Migraine Relief: 9 Effective Ways to Control Your Migraine

headache relief migraine relief Dec 10, 2021

Far too many of us these days have had some experience personally or with loved ones who are dealing with migraine and its physical, emotional and mental impact.

If you have a headache, the easiest thing to do is to pop a pill. But if you're one of those people who suffer from chronic headaches and migraines, you know that this tactic doesn't work. Your head still aches and you're still miserable.

There are numerous reasons for chronic headaches, but it's often due to inflammation and imbalances in your brain and body. This is caused by many different things like nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalance, gut health, food sensitivities/intolerances, stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, and infections and toxins.

Though we don’t have all the answers yet, we do know that focusing on the essentials of brain health can have a big impact on reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, and often putting migraine into remission.

We have been researching brain health and nutrition for a long time. We discovered that a powerful, clinically validated nutritional approach can greatly reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, but it takes a significant commitment to being successful. And there are some nuances that mean there is no single remedy that will help everyone. There are dozens of different approaches and to find which one you need requires you to take our comprehensive assessment to understand your migraine type and its underlying causes in your case. We created this information page with all that in mind.

Our goal?

Help you find practical advice and tips for migraine reduction and preventative care, plus, give you some basic information on things we may not have covered here — at least not yet! And while we’ve tried to be thorough, there is no doubt that there are ways to add more tools to your migraine-fighting toolkit.

1. Remove pro-inflammatory foods from your life.

Our bodies are designed to cope with an inflammatory response, but long-term inflammation can have devastating effects on the body. Pro-inflammatory foods can cause inflammation in the gut and in the brain, directly contributing to neuroinflammation ( inflammation of the nerves).

When it comes to preventing migraine attacks, this means reducing your intake of pro-inflammatory foods. The most obvious pro-inflammatory foods are processed foods that are high in omega-6, sugars and bad fats or high carbs. They may taste good, but they contain high levels of saturated fats which actually increase the amount of inflammation in the body and should be avoided as much as possible.

Other sources of pro-inflammatory foods include refined sugar, processed grains and legumes, dairy products and alcohol.

Eating highly processed and pro-inflammatory foods will displace more highly nutritious foods and rob you of the essential nutrients that your brain needs. Staring your brain of essential vitamins and minerals and fats means that it won’t function properly. When your body doesn't have enough of all the essential vitamins and minerals, the brain is one of the first organs to suffer.

The best migraine treatment is prevention, and a great way to do that is to eat a healthy diet. Grain Brain by Dr David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist, explains how you can change your diet to reduce your chances of getting migraines. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can help you prevent migraines from happening in the first place. If you already have migraines, eating this way can reduce their frequency and severity.

In Grain Brain, Dr Perlmutter explains the link between inflammation in the body and brain, and how a high-fat, high-sugar diet can lead to a variety of diseases including migraines. Most people who are sensitive to gluten are not aware they have it because it has symptoms that slowly accumulate over time.

2. Feed your brain what it needs!

Trading sugars, industrial oils, processed foods, and factory-farmed meats for real, whole, nutrient-dense foods will give brain health a boost by supplying your brain-protecting ‘glial’ cells with the nutrients they need to thrive.

When you feed yourself, also think about feeding your glial cells well too. What’s good for them is also great for the rest of you, so make sure you’ve got these brain-boosters on your plate:

Leafy greens and a ‘rainbow’ of colourful non-starchy veggies for maximum vitamins and antioxidants
Dark, low-sugar berries
Omega-3-rich fish like wild salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, and sardines
Nuts and seeds
Extra virgin olive oil and healthy fats
Organic, grass-fed or pasture-raised animals
Oolong or green teas (instead of alcohol which can damage brain cells and increase Alzheimer risk).

3. Always stay hydrated.

If you have a migraine, chances are you've been told to drink plenty of water.

The theory is that dehydration can lead to a headache.

Here's the truth: While it's true that hydration helps your body function properly, there's little evidence to support the idea that drinking extra water will help prevent migraines. If you're going to drink water as a preventive measure, make sure to drink electrolytes as well. Electrolytes are important minerals such as magnesium, sodium and potassium that help maintain fluid balance in the body. If you sweat a lot from exercise or hot weather, you may need more electrolytes and water.

Magnesium, potassium, and calcium are just a few of the electrolytes that are involved in keeping our systems functioning properly. We lose them all day long through our skin, lungs, bowels, and kidneys. They are also lost during the stress response cycle. As you can see, our bodies are designed to lose these minerals all day long. Not replenishing them can cause us to become dehydrated. Dehydration is not good for your body nor your brain. When studying the effects of dehydration on migraines researchers found that 60% of people with migraines were dehydrated on a regular basis! So read the above paragraph again and drink more water and electrolytes.

