Latch on to a priceless source of migraine relief now. You don’t have to spend a fortune on prescriptions. You won’t have serious side effects. You won’t have to miss as much work. And you can enjoy life including those noisy, silly kids, more fully.
Understand the symptoms and causes of migraine headaches
Experts have identified several types of headaches – tension, cluster, sinus, rebound and migraine.
When you experience a migraine headache, you will suffer one or more of the following symptoms:
- throbbing pain
- nausea or vomiting
- blurred vision or floaters
- sensitivity to light or sound
A migraine can last a couple of days and can leave you attached to your bed, with the pillow over your head. And some people suffer migraines several times a month. It’s no wonder they want the quickest form of migraine relief, so they can keep up with life.
Some people begin to experience migraines during childhood, while others get them later in life. Studies have named several possible triggers of migraine headaches:
- weather or barometric pressure changes
- hormone changes
- skipping meals
- caffeine
- stress
- too much or too little sleep
- dehydration
Another cause you may find surprising? Food.
That’s right. If you have a food allergy or sensitivity, your symptom may not surface as hives, sneezing or itching. It might surface as a migraine headache instead.
Example? Over recent years, I gave up most gluten, while limiting other grains, on a mission to relieve my chronic allergy and sinus issues. I added lots more vegetables and removed most GMOs or other additives from my diet.
My allergies improved, but I was getting migraines more often – a couple times each month and lasting 2 days each in 2015. I wasn’t completely laid up when I had them, but I felt miserable with pain behind my eyes, nausea and exhaustion.
Being a non-fan of medicine and its long-term effects, I used homeopathic remedies or a little ibuprofen for migraine relief. But the migraines were also getting immune to these remedies.
In 2016, I finally decided to try giving up dairy. (Somehow, I dragged my feet more on giving up cheese than on giving up beer. I can’t always explain myself!)
As a result, I had just 2-3 migraines total plus a couple of other minor headaches. During most of them, a little food, sleep or ibuprofen broke the headache.
I still have an occasional headache but not nearly as often or as intense. I do miss cheese at times, but I sure don’t miss the headaches.
Does that mean giving up dairy is your answer for migraine relief?
I can’t say for sure that dairy caused my migraines. But it sure made me more prone to get them.
God made us each unique. So what causes or heals for me, may not cause or heal for you.
So keep in mind these common headache causers: amines, coffee, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sulfites and wheat. Other potential culprits include gluten, yeast, nitrates in deli/processed meats, chocolate, eggs, GMOs, conventional dairy products and aged cheeses, according to Dr. Axe.
That’s why, if you are looking for migraine relief, keeping a food journal for a few weeks is critical. It can help you pinpoint foods that trigger your headaches.
If you pinpoint a food related to your headache, you may need to eliminate it completely, eat less of it or try an organic version in moderation.
When you do get a headache, you can try adding other foods for migraine relief.
Drink tea with turmeric and ginger, two anti-inflammatory spices, or add them to your lean meats, fish or poultry. In fact, “Head off migraines” in Health and Happiness (Lucky’s Market, November 2016) cites a study in which low doses of ginger proved to be just as effective as Imitrex, without as many side effects.
Increase your water intake. This may even help prevent migraines.
Omega-3s also decrease inflammation while controlling blood flow. Get more omega-3s by eating nuts, seeds and wild-caught fish such as salmon or sardines.
Magnesium relaxes your nerves and muscles. Good food sources of magnesium include black beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, figs, avocado, sweet potatoes, spinach and Swiss chard.
Found in organ meats, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables, vitamin B2 is also thought to provide migraine relief.
Migraines can mean messed up lifestyles for serious sufferers. Medicines may help, but wouldn’t you rather make the pain disappear naturally, without side effects or damage? Instead, find migraine relief by adjusting what you eat, giving your body a break as it heals.
*This blog is intended for use as a source of information and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.
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