We often hear people complaining of migraines or extremely bad headaches, but we rarely take them that seriously. Usually, we pass it off with a comment of “drink some more water”, “take some rest” or “lie down and close your eyes”.
However, migraines are far more prominent and serious than you might think. According to the migraine trust, migraines are the third most common disease in the world, affecting around one in seven people each year.
Although often used interchangeably, headaches and migraines are two very different things with migraines being far more severe and lasting a whole lot longer. Migraines can cause nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and or sound. Because of this, a key sign that a migraine is on the horizon is if you suddenly start seeing spots or flashing lights. For some people, migraines are a weekly if not daily occurrence, preventing them from living their life to the full or engaging in the activities they want to.
A 200mg dose of caffeine (around 2/2.5 shots of coffee) can really help to reduce headaches and migraines. When you’ve got a headache or migraine, your blood vessels enlarge and swell. Caffeine is “vasoconstrictive” meaning that it helps the blood vessels to narrow and restrict excessive blood flow.
Another natural remedy is to use 300mg of Feverfew, a herb with anti-inflammatory properties that may also help with arthritis. Feverfew can’t help to reduce migraines once they’ve started, but regular supplementation can be useful in reducing the frequency and severity of them. This is due to the active compound “Panthenolide” which is found inside. Because of this, you can also supplement with 2-4mg of pure Panthenolide to get the same benefits.
Lastly, you can also use ‘Pelargonium sidoides’, an African geranium which can be used to treat bronchitis, improve the immune system, and reduce symptoms of colds. 3 doses of 300 mg a day taken before meal can be enough to reduce any headaches that occur as a result of viral infections. So if your headaches is because of an illness, then this is the best bet.