Headaches Treatment & Prevention – Part 2
After introducing headaches, I then explored the downside of orthodox treatments and how massage can help. Now I want to share with you how other complementary therapies may help.
Nutrition
We all know that if you suffer from headaches you need to avoid becoming dehydrated. But what can be equally important is to control your blood sugar balanced by avoiding sugars and refined carbohydrates (i.e. anything sweet, fluffy or white!) . Certain food substances – such as histamine, tyramine and phenylethylamine – can trigger headaches or migraines. These foods include cheese, citrius fuits, red wine, chocolate & coffee. There is a time lag between eating these foods and an attack, as the problem arises when the food reaches the liver. Some research has been done on the benefits of Omega (3, 6 & 9) essential fatty acids will help control pain & inflammation for migraine sufferers.
[Harel Z, Gascon G, Riggs S et al. Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the management of recurrent migraines in adolescents. J Adolesc Health 2002 Aug;31(2):154-61. 2002.]Bowen Technique
The Bowen Technique is a hands on therapy that is applied using very gentle pressure. The practitioner uses thumbs and fingers on precise points of the body to perform Bowen’s unique sets of rolling-type moves which stimulate the muscles and soft tissue of the body.
In association with the Migranie Action Assocation some research was carried out into the effectiveness of receiving Bowen Technique treatment to allieviate migraines. All study participants had been diagnosed as migraine sufferers by their GP. 31 out of the 39 study particpants experienced a positive result of either
- Reducation in frequency of migranies
- Reducation in the degree of pain experienced
- Reduction in both the frequency of migraines and the degree of pain experienced
For more information on the study see http://www.bowenmigraineresearch.co.uk/
Related Posts
What is the cause of the low mangesium epidemic?
Having identified that researchers believe there is an epedemic of low magnesium causes by our diets and lifestyles. So what is it we are doing that is the cause of the low magnesium epedmic. 1. Sweet foods Refined sugar found in pastries, cakes, desserts, sweets etc contains no magnesium and causes the body to excrete magnesium. 2. Physical and emotional stress Physcial stress e.g. surgery and emotional stress e.g. moving house, grief can cause a magnesium deficiency. In studies, adrenaline and cortisol by products of the "fight or flight" stress reaction assoicated with stress and anxeity were associated with decreated magnesium. This is because stressful situations require more magnesium use by the body which can lead to a deficiency. A lack of magnesium tends to magnify the stress reaction, worsening the problem. 3. Medication The effects of certain drugs
- Diuretics
- Heart medications
- Asthma medications
- Birth control pills
- Estrogen replacement therapy
Procrastination
In general in life I am very self-motivated, which is essential when you are self-employed. However this is the time of year of my annual bout of procrastination kicks in. Each year I promise myself its going to be different, I will fill out my tax form early and every year, like ground hog day, I leave it as late as possible. So this year I decided to research options for helping me tackle my procrastination around doing my accounts and filling out my tax form. I read the reason most people procrastinate is that they consider the task unpleasant or boring or they associate unpleasant feelings with the task. To me this is blatantly obvious as no on every puts of anything they enjoy. For me tax forms manage to be both unpleasant and boring. So I decided that this year I would try a new approach to tackle my procrastination. Firstly I decided to focus on the end goal. As filling out a tax form leaves me cold, I decided that focusing on the fine for not doing it on time would motivate me, after all my money is on line. As in life I tend to prefer more positive options, I decided to pencil in a treat for myself when I finished, so I am going to arrange a girlie lunch for a specific date so I have something positive to look forward to. In the past I have dedicate one sold lump of time to doing my accounts and tax form and plodded through it. This year I decide that I would split it down into little chunks as this should help me do it with a smile on her face. In addition some experts recommend roping a friend so that you have a buddy to help motivate you and also making a public commitment to completing something helps motivate you. So this is my public commitment. So now its just a case of taking the first step and staring.
Can reflexology reduce the severity of nausea?
Researchers in Iran conducted a randomised control trail to see if reflexology could assist patients undergoing haemodialysis with their nausea. Haemodialysis is a way of replacing some of the functions of your kidney, if your kidneys have failed, by using a machine to filter and clean your blood. 72 patients were assigned to either an intervention group or control group. The control group received a foot massage. The intervention group received 30-minute reflexology treatments once per day for 12 days, one hour after haemodialysis. The patients were asked to complete a questionnaire to assess the severity of the nausea 15 minutes after the intervention each day. The results showed differences between the groups after treatment, with the severity of the nausea significantly lower in the reflexology group. There are may different causes of nausea including viruses, medication, anxiety, pregnancy & haemodialysis. It is thought the reflexology may reduce the nausea indirectly by decreasing the related symptoms such as anxiety. Reference https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31383439
