Migraine Headaches - Is Your Diet a Headache?

Is Your Diet A Headache? - There are some foods and drinks that headache and migraine sufferers should avoid. However the sad truth for people who suffer from severe headaches is that only around 20% see any benefit to a change in their diet.

The things that are best left alone are the six C’s:

* Coffee
* Cola
* Chocolate
* Cheese
* Citrus
* Congeners

Other foods that contain headache triggers are:

* Nuts and cheeses that have been aged, such as parmesan, cheddar and brie. These all contain Tyramine, an amino acid which can trigger headaches.

* Beer and red wine which both contain Histamines.

* Hotdogs, luncheon meats, cured ham, sausages and other processed meats which all contain nitrates as preservatives.

* Monosodium glutamate, or MSG which is in a lot of Chinese food.

The ‘vaso-active’ amines in some foods are what are believed to bring on a headache or migraine. These amines enlarge the blood vessels, which press on nerves and cause pain.

There is hope for chocolate lovers though. Although chocolate contains amines and was long thought to be a trigger, research is showing that it’s not necessarily so. Although it’s good news, we don’t suggest that you go off and have a massive chocolate binge. As with all of these foods, it really is a case of what works, or doesn’t, for you. Try them out one at a time, so that you know what your own personal triggers are.

So if I avoid these triggers I won’t get headaches?

It’s true that avoiding these will help. But other aspects of your diet can bring on headaches too. Dehydration is probably the most common reason for headaches but happily, the easiest to remedy. That sort of headache can be quickly relieved by just drinking. Children often come home from school complaining of a headache. For a start, they don’t have the time or opportunity to drink as much as they would at home. And it’s common for kids to limit their fluid intake at school as they embarrassed to ask to go to the bathroom. These headaches can easily be avoided by giving your child a small bottle of water to carry around so that they can have a drink between classes.

Whether you’re at home all day or go out to work, it’s often easy to get engrossed in what you’re doing and forget to drink enough. So plan regular breaks, or drink while you work. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes. Drinking a lot of water is good for your whole body and will help to give you clear, glowing skin. Need any more persuasion?

The afternoon slump

Low blood sugar can also bring on a nasty headache. A lunch of chips, sweet drinks and candy is high in sugar and carbohydrates that are refined and can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. That is what gives you the high and makes this sort of meal so appealing. But then there is a sudden drop – leaving you feeling dopey and drowsy and often with a headache. Try to choose meals with complex carbohydrates that take longer to digest, like whole meal bread, cheese, turkey and fruit. This kind of diet will help to prevent headaches, give you longer-lasting energy and improve your digestive system. Can’t be bad!

Vital information on sinus headaches can be found at http://headache.healthhows.com , a resource rich site with ideas and tips to fight headaces of all types and their causes.

Migraines - An Action Plan

ACTION PLAN FOR MIGRAINES

The National Headache Foundation advocates a series of steps for people suffering from migraines. They include:

Seek help. The ailment deserves the same attention as any health problem.

Educate yourself. You'll know better what to tell your doctor.

Visit a doctor. Talk specifically about your headaches.

Prepare for the dialogue. Keep a detailed headache diary.

Have reasonable expectations. That means progress, not a cure.

Be honest. The doctor needs to know your medications, medical conditions and psychological history.

Focus on solutions. Be positive; don't blame yourself for something that's not your fault.

Migrain Strategies that help me - ice pack to back of head, darkened room, lavender eye pillow and relaxation/meditation.

Migraine Headahes - Natural Treatment with Acupressure

How to Treat Your Migraines Yourself with Acupressure by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc

Acupuncture and Migraine is a sophisticated medicine for a complicated disease.

Acupuncture is good not only for the headache, but for the various types of migraine auras, AND for preventing migraines. Also, you can use the points I'll suggest below to give yourself acupressure at home for free!

Acupuncture and migraine treatment, like all acupuncture, is based on the principles and theories of Chinese medicine. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, the causes are emotional excesses (stress, long-term emotional disturbance, even just long-term frustration!), dietary imbalance (too much of the wrong foods and too little of the right ones), and the deficiencies inherent in the aging process can lead to the symptoms of migraine.

Acupuncture points may be different for acute attacks, and for prevention. There is acupuncture to treat, for example, a one-sided headache, and then a slightly different acupuncture to treat the susceptibility to stress that causes it.

Acupuncture - The Pain "Reset Button"
A neurologist told us in a guest lecture at my alma mater, the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, that acupuncture is the best therapy for chronic pain. He said that chronic pain signals can get 'grooved in' to the brain. That means that even after the real problem has been totally eliminated, the brain may still be "echoing" pain signals to us. This fits with Oliver Sach’s observation that migraine is like a neurological configuration or ‘frame of mind’ or arrangement that the migraineur keeps falling into.

Acupuncture can act as a 'reset button' to end these echoes of pain. The sooner you get acupuncture, the better, because the longer the pain is there, the more difficult it is to change.

In Chinese Medicine, we diagnose each patient according to what is called a pattern of imbalance, a group of symptoms. There are 5 basic patterns involved in migraines, but real people are complex and may have several patterns going on at the same time.

Let’s take a look at acupuncture and migraine in terms of the 5 patterns mentioned by Bob Flaws and Philippe Sionneau in their “Treatment of Modern Western Medical Diseases in TCM.” Acupuncture is much more effective than acupressure, but in case you want to try out some of these points on yourself, you can massage them. Check out this link for the locations of these acupuncture and migraine points.

Migraine pattern #1 – Liver depression, qi and blood deficiency
This is basically stress and frustration with bodily depletion. Common symptoms of this type of migraine include one sided headache, blurred vision, numbness and tingling of the fingers, emotional depression, stress, fatigue, and menstrual irregularities. Acupuncture and migraine for this type might include points like Liv3, LI4 or linggu, P6, GB20, GB39, and GB43.

Migraine pattern #2 – Ascendant Liver yang
This migraine includes dizziness, sudden anger, light sensitivity, and ringing ears. Liver yang rises when the liver yin is deficient – and that happens over time from kidney yin deficiency, which can be due to overwork, too much sex, or too many warm herbs like ginseng and other sexual tonics. Too much coffee over a long period of time could contribute to this pattern, too (many people insist that coffee helps their migraines, and it can, but only temporarily. It may make underlying problems worse at the same time). Acupuncture and migraine for this type might include Liv2, K3, K6, GB39, and GB43.

Migraine pattern #3 – Cold reversal pattern
This migraine features pain at the top of the head, feeling of chill during attack, vomiting clear liquids, and a sensitivity to wind. This is a sudden attack of migraine only. It happens when the influences of stress (liver) attack the digestion (spleen). Acupuncture and migraine here might include moxa on ST36, Ren6, Du20, K7, and needling P6 and Ren13.

Migraine pattern #4 – Phlegm reversal pattern
This headache comes with dizziness, heavy-headedness, the feeling like there’s a tight band wrapped around the head, vomiting of phlegm, stuffiness in the chest, and a lack of appetite. It’s a severe complication of digestive deficiency. Phlegm comes from dampness, which is a diseased fluid problem due to poor digestion. Acupuncture and migraine to remedy this would be points like ST40, Sp9, L5, and ST36.

Migraine pattern #5 – Blood stasis obstructing the network vessels
This is a stubborn, stabbing headache that doesn’t change locations. It may be due to injury to the head, or blood may have stagnated due to qi stagnation. Points that fix this one are LI4, Sp6, SP10, and Liv3.

Acupressure resources- you can check out a free acupressure chart on my website at http://pulsemed.org/free-acupressure-chart.htm. For more help with acupressure, you should buy my book, Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind.

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine. He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines.

Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.com/health.php/25728

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Migraine Fact and Myth - Do you believe...

Headaches - Separating Migraine Myths From Fact

Do you believe caffeine relieves a migraine? Maybe it does for a small group of headache sufferers. There are some that caffeine inhibits the onset of a severe migraine headache but for others it is a physical trigger. As someone that has had migraines and tension headaches since childhood, I believed in the caffeine theory because products like Exedrin and Pamprin had caffeine in them. In the 70's alot of kids thought if you took aspirin with a drink of Coca cola you would get a buzz. Funny, now that I think of that but honestly, if you are working toward a full blown migraine don't automatically reach for a cup of coffee. Sugar, caffeine, dairy products can all worsen an impending migraine so keep track of your diet and fuild intake.

If your headaches are not improving then look at your caffeine consumption. I know - I love coffee but there was a time I would sit, hold the side of my head while drinking a cup of coffee and telling myself it would help. It often didn't. Truth be told, I had already had several cups of coffee when the migraine started so it was a mistake on my part to continue drinking drinks with caffeine, sugar and milk after the pain (or even the aura) started.

Keeping a headache diary can help determine whether caffeine helps or hurts your migraine. Caffeine is found naturally and as an additive in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, certain soft drinks, and some pain relieving and acute migraine medications.

