Valentine’s Day is a holiday to express and share love, but it’s also full of migraine triggers. Here’s a list of gifts to avoid so you can say “I love you” without all the headache:
Perfume/cologne. This is a sweet way to help your partner feel luxurious, but strong fragrances and chemicals can trigger migraine. Unless you’ve had a discussion with your partner about perfumes that aren’t a migraine trigger, it might be best to skip scents this year.
Chocolate. There could be more than just assorted flavors in that heart-shaped box. Due to its low cocoa content and the presence of caffeine and tyramine, chocolate can be a migraine trigger. While it’s best to minimize chocolate consumption, that doesn’t mean you can’t give something sweet to your sweetie. Feel free to follow these guidelines when choosing a dessert to share with your loved one on Valentine’s Day.
Champagne. Certain fermented foods and drinks can be triggering for people living with migraine disease, and that includes champagne. This doesn’t mean re-corking that bottle of bubbly, but being mindful of the effects of alcohol can make a huge difference in managing migraine. We recommend limiting alcoholic drinks to one serving to minimize the potential for a migraine.
Being mindful of your partner’s health is the ultimate way to express your love, and while there are a few things to be careful to avoid this Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of trigger-free gifts you can give to your special someone, and anyways, we believe the best gift of all is a day free of migraine triggers.