Man suffered from migraines for 12 years, until he ate leafy greens and cut out red meat.

When a 60-year-old man switched to a diet rich in leafy greens, he stopped experiencing migraines in three months. According to a case study published by BMJ Case Reports on Thursday, the patient who suffered severe migraines for over 12 years has been headache-free for over seven years. A change in diet led to the longest documented case of a chronic migraine being resolved.

A single case study cannot prove that a change in diet can cure chronic migraines. Another factor that may have affected this patient’s symptoms was his HIV status. In order to minimize headache intensity, some patients track ‘trigger’ foods. The Migraine Research Foundation states, however, that there is no conclusive evidence linking migraines to particular foods. In the six months leading up to a clinic visit, the unnamed patient reported more frequent migraines. The patient said he suffered from migraines six to eight days per month.

According to a brief testimonial in the case report, the migraines were ‘debilitating’, with some lasting up to 72 hours. His migraines would get so bad that he would be laying in the fetal position in bed. In the absence of migraines, he would spend days in recovery, which made his job as a photographer ‘almost impossible’. He said: ‘I am no longer a prisoner in my own body. I have my life back now’.

Following are the recommendations given to the patient:

• Consuming five ounces of dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and watercress every day.
• Consuming a 32-ounce green smoothie every day.
• Limiting consumption of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils, and animal proteins, especially dairy and red meat.
• Despite not being able to control whether the patient followed the diet exactly, he kept a food diary.
• The patient had reportedly tried other lifestyle interventions and medications, including eliminating chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine and dried fruit, which he considered ‘triggers’. However, none of these interventions had worked.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, migraines are a genetic disorder, but lifestyle, diet, and environmental cues have a significant impact on how often a patient gets a migraine. In a statement, the Foundation urged patients to ‘be careful’ when trying extremely strict diets that could lead to nutritional deficiencies. The authors of the case study offered a possible mechanism for the effect: Leafy greens are rich in beta-carotene, a nutrient that can reduce inflammation, according to the study.

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Despite eating a balanced diet, the man’s serum beta-carotene levels increased after he added leafy greens to his diet. Their theory for what might have caused the change is unclear. Other factors could have contributed to the change. According to the study, the man is HIV positive, which has been linked to migraines.

The man’s allergies also improved after changing his diet, which may have been related, say the study authors. According to David M Dunaief, a New York-based expert in nutritional medicine and lifestyle interventions who was an author of the study, ‘several’ other patients reported experiencing fewer migraine attacks after changing their diet.