To Your Health

Tammy

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Headaches and Computers - Internet Surfing Really a Pain?

Can Headaches be Caused by Sitting at a Computer?
By Dr. Larry A. Johnson, D.C.

Has it ever occurred to you that while you are happily typing away on your computer for hours on end you are actually creating a problem in your neck that can lead to chronic headaches? If you suffer from migraine headaches or tension headaches it may be something you should investigate.

When a person with migraine headaches or tension headaches visits a chiropractor for their pain what does the chiropractor typically do for that patient? The usual treatment for most headache patients is to manipulate, or adjust, the neck. Chiropractors teach us that most headaches come from neck problems, and that by adjusting or manipulating the neck tension and migraine headaches can be relieved or cured.

Over 80% of headache patients that receive chiropractic treatment show improvement that ranges from slight improvement up to complete elimination of their headache pain. If this is the case then it seems logical that the majority of migraine headaches or tension headaches originate from spinal (neck) problems. It also seems logical that if we knew what was causing these neck problems, and eliminated what was causing them, we could also eliminate the headaches, both migraine and tension.

As a chiropractor for 25 years I have treated many patients with migraine headaches and tension headaches. After examining thousands of patients I discovered that as many as 95% who were experiencing headaches had one thing in common, a reversed cervical (neck) curve. From the side view a normal neck should have a slight curve in it. But in my experience as a chiropractor I estimate that approximately 95% of my patients with headaches had either a lessening of that curve, no curve at all, or a curve that was completely reversed. When these “poor neck curvatures” were treated with chiropractic adjustments most showed great improvement.

Chiropractors know that headaches can be caused by “poor neck posture,” so the next question becomes “can sitting at a computer cause poor neck posture?” If the answer is yes, then it’s obvious that sitting at a computer can and does cause headaches.

People usually develop poor neck curvatures because of poor posture habits. Anything a person does that places their head in a position forward to their body will lessen or reverse their normal neck curve. And poor neck curvatures DO cause headaches. Chiropractors have been teaching this for decades.

The types of activities that can lead to poor neck posture include sitting at a computer for extended periods of time, reading with the head bent forward, sitting while slouching in a chair or on a couch, sleeping with the head or neck in odd positions, or any other activity that places the head in a position forward to the body. So, to answer our original question, yes, headaches can be caused by sitting at a computer. Sitting at a computer can cause an abnormal neck curvature to develop which can cause headaches.

Good posture can surely prevent the development of poor neck posture, which would seem to be the best remedy, but what can be done if the lessening or reversal of the neck curve has already been developed? Obviously, chiropractic treatment is an option that could be considered. But there are many other alternative treatments for tension or migraine headaches.

Most people just take a pain pill. But are pain pills the best approach? They surely are in some cases, but there are many other headache treatment options that don’t require the use of potentially harmful drugs. All drugs have side effects, some of which can end up being worse than the headaches themselves. Before treating your health problems with drugs it is wise to seek the advice of a health professional.

There are many natural remedies for migraine headaches or tension headaches. These include stress and tension reduction, ice therapy (used at the base of the skull), eliminating food triggers, getting the proper amount of rest, biofeedback, headache pillows or cushions, exercise and many others. Some of these may help relieve headaches, both migraine and tension, and could be investigated further.

Dr. Larry A. Johnson, D.C. has patented a unique neck pillow that was designed to correct neck problems that cause headaches, both tension headaches and migraines. For information about his natural approach for relieving migraine headaches please visit http://www.soothe-a-ciser.com

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Tame Migraine Headaches Naturally

Tame Migraine Headaches - Naturally
By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

New data revealed June 27, 2006 at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society, migraine headaches cost American employers more than $24 billion a year in direct and indirect healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Can migraine headache suffers find relief for the pain without breaking the bank? A study completed by P.E. Strang, W.H. Crown, R. Bizier, et al suggests preventative approaches are far more effective than is commonly believed. Preventative measures can eliminate the need for pharmaceuticals or natural remedies, as well as pain/suffering and lost work.

