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#but also totally unrelated allergies that have kicked in at the same time
thegirlwholied · 3 years
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So. Having a brain MRI the day before election day was *not exactly relaxing* BUT my results are *back*. And totally, completely, deliciously-boringly *normal*. *Good News*!! We're now firmly back to "your bod freaked out, have some weed" (and thank you @aliform for that perfect summary) & oh yes will I ever be relying heavily on that recommended CBD oil today.
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drlaurynlax · 5 years
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How to Cure Migraines & Headaches Naturally: 7 Essentials
Are you looking for natural ways to cure migraines and headaches naturally? Tired of popping Tylenol or Advil? You are not alone. Headaches and migraines are among the most common neurological disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 50% of all adults every month, with prevalence among women more than twice as high as among men.
Here’s all you need to know about why headaches happen plus 7 essential steps to kick headaches to the curb and cure migraines.
Headaches 101
A headache is a “pain felt in the head, characterized by common characteristics including: throbbing, squeezing, constant, unrelenting, or intermittent. 
Headaches are an inflammatory response in the body, most headaches happen in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles that cover a person’s head and neck. There are many different ways to cure migraines and headaches.
Although it may seem like it, a headache is not actually a pain in your brain. Instead, the brain tells you when other parts of your body hurt or are inflamed; your brain doesn’t necessarily physically experience the pain itself (it just feels like).
Different Types of Headaches
There are more than 150 different types of headaches. Some of the most common types include:
Tension Headaches (episodic or chronic)
Mild to moderate pain and come and go over time and usually have no other symptoms.
Migraines
Often described as pounding, throbbing pain. Migraines can last from 4 hours to 3 days and usually happen one to four times per month and there are ways to cure migraines naturally. Along with the pain, people have other symptoms, such as sensitivity to light, noise, or smells; nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; aura (seeing spots or a spinning room); and upset stomach or belly pain.
Cluster Headaches
Intense and feels like a burning or piercing pain behind or around one eye, either throbbing or constant. Called “cluster headaches” because they often occur in groups. You may get them one to three times per day during a cluster period, which may last 2 weeks to 3 months. Each headache attack last 15 mins to 3 hours and often wakens the patient from sleep.
The headaches may disappear completely (go into “remission”) for months or years, only to come back again. The pain can be so bad that most people with cluster headaches can’t sit still and will often pace during an attack. On the side of the pain, the eyelid droops, the eye reddens, pupil gets smaller or the eye tears.  The nostril on that side runs or stuffs. It is very important to cure migraines and headaches to feel better.
Sinus Headaches
Deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of your nose. Sinus headaches happen when cavities in your head (sinuses) get inflamed. The pain usually comes along with other sinus symptoms, such as a runny nose, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and swelling in your face. A true sinus headache is from a sinus infection so the nasal discharge is yellow or green, unlike the clear discharge in cluster or migraine.
Hormone Headaches
Women can get headaches from changing hormone levels during their periods, pregnancy, and menopause. The hormone changes from birth control pills also trigger headaches in some women. Fortunately, there are simple ways to cure migraines and headaches.
Exertion Headaches
Headaches brought on from the constriction of blood vessels in your body during exertion, such as intense exercise, heavy lifting or overtraining.  Exercise induces a stress response, accompanied by a spike in blood glucose. (Fun fact: People with blood glucose of 70 have reported upwards of 140 after exercising while fasted). What this means for your head? Elevated glucose and/or stress, elevates cortisol, which also elevates inflammation. 
Seasonal or “Allergy” Headaches
Inflammation in the brain and body brought on from a histamine (allergic or sensitivity) response to either allergens in the air or foods. 
Oral or Dental Headaches 
Connected to the dental work and oral health, such as tightening of braces, TMJ (lock jaw), or structural and chemical imbalances in the mouth (cavities, mercury fillings, need for a root canal). 
Secondary Headaches 
A secondary “side effect” due to trauma, infections, disorders, withdrawal from medications, drugs or alcohol, or structural imbalances in the body (such as spine, neck or other body parts connected to cranial nerves). 
For instance: A food intolerance in your gut may trigger a histamine response that in turn feels like a headache in your head. 
For others, sometimes people also get headaches when they are sick —such as a sinus headache when you get a cold, flu, or allergies (“pain” in the immune system).
Another example: Cortisol imbalances from stress (i.e. lack of sleep, overwork, overtraining, under-eating, inflammatory foods, etc.) can cause headaches, felt in your brain too–even though the pain is really somewhere else (your hormones).
And one more: People who drink a lot of caffeinated drinks might get caffeine-withdrawal headaches, and some headaches are the side effect of taking a particular medication–both signs of imbalance in the body and unwanted stress.
What Causes Headaches?
The pain you feel during a headache comes from a mix of signals between your brain, blood vessels, and nearby nerves. Specific nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles switch on and send pain signals to your brain. Good thing you can address this and cure migraines naturally.
Lots of different things can trigger headache signals, including:
Dehydration
Gut pathologies (SIBO, yeast, fungi)
HPA-Axis dysregulation (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal; chronic stress)
Hormone imbalances (PMS, menstruation, birth control)
Over-exertion/exercise
Low stomach acid
Thyroid dysfunction
Too much screen time (Circadian rhythm stress)
Macronutrient imbalance (Low protein intake, low quality fat intake, low carb intake)
Toxic chemical exposure (plastics, dryer sheets, toxic cleaning/beauty supplies)
Mold exposure
Dental fillings or dental work
TMJ (lock jaw)
Mercury overload/heavy metals
Food intolerances
Environmental/pet allergens
Poor immune function
Gluten & Conventional dairy
Low serotonin (90% is produced in the gut) and/or low dopamine
Liver/gallbladder pathology
Eating out a lot (poor quality oils, gluten, fillers)
Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
Long term medication use
Nootropic supplements or neurotransmitter supplement mis-use (5-HTP, Gaba, etc.)
Antibiotics
Nutrient deficiencies [particularly Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Fatty Acids, Coenzyme Q10 and B2 (riboflavin)]
High caffeine or sugar intake (and/or withdrawal)
High carbohydrate intake, or low carb diets without enough fat or poor fat absorption
Low protein diets
Structural imbalances (head, neck, spine)
  One Root Cause
Although there are TONS of different triggers to headaches and the “mixed signals” in the brain and blood vessels, all headaches share one root cause: Inflammation, or stress, on your body. Not just mental stress, but physical stress too.
When your body experiences stress—be it stress on your immune system from allergens in the air, stress from a traumatic brain injury, or stress from hormone imbalance (like high cortisol)—your brain signals and neurotransmitters may send signals to your brain telling it, it’s under stress or “in pain.” You will need some remedies to cure migraines and headaches.
One of the top sources of this headache-causing stress? Your gut health.
Gut Health 101
Your gut is the gateway to your total body health and inflammatory processes. 
In fact, you have more than 100 trillion gut bacteria throughout your body (not just located in your GI tract, but relocated to other places too, like your mouth, skin, heart and endocrine glands)—that is 10 times more gut bacteria than actual human cells. 
Although the word “bacteria” may sound like a bad or dirty word, the vast majority of your gut bacteria are non-pathogenic (non-disease causing)—at least when your body is healthy.  
Every person different types and amounts of gut bacteria, and those people with “healthier strains” of gut bacteria and a “wider, more diverse variety” of gut bacteria (not just the same strains) are generally healthier as a whole—metabolism, hormones, immune function, weight, energy and lower amounts of headaches. 
What Do Gut Bacteria Do?!
The main role of your (healthy) gut bacteria is to keep all your body’s daily essential processes “healthy” and in running smoothly including:
Nutrient absorption (making the Vitamin C in your orange actually be used by your body)
Immune system function
Hormone balance
Maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism  
Maintenance of your intestinal lining (preventing “leaky gut” and digestive wors)
“Feeding” ALL of your cells and neurotransmitters to function properly (including your brain health)
Fighting off inflammation and protection against “pathogens” (bad guys, toxins, pesticides, illnesses)
In short: gut bacteria play an important role not only in digestive health, but in wider aspects of health, including weight, metabolic health, hormone health, immune function and…fending off headaches.  The role of gut bacteria in headaches, mental health and brain health is known as the “gut-brain” connection. 
The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut is often referred to as the “second brain” in the scientific literature. Get these brain-gut connection facts:
You have more than 100 million neurons in your gut—cells and signals that talk directly to the brain.
More than 90% of your serotonin (your “feel good” brain chemicals) that calms inflammation in the body is produced in your gut.
More than 30 hormones that govern “homeostasis” and balance in your brain and body are produced in your gut.
In addition, more than 80% of your immune fighting cells (Th1, Th2, Beta Cells, Th17) are produced and housed in your gut (the immune fighting cells that fight inflammation in your body)
Your liver (your body’s #1 anti-inflammatory and cleansing organ) detoxifies unwanted toxins in your body and metabolizes hormones, like cortisol (stress hormones) and all of your neurotransmitters (including serotonin), signaling them to properly “work” in your body. However if your liver is sluggish, congested or overworked (from toxins, pesticides, non-organic foods, artificial sweeteners, longterm medication use, environmental stressors, etc.), then your brain (and body) suffers, since your hormone balance (cortisol levels) and brain chemicals are unable to function properly.
Your vagus nerve, the nerve that governs your digestive process and your brain frontal lobe (“clear thinking”) function is directly connected from the top of your stomach to the top of your brain. 
The Bottom Line:
The “gut-brain” connection plays a BIG role in how your body experiences stress and inflammatory process experienced in your brain and body when headaches strike.
If your gut health is “out of whack” and you have lots of inflammation in your gut, guess where you may experience that inflammation? Your brain. 
The Result?
Your neurons are unable to fire properly.
Your cortisol (inflammation fighting hormone) is in “stressed out mode.” 
Also, your “feel good” anti-inflammatory brain chemicals are suppressed.
You get headaches.
How Does My Gut Get Unhealthy in the First Place?
Gut “problems” and bacterial imbalances don’t happen overnight, nor are they attributed to on thing. Instead a variety of stressors and triggers accumulate over time, causing a disruption in the balance of healthy gut bacteria, introducing more unhealthy or dysbiotic bacteria (overgrowth of certain strains), or spurring on a yeast overgrowth or pathogenic infection (like a parasite). 
