5 Strange Reasons You Have a Headache

1. Smoked Meats. Cured, smoked, pickled or canned foods such as pastrami, deli meats, and beef jerky contain synthetic food preservatives called nitrates and nitrites. The additives may dilate blood vessels, triggering headaches.

2. Red Wine and Cheese. Red wine and aged cheeses such as Brie, Cheddar, blue cheeses, and Swiss, contain tyramine, a substance that forms from the breakdown of proteins as food ages. Tyramine causes headaches by constricting and dilating blood vessels.

3. Dehydration. According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration is what is known as a secondary headache: “a symptom of a disease that can activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head.” Dehydration headaches occur when you lose a substantial part of the water and electrolytes that your body needs to perform normal functions. Some experts believe that a dehydration headache occurs as a result of narrowing blood vessels as the body tries to maintain enough fluid.

4. Brain Freeze. Brain freeze, also known as ice cream headache, occurs mere seconds after the ingestion of cold food. The pain can be felt on the sides of the head and generally lasts for less than a minute. Researchers don’t know what causes the pain.

5. Caffeine Withdrawal. Anyone who’s ever stopped drinking coffee or switched to decaf knows of the dreaded caffeine withdrawal headaches. “Caffeine can have physiological effects on the vascular system and can constrict vessels or relax them at different times.