The most common prevention techniques include, but are not limited to:

•Decrease stress
• Affirm yourself: “I relax into the flow of life and let life provide all that I need easily and comfortably. Life is for me.”
• Decrease Caffeine--drink decaffeinated tea/coffee and eliminate all other drinks with caffeine
• Discover any food allergies/sensitivities—chocolate, cheese, nuts, alcohol, MSG, eggs yolks, wheat, yeast, beef can trigger—eliminate the foods that trigger allergy or sensitivities
• Eat Right for Your (Blood) Type
• Maintain healthy body weight
• 7 to 8 hours of sleep – preferably at least 1 hour of sleep before midnight
• Exercise—aerobics, calisthenics, power walks, hiking or weight training—at least 2 times a week
• Use a natural Detox system to cleanse the liver, kidneys, and colon. Buildup of toxins and poor liver functioning can be responsible for headaches because of the body's inability to eliminate toxins from the diet or the environment.
• Low blood sugar levels can also bring on headaches, especially if you have skipped a meal. Eliminate all processed sugar and foods with processed sugar or corn syrup. Not only will you eliminate headaches you will lose weight and/or avoid weight gain.

Resource: Stang, P.E., Crown, W.H., Bizier, R., et al. “The Family impact and costs of migraine,” American Journal of Managed Care, May 2004:313-320.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Author, International Speaker specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening.

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Stressed to the Max? Free Meditation mp3 to try

Sometimes just being under alot of pressure can make headaches more frequent, more intense and last longer. Serentipidy! Yesterday I found this "Secret Garden" meditation program that is free to try. This mp3 meditation program is 20 minutes of tranquility. I had to wait until I got all the kids to bed before I could try it but it was worth the wait!



Click on this banner ~ Enjoy!

Tammy

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Migraine Headaches - Effective Natural Treatment Methods!

Migraine Headaches - Effective Natural Treatment Methods!
By Dr. Larry A. Johnson, D.C.

Headaches are comprised of two major categories, primary and secondary. Headaches belonging to the primary group are not caused by underlying medical conditions while secondary headaches are the result of a medical condition such as trauma, infection or possibly even a brain tumor. Most headaches belong in the primary category.

The primary category headaches include migraine headaches and tension headaches. These two headache types are the most common of all headaches with tension-type headaches being the most common. Tension headaches constitute about 75% of all headaches while migraine headaches affect as many as 30 or 40 million Americans, or approximately 10% or more of the American population.

Migraine headaches can become chronic in nature, but are typically experienced at most once or twice a week, not daily. Females experience the pain of migraines about 3 times as often as males, or about 75% of the time. Migraine headaches can be severe and disabling. They can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and a sensitivity to light. About 20% of migraine patients will experience an aura. An aura is a disturbance in vision that consists of brightly colored blinking lights that move across a person's field of vision.

There are many types of treatment methods that are available to migraine sufferers, both natural and unnatural. The most common method of treatment are pain relievers that are bought without a prescription, or over-the-counter. Non-prescription drugs can include aspirin, Tylenol (acetaminophen), Motrin (ibuprofen), or a combination of acetaminophen and aspirin. These are the most commonly purchased types of non-prescription pain relievers. Migraine headache patients experiencing more severe pain may need prescription medicine.

There are also many types of natural treatment methods that don't involve the use of non-prescription or prescription medications. These methods of treatment can often relieve migraine headache symptoms and are increasingly gaining popularity in today's society as people are becoming more educated on the potentially dangerous side effects of drugs. One of these natural treatment methods is putting an ice pack on the back of the neck at the base of the skull. When using an ice pack there should be a barrier between the ice pack and the skin such as a wetted cloth or t-shirt that has had the water squeezed out of it. Ice therapy can lessen the flow of blood to the head resulting in less pressure in the head. It can often help relieve the throbbing pain of a migraine headache by decreasing the flow of blood to the head. It is often beneficial for a person to put their feet in a container of warm water at the same time. This can have the effect of attracting the blood to the feet instead of to the head.

Migraine headaches can sometimes be caused by foods and can be prevented by eliminating these food triggers. Foods that can trigger migraine headaches include, but are not limited to, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, MSG (monosodium glutamate), nuts, cheese, beans, onions and others. Eliminating the trigger may eliminate the migraines.

Another natural treatment method for migraine headaches is simply to reduce stress by relaxing. Many migraines are caused by stress, so eliminating the stress can relieve the pain. Relieving stress can sometimes be achieved by getting plenty of sleep, lying down in a dark quiet room, or a combination of lying down in a dark quiet room with a small ice pack positioned on the neck at the base of the skull as explained above.

This article is a general overview with regard to natural migraine headache treatment methods and may not apply to everyone. As always it is a good idea to seek the help of a professional before treating yourself for a potentially serious health condition.

