Overcoming Migraines Naturally
I hope this is helpful information from University Health Press for those who deal with migraine issues.
How to Overcome Migraines Naturally
Most natural and integrative doctors will attest that you can heal your migraines by eliminating trigger foods and taking high-quality supplements. Lifestyle changes in such areas as sleep hygiene, regular exercise, and stress management are often beneficial as well. And a headache diary is invaluable for identifying triggers, determining patterns, assessing headache frequency, and monitoring the response to treatment.
Eliminate trigger foods: Getting trigger foods out of your diet is usually the fastest route to ridding yourself of migraines.
A recent study conducted by the Journal of Headache and Pain showed that following a plant-based, high-fiber, low-fat diet may play an important role in decreasing migraine pain.It is highly beneficial to undertake a systematic “elimination and challenge” diet. An integrative physician can guide you through the process or you can do it yourself.
For at least two weeks, and preferably longer, eliminate all foods containing gluten, dairy, eggs, yeast, corn, sugar, citrus, coffee (if you’re a regular caffeine drinker, gradually reduce your caffeine intake over a two-week period prior to embarking on the elimination diet), chocolate, alcohol, food additives (MSG, nitrates and nitrites), aspartame and other sweeteners, and sulfites (found in wine, salad bars, dried fruits).
After at least two weeks of strict elimination, challenge each food individually by eating a normal-sized serving of food containing that ingredient twice in one day, followed by two days of paying close attention to your symptoms. If any ingredients you test appear to trigger a migraine, eliminate it from your diet. Wait for your migraine attack to fully pass, and then resume challenging additional foods until you’ve made it through the entire list.
An alternative option is to undergo IgG food allergy testing to identify potential trigger foods. You can then base your elimination diet on your test results.
Look for high-quality supplements: High-quality nutritional supplements and botanical extracts can prevent and treat migraines. Here are the top five.
- CoQ10, magnesium, riboflavin: One of the main underlying causes of migraine is mitochondrial dysfunction within the brain, which makes neurons hyper-excitable and hyper-responsive to triggers. CoQ10, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and magnesium are three key nutrients involved in brain mitochondrial function and studies show that supplementing with high doses of these nutrients can help to overcome mitochondrial impairment, improving brain energy metabolism and ultimately reducing migraine attacks.[3] The recommended dosages are:
- Riboflavin: 400 mg once a day
- CoQ10: 100 mg two to three times a day, preferably a form of CoQ10 with superior bioavailability, such as QBest by Thorne Research
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- Magnesium (as citrate, malate, aspartate, taurate, or amino acid chelate): Dose as high as you can tolerate.
MIGRAINE RELIEF STRATEGIES: THE BASICS
- Eat regularly scheduled meals. Try eating a light snack one hour before bed to stabilize your blood sugar.
- Sleep consistency. Lack of consistent sleep is another common trigger. Go to bed before 10 p.m. and minimize or eliminate screen time for at least two hours before bedtime. And avoid sleeping in.
- Stress reduction/relaxation therapy. Epsom salts baths are fantastic for both stress relief and as a source of magnesium. Both of these are effective for reducing migraines. Deep breathing and meditation are phenomenal for stress relief.
- Feverfew extract: Feverfew has been used as a pain reliever and fever reducer for centuries.[4]Numerous animal and test tube studies have found feverfew to have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects. A constituent in feverfew called parthenolide is likely primarily responsible for these actions.[5] The results of human studies are mixed, but the most recent study found that a standardized feverfew extract reduced migraine frequency from 4.8 to 2.9 per month.[6]The studies do not clearly suggest an optimal type or dosage, but feverfew is considered safe and is widely reported to be helpful. Try a supplement that combines dried feverfew leaf powder and standardized extract, such as Nature’s Way Feverfew Standardized or NOW Feverfew. Take one capsule (around 300 mg combined leaf powder and standardized extract), three times daily.For acute migraine attacks, a sublingual feverfew supplement called LipiGesic M was found to significantly relieve migraine pain in 64 percent of patients who were instructed to use it as early as possible in the attack.[8]
The medicinal herb feverfew is pictured here, tied in a bunch with twine.
- Butterbur extract: Clinical studies have validated the efficacy of butterbur (Petasites hybridus) for preventing migraines.[9,10] The American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society state: “Petasites (butterbur) is effective for migraine prevention and should be offered to patients with migraine to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.”[11]The safest way to take butterbur extract is to take 50 mg of Petadolex® butterbur extract three times daily for one month and then decrease to 50 mg twice daily for up to four months for migraine prevention.Petadolex is verified to be free of alkaloids that can damage the liver, but the long-term safety of butterbur extract is controversial.[12,13] For these reasons, do not purchase other brands of butterbur and do not take any butterbur extracts, even Petadolex, if you have liver disease or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Getting Started
You can learn how to overcome migraines by identifying and eliminating your trigger foods, taking brain nutrients, and using herbal medicines. Feel free to try any of the above recommendations separately or in combination.
For further information on migraine headaches, see these University Health News posts:
- “Migraine Medication That Can Ease Your Pain—and Home Remedies That May Help“
- “Melatonin and Migraines: A Surprising Treatment for Migraine Sufferers“
https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/pain/overcoming-migraines-naturally/
Great information from an AFPA newsletter.
Vitamin D Supplements May Help Some People Who Suffer from Some Types Migraines
Big Picture: Vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial for some people who are frequent migraine sufferers to reduce the frequency of headaches if they are deficient in vitamin D..
Study Details: A study published in 2020 in the journal Nutrients reviewed the available evidence on the relationship between vitamin D and various types of headaches, including migraines and tension headaches. The researchers identified 22 studies investigating the relationship between vitamin D levels in the blood serum and migraines. Overall, the researchers concluded that there is not enough evidence to recommend vitamin D supplementation to all people who suffer from headaches. Still, vitamin D supplementation did help people who suffer from frequent migraines and had vitamin D deficiency.
Main Takeaway: Vitamin D is an essential part of overall health, and deficiencies in vitamin D may lead to health problems, including frequent migraines. Work with your clients to make sure they have a diet and lifestyle that allows them to meet vitamin D needs. If they have a risk of falling short of vitamin D requirements, you may want to work with their doctor to see if recommending a vitamin D supplement is appropriate.