4. Keep your hormones in check.

Some women find that menstrual migraine is triggered by the change in the levels of oestrogen and progesterone in their bodies. If you have significant PMS type symptoms around your period, then you should consider how excess oestrogen may be playing a part in your migraine. The higher the levels of oestrogen the bigger the drop you will experience around your period, and the bigger the migraine. Try these tips to balance your hormones naturally.

How do you balance these hormones?

Consider your intake of hormone disruptors in your environment such as farmed meats, alcohol, cosmetics. Also, consider how your body deals with your hormones. A healthy liver and detoxification system will effectively deal with oestrogen and eliminate it from the body. However, a detoxification system in overload will not be able to do this effectively will recycle the oestrogen and store it in the body, raising the levels, setting you up for a big drop and a migraine around your period.
Exercise regularly. Regular exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on hormone levels. However, it is not advisable to undertake vigorous exercise when you are already experiencing pain - this may make your symptoms worse
Take regular holidays, particularly in the summer months when the incidence of migraine rises
Reduce alcohol consumption, particularly in the days leading up to your period
Avoid common migraine triggers, such as caffeine, chocolate and sugar which can trigger headaches
Eat regularly. Don't skip meals as this can trigger headaches
Take regular supplements containing magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin D and E.

There are some foods that are good for you. These are foods that contain more good stuff than bad stuff. The more good stuff, the better. You should eat these foods every day to help with menstrual migraine, you need to Balance your oestrogen and progesterone.

The following 7 foods are listed in order of importance.

Eat them all every day to help with menstrual migraine, you need to Balance your oestrogen and progesterone:

Flaxseed. Flaxseed is one of the best types of food for fighting menstrual migraine, you need to Balance your oestrogen and progesterone. Research has shown that flaxseed has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Salmon. This omega 3 fatty acid powerhouse helps improve circulation and contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is key for brain health. Fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which help to balance oestrogen and progesterone. Salmon, mackerel and herring are particularly good sources.
Legumes (beans). The protein in legumes helps to balance oestrogen and progesterone. Soy beans in particular contain phytoestrogens called isoflavones which help to balance oestrogen and progesterone. Fermented soy products are the healthiest and you have to avoid the heavily processed soy products that are so commonly consumed but are not healthy.
Almonds. Almonds contain phytoestrogens called lignans which help to balance oestrogen and progesterone.
Whole grains. The fibre in whole grains helps to balance oestrogen and progesterone. Whole wheat bread, wild and black rice.
Fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that help to balance oestrogen and progesterone. They also contain vitamin C which is essential for the production of collagen, a protein needed for the formation of healthy blood vessels. Eating cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli are very good at helping eliminate excess oestrogen.
Green tea or white tea. Both green tea and white tea contain phytoestrogens called flavonoids which help to balance oestrogen and progesterone.

5. Be on the move even when you’re short on time.

Here's what happens when you exercise: Your heart pumps more oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, including your brain. Your blood vessels widen, bringing in greater volumes of oxygen and other nutrients and whisking away metabolic wastes such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. And your muscles contract and relax, pumping blood through your system. The improved blood flow enhances the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients while carrying away the metabolic wastes that contribute to pain.

Why is it so important to help our "engine," the heart, deliver at peak capacity?

Because your brain needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. When these key ingredients are cut off due to diminished blood flow, your brain functions less efficiently, which can trigger migraine symptoms such as visual disturbances, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, and pain.

The effects of exercise on migraine may be greatest for people who experience menstrual-related migraines (MRMs).

One of the most important things you can do to reduce migraine symptoms is to move more. You might not think exercise would have a direct role in migraine but what you do with your body affects your hormones and your brain chemicals. Moving more helps to balance progesterone and oestrogen. This is a good thing because both of these hormones can increase pain. You’ll also get a boost from endorphins, natural painkillers that are released when you exercise.

6. Practice mindfulness and meditation.

Meditation is one of the best ways to fight migraines naturally. This is because it helps balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and reduce pain signals in the brain, meditation helps regulate stress hormones like cortisol and make you feel more relaxed and calm both physically and mentally.

Meditation has been proven to be effective in treating pain and stress management. It doesn’t matter whether you are religious or not, since meditation is about clearing your mind and focusing on your breathing only. Meditation helps improve blood circulation which in turn helps relieve migraine symptoms like stiffness in the neck, tight shoulders and headaches. This helps you relax both physically and mentally which helps reduce the number of migraines you get every month.

