

that uh are tasked with taking care of

people with chronic migraines and

helping them to have fewer migraines I

went to the American migraine foundation

and I did a search for little Lake acid

and as you can see there were no results

found although there was a donation

button that was very prominent

I then went to the migraine trust

another large organization that's

committed to doing research and helping

people with chronic migraines search for

linoleic acid and again no results were

found but again the Donate button was

very prominent so if you haven't heard a

lot about this kind of research out

there from the migraine organization

that you're a part of I'm not sure why

they're not more interested in talking

about dietary ways to decrease the

severity and the intensity and the

frequency of your migraine headaches but

currently they're not very interested if

you go to the American Heart Association

website they actually recommend oils

that are very very high in linoleic acid

for cooking because they think that

they're better for your heart health the

research doesn't support this and if

you're a chronic migreneur I would

definitely recommend you ignore the

American Heart association's

recommendations on which oils to cook

with and which oils to eat if you have a

friend or a family member who suffers

from chronic severe migraines please

share this video with them it could

absolutely increase the quality of their

life just by sharing this video this is

Dr Berry I'll see you next time