When people have headaches, western medicine and modern habit suggest that we reach for the over the counter headache reliever (Advil, Excedrin or Tylenol to list some of the popular name brands).
“Go take something for it,” is the common phrase said to people who complain of a headache or a migraine.
I like to challenge a headache and migraine sufferers to think beyond the small plastic bottles of pharmaceutical drugs and aim for natural and better-for-you cures.
Chris Kilham, a health food hunter and guest writer for Fox News stated that
“There is evidence that eliminating foods that contain the natural compound tyramine can reduce occurrence and severity of migraines. Aged, cured and smoked cheeses, and meats contain tyramine. Chocolate, alcoholic beverages, and most soy foods, including soy sauce, contain tyramine. This compound increases production of the adrenal hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, and the neurotransmitter dopamine—activities that significantly affect the brain and can trigger migraines.”
⚠ Fluorescent lights
⚠ Coffee
⚠ Dehydration
⚠ Smoking or alcohol abuse
⚠ High blood pressure or hypoglycemia
⚠ Vitamin B or D deficiency or mineral imbalances
⚠ Reaction to food additives such as MSG, sugar, colorings, or preservatives
⚠ Oral contraceptives or prescription medication
⚠ Food allergies or intolerances
How do you know if you are suffering from migraines or headaches?
Usually, these will range in severity from a throbbing headache on one side of the head to both, and they may be accompanied by acute nausea or greatly increase one’s sensitivity to light.
People may see flashing lights, have numbness or tingling in the face and hands, have a distorted sense of smell or taste and/or experience mental fogginess.
Hyperbaric chamber oxygen treatment involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room. This results in increased stem cell production, which accelerates the healing effects throughout the entire body and has been shown to alleviate migraines and headaches almost instantly.
Butterbur has historically been used for a variety of health issues such as pain, headache, anxiety, cough, fever, and for gastrointestinal and urinary tract conditions.
It has also been used topically to improve wound healing. Today, traditional or folk uses include nasal allergies, allergic skin reactions, asthma, and migraine headache.
A shrub grown in Europe, Asia and North America, butterbur is great at preventing and ridding migraine and headaches.
It is also beneficial in treating skin irritations, asthma, pain and anxiety. Doses of at least 75 mg twice daily seem to be necessary for best results.
Drink a tall glass of room temperature water at the onset of a headache. Many times people who suffer from headaches are simply dehydrated.
Another great hydrotherapy technique is to alternate cold and hot showers.
Do this standing up for about 20 minutes to increase blood flow and circulation, bring nutrients to your organs and carry away toxins that can be the root cause of your headaches.
Natural News suggests another way to use water therapy, which is to put your feet in very cold water and a hot rag on the back of your neck. This helps bring the blood down out of your head, by sending it to your feet.
These CPTG oils have no side effects and are one of the most efficient and easy ways to rid migraines and headaches. Sometimes, it takes as little as 20 seconds after application!
❧ Rosemary Essential Oil
❧ Peppermint Oil
❧ Sandalwood
❧ Lavender
❧ Basil
Derived from the leaves of the plant, feverfew is used primarily to treat migraine headaches. Feverfew extracts possess antiprotozoal properties.
During a migraine, the tissue surrounding the brain becomes inflamed, according to Care2.com.
That’s why Roy Upton, herbalist and executive director of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, suggests taking omega-3 fatty acids, which lessen cells’ reaction to inflammation.
Take 4,000 to 6,000 mg of fish oil or flax/hemp oils daily with meals for best absorption.
After eight to 12 weeks (if the migraines have stabilized), you can adjust the dose to 1,000 mg per day.
Sources: WebMD.com, naturalnews.com, foxnews.com, herbalextratsplus.com, care2.com
