As you probably know, I was having migraines almost daily and I am sure I don’t have to tell you how debilitating that was. It’s hard to push on through and try to lead a “normal” life when you are constantly in pain. We try to make things easier on our family, don’t we? Many times, we push on through and act like we are not as bad as we actually feel!

Whether you suffer from migraines two days a month or as many as 15 or more a month, you are probably taking migraine medications to knock out the pain. Believe me, I get it. When you are in that much pain, the first thing we want to do is reach for that magic pill to make the pain go away. Many doctors also prescribe preventative drugs for patients who are suffering from a lot of migraines per month. As you probably know, they are not only not perfect, but they can also be very costly – and that is when those preventatives even work for you.  

If you are able to take preventatives, maybe over a period of time, they stop being so effective, and at that point, you just get discouraged and depressed. It feels like nothing works for you. I have been on both ends of the spectrum – living with migraines with preventatives (that didn’t work so well for me) and living with migraines taking lots of pain meds. 

While preventative migraine medication can help – for a while – in the long- run, I have found that living a healthy lifestyle and changing our habits to healthier ones can help prevent migraines and even minimize their impact on our lives. These methods have been extremely effective for me  –  and with the added benefit that there are no side effects and they are a lot less expensive.

These healthy habits don’t stop migraines forever for everyone, yet when used consistently, they result in steady progress for almost everyone who practices them.

My question is this. What do you have to lose by incorporating some of these healthy, natural methods into your daily life? See how they work with what you are already doing, and maybe you will be able to decrease your use of medication as you see improvement.

Here are 5 ways you can incorporate some healthy habits into your daily routine:

1. Boost Hydration –  As I often say, increasing your fluid intake each day is very important. Most migraineurs have no idea how susceptible they are to dehydration and all the things that cause it. Increasing your fluid intake (especially with water) will help tremendously.

2.  Value Your Sleep – Quality and quantity do matter. Also, consistency in our sleep/wake cycle is important. You should have a consistent pre-bed ritual to trigger your body’s responses to learn that these rituals mean it is time for sleep. Avoid anything that will disrupt a good night’s sleep, which includes not using electronic devices for about two hours prior to sleep, to maximize sleep routines. Also, try having the same bedtime and wake time each night – even on the weekend.

3.   Exercise. Try something like Yoga or Pilates –  or any other type of exercise that doesn’t trigger a migraine. However, both Yoga and Pilates are particularly effective for migraine sufferers because of the way they both teach mindfulness, stretching, and how to tune into your breathing.

4. Set Healthy Boundaries –  If you like to please people, this one is challenging…..Learn how to say no to what others want or need you to do….especially if it means that by doing that very thing, it compromises what you need to do for yourself to stay healthy.  Remember, people don’t “see” migraines and don’t always realize how you are suffering. So if you have a natural inclination to put others before yourself and have a hard time saying no, think before you commit, and ask yourself, “How is this going to affect me in the long-run. Will it interfere with my migraines and health?”

5.  Eat Clean – The foods available to us here in the U.S. are undeniably affected by the use of pesticides, artificial additives, and GMO seed. “Eating clean” means eating food that is grown responsibly and not manufactured. From my experience, I have found there are lots of foods and additives that trigger migraines. Eating clean – changing your diet and making it a lifestyle  – can have a dramatic effect on migraines.

Along the lines of eating clean, I wanted to remind you about the limited time Spring Clean Eating Program I am offering so that you can re-set your eating habits, focus on eating healthy, whole foods, and learn how to feed your body what it really wants and needs to impact the way your body’s inflammation triggers migraines.

You don’t even need to worry about feeling hungry or eating foods that trigger migraines. In fact, during this spring reset, you will: 

• be clear-minded (brain fog is gone)
• identify foods that your body is sensitive to;
• identify foods that are migraine triggers for you;
• have balanced hormones;
• have more stable blood sugar (cutting down on migraines)’
• have better moods; and
• have sustainable energy.

All you have to do to sign up is click the picture below to sign up now.