For those suffering with Migraines

For those of us suffering from Migraines, finding the ways to reduce the amount of times we get themA journal is the most effective way of doing this.  Keep track of the foods, the barometric pressure, your cycle, etc., is one the best ways of helping to pin point what’s causing them. 

and the severity, can be a definite battle.  A lot of the time we don’t even know what triggered them.  Was it something we ate, barometric pressure, a smell, that time of the month, environmental, chemical???  Trying to identify the triggers is the best way to manage these disabling headaches. 

Migraines are characterized as an intense throbbing, pulsating pain usually on one side of the head, but not always...  From experience, I know these characteristic very from person to person.  Migraines appear to run in families and affects 3 times more women than men.  They can last from 4 – 72 hours, and can be debilitating.  Affecting  home life, jobs and general well being.  Migraines occur due to a constriction of blood vessels surrounding the brain. 

Certain foods can cause migraines, while others can prevent or even treat them. Common food triggers usually include cheeses, chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits and vinegar.  These foods contain a compound called tyramine which has been shown to aggravate migraine frequency and severity.  Be aware of eating leftovers, as tyramine content increases over time. 

Tannins and sulphites found in tea and red skinned apples also seem to be a trigger.  Deli meats containing nitrites and additives such as MSG should also be avoided.  The glutamate found in MSG widens blood vessels and acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter, that triggers headaches.

COFFEE, for example, can sometimes knock out a migraine.

Foods rich in magnesium, calcium, complex carbohydrates, and fiber have been used to cure migraines.

GINGER—the ordinary kitchen spice—may help prevent and treat migraines with none of the side-effects of drugs.

The herb FEVERFEW also effectively prevented migraines in placebo-controlled research studies.

Do yourself a favor by doing a heavy metal detox.  Research shows that migraine sufferers have significantly higher levels of some heavy metals as well as chronic mineral deficiencies.  Migraine patients have 4 times the cadmium, twice the lead and 4 times the amount of manganese in their bloodstream.

Consider getting tested for Mineral Deficiencies … Certain minerals were also significantly lacking in Migraine Sufferers.  They found that the healing individuals had twice the amount of COPPER,  3 ½ times the amount of MAGNESIUM and 24 times the amount of ZINC. 

Magnesium appears to dilate blood vessels and therefore has been shown to be successful in migraine prevention.  Taken in a chelated form (taurate, glycinate) at a minimum of 600 mg daily, has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.  A reduction in the duration and intensity of the attack will be greatly helped by magnesium. 

Riboflavin, more commonly referred to as Vitamin B2, also shows positive results.  400 mg of B2, is what is recommended. 

Also Butterbur Extract (which is a weed from Europe) has been shown to be positive.  Please be sure you are getting this from a reliable source though as it may contain harmful alkaloids.  The amount of Butterbur Extracts needs to be around 75mg/daily.

Where are you going?  Enviromental factors such as working in the heat or even the extreme cold, offices with fluorescent lighting can trigger a migraine or anything extreme, outdoors in the brilliant sunshine, exercising, etc.  I’ve seen a lot of women that have migraines when it’s close to their Menses, so note where you are in your menstrual cycle as well when you are journaling.  The drop in estrogen before a woman’s menses can trigger a migraine attack.

Routine is important for sufferers.  Try to keep the same routine daily, it will also help with your tracking of what is bringing the migraines on.  Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.  Eat at the same time daily if possible and eat smaller, more frequent meals to keep your blood sugar levels balanced and drink plenty of water. 

Realize though that the wholistic approach may take a little longer to see positive results.  If you want to try anything in the wholistic arena, whether it be supplements or alternative therapies, or a combination of both, please give it a good try… 3 months minimum.  It will be well worth it, and no side affects from those nasty prescriptions, not to mention the cost of those migraine meds.  It is often the right combination of alternative practices along with supplements that will warrant the best results, but be persistant please!!!

For many, using pharmaceutical drugs has terrible side effects… there are many wholistic approaches that can help reduce migraine frequency and severity, without the side effects of the medications.  If you would like to try Biofeedback or PEMF (Pulse Electro Magnetic Frequency) for your migraines, please call me for an appointment to set up your sessions:

Beyond Awareness

Hypnosis & Biofeedback

250-300-8114

** remember, you do not have to be in the flesh to benefit from regular biofeedback sessions, but the PEMF you have to be….