Migraine Headaches

Being plagued with migraines has never been something I have had to deal with, and I am SO grateful for that.  I know a lot of people that haven't been so lucky.  Here are some well known facts/symptoms of migraines...

• Migraines are most often seen in adults 25 to 55 years old.
• Migraine headaches affect up to 20 percent of all men, and 30 percent of all women in the United States.
• Headaches are the number one health complaint, and affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives.
•  Migraine headaches typically occur on one side of the face, affecting the temple and the eye and causing pain that can be quite severe and often throbbing.
•  Other symptoms of migraine include blurred vision, dizziness, fatigue, hot and cold spells, lightheadedness, nausea, numbness or tingling along the affected side of the body, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, and vomiting.
• Allergies, especially those caused by food, are a predominant cause of headaches, especially migraine. (According to research published in The Lancet, food allergies contribute to 93 percent of all migraine headaches.)

 My heart goes out to all that have to deal with migraines.  I remember as a child, my brothers migraines were absolutely horrible for him- and as I got older, my younger sister was plagued with them, too.  I hope that these methods can help some of you, so you don't have to live with these horrible headaches.  A lot of the natural remedies for tension headaches are the same for migraines, but there is a few extra things I have added, that have been proven to help with just migraines...

• Massage Therapy - is a wonderful way to relieve tension and stress.  It is something I would do on a weekly basis if time and money would allow.
• Healthy Diet - I have found that the healthier we eat, (more whole foods, fruits and veggies) the more it can help us all around with our issues.  A cleanse would be a great way to jump start your body.  Click here for my basic cleanse.
  
• Yoga & Meditation - stretches and calms the muscles that are causing pain. 
• Essential oils - chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, and rosemary are the ones that seem to work best.  They should be applied to the head, face and neck, according to where the pain is coming from.
•  Raw Garlic - improve blood flow (I swear by garlic. It is such an easy and powerful natural curing option). Click here for the explanation of how garlic works.  
• Ginkgo Biloba - can be found at your local health foods store.  It is an extract of the ginkgo tree and  improves blood flow.
  
•  Ginger - raw (chop up and swallow whole) or in capsules, found at the local health foods store.  It helps stop the progression of headaches when taken at the first sign of symptoms.
• Cayenne Pepper - can be found in capsules at your local health foods store, or drink Lemon Cayenne Water- Click here for recipe.  One of its main uses is to help improve blood circulation or vasodilation, as it is medically known, by opening up blood vessels, namely the large arteries, veins and arterioles.  It also is a great pain reliever.
• Fresh Squeezed Juices - carrot and celery; carrot, beet, and cucumber; and carrot, celery, spinach, and parsley juices can all help alkalizing the body.
• Nutritional Supplements - used for treating and preventing most types of headaches include: B-complex vitamins, vitamin B3, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, along with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), evening primrose oil, and the amino acid DL-phenylalanine.  All found at your local health foods store.  

I have seen people get rid of migraines with these methods.  I have seen people not get migraines anymore with these methods.  They work.  You just have to find the right combination for you and your body.  Try a few for a couple weeks and if they don't help, move on.  Persistence will find you a cure.