Common gut bacteria disruptors include: 
Not chewing your food thoroughly
Being born as a C-section baby or formula fed (preventing the formation of early life healthy gut bacteria)
Low stomach acid or digestive enzymes
Nutrient deficiencies
Eating too fast or in a hurry (preventing proper food breakdown)
Lack of food diversity and variety
Low quality protein, low starchy tuber/prebiotic fiber and/or low healthy fatty acids in the diet
Eating gut-irritating ingredients and chemicals your body DOESN’T recognize as “food” or can’t easily digest (conventional meat with hormones and antibiotics, Quest Bars, Halo Top, Instant Oatmeal, sugary granola bars, Diet Coke, frozen dinners, hydrogenated oils)
Long-term use of medications or antibiotics
Environmental toxic exposures (hygiene, cleaning, beauty supplies)
Antibiotics
NSAIDS, birth control pills & other long term medication use 
Low thyroid function
Mercury overload (fish, fillings, metals)
Mold exposure (house, environment)
Chronic stress (under-sleeping, overtraining, constant worry or anxiety, high alcohol or smoking exposure)
Food poisoning
Sedentary lifestyles or overtraining
Circadian rhythm disruption that throws off internal balance in your body (such as: “off” eating, sleeping or waking times; artificial light exposure at night)
Chronic infections (Lyme, Ebstein Barr, hepatitis) 
Disordered eating habits (binging, purging, restriction, etc.)
History of Infections or Illness (bacterial, virus, heavy metals, fungal overgrowth)
Lack of fermented foods and fibers (probiotics and pre-biotics)
Other digestive problems, like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), liver/gallbladder dysfunction, parasites, food intolerances, etc. 
  This list is not exhaustive, but as you can see, a variety of stressors on physical health can impact the health, variety and diversity of your gut bacteria. 
Headaches, Gut Bacteria & Stress 
While it may sound simplistic, a disruption of gut bacterial health in combination with stressors that influence your stress hormone balance (cortisol) provoke inflammation in the body. 
If your gut health is disrupted or your body is overburdened by stress (physical and mental), 
Your liver is unable to detoxify toxins and foods and metabolize hormones and neurotransmitters properly; 
Your gut is unable to break down and digest “inflammatory” foods in your diet (like gluten, sugar or hormone, antibiotic-rich dairy); 
And, your immune system is unable to fight off pathogens; 
Inflammation overtakes your body as a whole
…Leading to headaches for those who are most susceptible to them. 
Headache Treatment: Conventional Approach
Unfortunately, headaches (especially migraines) are hard to treat and very difficult to prevent with conventional approaches. There are many options when you are looking for ways to cure migraines.
The top go-to’s for headache treatments include NSAIDS (advil, tyelenol, ibuprofen), sometimes a recommendation for “more water,” and other prescription medications. These are popular to those who wish to cure migraines.
There are also a ton of preventive drugs prescribed to regular migraine sufferers— calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, and more –all of which work poorly (if at all), and they also come with a host of by side effects (including purposeful paralyzation of the neck muscles just to make the headaches stop!). 
The problem with all these approaches is that we are simply seeking to treat (and mask) the symptoms, instead of first addressing the root cause of the headaches (to keep them from happening in the first place), leaving sufferers to “deal with headaches” (and pray they don’t happen) for most of their lives. 
Headache Treatment: Functional Approach
The functional approach to headaches takes a different path—seeking to figure out the root cause(s) behind headaches, and addressing inflammation and total body wellness (as a whole) in order to not only curb headaches (in the moment), but also prevent them from happening in the first place. 
7 Natural Hacks to Cure Migraines and Headaches
So how do you “heal” or cure migraines and headaches naturally?! 
Boost your body systems that curb and fight inflammation—namely your gut health! 
“Loving your gut,” along with the implementation of anti-inflammatory practices (through foods, lifestyle factors and smart supplementation) is the no-nonsense solution to kicking your headaches to the curb. This will be very helpful to cure migraines too.
Here are 7 do-now hacks:
1. Address Underlying Pathologies & Stressors
It’s crucial to figure out what triggers and stressor(s) are driving your headaches:
Are they “seasonal?” Food intolerances? Environmental related? Allergies? “That time of the month?” Medications? Caffeine? Diet?
Once you identify your trigger(s), then dig even deeper behind the trigger(s): “What is “pulling the trigger in the first place?”
For instance allergies are rooted in immune dysfunction (in your gut, where 80% of immune system cells are produced). High caffeine intake messes with both cortisol levels and sometimes gut bacteria. Medications thwart cortisol balance and affect liver function, causing inflammation in the body. You are always more susceptible to headaches if and when your gut health (including liver health) or HPA-Axis (hormone and cortisol balance) is off. This is a very important step to get the best remedies to cure migraines.
The top “underlying” stressors behind regular headaches, especially migraines include:
Gut Imbalances (Yeast, SIBO, infection, parasites)
Food Intolerance/Allergies (Especially gluten, corn, soy, sugar)
Chemical Triggers (nitrates in deli meats, sulfites in wine, pesticides in food—especially non-organic foods)
Heavy Metals (mercury in dental fillings, food exposure, steel braces and retainers)
Environmental Toxins (mold, chemicals in cleaning, beauty, chemical products)
Hormonal Imbalances (often from poor liver metabolism and clearance; or elevated cortisol—stress hormone)
Nutrient Deficiencies (especially Magnesium, Zinc & B-Vitamins—often from lack of them in the diet and poor gut health absorption)
Mitochondrial (cell function) Imbalances
If you get headaches frequently, consider partnering with a healthcare practitioner who digs deeper beyond symptoms to figure out root cause(s). A further customized treatment protocol and testing may  be necessary, such as: Adrenal-hormone testing; stool analysis; SIBO breath testing; heavy metals testing; comprehensive functional blood chemistry. 
2. Build a Healthy Gut Ecosystem 
Your gut is the gateway to health. Heal the gut and practically every other body system “domino” often falls into place (headaches included). Our gut bacteria dictate the physiological processes inside our bodies, so if your gut bacteria are unhealthy or out of whack, then other systems and processes (ie. metabolism, hormones, detox pathways, elimination, nutrient uptake, cardiorespiratory, blood sugar, etc.) may get out of whack too. Build a healthy gut ecosystem with gut-loving supports–particularly for your liver-gallbladder processing (your body’s filtration and recycling system).
Some basic essentials include:
Daily soil-based probiotic and fermented foods (1-2 condiment servings: sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, fermented yogurt, kefir)
Prebiotic supplement and foods (starchy tubers, soluble fibers and root veggies)
Boosting stomach acid with apple cider vinegar shots and/or HCL tablets and digestive enzymes
Cooking your own food, more than eating out
Chewing your food really well and not eating in a hurry or on the go
3. Hydrate 
Water is crucial for all life (to cure migraines and headache relief). A dehydration headache is a headache, caused by not having enough fluid in the body and inflammation mounting in the brain. The body requires the proper balance of fluid and electrolytes to function properly, and every day, the body loses water through daily activities, such as sweating and urination.
Typically, the amount of fluid lost is easily balanced through drinking or eating fluid-rich foods.
However, sometimes the body loses water faster than it can be replenished.When the body is dehydrated, the brain can temporarily contract or shrink from fluid loss. This causes the brain to pull away from the skull, causing pain and resulting in a dehydration headache.  Once rehydrated, the brain plumps up and returns to its normal state, relieving the headache. The bottom line: Water does a body good. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. 
4. Eat a Nutrient Dense Diet
When we eat, we not only feed ourselves, but we also feed our gut bugs. What are you feeding yours? More and more research shows that certain foods can trigger headaches more than others—particularly the highest inflammatory offenders, like gluten, conventional dairy, eggs, nuts, 
Eat This:
organic, sustainable meats & poultry
wild-caught fish
fresh veggies and fruits
fermented foods (pickled veggies, sauerkraut, kefir)
starchy tubers & roots (sweet potatoes/potatoes, plantains, carrots, beets, squashes)
healthy plant and animal fats (coconut, avocado, olives, ghee, grass-fed butter, lard, tallow)
herbal tea
Bonus: magnesium-rich foods: dark leafy greens, avocado, bananas, raw soaked pumpkin seeds, soaked beans
Limit
eggs (especially egg whites)
nuts
alcohol (4-6 glasses per week)
coffee (more than 1 cup)
nightshades (chili powder, spices, vegetables)
legumes (unless you soak and dry to cook)
Dairy (fermented and grass-fed sources)
Pork (pastured, organic preferred)
  Avoid
soy
sugar/artificial sweeteners
gluten
corn (including cornstarch in foods, high fructose corn syrup)
soy
conventional dairy & meats (hormones, antibiotics)
processed and refined foods
industrial seed oils (canola oil, grape-seed oil)
peanuts
grains
instant coffee
any other foods you are intolerant to (such as FODMAPS)
  Try this approach for 30 days and see how you feel. This helps to cure migraines.
Take it to the Next Level: Consider a Low Histamine Diet
Histamine rich foods cause an “immune” response in the body that triggers inflammation—particularly headaches. If you’ve been eating the basic anti-inflammatory diet for more than 30-60 days, but still keep getting headaches, consider experimenting with a low-histamine diet for 30 days, and see how you feel. Note: A histamine intolerance is often a BIG sign that something in your gut is “off.” Many people find when they eat any histamine foods, some extra gut love during the day (digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid tablets with meals, and an extra dose of prebiotics and probiotics), along with immune boosting support supplements (like D-Hist by Orthomolecular or Trizomal Glutathione and Tumero Active by Apex Energetics) can be “game changers” for digesting those foods (and fending off histamine responses).
Histamine Rich Foods to Avoid on a Low Histamine Diet (30-60 Day Experiment) 
Ketchup
Food additives
Citrus fruits, bananas, strawberries, pineapples
Cocoa (chocolate)
Nuts
Legumes/beans
Eggs/egg whites
Slow cooked bone broth (for more than 48-72 hours)
5. Incorporate Anti-inflammatory Lifestyle Practices (Kick Stress)
Once you’ve identified potential triggers of your headaches, and commenced a gut-loving protocol, the last tier of kicking headaches to the curb is anti-inflammation–supporting healing of your headache through supplemental supports that gently calm down the pounding in your “head” (and body). While inflammation is NOT always a bad thing (inflammation is a natural response for healing), chronic (lingering) inflammation from ongoing stressors does more harm than good. Your body (and brain) needs some regular anti-inflammatory love to “cool down.”
Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle Practices: 
Sleeping (7-9 hours each night)
Regular daily exercise and lifestyle movement (but not overtraining)
Mindfulness Practices (yoga, tai chi, meditation, journaling)
Limiting over-screen exposure (taking regular breaks)
Stretching and massage/body work
For those who regularly fight headaches, consider “bio-hacking” techniques like: acupuncture, bio-feedback, mindfulness based stress reduction and neurological-feedback, hot-cold therapy, and ozone therapy. 
6. Love Your Liver
As a matter of fact, our liver is the organ responsible for metabolizing hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as filtering and detoxing toxic chemicals and pathogens in the body. Ultimately, to fight inflammation and keep your body balanced. However, if your liver health is “off,” then you’re more likely to experience inflammation commonly associated with headaches. Especially, migraines—since serotonin production (calming, soothing neurotransmitter) is drastically reduced. With the right approach, you could cure migraines.
Regular headache suffers should pay special attention to loving their liver with these essentials:
Drink fresh, clean filtered water in a stainless steel or glass water bottle. Also use glassware containers and stainless steel food containers and pans. 
Ditch alcohol and coffee for 30 days to see how you feel without it in your system
Eat liver loving foods including: beets, fresh herbs, turmeric, garlic, oregano, apple cider vinegar, lemons, cruciferous veggies, dark leafy greens, organ meats, apples, carrots, grapefruit, green tea, cabbage/fermented sauerkraut
Gradually replace toxic products with natural products. Get rid of dryer sheets, Windex and other non-natural cleaning, hygiene and beauty supplies.
Do a 7-day gentle liver cleanse
After addressing the “basics” with your anti-inflammatory gut health and lifestyle practices, you may even consider a 7-day gentle cleanse. 
7-Day Liver Cleanse
Add in a “Liver Cleanse” Support
Days 1-4: Eat 1 organic apple or take a malic acid supplement according to its instructions. Just choose one method. During this time eat clean healthy meals that are simple like lean meats, whole vegetables, fresh fruit, 
Days 5-7: Drink a grapefruit or lemon juice mix once per day
2 chopped lemons or 1 small grapefruit (can keep peel on)
2.5 cups of pure water
1-2 tbsp. of virgin olive oil
Blend, then strain drink through a mesh, wire strainer. Add optional 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (alcohol free) and 2-3 drops stevia for flavor if desired. 
Continue to eat regular, balanced meals during the day. 
Eat 3 balanced meals of clean and light foods throughout the cleanse, including:
Lean proteins (pastured chicken, wild-caught fish, organic turkey; fermented tofu and soaked beans/lentils if vegetarian/vegan)
Dark leafy greens (cooked and/or raw)
Low starch veggies (cooked)
Healthy fats (avocado, coconut/coconut oil, olives/olive oil, ghee)
Fresh fruits: 1-2 servings (especially berries, grapes, melons)
Gut & liver boosting foods: Bone broth, apple cider vinegar, organic organ meats, beets, herbs, fermented foods.
Avoid: grains/gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, pork, red meat, coffee, alcohol, sweeteners, sugar, starches
Go “Natural” with Hygiene/Beauty & Cleaning Products:
Makeup free or natural products only
Fluoride free toothpaste or baking soda
Try coconut oil to moisturize, apple cider vinegar and essential oils for a face toner, salt and honey scrubs, yogurt hair masks and other and homemade cleansers
Use white vinegar and baking soda to clean kitchen
Buy a natural laundry detergent and dryer sheets if used (Seventh Generation, ecover, method) 
  Bonus Supplements*: Add in these supports consistently during your 7 day liver cleanse to support gut health.
Probiotic: 2-3 soil-based organism (like Megaspore), 3 times per day
Prebiotic: Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum, 1/2-1 tsp in water
Liver Cleanse Herbs:  Like Livotrit or Gaia’s Liver Cleanse or Apex Energetic’s Metacrin DX or digestive bitters, like liposomal Biocidin (if you have “gut issues”)
Liposomal Curcumin, 1 tsp, 2-3 times per day
Liposomal Glutathione, 1 tsp, 2-3 times per day
Optional: Daily Hormone & Cortisol “Supports”
Female Support:  Such as FemGuard Balance or Progestaid. Contains compounds like DIM & vitex/chaste tree for hormonal-driven headaches
Adrenal Adaptogen Herbs (like ashwaganda, relora, or cordyceps) for high cortisol and general stressor driven headaches
*By using this information, you acknowledge you’re responsible for your own healthcare. Consult with your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements. 
7. In the Moment Hacks
While most of these strategies are preventative action steps you can take to kick headaches and cure migraines, what to do when headaches strike?
Also, here are a few in-the-moment headache “coolers” and smart supplements to keep on hand: 
Hack 1: Better-Than Advil Supplement Combo
Fortunately, these supplements work together to support your liver, calm inflammation naturally and boost healthy neurotransmitter function and production. Great for the everyday tension or cluster headache, as well as migraines.This helps to cure migraines.
Beta TCP (Biotics Research), take 2-3, chew for best results (migraines: 6-8)
Livotrit Plus (Biotics Research), take 2-3 (migraines: 6-8)
Optional Add On: Intezyme Forte (Biotics Research) take 2-3 (migraines: 4-6) An anti-inflammatory digestive enzymes to boost your gut’s inflammatory fighting capacity) 
Hack 2: Immune Booster
A “triple threat” of immune boosting supports, particularly effective for those sinus and allergy related headaches. Use the following for up to 7 days to cure migraines and headaches. 
Trizomal Glutathione (Apex Energetics), 1-2 tsp, 2-3 times per day.
Liposomal Curcumin + Resveratrol, 1-2 tsp, 2-3 times per day.
Hack 3: Gut  & Immune Booster
Love your gut bugs up on the days headaches strike with:
Double dose soil-based probiotic (2-3, 3 times per day)
Short Chain Fatty Acids (like Sodium-Butyrate by Body Bio, 1 with meals)
Apple Cider Vinegar shots (1-2 tbsp in water with meals)
Lemon water and at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water during the day
Essential Oils: Peppermint Oil, Lavender, Rosemary, Ginger, Spearmint, Chamomile, Basil (on pulse points and in diffuser) 
Hack 4: “Windex” for Inflammation
CBD oil or hemp oil activates cannabidiols in your body to fight inflammation when your body needs it most. CBD oil is derived from the cannabis plant and contains NO THC (associated with psychedelics).  But ALL the benefits of “calming” the bod in times of stress—headaches included. This hack will reall help you cure migraines.
Lastly, consider 1-3 pumps under your tongue of a high-quality CBD Oil like PrimeMyBody or Charlotte’s Web. 
*The information contained in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. If starting a new supplement or recommendation in this article, you acknowledge you’re responsible for your own health decisions. It is advised you consult with your healthcare practitioner concerning your health choices, as well as consult your provider for safety or interactions with any medications or other supplements you’re currently taking.  
  The post How to Cure Migraines & Headaches Naturally: 7 Essentials appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.
Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/cure-migraines-headaches-naturally/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/
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clarencebfaber · 5 years
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How to Cure Migraines & Headaches Naturally: 7 Essentials
Are you looking for natural ways to cure migraines and headaches naturally? Tired of popping Tylenol or Advil? You are not alone. Headaches and migraines are among the most common neurological disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 50% of all adults every month, with prevalence among women more than twice as high as among men.
Here’s all you need to know about why headaches happen plus 7 essential steps to kick headaches to the curb and cure migraines.
Headaches 101
A headache is a “pain felt in the head, characterized by common characteristics including: throbbing, squeezing, constant, unrelenting, or intermittent. 
Headaches are an inflammatory response in the body, most headaches happen in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles that cover a person’s head and neck. There are many different ways to cure migraines and headaches.
Although it may seem like it, a headache is not actually a pain in your brain. Instead, the brain tells you when other parts of your body hurt or are inflamed; your brain doesn’t necessarily physically experience the pain itself (it just feels like).
Different Types of Headaches
There are more than 150 different types of headaches. Some of the most common types include:
Tension Headaches (episodic or chronic)
Mild to moderate pain and come and go over time and usually have no other symptoms.
Migraines
Often described as pounding, throbbing pain. Migraines can last from 4 hours to 3 days and usually happen one to four times per month and there are ways to cure migraines naturally. Along with the pain, people have other symptoms, such as sensitivity to light, noise, or smells; nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; aura (seeing spots or a spinning room); and upset stomach or belly pain.
Cluster Headaches
Intense and feels like a burning or piercing pain behind or around one eye, either throbbing or constant. Called “cluster headaches” because they often occur in groups. You may get them one to three times per day during a cluster period, which may last 2 weeks to 3 months. Each headache attack last 15 mins to 3 hours and often wakens the patient from sleep.
The headaches may disappear completely (go into “remission”) for months or years, only to come back again. The pain can be so bad that most people with cluster headaches can’t sit still and will often pace during an attack. On the side of the pain, the eyelid droops, the eye reddens, pupil gets smaller or the eye tears.  The nostril on that side runs or stuffs. It is very important to cure migraines and headaches to feel better.
Sinus Headaches
Deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of your nose. Sinus headaches happen when cavities in your head (sinuses) get inflamed. The pain usually comes along with other sinus symptoms, such as a runny nose, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and swelling in your face. A true sinus headache is from a sinus infection so the nasal discharge is yellow or green, unlike the clear discharge in cluster or migraine.
Hormone Headaches
Women can get headaches from changing hormone levels during their periods, pregnancy, and menopause. The hormone changes from birth control pills also trigger headaches in some women. Fortunately, there are simple ways to cure migraines and headaches.
Exertion Headaches
Headaches brought on from the constriction of blood vessels in your body during exertion, such as intense exercise, heavy lifting or overtraining.  Exercise induces a stress response, accompanied by a spike in blood glucose. (Fun fact: People with blood glucose of 70 have reported upwards of 140 after exercising while fasted). What this means for your head? Elevated glucose and/or stress, elevates cortisol, which also elevates inflammation. 
Seasonal or “Allergy” Headaches
Inflammation in the brain and body brought on from a histamine (allergic or sensitivity) response to either allergens in the air or foods. 
