Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? For that matter, what is National Nutrition Month? What does that mean for us as migraine sufferers? I actually hadn’t heard of it until I came across an article recently.

Created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics[1], this campaign is for informational and educational purposes. It’s an annual campaign that focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity[2] habits.

Of course, as a migraine sufferer, you are probably well aware of the importance of maintaining healthy eating habits. Personally, I have learned the importance of healthy eating over the years as I have tried to maintain my health and lessen the frequency and severity of migraines. I have especially found that totally avoiding my food triggers has been pivotal in the prevention and changing the frequency of migraine attacks.

Still, I will be the first to admit that it takes work to maintain healthy days – especially migraine-free days. This doesn’t just involve a healthy diet and exercise, but it also involves maintaining good sleep hygiene, staying hydrated, eating regular healthy meals, and managing expectations.

As migraineurs, we need to have the right mindset to be able to cope with the fear of the onset of migraines as well as learning how to deal with the pain when a migraine strikes. While some medications and treatments might be effective, those treatments don’t replace a migraine-friendly lifestyle. When I first became aware that my migraines were chronic, I fought hard to regain what I thought I had lost. I also wanted control over my life, and yet it is hard to be in control with the unknowns of Migraine. I didn’t start to improve until years later when I had a change of perspective and started becoming aware of how, in my own life, incorporating holistic and natural remedies could have a life-changing effect. I started thinking more about the “whole person” rather than just confining my thought process to the instant pain and debilitation of Migraine.

Another thing about mindset with migraines is that it was years before I heard migraine referred to as a neurological disorder or even understood that migraine is a disorder – one that is always present, even between headache attacks. So I decided that I would commit to living my lifestyle in the healthiest way possible. I changed my way of eating, learned my triggers, incorporated exercise and other holistic and natural remedies into my life. I began eating wholesome, clean foods, drank plenty of water, maintained healthy sleep habits, exercised, got regular massages, and treated my body with respect.

Still, keep in mind that on those “bad migraine” days, you should cut yourself some slack — and then get right back on track as soon as you can.
There are still days when it is hard – I am not devoid of migraines, but over time have seen a 90% positive change in my migraine frequency and severity.

I know that with the struggle and obstacles we have to overcome – for some on a daily basis – it can be challenging to meet your nutritional needs. When you are in the throes of a migraine, often the last thing you want to think about is eating and drinking water – yet the catch there is that we need to eat and we need to stay hydrated. It takes work and effort to stay hydrated and make sure you do eat something.

So how can you stay on the right nutritional path, remain active, all the while not triggering your next migraine attack? Well, this is something I would love to get some feedback on. I know what has helped in my own life – a little of which I have shared with you today – healthy, clean eating, exercising, good sleeping habits, knowing my triggers, and being kind to my body.

• What do you do to stay on the right nutritional path?
• Do you find this to be a huge struggle in your own life?
• Where do you go for encouragement and support?
• How to you deal with your nutritional needs in your own daily life?

Share your migraine story with us – comment below.

P.S.  Want some additional tips on how to help naturally heal your migraines and get pain relief?  Here are just a few of my secrets that I share with you in my book:

• How to recognize migraine triggers in your life and the safeguards you can put in place to avoid future pain.
• Eliminate expensive medications by using proven natural and holistic pain relief remedies. Experience pain relief without taking prescription drugs.
• Discover the simple, natural strategies you can easily incorporate into your daily life that dramatically reduce your migraine symptoms. You are now in the driver’s seat of your pain management.