Managing Migraine Headaches...The Best Home Remedies

If you are a frequent migraine sufferer you know how miserable they can make you feel. Migraines are a beast to contend with, and sometimes when you feel one coming on all you can do is lay down, and bear it until it's over.

Migraines are a recurring type of headache. They cause moderate to severe pain that is throbbing or pulsing. The pain is often on one side of your head. You may also have other symptoms, such as nausea and weakness. You may be sensitive to light and sound. - Medline Plus

I suffer from migraines, and what I have learned over the years is that the best way to treat a migraine is through prevention. Learn what triggers migraines for you, and avoid those things, if you can.

For me, I know eating gluten, high stress, and poor sleep are my biggest migraine triggers. So I try my best to on the migraine offense. 

While I do my best to prevent migraines, I still get them on occasion. Unfortunately, ever migraine is a little different, so there is no one way to get rid of or minimize the symptoms. There are however, some home remedies that I use, and that may work for you as well.

Home Remedies For Managing Migraines Headaches

Dark Room - A dark room if often the first tool used to combat migraines, because usually during a migraine people become sensitive to light and sound.

Ice Packs - You can use an ice pack on your head during a migraine just like you would for any other part of your body in pain. The ice pack works to numb the area, and may ease the pain.

Caffeine - Caffeine is an analgesic and may offer pain relief. This is where knowing your body comes into play, because although caffeine may help for some people, it will exaggerate the migraine for others. For me, caffeine makes my migraines 10 times worse.

Meditation - Meditation is a technique used to focus your mind and clear your emotional state. Meditation will calm the body and relieve stress. As your stress level decreases, your migraine may dissipate.

Pressure Points - Applying pressure to pressure points will do wonders to ease a migraine. For migraine relief, take index fingers and apply pressure to the indentations on either side of the are where the bridge of the nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows for at least 10 seconds.

Chamomile Tea - Teas work wonders for all kinds of ailments. Chamomile tea in particular aids migraines by working as a mild sedative, and will help you relax and ease pain.

Essential Oils - My three favorite essential oils to use for a migraine are lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint oil. I use them in a diffuser and inhale them. The oils work to relieve stress, decrease nasal inflammation, and reduce sinus pressure. 

Many chronic migraine sufferers may take prescription medication, but if you are looking for a natural remedy, many of these may work. What works all depends on the trigger for your migraine. If lack of sleep is the trigger for your migraine, then resting in a dark room may be the cure.

If you have a migraine, what tricks do you use to recover, besides use of prescription or over the counter medications? Do you take the holistic approach when possible, or find them to be of no use? Please share your experience!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, registered dietitian, or fitness expert. The purpose of my blog is to share my experiences with food, fitness, and life—not to dole out medical advice. When it comes to your health and fitness, do your research and consult your doctor.

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Home Remedies...Treat Your Colds, Sinus Infections, and Migraines At Home

Holistic medicine is not just for hippies. It is helpful to know how to use everyday items found in your pantry or garden, to make you feel better and relieve pain. Over the counter and prescription medications are fine, and sometimes they are a necessity depending on how ill we are. 

The good thing is that not every illness is a life or death circumstance, and do not necessarily requires drugs to make us feel better. The goal is to treat our bodies holistically whenever possible because medications, whether they are prescription drugs or over the counter, can damage our kidneys, livers, and hearts just to name a few organs.

Easy Home Remedies

Cold And Flu Symptoms

Home remedies for treating cold and flu symptoms are basically the same. The first thing you want to do is start adding lots of vitamin C to your body. This can be accomplished with juice, vitamins, and also cough drops with added vitamin C. 

You should also drink tea and add honey and lemon. The honey acts as a cough suppressant, and works with the tea to soothe a sore throat. Plus drinking the tea will help keep you hydrated. For food, chicken soup is the best. The warm broth soothes and helps with the upper respiratory system.

Lastly, you need to use vapor rub, and a humidifier. The vapor rub should be applied to your chest area, and upper back. The vapor rub will help open up your airway and work as a cough suppressant. The humidifier will add moisture to the air, which will help your nasal passages and make it easier to breathe.

Sinus Infections

The best home remedies for sinus infections consists of warm showers or face steaming, using humidifiers, drinking plenty of water, warm compresses, and lots of rest. I recommend adding a few drops of eucalyptus to your shower bed to assist with opening up your nasal passage. For the face steam, fill a large mixing bowl with hot water, add a few drops of eucalyptus, lean over bowl and cover your head with towel to keep in steam.

Migraines/Headaches

Treating headaches and migraines can be a little tricky because the causes can vary. The important thing do when trying to combat head pain is to hydrate. Dehydration will cause headaches and migraines, but so will stress and lack of sleep.

Lie down in a dark room if possible. Avoid electronic devices, and loud noises. Noise machines can be helpful with calming sounds of rain or the ocean. 

Upset Stomach

To treat an upset stomach I recommend ginger ale, and the BRAT diet. The ginger will help settle your stomach, and the carbonation will help get rid of the gas in your tummy. The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast. The food items work to combat diarrhea, and settle the tummy.

If nausea is also part of your symptoms, I recommend peppermint. The peppermint will help prevent nausea. I suggest sucking on a peppermint, or brewing a nice cup of tea.

Body Aches/Pain

If you are looking for pain relief, and do not want to take meds, you have many home remedy options. The first recommendation is to stretch. Stretching will help your tense, aching muscles. The next thing you do is foam roller. Rolling out your back, neck, and legs will alleviate pain.

A warm bath with epson salt is also a great pain reliever and muscle relaxer. Last but not least I recommend ice packs and heating pads. Both will help with your aches and pains.

I don't know about you, but I try not reach for a bottle of medicine unless all else has failed. OTC and prescriptions medications are definitely needed at times, but sometimes the known side effects, and damage they do to our organs gives me pause.

If we can get the same relief from home remedies as we do with something out of a bottle, with little to no side effect, then why not? What are your home remedies? I know most of us have some holistic treatments passed down in  our families. Please share!

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