1) Cut the caffeine. Among the
multitude of products linked to migraine headaches is caffeine. Taking
in too much can lead to a headache of monstrous
proportions. Unfortunately, it’s not only too much caffeine that
lead to a headache, it is also caffeine withdrawal if you’re used
to taking in a lot of it.
2) While we’re talking about caffeine, let’s also talk about
NutraSweet. Aspartame has been the culprit for many people who have complained
of migraines. Go in search of why aspartame causes migraines and you will
run into what seems like the biggest cover-up since Roswell. Most of what
you’ll read hasn’t been proven, but then again neither have
the makers of NutraSweet proven that their product doesn’t contribute
to migraines. Avoid it and you may avoid a horrendous migraine headache.
3) There are more reasons to
give up smoking than you can count, but avoiding migraines is another
reason to put it on the list. Of course, that’s
easier said than done if you are the smoker, but remember, secondhand
smoke is just as likely to cause a migraine headache as actual smoking.
So if
you can, remove yourself from the environment in which people are
smoking. You do have the right to not have to be around secondhand smoke,
especially
if their actions are causing your migraine headaches.
4) Establish a regular pattern of sleeping and waking. A regular pattern
of going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time, on weekends
as well as weekdays, can do wonders. Many people who have instituted a
rigid routine of sleeping and waking have discovered that their migraines
disappear completely and forever. Or at least as long as they continue
the pattern.
5) Give up the pill and try
another form of contraception. Birth control pills and their effects
on hormones can be a major hazard when it comes
to migraine headaches. You don’t necessarily have to go off the pill
entirely. Some people have found that merely changing brands puts an end
to their migraine headaches. If that doesn’t help, however, you may
look into other forms of female contraception or, if you and your partner
don’t mind, switching over to condoms.
6) Change your lighting. Very
bright lights can often trigger very severe migraines. You might consider
using the softer, filmy kind of light bulbs.
Or use lamps instead of overhead lights. Or stop using fluorescent
lighting, if that’s possible. If you spend a lot of time at the
computer monitor, take frequent breaks and get as far away from the pulsating
waves of the
monitor as possible.
7) Cheese, chocolate and wine may sound like the ideal ingredients for
a romantic picnic, but if you are prone to migraines the last thing you
may be feeling is romantic following that afternoon getaway. Aged cheeses
especially are dangerous because they contain the amino acid tyramine.
Chocolate contains phenylethamine. Both chemicals contribute to migraines
and alcohol is a trigger as well. Stay away from all three and find other
ways to get in a romantic mood.
8) Use body wash to smell good instead of perfume or cologne. Odors and
aromas are major causes of migraines and those that make you smell good
are among the worst. Keep yourself clean instead of daubing with the smelly-goods.
9) Being in an aerobic exercise program. Exercising regularly helps to
increase your cardiovascular capacity and improper blood flow is linked
to recurrent migraines.
10) Drive or take a train when you can instead of flying. The lowering
of cabin pressure on airplanes is a sure-fire migraine trigger and one
easily avoided when the trip can be made by alternative means of transportation.