Health & Wellness

Omega-3-Rich Diets

By Wendy Haaf

Less headache

Putting more fish and other foods rich in omega-3 fats on your fork could help make migraines less of a headache, U.S. researchers report. Sufferers of chronic migraines (those with five to 20 headache days per month) were randomly assigned to one of three diets: one high in omega-3s and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fat found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds); the second, high in omega-3s but low in linoleic acid; and the third, low in omega-3s but high in linoleic acid.

Results

After 16 weeks of consuming meal kits that the researchers prepared according to the specified nutritional breakdowns, participants in the two high-omega-3 groups had two to four fewer headache days per month than those in the low-omega-3 group, with the high-omega-3/low-linoleic-acid group experiencing the greatest benefits. These two groups also reported less frequent and less severe headaches than did those in the third group.

Source: The BMJ

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