Oral or Dental Headaches 
Connected to the dental work and oral health, such as tightening of braces, TMJ (lock jaw), or structural and chemical imbalances in the mouth (cavities, mercury fillings, need for a root canal). 
Secondary Headaches 
A secondary “side effect” due to trauma, infections, disorders, withdrawal from medications, drugs or alcohol, or structural imbalances in the body (such as spine, neck or other body parts connected to cranial nerves). 
For instance: A food intolerance in your gut may trigger a histamine response that in turn feels like a headache in your head. 
For others, sometimes people also get headaches when they are sick —such as a sinus headache when you get a cold, flu, or allergies (“pain” in the immune system).
Another example: Cortisol imbalances from stress (i.e. lack of sleep, overwork, overtraining, under-eating, inflammatory foods, etc.) can cause headaches, felt in your brain too–even though the pain is really somewhere else (your hormones).
And one more: People who drink a lot of caffeinated drinks might get caffeine-withdrawal headaches, and some headaches are the side effect of taking a particular medication–both signs of imbalance in the body and unwanted stress.
What Causes Headaches?
The pain you feel during a headache comes from a mix of signals between your brain, blood vessels, and nearby nerves. Specific nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles switch on and send pain signals to your brain. Good thing you can address this and cure migraines naturally.
Lots of different things can trigger headache signals, including:
Dehydration
Gut pathologies (SIBO, yeast, fungi)
HPA-Axis dysregulation (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal; chronic stress)
Hormone imbalances (PMS, menstruation, birth control)
Over-exertion/exercise
Low stomach acid
Thyroid dysfunction
Too much screen time (Circadian rhythm stress)
Macronutrient imbalance (Low protein intake, low quality fat intake, low carb intake)
Toxic chemical exposure (plastics, dryer sheets, toxic cleaning/beauty supplies)
Mold exposure
Dental fillings or dental work
TMJ (lock jaw)
Mercury overload/heavy metals
Food intolerances
Environmental/pet allergens
Poor immune function
Gluten & Conventional dairy
Low serotonin (90% is produced in the gut) and/or low dopamine
Liver/gallbladder pathology
Eating out a lot (poor quality oils, gluten, fillers)
Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
Long term medication use
Nootropic supplements or neurotransmitter supplement mis-use (5-HTP, Gaba, etc.)
Antibiotics
Nutrient deficiencies [particularly Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Fatty Acids, Coenzyme Q10 and B2 (riboflavin)]
High caffeine or sugar intake (and/or withdrawal)
High carbohydrate intake, or low carb diets without enough fat or poor fat absorption
Low protein diets
Structural imbalances (head, neck, spine)
 One Root Cause
Although there are TONS of different triggers to headaches and the “mixed signals” in the brain and blood vessels, all headaches share one root cause: Inflammation, or stress, on your body. Not just mental stress, but physical stress too.
When your body experiences stress—be it stress on your immune system from allergens in the air, stress from a traumatic brain injury, or stress from hormone imbalance (like high cortisol)—your brain signals and neurotransmitters may send signals to your brain telling it, it’s under stress or “in pain.” You will need some remedies to cure migraines and headaches.
One of the top sources of this headache-causing stress? Your gut health.
Gut Health 101
Your gut is the gateway to your total body health and inflammatory processes. 
In fact, you have more than 100 trillion gut bacteria throughout your body (not just located in your GI tract, but relocated to other places too, like your mouth, skin, heart and endocrine glands)—that is 10 times more gut bacteria than actual human cells. 
Although the word “bacteria” may sound like a bad or dirty word, the vast majority of your gut bacteria are non-pathogenic (non-disease causing)—at least when your body is healthy.  
Every person different types and amounts of gut bacteria, and those people with “healthier strains” of gut bacteria and a “wider, more diverse variety” of gut bacteria (not just the same strains) are generally healthier as a whole—metabolism, hormones, immune function, weight, energy and lower amounts of headaches. 
What Do Gut Bacteria Do?!
The main role of your (healthy) gut bacteria is to keep all your body’s daily essential processes “healthy” and in running smoothly including:
Nutrient absorption (making the Vitamin C in your orange actually be used by your body)
Immune system function
Hormone balance
Maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism  
Maintenance of your intestinal lining (preventing “leaky gut” and digestive wors)
“Feeding” ALL of your cells and neurotransmitters to function properly (including your brain health)
Fighting off inflammation and protection against “pathogens” (bad guys, toxins, pesticides, illnesses)
In short: gut bacteria play an important role not only in digestive health, but in wider aspects of health, including weight, metabolic health, hormone health, immune function and…fending off headaches.  The role of gut bacteria in headaches, mental health and brain health is known as the “gut-brain” connection. 
The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut is often referred to as the “second brain” in the scientific literature. Get these brain-gut connection facts:
You have more than 100 million neurons in your gut—cells and signals that talk directly to the brain.
More than 90% of your serotonin (your “feel good” brain chemicals) that calms inflammation in the body is produced in your gut.
More than 30 hormones that govern “homeostasis” and balance in your brain and body are produced in your gut.
In addition, more than 80% of your immune fighting cells (Th1, Th2, Beta Cells, Th17) are produced and housed in your gut (the immune fighting cells that fight inflammation in your body)
Your liver (your body’s #1 anti-inflammatory and cleansing organ) detoxifies unwanted toxins in your body and metabolizes hormones, like cortisol (stress hormones) and all of your neurotransmitters (including serotonin), signaling them to properly “work” in your body. However if your liver is sluggish, congested or overworked (from toxins, pesticides, non-organic foods, artificial sweeteners, longterm medication use, environmental stressors, etc.), then your brain (and body) suffers, since your hormone balance (cortisol levels) and brain chemicals are unable to function properly.
Your vagus nerve, the nerve that governs your digestive process and your brain frontal lobe (“clear thinking”) function is directly connected from the top of your stomach to the top of your brain. 
The Bottom Line:
The “gut-brain” connection plays a BIG role in how your body experiences stress and inflammatory process experienced in your brain and body when headaches strike.
If your gut health is “out of whack” and you have lots of inflammation in your gut, guess where you may experience that inflammation? Your brain. 
The Result?
Your neurons are unable to fire properly.
Your cortisol (inflammation fighting hormone) is in “stressed out mode.” 
Also, your “feel good” anti-inflammatory brain chemicals are suppressed.
You get headaches.
How Does My Gut Get Unhealthy in the First Place?
Gut “problems” and bacterial imbalances don’t happen overnight, nor are they attributed to on thing. Instead a variety of stressors and triggers accumulate over time, causing a disruption in the balance of healthy gut bacteria, introducing more unhealthy or dysbiotic bacteria (overgrowth of certain strains), or spurring on a yeast overgrowth or pathogenic infection (like a parasite). 
Common gut bacteria disruptors include: 
Not chewing your food thoroughly
Being born as a C-section baby or formula fed (preventing the formation of early life healthy gut bacteria)
Low stomach acid or digestive enzymes
Nutrient deficiencies
Eating too fast or in a hurry (preventing proper food breakdown)
Lack of food diversity and variety
Low quality protein, low starchy tuber/prebiotic fiber and/or low healthy fatty acids in the diet
Eating gut-irritating ingredients and chemicals your body DOESN’T recognize as “food” or can’t easily digest (conventional meat with hormones and antibiotics, Quest Bars, Halo Top, Instant Oatmeal, sugary granola bars, Diet Coke, frozen dinners, hydrogenated oils)
Long-term use of medications or antibiotics
Environmental toxic exposures (hygiene, cleaning, beauty supplies)
Antibiotics
NSAIDS, birth control pills & other long term medication use 
Low thyroid function
Mercury overload (fish, fillings, metals)
Mold exposure (house, environment)
Chronic stress (under-sleeping, overtraining, constant worry or anxiety, high alcohol or smoking exposure)
Food poisoning
Sedentary lifestyles or overtraining
Circadian rhythm disruption that throws off internal balance in your body (such as: “off” eating, sleeping or waking times; artificial light exposure at night)
Chronic infections (Lyme, Ebstein Barr, hepatitis) 
Disordered eating habits (binging, purging, restriction, etc.)
History of Infections or Illness (bacterial, virus, heavy metals, fungal overgrowth)
Lack of fermented foods and fibers (probiotics and pre-biotics)
Other digestive problems, like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), liver/gallbladder dysfunction, parasites, food intolerances, etc. 
 This list is not exhaustive, but as you can see, a variety of stressors on physical health can impact the health, variety and diversity of your gut bacteria. 
Headaches, Gut Bacteria & Stress 
While it may sound simplistic, a disruption of gut bacterial health in combination with stressors that influence your stress hormone balance (cortisol) provoke inflammation in the body. 
If your gut health is disrupted or your body is overburdened by stress (physical and mental), 
Your liver is unable to detoxify toxins and foods and metabolize hormones and neurotransmitters properly; 
Your gut is unable to break down and digest “inflammatory” foods in your diet (like gluten, sugar or hormone, antibiotic-rich dairy); 
And, your immune system is unable to fight off pathogens; 
Inflammation overtakes your body as a whole
…Leading to headaches for those who are most susceptible to them. 
Headache Treatment: Conventional Approach
Unfortunately, headaches (especially migraines) are hard to treat and very difficult to prevent with conventional approaches. There are many options when you are looking for ways to cure migraines.
The top go-to’s for headache treatments include NSAIDS (advil, tyelenol, ibuprofen), sometimes a recommendation for “more water,” and other prescription medications. These are popular to those who wish to cure migraines.
There are also a ton of preventive drugs prescribed to regular migraine sufferers— calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, and more –all of which work poorly (if at all), and they also come with a host of by side effects (including purposeful paralyzation of the neck muscles just to make the headaches stop!). 
The problem with all these approaches is that we are simply seeking to treat (and mask) the symptoms, instead of first addressing the root cause of the headaches (to keep them from happening in the first place), leaving sufferers to “deal with headaches” (and pray they don’t happen) for most of their lives. 
Headache Treatment: Functional Approach
The functional approach to headaches takes a different path—seeking to figure out the root cause(s) behind headaches, and addressing inflammation and total body wellness (as a whole) in order to not only curb headaches (in the moment), but also prevent them from happening in the first place. 
