Chronic Headaches
Relief For the Daily Struggle
Lately, I have been having a lot more headaches.
As someone who has done the dance with chronic pain for much of my life, I recognize this as a call to shift something around in my life.
Chronic headaches can be a persistent and debilitating condition with various underlying causes:
Tension headaches – Often caused by stress, anxiety, or muscle strain.
Migraines – Severe, throbbing headaches often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound.
Cluster headaches – Intense headaches occurring in clusters over weeks or months, often affecting one side of the head.
Medication-overuse headaches – Caused by frequent use of pain relief medications.
Sinus headaches – Linked to sinus inflammation or infections.
Here are my “go-to” headache helpers:
Drink more water: Dehydration is a common cause of headaches. Aim for at least 8 cups of water a day. Most people in the United States are metabolically unhealthy. When we lose hunger cues from eating too much junk food, we lose the ability to discern hunger from thirst and tend to overfeed rather than hydrate.Contact me for personal help here.
Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both can dehydrate the body and trigger headaches.
Eat balanced meals: Low blood sugar can cause headaches. Try to eat small, frequent meals that include lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. When we eat more frequently, and less food at those times, overall we tend to not binge and eat less in general. If you want personalized help here, set up a quick call with me.
Avoid trigger foods: Common triggers include processed foods, artificial sweeteners, MSG, chocolate, dairy (mainly certain cheeses) and gluten. Keeping a food diary may help identify personal triggers. For me, the symptoms of celiac disease were deep joint pain with brain fog and migraine headaches. A simple blood test will help identify issues with food and chemicals. As a Holistic Nutritionist, I am able to order blood work for you and my doctors read it behind the scenes at no additional cost to you.
Get enough sleep: Poor sleep quality can contribute to headaches. Aim for 7–9 hours of restful sleep each night.
Stress management: Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation to reduce stress levels.
Posture correction: Make sure your workspace is ergonomically friendly to prevent tension headaches from bad posture.
Exercise regularly: Moderate exercise like walking, swimming, or cycling can help reduce headache frequency by improving circulation and relieving tension. Remember- ALL movement is exercise. Whether you prefer to walk the mall, garden, dog walk, or clean out closets, these all count as movement. Movement helps the body’s lymph fluid dump toxins faster.
Stretching and massage: Simple neck and shoulder stretches or a gentle massage can help release muscle tension, a common cause of headaches. Other physical touch can help too. Sometimes we just need a hug or a cuddle to feel cared for and able to let go of tension that we have been carrying around.
Over-the-counter pain relievers: Ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen can help. Avoid overuse as this can lead to medication-overuse headaches. All of these over-the-counter remedies harm digestion, so use sparingly to protect your gut health.
Prescription medications: For more severe headaches, such as migraines, a doctor may prescribe triptans or other medications.
Acupuncture : My favorite acupuncture source is Dr. Monica Foitzik. I have worked with her for years to manage my chronic pain. Here is her contact:
https://tradishenacupuncture.com/
Magnesium supplements: Studies suggest that people with migraines have low magnesium levels, so supplementing may help. I love this one for restful sleep without loosening the stool. https://www.designsforhealth.com/u/angelapalmer/checkout?v=2023-04-11&promocode=GET10&products=(MGC120*2)&ec=bldr_unlabeled
Reduce screen time: Prolonged screen exposure can strain your eyes and cause headaches. Avoid bright or flickering lights. If you spend time in front of screens, consider using blue-light-blocking glasses.
Biofeedback: This technique teaches you how to control bodily functions (like heart rate and muscle tension) to help prevent headaches.
Aromatherapy: Essential oils like peppermint and lavender can offer soothing relief when applied to the temples or diffused.
For further reading, here are some great links:
https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/NLtKuH1m
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3696968/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvUwD5oBV3Q
“Knowing oneself comes from attending with compassionate curiosity to what is happening within.”— Dr. Gabor Mate
For any custom guidance, schedule a free chat to get started with me today.
Remember we are all BIOINDIVIDUAL, what works for one does not work the same for another.
For more info on packages and classes with Angie’s Real Food look here:
https://angiesrealfood.com/
