Could there be a link between depression and migraines? Does having insomnia increase a person’s chances of getting a migraine? While any one of these ailments are troublesome on their own, they can be debilitating when experienced together. When traditional medicine offers little in the way of improving symptoms, it might be worth it to consider natural remedies.
Holistic methods focus on improving one’s energy and healing underlying issues instead of simply trying to treat the symptoms. A major component of holistic migraine treatment is focusing on the correct diet practices for you. This process begins with keeping a careful count of what you are consuming and when, and then analyzing patterns.
Methodical food journaling is recommended as part of a holistic path towards treating migraines because many people have food sensitivities they are not aware of. Somewhere between 60 to 70 million people have some sort of digestive disease. The symptoms people associate with a food problem frequently fall under severe reactions, i.e. vomiting, gastrointestinal upset, or hives.
The truth is that certain foods in your diet maybe cause or contribute to your migraines. Some common culprits are red wine, dairy, gluten, soy, and chocolate. Many adults find that although they did not seem to have any problems with these foods when they were younger, as they’ve grown older they have developed a sensitivity.
A sensitivity to a food shows up in a more subtle way than an outright allergy. You may experience brain fog, or an increased production of mucus, or especially in headaches. By improving your energy and healing any underlying problems, food can work with you instead of against you. But first, it’s necessary to create an accurate account of everything you put in your mouth.
The question of how long to keep a food journal is debated. Many experts recommend patients keep one for at least a week. Others argue that a month would be better to give a more complete picture of the situation.
The reason behind the different lengths of time relates to how often patients complain about suffering from a migraine. One study found that about 13% of migraine suffers experience one attack per week, but 54% will experience at least one migraine each month. If the second group quit after just one week, they may not discover what in their diet is triggering their migraines.
Because you are writing down everything for an entire month, at times food journaling may become tedious. Stick with it. Even when you might have had just a bite or two of something, write it down. Include any mood swings, tiredness, trouble sleeping, and your overall mood each day. Once you have your journal entries in hand, it is time to analyze them.
You might find that you feel sleepy every morning after that third cup of coffee, or maybe even just a slice of cheese throws your digestive track into a tailspin. What you are looking for is patterns. Perhaps losing out on even an hour of sleep brings on a migraine the next day. Don’t be surprised if you notice connections that never seemed obvious before.
Improving your energy and healing your body starts with a healthy diet plan. Traditional medicine has its place, and you should always consult with your doctor about your health concerns. Even so, that does not mean that there aren’t steps you can take today to help minimize your symptoms.