Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann admits she suffers from severe migraine headaches and, according to some reports, has been hospitalized three times as a result of their severity. She’s not alone. Of the 28 million Americans who have migraines, as many as 75 percent endure more than one headache a month, and 6.5 million experience migraines more than 15 days a month. Although migraines are often treated with powerful painkillers, recent studies have found that many simple treatments are powerful weapons against their debilitating symptoms.
Use these eight natural strategies to fight migraines:
• Vitamins: An Australian study found that safe and inexpensive B vitamins and folic acid significantly reduced symptoms associated with migraines. Researchers at Griffiths Genomics Research Center provided vitamin B supplements and folic acid to more than 50 long-term migraine sufferers. After six months, those treated showed a drastic improvement in symptoms.
People who have migraines often have high levels of the amino acid homocysteine, and researchers theorize that vitamin B supplements and folic acid reduce homocysteine which, in turn, reduces migraine symptoms.
• Magnesium. Studies have shown that people who have migraines tend to have lower levels of magnesium than those who are headache free. Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of the Blaylock Wellness Report, says that intravenous doses of magnesium can stop acute attacks in 80 percent of people. Oral magnesium supplements also prevent migraines but, Blaylock says, it may take as long as six months to get maximum benefits.
• Watch your diet. Many common foods, such as chocolate, alcohol, and caffeine, are known to provoke migraines. Food additives, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), sulfites, aspartame, nitrates, and nitrites also incite attacks. High amounts of glutamate in the brain are associated with migraines, and foods containing MSG can increase glutamate blood levels up to 50-fold.
• Banish triggers. Stress, smoking, and a lack of sleep can all trigger migraines as well as odors, such as perfumes and paint. Rain can also be a trigger, as well as estrogen fluctuation in women. While you can’t do anything about the weather and hormonal changes, forewarned is forearmed.
