Is there a food fix for tension headaches?

Q:

I’m in charge of all the fall programming at my community center, so I’m feeling stretched thin—and the stress is giving me constant headaches. What can help?

A:

To quickly slash your pain, plus reduce the neck and back tension triggering your headaches, we recommend a two-pronged approach:

(1) At the first sign of throbbing, reach for a garlicky snack, like hummus or garlic crackers, and be sure to enjoy the aroma as you munch. According to scientists at the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, the scent of garlic calms the frontal lobe (the region of the brain that controls tension) to eliminate pain and reduce stress by 39% in just 10 minutes.

(2) Enjoy one daily serving of magnesium-rich foods, like nuts, avocado or dark chocolate. Magnesium eases muscle tension and blocks the activity of pain-triggering nerves in the brain. The result: up to 80% fewer headaches after just five days.