As a chiropractor Dr. Larry A. Johnson, D.C. has treated patients with migraine headaches for 25 years. If you would like more information about migraine headaches visit his site at http://www.soothe-a-ciser.com.

PS ~ I'm a big fan of lavender eye pillows, darkened room and an ice pack at the base of my skull just like Dr. Johnson explains here ~ Tammy

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Sleep - Migraine Connection

Better Sleep May Mean Fewer Migraines - The Sleep - Migraine Connection

Now I just read this articleon a research study where they had subjects that had frequent migraines. The subjects in both groups no longer took sleep aids but one group implemented a form of Sleep Hygeine while the other group just made a couple changes to their daily routine to improve their sleep.

I wanted to share the Sleep Hygiene system they used: consistent bedtime that allowed for 8 hours in bed, no TV or other activities in bed, visualization techniques, moving dinner to at least 4 hours before bed and limiting fluids within 2 hours of bed plus the no naps rule.

The other group was told to keep a consistent dinner schedule and have a protein serving for breakfast. No changes were made in their sleep habits.

In the end, the group that had a sleep hygiene had a significant decrease in the number of migraines while the other group with no changes in sleep pattern had a slight increase in their headaches.

What to take away from this study? First ~ these measures we can do at home, do not need a prescription - they are lifestyle changes. For me it will be tough because I break all these sleep rules and YES I have migraines.

Let's talk - do you think any of these things would make a difference in your headaches? Restorative sleep is a hard thing to find sometimes - I think I'll do some more research on that!

I'm getting a Memory Pillow - anyone tried them for getting better sleep or reduce headaches?

Tammy

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Headaches and children - The impact

"Kids'Headaches - Link to Bad Behavior? Study Shows Some Children With Severe Headaches Report More Emotional Problems By Salynn Boyles - WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD on Wednesday, May 10, 2006

May 9, 2006 -- Kids who have frequent migraines and other types of severe headaches are also more likely to have emotional, behavioral, and social problems, according to findings from the first-ever national study of headaches and mental healthmental health among children.

Children with frequent headaches also tend to experience frequent sleep disturbances, a new study suggests."

This is just ONE article But...I found another article about children that live with headaches have sleep disturbances - in my mind, both show the impact of unrelieved headaches in children who eventually grow up to be adults.

If headaches are the culprit for sleep disturbances, mood swings, emotional and social problems and learning difficulties - just how easy is it to develop into a happy well-adjusted adult when you aren't getting good sleep or enjoying school and friends. As someone that has suffered with headaches since I was a child, it takes a monumental effort to remain cheerful when you are tired, cranky AND have a headache. It took me 30 years to figure out how to live with headaches.

I'm curious about something - if you have had headaches since childhood...did it make it harder for you? Did people believe you when you said you had a headache? Did you know how to manage them? Many parents are told their child is simply seeking attention, not truly in pain. That is an awful thought to plant in a parents head - don't trust your child when they report pain. Let's talk about THAT one! :-)

Tammy
Home Spas by Tam

We are spending millions to treat headaches?

Survey Finds Americans Spending Millions To Treat Headaches
Yvonne Lee - All Headline News Staff Reporter

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - A new survey shows that in 2002-2003, headaches resulted in 7.5 million U.S. adults buying prescription drugs and/or visiting a medical office, hospital outpatient department or emergency room.

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) says these measures cost patients and insurance companies about $4.3 billion.

-------------------------
One simple way to reduce the incidence and duration of your headaches is to Drink More Water - On average, most adults lose about 10 cups of fluid a day through sweating, exhaling, urinating, and bowel movements. Even minor dehydration can cause impaired concentration, headaches, irritability and fatigue. If you drink less than 10 cups of fluid each day (that's 80 ounces of water) you may be dehydrated. If you are overweight - add 8 oz of water per each 20 pounds overweight you are to determined how much water you should be taking in each day!

Tammy Ames RN

Homemade Joy

Possible migraine reducer - Vitamins?

Migraines and multi-vitamins - Over the last few days, I've seen several news sites reporting on reports that certain nutritional supplements can offset migraine pain, even prevent them. Yes, I know that the FDA isn't going to address the role of vitamins to treat migraines BUT I've been keeping track of the role of supplements and herbs in the treatment of headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, anxiety and chronic pain...for over 10 years now.

