Cheese headache?

I get migraines and have been told by doctors for 40+ yrs to avoid certain foods that can trigger a migraine, aged cheese is one of them. The list is long and includes the others you mention.

I agree with Susan. Although thankfully I have only had migraines a couple of times in my life, cheese, chocolate and alcohol contain tyramines which are a known trigger for some (not all). I’ll agree with her timeline as well … This has been discussed in the medical community for at least 40 years, maybe more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migraine

And what’s DW?

DW is the shortened named for Deutsche Welle, the main news broadcast station in Germany -- I don't have a TV so I get my news mostly from France24 and DW over the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/c/dwnews

https://www.dw.com/en/about-dw/s-30688

Both of those have been growing their international audiences quickly, to compete with the BBC.

None of those depend on an advertising model, which of course makes for a very different perspective on the news than in the USA, where there really isn't any noncommercial sources of info (save PBS, which is only kinda)

I have to avoid aged cheese and a long list of other foods as I have frequent migraines. Rapid and low barometric pressure and other weather are triggers for me as well.

Diane, yes, weather for me too. MSG and sulfites (in wine and champagne) can also be a trigger for many people.. Migraines are scary, debilitating and extremely painful.

https://www.healthline.com/health/foods-that-trigger-migraines#treatment

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9648-headaches-and-food

Interesting. I have a mild anaphylactic reaction to very aged cheeses - itching lips, tongue and throat. I don't know that I have experienced a headache from it, but definitely believe it could happen.

It is all about tyramine and the action of MAO’s (monoamine oxidase inhibitors). Looks like you found this WebMD article, which lists “aged cheese, smoked fish, cured meats, and some types of beer” as foods high in tyramine. They can cause headaches, specifically migraines, in sensitive people.

https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tyramine-and-migraines

I have suffered from migraines since I was 12, but those particular foods and beverages to do seem to affect me at all. Other known or suspected triggers triggers are red wine, bright lights, and chocolate. I am susceptible to the red wine (specifically Cabernet Sauvignon) and bright lights, but not chocolate. 😏

To answer Avi’s question, it is not just a “German thing” (although I am 1/4 German).

I was aware of MSG already and I also notice for myself that heavy red wines will result in more hangover symptoms the next day than other spirits. But I still want to tease out some more of the tangled / interdependent nature of physiology and culture by returning to the thought that the items listed in those online articles have suspicious overlap with germanic dietary habits, no?