Migraine headaches: nutritional, botanical and other alternative approaches.

Migraine headaches are an increasingly common health problem with a wide range of potential etiological factors. Stress, food allergies, neuroendocrine imbalances and nutritional deficiencies all may contribute to migraine attacks. Many nutritional and botanical therapies aim to reduce migraine incidence by decreasing platelet aggregation and preventing the release of vasoactive neurotransmitters, and avoiding triggering foods. This article reviews much of the research on nutritional, botanical, dietary, and other alternative approaches to the treatment and prevention of migraines.