7 Natural Hacks to Cure Migraines and Headaches
So how do you “heal” or cure migraines and headaches naturally?! 
Boost your body systems that curb and fight inflammation—namely your gut health! 
“Loving your gut,” along with the implementation of anti-inflammatory practices (through foods, lifestyle factors and smart supplementation) is the no-nonsense solution to kicking your headaches to the curb. This will be very helpful to cure migraines too.
Here are 7 do-now hacks:
1. Address Underlying Pathologies & Stressors
It’s crucial to figure out what triggers and stressor(s) are driving your headaches:
Are they “seasonal?” Food intolerances? Environmental related? Allergies? “That time of the month?” Medications? Caffeine? Diet?
Once you identify your trigger(s), then dig even deeper behind the trigger(s): “What is “pulling the trigger in the first place?”
For instance allergies are rooted in immune dysfunction (in your gut, where 80% of immune system cells are produced). High caffeine intake messes with both cortisol levels and sometimes gut bacteria. Medications thwart cortisol balance and affect liver function, causing inflammation in the body. You are always more susceptible to headaches if and when your gut health (including liver health) or HPA-Axis (hormone and cortisol balance) is off. This is a very important step to get the best remedies to cure migraines.
The top “underlying” stressors behind regular headaches, especially migraines include:
Gut Imbalances (Yeast, SIBO, infection, parasites)
Food Intolerance/Allergies (Especially gluten, corn, soy, sugar)
Chemical Triggers (nitrates in deli meats, sulfites in wine, pesticides in food—especially non-organic foods)
Heavy Metals (mercury in dental fillings, food exposure, steel braces and retainers)
Environmental Toxins (mold, chemicals in cleaning, beauty, chemical products)
Hormonal Imbalances (often from poor liver metabolism and clearance; or elevated cortisol—stress hormone)
Nutrient Deficiencies (especially Magnesium, Zinc & B-Vitamins—often from lack of them in the diet and poor gut health absorption)
Mitochondrial (cell function) Imbalances
If you get headaches frequently, consider partnering with a healthcare practitioner who digs deeper beyond symptoms to figure out root cause(s). A further customized treatment protocol and testing may  be necessary, such as: Adrenal-hormone testing; stool analysis; SIBO breath testing; heavy metals testing; comprehensive functional blood chemistry. 
2. Build a Healthy Gut Ecosystem 
Your gut is the gateway to health. Heal the gut and practically every other body system “domino” often falls into place (headaches included). Our gut bacteria dictate the physiological processes inside our bodies, so if your gut bacteria are unhealthy or out of whack, then other systems and processes (ie. metabolism, hormones, detox pathways, elimination, nutrient uptake, cardiorespiratory, blood sugar, etc.) may get out of whack too. Build a healthy gut ecosystem with gut-loving supports–particularly for your liver-gallbladder processing (your body’s filtration and recycling system).
Some basic essentials include:
Daily soil-based probiotic and fermented foods (1-2 condiment servings: sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, fermented yogurt, kefir)
Prebiotic supplement and foods (starchy tubers, soluble fibers and root veggies)
Boosting stomach acid with apple cider vinegar shots and/or HCL tablets and digestive enzymes
Cooking your own food, more than eating out
Chewing your food really well and not eating in a hurry or on the go
3. Hydrate 
Water is crucial for all life (to cure migraines and headache relief). A dehydration headache is a headache, caused by not having enough fluid in the body and inflammation mounting in the brain. The body requires the proper balance of fluid and electrolytes to function properly, and every day, the body loses water through daily activities, such as sweating and urination.
Typically, the amount of fluid lost is easily balanced through drinking or eating fluid-rich foods.
However, sometimes the body loses water faster than it can be replenished.When the body is dehydrated, the brain can temporarily contract or shrink from fluid loss. This causes the brain to pull away from the skull, causing pain and resulting in a dehydration headache.  Once rehydrated, the brain plumps up and returns to its normal state, relieving the headache. The bottom line: Water does a body good. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. 
4. Eat a Nutrient Dense Diet
When we eat, we not only feed ourselves, but we also feed our gut bugs. What are you feeding yours? More and more research shows that certain foods can trigger headaches more than others—particularly the highest inflammatory offenders, like gluten, conventional dairy, eggs, nuts, 
Eat This:
organic, sustainable meats & poultry
wild-caught fish
fresh veggies and fruits
fermented foods (pickled veggies, sauerkraut, kefir)
starchy tubers & roots (sweet potatoes/potatoes, plantains, carrots, beets, squashes)
healthy plant and animal fats (coconut, avocado, olives, ghee, grass-fed butter, lard, tallow)
herbal tea
Bonus: magnesium-rich foods: dark leafy greens, avocado, bananas, raw soaked pumpkin seeds, soaked beans
Limit
eggs (especially egg whites)
nuts
alcohol (4-6 glasses per week)
coffee (more than 1 cup)
nightshades (chili powder, spices, vegetables)
legumes (unless you soak and dry to cook)
Dairy (fermented and grass-fed sources)
Pork (pastured, organic preferred)
 Avoid
soy
sugar/artificial sweeteners
gluten
corn (including cornstarch in foods, high fructose corn syrup)
soy
conventional dairy & meats (hormones, antibiotics)
processed and refined foods
industrial seed oils (canola oil, grape-seed oil)
peanuts
grains
instant coffee
any other foods you are intolerant to (such as FODMAPS)
 Try this approach for 30 days and see how you feel. This helps to cure migraines.
Take it to the Next Level: Consider a Low Histamine Diet
Histamine rich foods cause an “immune” response in the body that triggers inflammation—particularly headaches. If you’ve been eating the basic anti-inflammatory diet for more than 30-60 days, but still keep getting headaches, consider experimenting with a low-histamine diet for 30 days, and see how you feel. Note: A histamine intolerance is often a BIG sign that something in your gut is “off.” Many people find when they eat any histamine foods, some extra gut love during the day (digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid tablets with meals, and an extra dose of prebiotics and probiotics), along with immune boosting support supplements (like D-Hist by Orthomolecular or Trizomal Glutathione and Tumero Active by Apex Energetics) can be “game changers” for digesting those foods (and fending off histamine responses).
Histamine Rich Foods to Avoid on a Low Histamine Diet (30-60 Day Experiment) 
Ketchup
Food additives
Citrus fruits, bananas, strawberries, pineapples
Cocoa (chocolate)
Nuts
Legumes/beans
Eggs/egg whites
Slow cooked bone broth (for more than 48-72 hours)
5. Incorporate Anti-inflammatory Lifestyle Practices (Kick Stress)
Once you’ve identified potential triggers of your headaches, and commenced a gut-loving protocol, the last tier of kicking headaches to the curb is anti-inflammation–supporting healing of your headache through supplemental supports that gently calm down the pounding in your “head” (and body). While inflammation is NOT always a bad thing (inflammation is a natural response for healing), chronic (lingering) inflammation from ongoing stressors does more harm than good. Your body (and brain) needs some regular anti-inflammatory love to “cool down.”
Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle Practices: 
Sleeping (7-9 hours each night)
Regular daily exercise and lifestyle movement (but not overtraining)
Mindfulness Practices (yoga, tai chi, meditation, journaling)
Limiting over-screen exposure (taking regular breaks)
Stretching and massage/body work
For those who regularly fight headaches, consider “bio-hacking” techniques like: acupuncture, bio-feedback, mindfulness based stress reduction and neurological-feedback, hot-cold therapy, and ozone therapy. 
6. Love Your Liver
As a matter of fact, our liver is the organ responsible for metabolizing hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as filtering and detoxing toxic chemicals and pathogens in the body. Ultimately, to fight inflammation and keep your body balanced. However, if your liver health is “off,” then you’re more likely to experience inflammation commonly associated with headaches. Especially, migraines—since serotonin production (calming, soothing neurotransmitter) is drastically reduced. With the right approach, you could cure migraines.
Regular headache suffers should pay special attention to loving their liver with these essentials:
Drink fresh, clean filtered water in a stainless steel or glass water bottle. Also use glassware containers and stainless steel food containers and pans. 
Ditch alcohol and coffee for 30 days to see how you feel without it in your system
Eat liver loving foods including: beets, fresh herbs, turmeric, garlic, oregano, apple cider vinegar, lemons, cruciferous veggies, dark leafy greens, organ meats, apples, carrots, grapefruit, green tea, cabbage/fermented sauerkraut
Gradually replace toxic products with natural products. Get rid of dryer sheets, Windex and other non-natural cleaning, hygiene and beauty supplies.
Do a 7-day gentle liver cleanse
After addressing the “basics” with your anti-inflammatory gut health and lifestyle practices, you may even consider a 7-day gentle cleanse. 
7-Day Liver Cleanse
Add in a “Liver Cleanse” Support
Days 1-4: Eat 1 organic apple or take a malic acid supplement according to its instructions. Just choose one method. During this time eat clean healthy meals that are simple like lean meats, whole vegetables, fresh fruit, 
Days 5-7: Drink a grapefruit or lemon juice mix once per day
2 chopped lemons or 1 small grapefruit (can keep peel on)
2.5 cups of pure water
1-2 tbsp. of virgin olive oil
Blend, then strain drink through a mesh, wire strainer. Add optional 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (alcohol free) and 2-3 drops stevia for flavor if desired. 
Continue to eat regular, balanced meals during the day. 
Eat 3 balanced meals of clean and light foods throughout the cleanse, including:
Lean proteins (pastured chicken, wild-caught fish, organic turkey; fermented tofu and soaked beans/lentils if vegetarian/vegan)
Dark leafy greens (cooked and/or raw)
Low starch veggies (cooked)
Healthy fats (avocado, coconut/coconut oil, olives/olive oil, ghee)
Fresh fruits: 1-2 servings (especially berries, grapes, melons)
Gut & liver boosting foods: Bone broth, apple cider vinegar, organic organ meats, beets, herbs, fermented foods.
Avoid: grains/gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, pork, red meat, coffee, alcohol, sweeteners, sugar, starches
Go “Natural” with Hygiene/Beauty & Cleaning Products:
Makeup free or natural products only
Fluoride free toothpaste or baking soda
Try coconut oil to moisturize, apple cider vinegar and essential oils for a face toner, salt and honey scrubs, yogurt hair masks and other and homemade cleansers
Use white vinegar and baking soda to clean kitchen
Buy a natural laundry detergent and dryer sheets if used (Seventh Generation, ecover, method) 
 Bonus Supplements*: Add in these supports consistently during your 7 day liver cleanse to support gut health.
