If you suffer from migraines, you’re no stranger to the often debilitating symptoms that can keep you out of work, pleasure, and life for days at a time when a migraine strikes. Some of my patients have come to me with such severe migraines that they’ve become depressed and anxious – worrying when the next will strike and having to constantly rearrange their lives to accommodate the unwelcome headache’s intrusion.
Good news: There are natural ways to prevent chronic and recurrent migraines!
3 Steps that Prevent Migraines Naturally
The secret to migraine prevention lies in identifying and removing the underlying triggers that cause them in you, healing underlying inflammation, and repleting nutrients that you might be low in that naturally prevent migraines. Note that it can take up to several months to really make a dent in your migraine frequency and severity, so don’t give up if you don’t notice a change immediately, or even in just a couple of weeks. It doesn’t usually happen over night, but it can happen!
1. Identify migraine triggers. Common triggers include stress, low blood sugar, allergens (sinus congestion), exposure to strong odors (perfume and detergents), neck tension, specific foods including red wine, aged cheeses, and deli meats because of the nitrites, foods with MSG). To identify triggers, it is helpful to keep a headache diary and do an elimination diet:
- To keep a migraine diary:
Take a minute when you do get a migraine (I know you won’t feel like doing it, but do it anyway because if you wait until the headache passes, you’ll forget the important details!) to note: what you ate and drank in the last 12 hours, what you were doing (i.e., were you doing a certain kind of exercise, did you fall asleep on a plane if you travel regularly) that might have affected you, and where you were that you might have had an exposure (did you have to go to Home Depot or the supermarket and walk through the aisle with heavily scented detergents, perfumed products, or chemicals; were you at a party where a lot of people were wearing perfume or were smoking?). Try to identify trends in when you get your headaches – notice what triggers you.
- At the same time, start an elimination diet. Remove the foods I mentioned above that are common triggers but also remove all gluten, dairy, and sugar, and during the elimination diet, keep your blood sugar steady with regular meals that contain good quality fats and protein – and drink enough water. Ideally, an elimination diet for migraines is about 4-6 weeks long; as you reintroduce foods, pay close attention to headaches or migraines that creep up. If a food that you add back in causes a headache, eliminate it completely, and see the 4R program for when and whether to reintroduce it. Since constipation is often a trigger, and sometimes the underlying cause of migraines, make sure your bowels are moving every day – increasing veggies, reducing simple carbs (flour products, pastries, pasta) and taking 600 mg of magnesium citrate before bed, or 600 mg in the morning and before bed if the nighttime dose isn’t enough – can help tremendously!
2. Reduce your dependence on common migraine and headache pain relieving medications. Tylenol, ibuprofen and narcotic painkillers can actually lead to MOH’s (medication-overuse headaches), making your headache and migraine frequency and severity worse, and creating a vicious cycle where you rake more and more of the meds that are making you worse! Instead, try these pain relieving herbs that I discuss here.
3. Take these 5 Herbal and Nutritional Supplements that are known to prevent migraines. I recommend taking the Riboflavin, Magnesium, and Fish oil daily, and either the feverfew or butterbur, or both, depending on how many supplements you can manage each day. Continue for 4-6 weeks even if you don’t notice improvement right away, as it can take several weeks or more, to reduce or relieve symptoms.
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): take 400 mg daily to prevent and reduce migraine frequency and intensity
- Magnesium glycinate (600-1200 mg daily): helps relieve migraines and muscular tension, may be especially beneficial for women who get headaches around their periods
- Feverfew (25 mg daily): an anti-inflammatory herb known to prevent migraines
- Butterbur (also called Petasites, purchase the “PA-free: type only!): 75 mg twice daily): also an anti-inflammatory herb known to prevent migraines
- Fish Oil (1500-3000 mg daily): also effective anti-inflammatory, fish oil has numerous benefits and I include it in my migraine treatment plans.
These supplements are generally safe for most women; even if you are on other medications, however, talk with your doctor before starting feverfew if you are on blood thinners. Feverfew and butterbur are not appropriate for use in pregnancy, but can be taken while breastfeeding.
Wishing you speedy and complete migraine relief!
P.S. Want to learn more about using herbs, diet, and supplements to prevent and treat common women’s health conditions? I’d love to teach you!!! Right now, and thru November 3rd only, my course, Herbal Medicine for Women, is on sale – with a special $2000 discount offer that can’t be beat! Want to know more? Head on over here.
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