Articles > Health > Living with Migraine

Migraine appears to be a condition that can be completely inactive if you can discover the things that trigger its onset.

Each person who suffers from the debilitating effects of migraine will have a slightly different experience, and they will have different triggers. This sheet should give you are starting place for identifying the changes you need to make in your diet and lifestyle to avoid migraines entirely.

Diet

Trigger foods

Foods known to trigger headaches:
Chocolate,
Red wine,
Caffeine,
MSG i.e. Chinese takeaway,
Aspartamine i.e. NutraSweet,
Cured meats,
Aged cheese,
Nuts,
Alcohol,
Ice Cream,
yogurt
sour cream
Also many different fruits, some vegetables and breads can be triggers for sensitive people. Because many of these are normally very healthy to eat and you could be sensitive to just one of them (or none at all), it is best to banish them for a short period of time then reintroduce them one by one. However, I would recommend that you do this procedure with the more common list above first.

Your Sensitivity

Do take the time to figure out if you have a food sensitivity, especially if you get you migraines at irregular times throughout a monthly cycle. Remember that both men and women have a monthly cycle although the man’s is seldom as obvious and has had insufficient study to date.

If you find that you are prone to have migraines at a certain point in your cycle, then what you may need to regulate this is something containing the vegetable equivalent of hormones. These appear to be amazing at protecting us from the side effects of our hormones - which can be anything from tension and migraine to mood swings and intense pain. These plant ‘hormones’ are best found in green juices and cruciferous vegetables, and they are most easily taken in supplement form. However you do need to ensure that the supplements are good ones. I personally recommend Pure Synergy. It combines herbs, eastern mushrooms, green juices and much more, and is commonly referred to as a “Superfood” because of its natural nutritive value.

Helpful foods

Foods that may relieve or prevent headaches: Fish and fish oil, Ginger, Oysters, Lobster, Liver, Nuts, Seeds, Green Olives, Wheat bran
Other possible trigger foods

STRESS

The other main trigger for most people, apart from food sensitivity, is stress. This will take you longer to overcome, but by learning to handle your stress better, you will be able to significantly reduce the chances of triggering the migraine process.
There is no single answer here. I would recommend that you tackle it in several ways, because if you have only one way of relaxing, it is too easy to fall out of the habit of using it, and then the migraines are sure to return. So, try selecting at least one thing that attracts you in each of the categories:

relaxing exercise

reconnecting with yourself

a little assistance

Relaxing exercises would include things like walking, gentle gardening, yoga, chi kung, tai chi, dance. The main rule of thumb when adding an exercise regime to your life is to make sure that you love the activity, that way it is a pleasure to keep it up.

By reconnecting to yourself, I mean the sort of thing that gives you quiet alone time when you can be completely calm and perhaps take time to reflect. Some of the many things in this category are journal writing, long bubble baths, reiki, tai chi, Chi kung, meditation, deep breathing, gentle gardening, painting or any sort of art or craft work.

A little bit of assistance is simply treating yourself to a wonderful relaxing therapy once in a while.

Herbal Help

All Round Help

Feverfew - With regular use, your migraines can disappear in a month or two.
Herbs to be taken at first sign of attack

Black Willow - safe natural source of aspirin like chemicals. Especially useful for joint and connective tissue pain and inflammation.
Jamaican Dogwood - powerful sedative useful in the treatment of painful conditions like neuralgia and migraine
Valerian - excellent for reduces anxiety, it will strengthen the nervous system while relaxing any tension. It is also helpful in alleviating depression.

If there are also digestive problems like nausea, vomiting or acid indigestion try

Black Horehound - useful for nausea and vomiting where nervousness is the prime factor or when the sickness is caused by an inner ear problem, safe in pregnancy. It also has the reputation for normalising the menstrual cycle.
Chamomile - relaxation, gentle sedative useful and safe for children. It helps with anxiety, insomnia, indigestion and digestive inflammation, gingivitis and sore throats.
Golden Seal - excellent for all digestive disorders. Tonic for lungs and also for uterus. As such it is excellent for helping during childbirth, but should be avoided during pregnancy.
Meadowsweet - one of the best digestive remedies available. It acts to protect and soothe the mucus membranes, and as treatment for heartburn, nausea, excess acidity.

HOMEOPATHY

Arsenicum 6 - for headaches that come on after excitement
Bryonia 6 - for bursting, splitting headache, worse for the slightest movement
Gelsemium 6 - dull heavy headache that begins in the neck
Nux Vomica 6 - splitting headache with nausea