If you struggle with chronic headaches and/or migraines I feel your pain! In this post I want to share with you three things I do when I feel a migraine coming.
How do I know migraine is coming? Sometimes I have no idea. But other times, I may be overly fatigue, more sensitive to lights and noise, and start seeing an aura. Think about what warning signs your body gives you when a migraine is coming so you can be prepared.
Drink Water (a lot!)
Dehydration is the headache sufferer's worst enemy. Any level of dehydration can increase migraine pain and fatigue. When I feel a migraine starting I find a quart (32 fluid ounces) size Mason jar, fill it with water and chug it. Sometimes I drink two.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and using it may help manage pain.
I could do a whole blog post about vitamin C...but in order to keep this blog post short, I'll give you the basics. Generally, a buffered vitamin C will be more bioavailable to the body. However, I have had luck with other vitamin C supplements as well. What you choose will depend on your budget and what is readily available to you. I use Perque's Buffered Ascorbate vitamin C because it is free of gluten and corn based fillers. When traveling, I take Emergen-C or Airborne for convenience. While these are not buffered, they are still a good option. However, if you suffer from headaches/migraines frequently, I would encourage you to research and invest in a good quality vitamin C supplement.
How much vitamin C to take depends on your bowel tolerance. Simply follow the instructions on the supplement label if you are unsure of what your tolerance is and work your way up to a dose that feels right for you. For reference, I take 4 grams. Since Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, it is unlikely that taking a large amount will be harmful. Be sure to reduce your dose if you experience diarrhea, nausea, heartburn, insomnia, abdominal cramps, vomiting, or your headache gets worse.
3. Pilates
If any muscle pain or stiffness seemed to exacerbate any of my headaches or migraines, pilates was very helpful. Getting moving with a low-impact workout helped work out muscles stiffness and improved my mood and circulation. Even if the migraine still came, doing a pilates workout made me more comfortable.
Pilates Workouts I enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD9u0yHY6HY Pilates for Beginners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwYMSuLxRN4 Total Body Pilates Workout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCsETuMdp2w Pilates and Yoga Blend
As always, I must reiterate that I am not a physician. The information above is for educational purposes only and is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, treat or cure any illness.
Let me know in the comments what you've found to mitigate your migraines!
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