I could not help but write about migraines since everyone and their mother is talking about migraines this week.
Heads up, this will be a two parter, since my goal is 300 words or less so you don’t fall asleep.
I do not like man made toxins, whoops, I mean medications.
If you haven’t figured me out already, I do everything in my power to avoid prescription and OTC medications. In my book, a side effect is a bad effect.
My philosophy is to try the things that can’t hurt you first and make educated decisions. For instance, I’d try Omega 3 fatty acids, niacin and vitamin D and lifestyle changes (eat real food, lose weight) before starting a statin drug.
But back to migraines…..I no longer take “medication”. Yes, I admit in my foolish youth I did what the doctor said.
All western medicine solutions like beta blockers, imitrex or nerve injections have side effects. Triptan prescriptions like Imitrex increase risk of heart attack and stroke. Beta blockers cause fatigue and weight gain and only mask the pain.
Whether I’ve learned to manage them or those tempermental hormones have balanced themselves, I’m one of the lucky ones.
But they didn’t just magically go away. I tried different things, lots of things. I educated myself.
I believe that if you can find the cause of your migraines (or anything), you can eliminate them. If you take drugs for the symptoms you will be on the drugs for the rest of your life.
The most common causes: magnesium deficiency, hormonal imbalances of estrogen and progesterone, food allergies or sensitivities and chemical sensitivities.
For me, eliminating caffeine was the first step plus improving my magnesium levels, reducing stress and using massage to reduce the stress and tension in my neck and shoulders.
Next post……
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