16 Dec Natural Migraine Support
Multiple factors can predispose someone to migraines, including food sensitivites, hormone imbalance, poor digestion as well as nutritional imbalance.
Food
Migraines are often a symptom of dietary inadequacy or error: 80-90% of migraine patients who are tested for food sensitivity, test positive.
Strategy: Eliminate food sensitivities. Determination is best made through the utilization of electro-dermal testing (EDT) in conjunction with a rotation diet.
Nutritional Balance
Migraines are also symptomatic of a lack of sufficient magnesium intake, or of poorly managed fatty acid metabolism that results in inflammation.
Strategy: Avoid for now amines & tyramine-containing foods – alcohol, chocolate, cheese, red wine and cured meats. Supplementation with magnesium citrate will serve to support ionic balance, conduction of impulses and smooth muscle relaxation. Essential fatty acids should be added to increase hormones that are anti-inflammatory. Pharmaceutical-grade fish oil devoid of PCBs, DDT and mercury are advised.
Bowel Toxemia
Bowel health needs to be investigated, endotoxins in the colon can be a cause for systemic inflammation. Antimicrobials including hydrastis (goldenseal) and allicin (from garlic) as well as ozonating treatments utilizing magnesium peroxide (Bioxy) can help reduce endotoxins circulating in the bloodstream. Bacteria like lactobacillus and acidophilus are irrefutable adjuvants to restore balance to the gastrointestinal microflora.
Strategy: Flush out negative bacteria and replenish with gut flora such as lactobacillus/acidophilus combination. Triphala can further aid digestion and elimination.
Hormonal Support
Establishing an optimal estrogen to progesterone ration is advised to address total endocrine balance.
Strategy: Utilize flaxmeal which is high in lignans to help prevent the reasorption of estrogen through the gut wall. Natural progesterone cream may be considered.
Hydrotherapy
This modality is extremely useful for normalizing circulation. Generally, during a migraine, blood is pooled from the extremities to the head resulting in engorgement contributing to the pulsing/bounding experience.
Strategy: Keep the extremities warm at all times. When the extremities are chilled, blood is driven from the large vessels of the extremities to the trunk and head because of vasoconstriction due to the cold.
At the beginning of a headache, take a hot mustard immersion bath, taking care to bathe the feet, booth hands, and arms all the way to the elbows while applying a cold compress to the head for at least 20 mins. Use 1 tsp dry mustard powder per 2 gallons of hot water.
A stronger treatment method is to apply hot and cold simultaneously to the head. Use an ice bag to apply cold to the base of the skull, a second ice bag for the forehead, and enough ice bags or compresses to cover the carotids in the neck. Simultaneously, apply hot compresses to the face, covering the ears & forehead. Continue this treatment for 5-45 mins. If the headache stops, discontinue. Repeat if it persists. Can use with a hot footbath.
Botanicals
The use of botanicals to alleviate the acute stages of migraine, or to prevent the recurrence of migraine, has been in effect for centuries. Herbal spasmolytics and anxiolytics can be used to both quell the vasospasm involved and to quell the anxiety that migraines can incur (not during an attack, but more often in between attacks, as a state of negative suspense. Some of the most researched herbs for migraines include: feverfew, butterbur, and ginger.
Strategy: Herbs here vary pending on the clinical presentation, in general: 2 dropperfuls every 30 mins at onset, until symptoms subside.