It’s estimated
that 40 million Americans suffer from chronic
headaches. Headaches
are one of the leading causes of missed work or
school. So why is it that so many of us suffer
from such annoying and often debilitating pains
in the head? Honestly, there are several reasons.
Some of the most common triggers
of migraines are stress, food allergies, caffeine
withdrawal, medications, lack of sleep, extreme
weather conditions, blood sugar fluctuations, and
hormone imbalances.
Many migraine suffers find little
or no relief in either over-the-counter or prescription
medications. And, even for those that do, rebound
headaches are often a resulting side effect.
When suffering from chronic headaches,
it is important to learn your triggers. Keep a
diary that tells the date, time, weather conditions,
foods eaten in the last 24 hours, emotional stressors,
amount of sleep, drugs taken or, if you are a female,
where you are in your menstrual cycle. Determining
your triggers can take you a long way towards reducing
the frequency and intensity of migraines.
Once you have eliminated many
of the triggers (yes, through hard work and dedication),
you may find your headaches arrive pre or post
menstrual. You have just discovered that your migraines
are triggered by hormones. Oh yes, the same lovely
chemical that gives us mood swings, cramps, bloating,
breast tenderness and those horrible chocolate
cravings will also cause your migraine headaches.
If you fall into
this category, there is hope beyond medication.
It’s important
to understand that this will require a commitment
on your part. Balancing hormones can be a tedious
and difficult prospect but the rewards are well
worth the effort.
Estrogen dominance is the most
frequent cause of hormone imbalances.
Here are a few keys to remember
about estrogen dominance:
