Allergic phenomena increase during the premenstrual week. This change is likely due to ovarian or pituitary hormones, although the exact mechanism is unknown. Often premenstrual symptoms are caused by food allergy which are amplified by a hormonal response. To control premenstrual symptoms , women may have to be more careful with their food choices prior to their period. Food tolerance may increase in the 2 or 3 weeks following their period.
Migraine headaches are especially likely in the premenstrual week.
Food control is, however, more difficult in the premenstrual week, with most women reporting cravings and compulsive eating. The delayed patterns of food allergy may follow a cyclic or intermittent pattern without any discernible rhythm. A patient, for example may describe attacks of headache, insomnia, and cognitive dysfunction lasting 1 to 5 days and occurring at irregular intervals over many years. Symptom-free intervals may grow shorter as the years go by or more chronic symptoms may appear to fill in the gaps between major attacks. A century of reports of the food-migraine connection often go ignored in the medical management of migraine.