Your Migraine Could Be Telling You Something – Are You Listening?

I never get headaches unless I drink more than one cocktail late at night. I am sure we have all awoken to a screaming headache after a night of drinking but for those who suffer from migraines, this is no
easy matter.

Recently, I’ve seen articles about migraines so I thought it may be helpful to write about what I have seen in clients who suffer from this debilitating issue.

First, many people who suffer from migraines have long-term histories of stress, abuse, and unresolved emotional issues that have been suppressed for years. Most if not all have poor diets (even those
convinced they eat just fine and drink plenty of water), their daily
eating habits are less than ideal in my opinion.

Women are at a higher risk of not only migraines but migraines leading to common stroke. If you are a person who suffers with migraines and have visual symptoms such as auras, flashing lights,
zigzag lines and blurred vision, you are the most likely to have a
stroke later in your life so make sure to discuss your symptoms with a
doctor.

Prevention and treatment options for migraines include stopping smoking if you do, taking blood pressure medication or blood thinning treatments. I have also seen it recommended that you stop taking oral
contraception or hormone replacement therapies. But what about
non-medical treatments? Does anything help?

1. I find in sessions that many people who have migraines also have really bad teeth or have had lots of mouth work over their life. If that’s you, you may want to have someone take a look at your teeth and
   make sure you don’t have cracked fillings, or hairline fractures in
   your teeth. I have found a number of clients who suffered from
   migraines halt all symptoms once we got them to a good dentist who was
   willing to take more x-rays to find out where there may be deep cracks
   or issues in the roots of the teeth.

1. Also, eating frequently and making sure your blood sugar doesn’t drop is something to try, avoiding too much caffeine, and sugary foods is also recommended to anyone with migraines that come into my office.

1. Drink more water, more frequently throughout the day and eat more water filled foods like fruits and veggies mid-day – try a big salad each day around 2pm and see if you gain results.

1. I will be uploading a MELT Map for Migraines shortly! Try it once a day but make sure you drink water before and after!

Before you even take your first bite of food your stomach prepares for digestion during what’s called the cephalic phase. This is a key aspect
of digestion most people don’t know anything about.

If you are sleep deprived, have a great deal of life-stress, emotional distress, or poor eating habits your issues can lead to an impaired cephalic phase. Once this bad cycle begins it’s tough to
recover natural digestive balance. If your stomach can’t achieve the
cephalic phase and prepare your bowels for the food you are about to
eat, your risk of things like indigestion, IBS, celiac disease and
symptoms, and even irrational behavior increase dramatically.
Constipation and internal stress levels escalate leaving you even more
irritated and moody. And although drugs I am sure are available to
treat this issue breaking the cycle is both a mental and physical
process.

Here are some quick tips to get your cephalic phase back on track:

1. Cook your own food. Everything from the scent of different foods to the meditative state of food prepping can help your cephalic phase begin.
2. Try things like peppermint leaves and ground flax to reduce gut spasms and irritation.
3. Drink water first thing in the morning before you put anything else in your belly and then wait about 30 minutes before you eat food.
4. Stay away from lots of caffeine and sugar, which can irritate the guts preparation to digest food.
5. Sleep in a dark room to ensure a good nights sleep.
6. Chew your food well and before you even put the first bite into your mouth, breathe in the scents of the food, which helps with the cephalic phase.
7. Don’t eat on the go. Even if you are in a hurry, try to spend at least 5 minutes after eating to just sit and relax for a few to let your enzymes and hydrochloric acid blend for better gut absorption.
8. MELT! The 3-D Breath Breakdown helps the organs function due to the relationship the diaphragm has with the gut. Try this technique everyday and if you have digestive issues, try it just before you eat.
   You can do it anywhere but best results will be on the roller.
9. Remember, it's not just what you eat that counts. Quantity is a big factor to proper digestion along with how you deal with stress from day-to-day. Don't let bad habits accumulate and cause life-long
   digestive issues. The sooner you start taking care of your body inside
   and out the better your wellness will be for a lifetime!