Probiotic: 2-3 soil-based organism (like Megaspore), 3 times per day
Prebiotic: Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum, 1/2-1 tsp in water
Liver Cleanse Herbs:  Like Livotrit or Gaia’s Liver Cleanse or Apex Energetic’s Metacrin DX or digestive bitters, like liposomal Biocidin (if you have “gut issues”)
Liposomal Curcumin, 1 tsp, 2-3 times per day
Liposomal Glutathione, 1 tsp, 2-3 times per day
Optional: Daily Hormone & Cortisol “Supports”
Female Support:  Such as FemGuard Balance or Progestaid. Contains compounds like DIM & vitex/chaste tree for hormonal-driven headaches
Adrenal Adaptogen Herbs (like ashwaganda, relora, or cordyceps) for high cortisol and general stressor driven headaches
*By using this information, you acknowledge you’re responsible for your own healthcare. Consult with your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements. 
7. In the Moment Hacks
While most of these strategies are preventative action steps you can take to kick headaches and cure migraines, what to do when headaches strike?
Also, here are a few in-the-moment headache “coolers” and smart supplements to keep on hand: 
Hack 1: Better-Than Advil Supplement Combo
Fortunately, these supplements work together to support your liver, calm inflammation naturally and boost healthy neurotransmitter function and production. Great for the everyday tension or cluster headache, as well as migraines.This helps to cure migraines.
Beta TCP (Biotics Research), take 2-3, chew for best results (migraines: 6-8)
Livotrit Plus (Biotics Research), take 2-3 (migraines: 6-8)
Optional Add On: Intezyme Forte (Biotics Research) take 2-3 (migraines: 4-6) An anti-inflammatory digestive enzymes to boost your gut’s inflammatory fighting capacity) 
Hack 2: Immune Booster
A “triple threat” of immune boosting supports, particularly effective for those sinus and allergy related headaches. Use the following for up to 7 days to cure migraines and headaches. 
Trizomal Glutathione (Apex Energetics), 1-2 tsp, 2-3 times per day.
Liposomal Curcumin + Resveratrol, 1-2 tsp, 2-3 times per day.
Hack 3: Gut  & Immune Booster
Love your gut bugs up on the days headaches strike with:
Double dose soil-based probiotic (2-3, 3 times per day)
Short Chain Fatty Acids (like Sodium-Butyrate by Body Bio, 1 with meals)
Apple Cider Vinegar shots (1-2 tbsp in water with meals)
Lemon water and at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water during the day
Essential Oils: Peppermint Oil, Lavender, Rosemary, Ginger, Spearmint, Chamomile, Basil (on pulse points and in diffuser) 
Hack 4: “Windex” for Inflammation
CBD oil or hemp oil activates cannabidiols in your body to fight inflammation when your body needs it most. CBD oil is derived from the cannabis plant and contains NO THC (associated with psychedelics).  But ALL the benefits of “calming” the bod in times of stress—headaches included. This hack will reall help you cure migraines.
Lastly, consider 1-3 pumps under your tongue of a high-quality CBD Oil like PrimeMyBody or Charlotte’s Web. 
*The information contained in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. If starting a new supplement or recommendation in this article, you acknowledge you’re responsible for your own health decisions. It is advised you consult with your healthcare practitioner concerning your health choices, as well as consult your provider for safety or interactions with any medications or other supplements you’re currently taking.  
 The post How to Cure Migraines & Headaches Naturally: 7 Essentials appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.
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elizabethbgrimes · 5 years
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How to Cure Migraines & Headaches Naturally: 7 Essentials
Are you looking for natural ways to cure migraines and headaches naturally? Tired of popping Tylenol or Advil? You are not alone. Headaches and migraines are among the most common neurological disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 50% of all adults every month, with prevalence among women more than twice as high as among men.
Here’s all you need to know about why headaches happen plus 7 essential steps to kick headaches to the curb and cure migraines.
Headaches 101
A headache is a “pain felt in the head, characterized by common characteristics including: throbbing, squeezing, constant, unrelenting, or intermittent. 
Headaches are an inflammatory response in the body, most headaches happen in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles that cover a person’s head and neck. There are many different ways to cure migraines and headaches.
Although it may seem like it, a headache is not actually a pain in your brain. Instead, the brain tells you when other parts of your body hurt or are inflamed; your brain doesn’t necessarily physically experience the pain itself (it just feels like).
Different Types of Headaches
There are more than 150 different types of headaches. Some of the most common types include:
Tension Headaches (episodic or chronic)
Mild to moderate pain and come and go over time and usually have no other symptoms.
Migraines
Often described as pounding, throbbing pain. Migraines can last from 4 hours to 3 days and usually happen one to four times per month and there are ways to cure migraines naturally. Along with the pain, people have other symptoms, such as sensitivity to light, noise, or smells; nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; aura (seeing spots or a spinning room); and upset stomach or belly pain.
Cluster Headaches
Intense and feels like a burning or piercing pain behind or around one eye, either throbbing or constant. Called “cluster headaches” because they often occur in groups. You may get them one to three times per day during a cluster period, which may last 2 weeks to 3 months. Each headache attack last 15 mins to 3 hours and often wakens the patient from sleep.
The headaches may disappear completely (go into “remission”) for months or years, only to come back again. The pain can be so bad that most people with cluster headaches can’t sit still and will often pace during an attack. On the side of the pain, the eyelid droops, the eye reddens, pupil gets smaller or the eye tears.  The nostril on that side runs or stuffs. It is very important to cure migraines and headaches to feel better.
Sinus Headaches
Deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of your nose. Sinus headaches happen when cavities in your head (sinuses) get inflamed. The pain usually comes along with other sinus symptoms, such as a runny nose, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and swelling in your face. A true sinus headache is from a sinus infection so the nasal discharge is yellow or green, unlike the clear discharge in cluster or migraine.
Hormone Headaches
Women can get headaches from changing hormone levels during their periods, pregnancy, and menopause. The hormone changes from birth control pills also trigger headaches in some women. Fortunately, there are simple ways to cure migraines and headaches.
Exertion Headaches
Headaches brought on from the constriction of blood vessels in your body during exertion, such as intense exercise, heavy lifting or overtraining.  Exercise induces a stress response, accompanied by a spike in blood glucose. (Fun fact: People with blood glucose of 70 have reported upwards of 140 after exercising while fasted). What this means for your head? Elevated glucose and/or stress, elevates cortisol, which also elevates inflammation. 
Seasonal or “Allergy” Headaches
Inflammation in the brain and body brought on from a histamine (allergic or sensitivity) response to either allergens in the air or foods. 
Oral or Dental Headaches 
Connected to the dental work and oral health, such as tightening of braces, TMJ (lock jaw), or structural and chemical imbalances in the mouth (cavities, mercury fillings, need for a root canal). 
Secondary Headaches 
A secondary “side effect” due to trauma, infections, disorders, withdrawal from medications, drugs or alcohol, or structural imbalances in the body (such as spine, neck or other body parts connected to cranial nerves). 
For instance: A food intolerance in your gut may trigger a histamine response that in turn feels like a headache in your head. 
For others, sometimes people also get headaches when they are sick —such as a sinus headache when you get a cold, flu, or allergies (“pain” in the immune system).
Another example: Cortisol imbalances from stress (i.e. lack of sleep, overwork, overtraining, under-eating, inflammatory foods, etc.) can cause headaches, felt in your brain too–even though the pain is really somewhere else (your hormones).
And one more: People who drink a lot of caffeinated drinks might get caffeine-withdrawal headaches, and some headaches are the side effect of taking a particular medication–both signs of imbalance in the body and unwanted stress.
What Causes Headaches?
The pain you feel during a headache comes from a mix of signals between your brain, blood vessels, and nearby nerves. Specific nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles switch on and send pain signals to your brain. Good thing you can address this and cure migraines naturally.
Lots of different things can trigger headache signals, including:
Dehydration
Gut pathologies (SIBO, yeast, fungi)
HPA-Axis dysregulation (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal; chronic stress)
Hormone imbalances (PMS, menstruation, birth control)
Over-exertion/exercise
Low stomach acid
Thyroid dysfunction
Too much screen time (Circadian rhythm stress)
Macronutrient imbalance (Low protein intake, low quality fat intake, low carb intake)
Toxic chemical exposure (plastics, dryer sheets, toxic cleaning/beauty supplies)
Mold exposure
Dental fillings or dental work
TMJ (lock jaw)
Mercury overload/heavy metals
Food intolerances
Environmental/pet allergens
Poor immune function
Gluten & Conventional dairy
Low serotonin (90% is produced in the gut) and/or low dopamine
Liver/gallbladder pathology
Eating out a lot (poor quality oils, gluten, fillers)
Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
Long term medication use
Nootropic supplements or neurotransmitter supplement mis-use (5-HTP, Gaba, etc.)
Antibiotics
Nutrient deficiencies [particularly Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Fatty Acids, Coenzyme Q10 and B2 (riboflavin)]
High caffeine or sugar intake (and/or withdrawal)
High carbohydrate intake, or low carb diets without enough fat or poor fat absorption
Low protein diets
Structural imbalances (head, neck, spine)
 One Root Cause
Although there are TONS of different triggers to headaches and the “mixed signals” in the brain and blood vessels, all headaches share one root cause: Inflammation, or stress, on your body. Not just mental stress, but physical stress too.
When your body experiences stress—be it stress on your immune system from allergens in the air, stress from a traumatic brain injury, or stress from hormone imbalance (like high cortisol)—your brain signals and neurotransmitters may send signals to your brain telling it, it’s under stress or “in pain.” You will need some remedies to cure migraines and headaches.
One of the top sources of this headache-causing stress? Your gut health.
Gut Health 101
Your gut is the gateway to your total body health and inflammatory processes. 
In fact, you have more than 100 trillion gut bacteria throughout your body (not just located in your GI tract, but relocated to other places too, like your mouth, skin, heart and endocrine glands)—that is 10 times more gut bacteria than actual human cells. 