There are many different types of meditation, so you can pick the one that is most convenient for you. Some people use to do it while they are walking, others while they are lying in bed, and yet others while they are sitting in a chair.

Here are some other tips to keep migraine at bay:

Be mindful of your body's signals. If you have headaches or migraines, then you already know that headaches are caused by stress and tension in the body. One of the best ways to meditate is to be mindful of your body's signals. If your neck, shoulders or back start to get tense, take a moment to relax them by doing yoga poses or stretching.
Learn how to breathe properly. When our minds get frazzled and anxious, we don't breathe correctly which makes us more stressed out. Slow down your breathing by taking deep breaths in through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. You can also try counting your breaths to help slow things down even further.
Try deep breathing exercises. Another great way to meditate is to try deep breathing exercises like holding your breath for 10 seconds and then exhaling slowly for 20 seconds. This helps relax the mind and body.

7. Supplement intelligently.

If you are suffering from migraine attacks, we got 5 natural supplements that you must be taking.

Magnesium. This is a powerful anti-inflammatory supplement, and it relaxes the blood vessels in your brain which helps stop migraines. It may also help prevent future migraines from occurring. You can take 200 mg of magnesium every day, or if that's too much for you, split it up in smaller doses throughout the day.
B vitamins. Vitamin B2, in particular, has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines when taken at a dose of 100 mg per day. You can also get B vitamins from eating foods such as eggs, fish, beef and chicken.
CoQ10. This is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your brain from free radicals that may cause migraines. Studies have found that people who take CoQ10 regularly have fewer migraines than those who don't take it. You can take 50 mg of CoQ10 daily or if that's too much for you, split it up in smaller doses throughout the day.
Turmeric. This is a powerful anti-inflammatory supplement that can reduce pain and inflammation caused by migraines significantly when taken at a dose of 400mg.
Omega 3. Fatty acids are one of the most important things to take to help prevent migraines. The most well-known Omega 3s are fish oils, but another good source is flaxseed oil. Both fish and flaxseed oils must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in order to protect them against high temperatures, which can destroy the omega 3 fatty acids. Fish oils need to be stored in the refrigerator because they spoil quickly when exposed to heat and light. Flaxseed oil needs to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer because heat destroys the Omega-3 fatty acids in it. The body cannot produce omega 3 fatty acids on its own, so it's essential that we get them in our diet. They are also called "essential fatty acids" because they are necessary for the proper functioning of our bodies. The body cannot function without them! Consuming enough omega 3s is especially important for our nervous systems, since the brain is made up of 60% fat, and most of it is made up of omega 3s."

The number one thing I always recommend to migraineurs is that they eat a diet high in healthy fats. This works for migraine prevention because the brain is literally made of fat, and when you increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, you are literally feeding the part of your body that's in pain.

8. Establish a good sleeping habit.

Are you looking for a way to protect your brain and keep migraine at bay?

The answer is simple: make sleep a priority.

Throughout our life, we need to be aware of the importance of good health, especially when it comes to our brain health. As we age, some cognitive decline can be expected. A number of factors are believed to play a role in this decline, including brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. There are many steps that people can take to help slow cognitive decline, including things like staying active and socializing. But one of the most important steps is getting plenty of sleep. A new study recently published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that sleep is important for protecting the hippocampus, which is an area of the brain that helps regulate learning and memory.

If you develop a pattern of regular sleep, your body will become more efficient at getting rid of the toxins that cause migraines. In addition to improving your quality of life, getting regular sleep may help reduce the number of migraine attacks you have each month. In order to get a good night's sleep, try to: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Although all adults need around the same amount of sleep per night (7–9 hours), some people can't fall asleep until 11 p.m., while others fall asleep earlier. So if it takes you a long time to fall asleep, try going to bed earlier.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests having a relaxing routine before bedtime, such as taking a warm bath or listening to soothing music. Create a bedroom environment that is comfortable for you and helps you relax by keeping it cool, quiet and dark. Don't watch TV in bed; instead, read something calming or do something relaxing before heading off to bed. Play brain games 'for two minutes' daily

9. Learn about your underlying causes – and do something about it!

Focus on prevention. Don't wait for the migraine to happen to take action. This means you should focus on the underlying causes of your migraines. Research shows that migraines are caused by a number of factors, including hormones, stress, food sensitivities and other causes.

Working with your doctor to find the migraine prevention strategy that works best for you can put your migraine in remission.

If you are ready to get started on your migraine elimination journey, then book your initial assessment here.