The multi-vitamin treatment for migraines really isn't big news because many migraine sufferers might already be supplementing with magnesium but the new studies are saying that migraine relief might be as close as a bottle of multi-vitamins. I agree to a degree. Ten years ago when I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia and had already been having migraines since childhood...I discovered a multi-vitamin that provided higher levels of the supplements recommended by homeopathic practitioners then. Vitalert has been a mainstay of my daily life for ten years now, chosen for the antioxidant levels of nutritional and herbal supplements.

Before changing any current treatment, please check with your doctor but if you are looking for a multi-vitamin that does have the anti-oxidant levels of riboflavin and magnesium then consider trying Vitalert (to read what Vitalert contains...put Vitalert in the search box and it comes right up, then scroll down)

Here is one of the articles popping up in newspapers online => Migraines and OTC
Treatment




Wishing You A headache free day ~

Tammy Ames RN BSN

Migraine Headaches and Hormones - Triggers for Headaches

Although the role of hormones with the onset and duration of migraines is still being studied there is a growing belief that hormones, especially estrogen, are part of the migraine mechanism. Why? Because women are 3 times more likely than men to experience migraines and the incidence of migraines for women is highest during their reproductive years.

Between hormone fluctuations during a month, even during a day, AND physical "triggers" often associated with migraines ~ It's wise to start a headache journal. It's also very important to keep a copy of these triggers so you can see if they bring on headaches for you so you can avoid them.

Triggers for Migraine Headaches

• alcohol
• preservatives like MSG, nitrates, nitrites
• certain cheeses
• sleep deprivation
• skipped meals
• emotional stress
• dental problems

I found Tedd Mitchell MD's article about migraine headaches with a charting form you can use with your own headache journal. Dr. Mitchell also discusses research on hormones and headaches.

Headache triggers that bring on my migraines? MSG, sleep deprivation,skipped meals, stress, fluid retention (hormones!) - Please, leave a comment - share what works for YOU even what things you need to avoid to keep those headaches at bay...

Tammy

Headaches and Stress - Learn to be more resilient

Frequent Headaches and STRESS go hand in hand. Anyone that suffers with chronic frequent headaches whether they are tension headaches, migraine headaches, even cluster headaches KNOW that they need to reduce their level of stress.

Guess what...the stress in my life doesn't really change...yes, sometimes it's easier to handle but life comes at you from every angle. I'm a huge believer in learning how to be more resilient. More flexible...conditioning yourself to react more positively when things get tough.

I found this great ebook called Turn Stress into Energy and Enthusiasm by Michael Licenblat B.Sc.(Psych) a Resilience Expert from Australia. The concept is to condition your mind AND body to become more resilient to pressure. He calls it 'pressure proofing' yourself. Since the American Medical Association has conceded that "Stress may be the cause of almost 80% of all human illness and disease" then it should motivate us to get a handle on how we deal with everyday stress in our lives.

Throughout my adult life, every doctor has told me to reduce my stress for my headaches, back pain and fibromyalgia BUT even I know its not always possible to change those things in our life that are uncontrollable. We can focus on how we RESPOND to stress with the bonus being less headaches, chronic pain, depression, insomnia and more.

Take a look at Turn Stress into Energy and Enthusiam. Do you think he's on the right track? I do and I'm working on my mindset to see if I can't take control of my headaches and more.

Tammy

Frequent headaches - Finding Relief

Neck pain and shoulder pain lead to frequent headaches. If you suffer with frequent headaches, this isn't news for you. I rarely have "just a headache." I start with a crick in my neck, a tightness in my shoulder and a knot between my shoulder blades OR I wake up with a killer headache with a stiff neck and my shoulder all messed up. Having had migraines and tension headaches since I was a child, I seem to accept to readily that it's just another day with a headache. BUT...

sometimes we miss some obvious (or for those stubborn headache suffers, like me ~ less obvious) ways to not only relieve headaches but even prevent them.

Believe it or not, one source of shoulder and neck pain that leads to headaches for women and men is abdominal weight gain which puts your thoracic spine (between your shoulder blades) into overtime. We'll talk more about abdominal weight gain soon but for women there is solution for headaches that start in your shoulders and neck.

Women with abdominal weight gain often need more support for their back with a bra that fits well and makes it easier for your back to keep you upright. The best bra for chronic back pain, shoulder and neck pain that leads to frequent headaches is a sports bra.

In my journey to find a sports bra that will help me get my spine and neck straightened out, I discovered the one that works for me: full figure sports bra by Sassybax. Getting a bra that eases the strain on your spine is just one step closer to stopping frequent headaches for women.

Tell me, what have YOU found has eased your chronic headaches? I'm waiting to read your comments and resources.

Tammy Ames RN