Drinking This Type Of Milk May Help Prevent You From Getting Migraines

Intense head pain, light sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting are among the common migraine and pre-migraine symptoms that can force you to put your normal life on hold for hours, if not days. Fortunately, over-the-counter and prescription medications can ease the side effects of a migraine. But if you'd rather take steps to prevent a migraine in the first place, supplements that are known to help reduce migraine attacks, including magnesium, may help.

A 2012 review of migraine prevention studies in Neurology noted that magnesium consumption could probably decrease migraine episodes. Meanwhile, a 2009 review in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics came to a similar conclusion about the essential mineral. According to Dr. Nada Hindiyeh in an American Headache Society interview, magnesium seems to calm the neurological mechanisms that can precipitate a migraine. "When thinking about migraine pathophysiology, we think about a hyper-excitable brain," she explained, adding that magnesium "can certainly stabilize the brain in that sense."

If you like the idea of trying magnesium to prevent migraines, you could try supplements. Additionally, you could add more magnesium-rich foods into your diet, starting with almond milk, a non-dairy plant byproduct that many people enjoy as an alternative to cow's milk.

Almonds rank high in terms of their magnesium level. And since almond milk is made from mixing crushed almonds with water, a percentage of the magnesium in raw almonds transfers into the milky liquid.

Be aware that you won't get as much magnesium from almond milk as you'd get from munching on almonds. For every cup of almond milk you consume, you'll get about 15.7 milligrams of magnesium. That's significantly less magnesium than the 80 milligrams that you can expect to consume by eating one ounce of almonds (per the National Institutes of Health).

Still, you'll get some magnesium by changing to almond milk, especially if you currently drink oat milk, which offers negligible amounts of milligrams in each cup. And you can always increase your magnesium by pairing almond milk with foods that also have magnesium to boost your intake in every sip or bite.

Many foods contain magnesium, can be paired with almond milk, and may already be in your kitchen. For instance, dark chocolate and bananas go well with almond milk; both are magnesium powerhouses. Some grains have magnesium as well, like regular oats. (And any kind of milk can be mixed into oatmeal.)

So, how much magnesium do you need to consume to lower your chances of developing migraines? There's no specific answer, although the American Headache Society recommends around 400 milligrams to 500 milligrams each day. At the very least, aim to eat at least 310 milligrams each day if you're a woman and around 420 milligrams if you're a man to ensure that you're getting the bare minimum your body needs.

You may want to bring your doctor into the discussion as well. That way, you can talk about all your treatment options, including how to prevent migraines with proper nutrition and which foods you should choose and avoid if you struggle with migraines. If you decide to add a magnesium supplement to your diet, consider options that are known for being easily absorbed by the body, such as magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate.