A headache is every professional's constant companion. In addition to stress and overwork, what you eat and drink can bring on pain too.

Chocolate could harm.

Almost 20% of headaches are caused by what you eat or drink: dairy products, chocolates and eggs, for instance. A headache is your body's way of protesting against what you are giving it. To find out what you are allergic to, keep a food diary, so that you can gradually eliminate the food that brings on pain. Some of the most common suspects are chocolate, dairy products, citrus fruits and processed meats.

Some people are extra sensitive to monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is usually found in Chinese dishes. It can cause severe migraine in some.



Choose wine carefully.

Other than bad taste, bad wine can cause headaches: the poorer the quality, the more rapid and intense the headache. Alcoholic drinks contain histamine, tyramine and phenols, which cause blood vessels to swell, leading to migraines.

Hot tip: Don't drink more than recommended limit (3 glasses a day for men, 2 for women).



Fatty food is a friend.

To work well, your brain needs fats. If deprived of these essential nutrients, it will transmit messages less efficiently, often resulting in headaches. Good fats include fish and vegetable oils. Choose poultry instead of pork and lamb and replace butter with olive or corn oil.

Hot tip: Oils such as fish oil (Cod-liver oil) doesn't taste great when added to food, so take them in capsule form or gulp down a teaspoon in liquid form.



Cleanse with clay.

When you eat badly and get stressed, your body gets clogged with waste, and that's when you suffer from headaches. Clay is most effective in liquid form. Every evening for two or three weeks, pour a dessert-spoonful of clay powder in a glass of water, and leave to soak overnight. Next morning, drink it without stirring it, leaving behind the clay deposit (never use metal utensils).

Hot tip: You could also mix powdered clay with a little water to form a thick paste, roll them into little balls, dry them and take 4 balls with a glass of water like tablets.



Fill up with fiber.

Some people suffer from headaches when they become constipated. So, you need to consume the right amount of fiber. Fiber absorbs water and excess fat, and can prevent your intestines from becoming sluggish.

Foods with highest fiber content:

• Pod vegetables: soya beans, lentils and chickpeas.
  
• Whole meal cereals: whole meal bread, maize and millet.
  
• Dried fruit: dates, prunes, raisins and apricots.
  
• Olives and nuts: peanuts, pistachios and almonds.

Look after your bacteria

You need to look after your digestive system if you want to avoid headaches. Too much stress or an unbalanced diet can deplete the bacteria in your gut that digest food. Eat a cup of curd daily since it contains bifidus bacteria cultures beneficial to digestion.

Hot tip: The fresher the curd, the more viable bacteria it contains.



Eat well, eat regularly

To deal with daily stress and exhaustion, your body needs a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Eat balanced meals, eat on time and don't skip meals. Follow this simple rule: eat fresh food and keep up variety. Try a little bit of everything fruit and vegetables, some of which should be eaten raw, since cooking destroys essential vitamins. You also need to include cereals, fats and protein.

Hot tip: Vary the color of the fruit and vegetables you eat (red, yellow, green or purple). Colors indicate chemical constituents.



A stretch can ease headache

Chinese medicine attributes headaches to an imbalance in the flow of energy. To remedy this, the Chinese regularly practice Qi Gong, an ancient form of gymnastics that regulates the circulation of energy in the body.



Headaches usually occur when there is too much or too little vital energy in the heart meridian. This exercise solves that problem:

• Stand with legs slightly bent, feet apart and back straight.
• Cross your arms in front of your chest, keeping them relaxed, and then raise them above your head, palms facing upwards.
• Stretch the little finger and the outer edge of each hand before lowering your arms.
• Hot tip: Be mentally relaxed before performing the exercise. Try focused breathing to gain control.