Although the word “bacteria” may sound like a bad or dirty word, the vast majority of your gut bacteria are non-pathogenic (non-disease causing)—at least when your body is healthy.  
Every person different types and amounts of gut bacteria, and those people with “healthier strains” of gut bacteria and a “wider, more diverse variety” of gut bacteria (not just the same strains) are generally healthier as a whole—metabolism, hormones, immune function, weight, energy and lower amounts of headaches. 
What Do Gut Bacteria Do?!
The main role of your (healthy) gut bacteria is to keep all your body’s daily essential processes “healthy” and in running smoothly including:
Nutrient absorption (making the Vitamin C in your orange actually be used by your body)
Immune system function
Hormone balance
Maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism  
Maintenance of your intestinal lining (preventing “leaky gut” and digestive wors)
“Feeding” ALL of your cells and neurotransmitters to function properly (including your brain health)
Fighting off inflammation and protection against “pathogens” (bad guys, toxins, pesticides, illnesses)
In short: gut bacteria play an important role not only in digestive health, but in wider aspects of health, including weight, metabolic health, hormone health, immune function and…fending off headaches.  The role of gut bacteria in headaches, mental health and brain health is known as the “gut-brain” connection. 
The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut is often referred to as the “second brain” in the scientific literature. Get these brain-gut connection facts:
You have more than 100 million neurons in your gut—cells and signals that talk directly to the brain.
More than 90% of your serotonin (your “feel good” brain chemicals) that calms inflammation in the body is produced in your gut.
More than 30 hormones that govern “homeostasis” and balance in your brain and body are produced in your gut.
In addition, more than 80% of your immune fighting cells (Th1, Th2, Beta Cells, Th17) are produced and housed in your gut (the immune fighting cells that fight inflammation in your body)
Your liver (your body’s #1 anti-inflammatory and cleansing organ) detoxifies unwanted toxins in your body and metabolizes hormones, like cortisol (stress hormones) and all of your neurotransmitters (including serotonin), signaling them to properly “work” in your body. However if your liver is sluggish, congested or overworked (from toxins, pesticides, non-organic foods, artificial sweeteners, longterm medication use, environmental stressors, etc.), then your brain (and body) suffers, since your hormone balance (cortisol levels) and brain chemicals are unable to function properly.
Your vagus nerve, the nerve that governs your digestive process and your brain frontal lobe (“clear thinking”) function is directly connected from the top of your stomach to the top of your brain. 
The Bottom Line:
The “gut-brain” connection plays a BIG role in how your body experiences stress and inflammatory process experienced in your brain and body when headaches strike.
If your gut health is “out of whack” and you have lots of inflammation in your gut, guess where you may experience that inflammation? Your brain. 
The Result?
Your neurons are unable to fire properly.
Your cortisol (inflammation fighting hormone) is in “stressed out mode.” 
Also, your “feel good” anti-inflammatory brain chemicals are suppressed.
You get headaches.
How Does My Gut Get Unhealthy in the First Place?
Gut “problems” and bacterial imbalances don’t happen overnight, nor are they attributed to on thing. Instead a variety of stressors and triggers accumulate over time, causing a disruption in the balance of healthy gut bacteria, introducing more unhealthy or dysbiotic bacteria (overgrowth of certain strains), or spurring on a yeast overgrowth or pathogenic infection (like a parasite). 
Common gut bacteria disruptors include: 
Not chewing your food thoroughly
Being born as a C-section baby or formula fed (preventing the formation of early life healthy gut bacteria)
Low stomach acid or digestive enzymes
Nutrient deficiencies
Eating too fast or in a hurry (preventing proper food breakdown)
Lack of food diversity and variety
Low quality protein, low starchy tuber/prebiotic fiber and/or low healthy fatty acids in the diet
Eating gut-irritating ingredients and chemicals your body DOESN’T recognize as “food” or can’t easily digest (conventional meat with hormones and antibiotics, Quest Bars, Halo Top, Instant Oatmeal, sugary granola bars, Diet Coke, frozen dinners, hydrogenated oils)
Long-term use of medications or antibiotics
Environmental toxic exposures (hygiene, cleaning, beauty supplies)
Antibiotics
NSAIDS, birth control pills & other long term medication use 
Low thyroid function
Mercury overload (fish, fillings, metals)
Mold exposure (house, environment)
Chronic stress (under-sleeping, overtraining, constant worry or anxiety, high alcohol or smoking exposure)
Food poisoning
Sedentary lifestyles or overtraining
Circadian rhythm disruption that throws off internal balance in your body (such as: “off” eating, sleeping or waking times; artificial light exposure at night)
Chronic infections (Lyme, Ebstein Barr, hepatitis) 
Disordered eating habits (binging, purging, restriction, etc.)
History of Infections or Illness (bacterial, virus, heavy metals, fungal overgrowth)
Lack of fermented foods and fibers (probiotics and pre-biotics)
Other digestive problems, like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), liver/gallbladder dysfunction, parasites, food intolerances, etc. 
 This list is not exhaustive, but as you can see, a variety of stressors on physical health can impact the health, variety and diversity of your gut bacteria. 
Headaches, Gut Bacteria & Stress 
While it may sound simplistic, a disruption of gut bacterial health in combination with stressors that influence your stress hormone balance (cortisol) provoke inflammation in the body. 
If your gut health is disrupted or your body is overburdened by stress (physical and mental), 
Your liver is unable to detoxify toxins and foods and metabolize hormones and neurotransmitters properly; 
Your gut is unable to break down and digest “inflammatory” foods in your diet (like gluten, sugar or hormone, antibiotic-rich dairy); 
And, your immune system is unable to fight off pathogens; 
Inflammation overtakes your body as a whole
…Leading to headaches for those who are most susceptible to them. 
Headache Treatment: Conventional Approach
Unfortunately, headaches (especially migraines) are hard to treat and very difficult to prevent with conventional approaches. There are many options when you are looking for ways to cure migraines.
The top go-to’s for headache treatments include NSAIDS (advil, tyelenol, ibuprofen), sometimes a recommendation for “more water,” and other prescription medications. These are popular to those who wish to cure migraines.
There are also a ton of preventive drugs prescribed to regular migraine sufferers— calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, and more –all of which work poorly (if at all), and they also come with a host of by side effects (including purposeful paralyzation of the neck muscles just to make the headaches stop!). 
The problem with all these approaches is that we are simply seeking to treat (and mask) the symptoms, instead of first addressing the root cause of the headaches (to keep them from happening in the first place), leaving sufferers to “deal with headaches” (and pray they don’t happen) for most of their lives. 
Headache Treatment: Functional Approach
The functional approach to headaches takes a different path—seeking to figure out the root cause(s) behind headaches, and addressing inflammation and total body wellness (as a whole) in order to not only curb headaches (in the moment), but also prevent them from happening in the first place. 
7 Natural Hacks to Cure Migraines and Headaches
So how do you “heal” or cure migraines and headaches naturally?! 
Boost your body systems that curb and fight inflammation—namely your gut health! 
“Loving your gut,” along with the implementation of anti-inflammatory practices (through foods, lifestyle factors and smart supplementation) is the no-nonsense solution to kicking your headaches to the curb. This will be very helpful to cure migraines too.
Here are 7 do-now hacks:
1. Address Underlying Pathologies & Stressors
It’s crucial to figure out what triggers and stressor(s) are driving your headaches:
Are they “seasonal?” Food intolerances? Environmental related? Allergies? “That time of the month?” Medications? Caffeine? Diet?
Once you identify your trigger(s), then dig even deeper behind the trigger(s): “What is “pulling the trigger in the first place?”
For instance allergies are rooted in immune dysfunction (in your gut, where 80% of immune system cells are produced). High caffeine intake messes with both cortisol levels and sometimes gut bacteria. Medications thwart cortisol balance and affect liver function, causing inflammation in the body. You are always more susceptible to headaches if and when your gut health (including liver health) or HPA-Axis (hormone and cortisol balance) is off. This is a very important step to get the best remedies to cure migraines.
The top “underlying” stressors behind regular headaches, especially migraines include:
Gut Imbalances (Yeast, SIBO, infection, parasites)
Food Intolerance/Allergies (Especially gluten, corn, soy, sugar)
Chemical Triggers (nitrates in deli meats, sulfites in wine, pesticides in food—especially non-organic foods)
Heavy Metals (mercury in dental fillings, food exposure, steel braces and retainers)
Environmental Toxins (mold, chemicals in cleaning, beauty, chemical products)
Hormonal Imbalances (often from poor liver metabolism and clearance; or elevated cortisol—stress hormone)
Nutrient Deficiencies (especially Magnesium, Zinc & B-Vitamins—often from lack of them in the diet and poor gut health absorption)
Mitochondrial (cell function) Imbalances
If you get headaches frequently, consider partnering with a healthcare practitioner who digs deeper beyond symptoms to figure out root cause(s). A further customized treatment protocol and testing may  be necessary, such as: Adrenal-hormone testing; stool analysis; SIBO breath testing; heavy metals testing; comprehensive functional blood chemistry. 
2. Build a Healthy Gut Ecosystem 
Your gut is the gateway to health. Heal the gut and practically every other body system “domino” often falls into place (headaches included). Our gut bacteria dictate the physiological processes inside our bodies, so if your gut bacteria are unhealthy or out of whack, then other systems and processes (ie. metabolism, hormones, detox pathways, elimination, nutrient uptake, cardiorespiratory, blood sugar, etc.) may get out of whack too. Build a healthy gut ecosystem with gut-loving supports–particularly for your liver-gallbladder processing (your body’s filtration and recycling system).
Some basic essentials include:
Daily soil-based probiotic and fermented foods (1-2 condiment servings: sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, fermented yogurt, kefir)
Prebiotic supplement and foods (starchy tubers, soluble fibers and root veggies)
Boosting stomach acid with apple cider vinegar shots and/or HCL tablets and digestive enzymes
Cooking your own food, more than eating out
Chewing your food really well and not eating in a hurry or on the go
3. Hydrate 
Water is crucial for all life (to cure migraines and headache relief). A dehydration headache is a headache, caused by not having enough fluid in the body and inflammation mounting in the brain. The body requires the proper balance of fluid and electrolytes to function properly, and every day, the body loses water through daily activities, such as sweating and urination.
Typically, the amount of fluid lost is easily balanced through drinking or eating fluid-rich foods.
