Migraine Prevention and Treatment Guide

Quick Guide

Please take the time to read all of the information in the full guide. However, here is a quick guide below with ten items to help manage migraines.

1. Regular Sleep & Meals: Maintain consistent sleep and healthy eating schedules to avoid triggering migraines. Consume leafy greens, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Avoid ultra processed foods, processed meats, alcohol, caffeine, and sugary foods and drinks.
2. Hydration: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and prevent migraines. Check an online calculator for the proper daily amount. Start your morning immediately waking by drinking 20oz of water.
3. Stress Management: Use yoga, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises to manage stress.
4. Identify & Avoid Triggers: Keep a migraine diary to identify and avoid foods, scents, or activities that trigger migraines.
5. Supplements: Consider magnesium (glycinate), riboflavin (B2), and coenzyme Q10. It's best if you can consume these in whole foods instead of supplements.
6. Natural Pain Relievers: Use ginger, peppermint oil, or turmeric.
7. Screen & Light Management: Limit screen time, use blue light blocking glasses, and reduce exposure to bright lights.
8. Fasting: Intermittent fasting or occasional 3-day fasts can help balance blood sugar and reduce migraine triggers.
9. Resetting the Vagus Nerve: Practice neck and eye movement exercises, deep breathing, gargling, cold exposure, or humming to reset the vagus nerve.
10. Medication Awareness: Be cautious with melatonin, aspirin, ibuprofen, triptans, and NSAIDs as they can have side effects like hormonal imbalance, gastrointestinal issues, and increased cardiovascular risks. Look into Emgality that has high success rates with almost no side effects.

Introduction to Migraines

What is a Migraine?

A migraine is a neurological condition characterized by intense, debilitating headaches, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Symptoms and Phases of Migraines

• Prodrome: Mood changes, food cravings, neck stiffness.
• Aura: Visual disturbances, blurry spots with rainbow wavy lines, tingling in limbs.
• Headache: Intense pain, nausea, sensitivity to light/sound.
• Postdrome: Exhaustion, confusion, moodiness.

Common Triggers

• Stress
• Hormonal changes
• Certain foods and drinks
• Sleep disturbances or lack of sleep
• Sensory stimuli (bright lights, strong smells)

Prevention Strategies

Lifestyle Changes

• Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
• Manage stress with meditation or deep-breathing exercises.
• Engage in regular, moderate exercise.

Dietary Adjustments

• Foods to Eat: Leafy greens, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats.
• Foods to Avoid: Aged cheeses, processed meats, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate.

Supplements

Best if consumed in whole foods instead of supplements.

• Magnesium
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Coenzyme Q10

Fasting

Fasting can help balance blood sugar levels, which is crucial in preventing migraines triggered by blood sugar fluctuations. By stabilizing insulin levels and reducing inflammation, fasting can create a more stable internal environment that may reduce migraine frequency and severity.

• Intermittent Fasting (IF): Involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, such as the 16/8 method where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window. This can help maintain steady blood sugar levels and reduce migraine triggers.
• 3-Day Fast: Involves consuming only water (or very minimal calories) for 72 hours, allowing the body to reset insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. This longer fast can provide more significant metabolic benefits but should be done under medical supervision. Consume salt or another electrolyte supplement if you are feeling weak.

Environmental Adjustments

• Limit screen time and use blue light blocking glasses. Adjust devices to night mode that gives off more of an amber light.
• Reduce exposure to bright lights and wear sunglasses outdoors.
• Create a cool, comfortable living environment. Use a weighted blanket for comfort and stress relief.

Avoid Un-natural Treatments

Avoid NSAIDs because they can cause gastrointestinal problems like ulcers and bleeding, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, lead to kidney damage with long-term use, and potentially cause liver damage in high doses.

• Aspirin: It can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers, and an increased risk of bleeding disorders if used frequently or in high doses.
• Ibuprofen: Long-term use can lead to kidney damage, increased risk of heart attack or stroke, and gastrointestinal issues like ulcers and bleeding.
• Melatonin (even avoid organic/natural): Can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle if used improperly, potentially cause hormonal imbalances, interact negatively with certain medications, and lead to side effects like dizziness, headaches, or daytime drowsiness.
• Triptans: These medications can cause side effects such as chest pain, increased blood pressure, and are not suitable for people with certain cardiovascular conditions.

