Natural Headache Prevention 101: Tip # 3 for National Headache Awareness Week

Avoiding food and environmental triggers and including stress reduction in one's life are several ways to naturally address headaches and migraines. Other ways to naturally prevent headaches includes dietary supplementation.

Tip Number 3: Utilize various vitamins, herbs, and minerals shown to help in headache prevention

• Magnesium is a mineral that is a vital component to good health. This mineral is essential to keep nerves, muscles, the immune system, and bones functioning optimally. Studies have shown a correlation between magnesium deficiency and frequent headaches. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men. Magnesium can be found in various foods like tomatoes, nuts, and nutritious whole grains. Those wilth low magnesium levels with the guidance of a health care practitioner have slowly increased supplementation to 500-750 mg per day to help prevent migraine headaches.
  
• Melatonin is a sleep hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland. Supplementation with melatonin has been used to help those with insomnia. Researchers have found that 1-3 mg of melatonin have shown promising results in reducing the debilitating side of effects of migraines.
  
• Riboflavin, more commonly known as Vitamin B2, is essential to various functions that occur in the human body. There have been several clinical trials using high doses of up to 400 mg of riboflavin to reduce headache severity. This vitamin is abundant in the American diet such as cereals, milk, beef, and breads. However, the amount of B2 in food is much lower than the dosages used in headache therapy.

Before incorporating any changes in diet, environment, or supplementation it is important to maintain a daily journal to track reactions to the introduction of new things. It is best to test the effectiveness and your body's tolerance by adding one product or changing one thing at a time while keeping records of potential positive and negative effects. As with most alternative therapies, it takes time to see results and it is imperative that the advice of a trained professional is part of any major life change.

Local neurologist and headache specialist, Gary L'Europa M.D., created HeadacheFree, a multi-vitamin that has the RDA for vitamins and minerals as well as increased dosages of riboflavin and magnesium to help headache sufferers.

Additionally, check out your local Whole Foods Market for vitamins, herbs, and minerals as well as on-line sources.

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This information is not to serve as a substitute for medical advice and diagnosis by a licensed health care provider such as a doctor of naturopathy, osteopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, or neurology.

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Photo: Flickr.com

Natural Headache Prevention 101: Tip # 2 for National Headache Awareness Week

After identifying your headache triggers by starting a headache diary, you are now better equipped to help prevent the onset of headaches as well as control contributing factors. Additionally, many physicians will ask you to keep a headache journal so this preparation will prove useful at doctor's visits.

The next step is to sift through the headache diary and look for common food triggers and environmental factors that have been connected to headaches and migraines. Some common foods that can trigger headaches include caffeine, chocolate, aged cheeses, and alcohol. Common environmental triggers include perfumes, cigarette smoke, sunlight, extreme heat and cold or changes in humidity, as well as seasonal allergies. Other things that involve our daily routines that can affect headache cycles are a balanced diet and a consistent sleep schedule. Look for these items in your headache journal and discuss patterns with your health practitioner.

Tip Number Two: Incorporate Stress Reduction and Relaxation Techniques into your daily life

• Practice deep breathing to help reduce stress and at the onset of a headache or migraine.
  To help expand deep breathing practice, visit a local yoga studio.
  
• Try acupuncture to help with headache symptoms and prevention.
  To locate a local acupuncture clinic click here.
  
• Learn the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or visit local EFT practitioner Diane Stacy.
  
• Enroll in a Qigong or Tai Chi class to bring balance to your life.
  Check out this local organization for Qigong classes.

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This information is not to serve as a substitute for medical advice and diagnosis by a licensed health care provider such as a doctor of naturopathy, osteopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, or neurology.

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Photo: Flickr.com

Natural Headache Prevention 101: Tip # 1 for National Headache Awareness Week

Natural therapies and treatments have become more available and in demand for headache sufferers. There are numerous natural preventive options for those that have migraines and headaches to explore including dietary changes, relaxation techniques, and herbal supplements. Several of these alternative options have undergone scientfic research to prove their effectiveness while others have proven effective based on anectodal evidence from users.

To kick off National Headache Awareness Week here is natural headache prevention tip number one.

Tip Number One: Identify and avoid headache triggers

It is easier said than done to alter one's diet and change their environment. However, it may be necessary for headache sufferers as one of the most common causes of headaches are related to environmental factors as well as things that we eat or do on a daily basis. In order to help identify things that may be contributing to the headaches, it is important to keep a headache journal or diary in which the onset and frequency of a headache is recorded along with other contributing factors like one's mood, meals, and other symptoms that occur at or around the same time. Check out the National Headache Foundation's website for an example of a headache diary as well as this do-it-yourself headache journal template.

The University of Massachusetts Memorial MRI and Imaging Center located in Worcester, Massachusetts is participating in the local week's activities for headache awareness. For local National Headache Awareness Week activities in your area click here.

Check back for natural headache prevention tip number two.

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Image: Wikimedia Commons