However, sometimes the body loses water faster than it can be replenished.When the body is dehydrated, the brain can temporarily contract or shrink from fluid loss. This causes the brain to pull away from the skull, causing pain and resulting in a dehydration headache.  Once rehydrated, the brain plumps up and returns to its normal state, relieving the headache. The bottom line: Water does a body good. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. 
4. Eat a Nutrient Dense Diet
When we eat, we not only feed ourselves, but we also feed our gut bugs. What are you feeding yours? More and more research shows that certain foods can trigger headaches more than others—particularly the highest inflammatory offenders, like gluten, conventional dairy, eggs, nuts, 
Eat This:
organic, sustainable meats & poultry
wild-caught fish
fresh veggies and fruits
fermented foods (pickled veggies, sauerkraut, kefir)
starchy tubers & roots (sweet potatoes/potatoes, plantains, carrots, beets, squashes)
healthy plant and animal fats (coconut, avocado, olives, ghee, grass-fed butter, lard, tallow)
herbal tea
Bonus: magnesium-rich foods: dark leafy greens, avocado, bananas, raw soaked pumpkin seeds, soaked beans
Limit
eggs (especially egg whites)
nuts
alcohol (4-6 glasses per week)
coffee (more than 1 cup)
nightshades (chili powder, spices, vegetables)
legumes (unless you soak and dry to cook)
Dairy (fermented and grass-fed sources)
Pork (pastured, organic preferred)
 Avoid
soy
sugar/artificial sweeteners
gluten
corn (including cornstarch in foods, high fructose corn syrup)
soy
conventional dairy & meats (hormones, antibiotics)
processed and refined foods
industrial seed oils (canola oil, grape-seed oil)
peanuts
grains
instant coffee
any other foods you are intolerant to (such as FODMAPS)
 Try this approach for 30 days and see how you feel. This helps to cure migraines.
Take it to the Next Level: Consider a Low Histamine Diet
Histamine rich foods cause an “immune” response in the body that triggers inflammation—particularly headaches. If you’ve been eating the basic anti-inflammatory diet for more than 30-60 days, but still keep getting headaches, consider experimenting with a low-histamine diet for 30 days, and see how you feel. Note: A histamine intolerance is often a BIG sign that something in your gut is “off.” Many people find when they eat any histamine foods, some extra gut love during the day (digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid tablets with meals, and an extra dose of prebiotics and probiotics), along with immune boosting support supplements (like D-Hist by Orthomolecular or Trizomal Glutathione and Tumero Active by Apex Energetics) can be “game changers” for digesting those foods (and fending off histamine responses).
Histamine Rich Foods to Avoid on a Low Histamine Diet (30-60 Day Experiment) 
Ketchup
Food additives
Citrus fruits, bananas, strawberries, pineapples
Cocoa (chocolate)
Nuts
Legumes/beans
Eggs/egg whites
Slow cooked bone broth (for more than 48-72 hours)
5. Incorporate Anti-inflammatory Lifestyle Practices (Kick Stress)
Once you’ve identified potential triggers of your headaches, and commenced a gut-loving protocol, the last tier of kicking headaches to the curb is anti-inflammation–supporting healing of your headache through supplemental supports that gently calm down the pounding in your “head” (and body). While inflammation is NOT always a bad thing (inflammation is a natural response for healing), chronic (lingering) inflammation from ongoing stressors does more harm than good. Your body (and brain) needs some regular anti-inflammatory love to “cool down.”
Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle Practices: 
Sleeping (7-9 hours each night)
Regular daily exercise and lifestyle movement (but not overtraining)
Mindfulness Practices (yoga, tai chi, meditation, journaling)
Limiting over-screen exposure (taking regular breaks)
Stretching and massage/body work
For those who regularly fight headaches, consider “bio-hacking” techniques like: acupuncture, bio-feedback, mindfulness based stress reduction and neurological-feedback, hot-cold therapy, and ozone therapy. 
6. Love Your Liver
As a matter of fact, our liver is the organ responsible for metabolizing hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as filtering and detoxing toxic chemicals and pathogens in the body. Ultimately, to fight inflammation and keep your body balanced. However, if your liver health is “off,” then you’re more likely to experience inflammation commonly associated with headaches. Especially, migraines—since serotonin production (calming, soothing neurotransmitter) is drastically reduced. With the right approach, you could cure migraines.
Regular headache suffers should pay special attention to loving their liver with these essentials:
Drink fresh, clean filtered water in a stainless steel or glass water bottle. Also use glassware containers and stainless steel food containers and pans. 
Ditch alcohol and coffee for 30 days to see how you feel without it in your system
Eat liver loving foods including: beets, fresh herbs, turmeric, garlic, oregano, apple cider vinegar, lemons, cruciferous veggies, dark leafy greens, organ meats, apples, carrots, grapefruit, green tea, cabbage/fermented sauerkraut
Gradually replace toxic products with natural products. Get rid of dryer sheets, Windex and other non-natural cleaning, hygiene and beauty supplies.
Do a 7-day gentle liver cleanse
After addressing the “basics” with your anti-inflammatory gut health and lifestyle practices, you may even consider a 7-day gentle cleanse. 
7-Day Liver Cleanse
Add in a “Liver Cleanse” Support
Days 1-4: Eat 1 organic apple or take a malic acid supplement according to its instructions. Just choose one method. During this time eat clean healthy meals that are simple like lean meats, whole vegetables, fresh fruit, 
Days 5-7: Drink a grapefruit or lemon juice mix once per day
2 chopped lemons or 1 small grapefruit (can keep peel on)
2.5 cups of pure water
1-2 tbsp. of virgin olive oil
Blend, then strain drink through a mesh, wire strainer. Add optional 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (alcohol free) and 2-3 drops stevia for flavor if desired. 
Continue to eat regular, balanced meals during the day. 
Eat 3 balanced meals of clean and light foods throughout the cleanse, including:
Lean proteins (pastured chicken, wild-caught fish, organic turkey; fermented tofu and soaked beans/lentils if vegetarian/vegan)
Dark leafy greens (cooked and/or raw)
Low starch veggies (cooked)
Healthy fats (avocado, coconut/coconut oil, olives/olive oil, ghee)
Fresh fruits: 1-2 servings (especially berries, grapes, melons)
Gut & liver boosting foods: Bone broth, apple cider vinegar, organic organ meats, beets, herbs, fermented foods.
Avoid: grains/gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, pork, red meat, coffee, alcohol, sweeteners, sugar, starches
Go “Natural” with Hygiene/Beauty & Cleaning Products:
Makeup free or natural products only
Fluoride free toothpaste or baking soda
Try coconut oil to moisturize, apple cider vinegar and essential oils for a face toner, salt and honey scrubs, yogurt hair masks and other and homemade cleansers
Use white vinegar and baking soda to clean kitchen
Buy a natural laundry detergent and dryer sheets if used (Seventh Generation, ecover, method) 
 Bonus Supplements*: Add in these supports consistently during your 7 day liver cleanse to support gut health.
Probiotic: 2-3 soil-based organism (like Megaspore), 3 times per day
Prebiotic: Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum, 1/2-1 tsp in water
Liver Cleanse Herbs:  Like Livotrit or Gaia’s Liver Cleanse or Apex Energetic’s Metacrin DX or digestive bitters, like liposomal Biocidin (if you have “gut issues”)
Liposomal Curcumin, 1 tsp, 2-3 times per day
Liposomal Glutathione, 1 tsp, 2-3 times per day
Optional: Daily Hormone & Cortisol “Supports”
Female Support:  Such as FemGuard Balance or Progestaid. Contains compounds like DIM & vitex/chaste tree for hormonal-driven headaches
Adrenal Adaptogen Herbs (like ashwaganda, relora, or cordyceps) for high cortisol and general stressor driven headaches
*By using this information, you acknowledge you’re responsible for your own healthcare. Consult with your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements. 
7. In the Moment Hacks
While most of these strategies are preventative action steps you can take to kick headaches and cure migraines, what to do when headaches strike?
Also, here are a few in-the-moment headache “coolers” and smart supplements to keep on hand: 
Hack 1: Better-Than Advil Supplement Combo
Fortunately, these supplements work together to support your liver, calm inflammation naturally and boost healthy neurotransmitter function and production. Great for the everyday tension or cluster headache, as well as migraines.This helps to cure migraines.
Beta TCP (Biotics Research), take 2-3, chew for best results (migraines: 6-8)
Livotrit Plus (Biotics Research), take 2-3 (migraines: 6-8)
Optional Add On: Intezyme Forte (Biotics Research) take 2-3 (migraines: 4-6) An anti-inflammatory digestive enzymes to boost your gut’s inflammatory fighting capacity) 
Hack 2: Immune Booster
A “triple threat” of immune boosting supports, particularly effective for those sinus and allergy related headaches. Use the following for up to 7 days to cure migraines and headaches. 
Trizomal Glutathione (Apex Energetics), 1-2 tsp, 2-3 times per day.
Liposomal Curcumin + Resveratrol, 1-2 tsp, 2-3 times per day.
Hack 3: Gut  & Immune Booster
Love your gut bugs up on the days headaches strike with:
Double dose soil-based probiotic (2-3, 3 times per day)
Short Chain Fatty Acids (like Sodium-Butyrate by Body Bio, 1 with meals)
Apple Cider Vinegar shots (1-2 tbsp in water with meals)
Lemon water and at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water during the day
Essential Oils: Peppermint Oil, Lavender, Rosemary, Ginger, Spearmint, Chamomile, Basil (on pulse points and in diffuser) 
Hack 4: “Windex” for Inflammation
CBD oil or hemp oil activates cannabidiols in your body to fight inflammation when your body needs it most. CBD oil is derived from the cannabis plant and contains NO THC (associated with psychedelics).  But ALL the benefits of “calming” the bod in times of stress—headaches included. This hack will reall help you cure migraines.
Lastly, consider 1-3 pumps under your tongue of a high-quality CBD Oil like PrimeMyBody or Charlotte’s Web. 
*The information contained in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. If starting a new supplement or recommendation in this article, you acknowledge you’re responsible for your own health decisions. It is advised you consult with your healthcare practitioner concerning your health choices, as well as consult your provider for safety or interactions with any medications or other supplements you’re currently taking.  
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