Treatment Options

Natural Pain Relievers

• Ginger: Helps reduce inflammation and nausea associated with migraines.
• Peppermint Oil: Apply topically to temples for pain relief and muscle relaxation.
• Turmeric (Curcumin): Anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate migraine pain.

Prescription Medications

• Emgality: Emgality works by blocking a protein called CGRP, which can cause migraines. Emgality is given as a monthly injection. It is reported as being highly effective and can reduce migraines by 70% and some patients experience complete relief from migraines.

Home Remedies

• Essential Oils Bath: Take a bath and place a few drops of ginger, peppermint oil, or pre-made "migraine" essential oils into the water.
• Ice Cap: Use a migraine ice cap. Buy two so you can swap them out when needed. Also apply cold or warm compresses.
• Quiet Space: Rest in a dark, quiet room with blackout curtains. A white noise machine can drown out other noises, relieving stress.

Ways to Reset the Vagus Nerve

Resetting your vagus nerve can help manage a migraine because it promotes relaxation and reduces stress, which can alleviate migraine symptoms. You should try these techniques both when you feel a migraine coming on and during an attack to potentially reduce the severity and duration of the migraine.

• Neck and Eye Movement Exercise: Turn your head to one side and move your eyes in the opposite direction until you yawn.
• Deep Breathing: Practice deep, slow breathing with a longer exhale than inhale.
• Gargling: Gargle with water for 30 seconds to stimulate the throat muscles.
• Cold Exposure: Splash cold water on your face or take a cold shower.
• Humming or Singing: Hum or sing loudly to activate the vocal cords.
• Meditation and Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness meditation focusing on your breath.
• Yoga: Engage in yoga, especially poses that focus on the neck and chest.

Professional Treatments and Alternative Therapies

• Chiropractic using Activator Method
• Acupuncture
• Chinese Traditional Medicine
• Essential oils like lavender and peppermint; combinations of oils are available as "Migraine" essential oils.
• Physical therapy
• Regular medical check-ups and prescribed treatments

Diet and Nutrition

More on Healthy Eating.

Overview of a Migraine-preventive Diet

Focus on whole, unprocessed foods, and maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Avoid common trigger foods. Healthy fats are crucial for brain health, supporting cell membrane integrity, and facilitating the production of certain hormones and neurotransmitters. Avoid fat-free foods and diets.

Top Foods to Include

• Spinach
• Kale
• Avocado
• Quinoa
• Sweet potatoes
• Salmon
• Flaxseeds
• Almonds
• Berries
• Grass-fed beef

Foods to Avoid

• Sugary foods and drinks
• Aged cheeses
• Processed meats
• Alcohol (especially red wine)
• Caffeinated beverages
• Chocolate

Supplements and Herbal Remedies

List of Helpful Supplements

Best if consumed in whole foods.

• Magnesium glycinate (not magnesium citrate); also helps your sleep (take copper supplements to offset)
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Coenzyme Q10
• Vitamin D (found in fatty fish, egg yolks, and cheese)
• Fish oil

Dosage Recommendations

Follow the dosage instructions on the supplement labels or consult a healthcare professional.

Lifestyle Tips

Keeping a Migraine Diary

Track triggers, symptoms, and treatments to identify patterns and effective strategies in an app or in a paper journal.

Managing Environmental Factors

Turn off Wi-Fi router and electronic devices if sensitive to EMF. Use blackout curtains.

Hydration and Regular Meals

Drink plenty of water and eat balanced meals at regular intervals to prevent blood sugar dips.

Resources and Tools

Migraine Resources

• The Migraine Trust
• American Migraine Foundation
• Migraine.com
• National Headache Foundation
• NHS Migraine Information

Apps for Tracking Migraines

• Migraine Buddy: A highly popular app for tracking migraine attacks, symptoms, triggers, and medication use.
• Happify: A tool focused on improving mental health, which can be helpful for managing migraine-related stress.

Support Groups and Online Communities

• MyMigraineTeam: A social network for connecting with others who experience migraines.
• Migraine World Summit: Join a global community for education and support.