Are you a chronic sufferer of migraine attacks or headaches? Now is the time to consider putting down the pain medicines and exploring natural therapies. These natural supplements are often inexpensive, have little to no side effects, and help prevent pain associated with migraines and headaches.
Choose some of these natural supplements for headaches to relieve your pain.
Although the procedures of healthy living standards vary between cultures, these principles are constant no matter where you are.
More than twenty of the forty headache trigger factors may be in direct violation of one of these principles, such as the intake of alcohol, including beer and red wine, yogurts and matured cheese, and smoked meat foods and products [1]. Adhering to a whole food diet may eliminate another twelve of the forty trigger factors.
Many health experts believe that food is a foundational medication and that food consciousness can be a crucial component of any healing therapy. There is adequate evidence to vouch for the advantages of a whole food diet. Although slower to take effect, food and diet habits affect all systems in the body.
If the diet is used properly to maintain health and heal the body, other remedies and treatments may be used less or not at all. Although diet is not the only trigger factor to headaches, other therapies may be more successful when used along with a solid dietary shift.
How do supplements work to treat migraine headache?
Supplements can impact brain and body functions in multiple ways, some of which have been shown to minimize the severity of migraine headaches or migraine frequency (or, in some instances, both).
For a few people, a deficiency in a mineral or vitamin can trigger a migraine or aggravate its intensity, so balancing it with supplements can help.
As you probably know, everyone’s migraine patterns are different—your triggers are different from your brother’s, and your frequency might be 3x what your colleague experiences. And the treatment plan that works for some may not work for you.
The Importance of Hydration
Your grandma must have told you to take adequate water if you had a headache. Although the medical literature, for this reason, is scarce, overall hydration can affect cognitive functions and all of your body.
Hydrating frequently can relieve pain and prevent headaches, a simple way to test the causation of your headache. Consider hydration before any other alternative.
Drinking pristine water with no additives is the easiest and quickest way to hydrate your body. Consider taking foods with high water content for added hydration, including melons, cucumbers, oranges, spinach, zucchini, kale, celery, and citrus fruits.
Eliminate Toxic Chemicals Avoid & Certain Medications
Migraines affect 1 billion worldwide and 39 million children and adults in the United States, according to the MRF (Migraine Research Foundation). Few of the most widely prescribed drugs in the US, including those for blood pressure, cholesterol, and pain, can influence headaches.
Toxic chemicals are found in many products than you may realize. Shampoo, make-up, toilet paper, and even cleaning products have been found to contain chemicals that can cause migraines and worsen headaches.
Consider using natural ingredients for all your needs and educate yourself on toxic chemicals to know what to look for in everyday products.
[Also Read: Types of Headaches]
Supplements for Headaches
1. Integrative Therapeutics Riboflavin 400 mg – 30 Tablets
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) performs a crucial role in the mitochondria—tiny structures located within the cells in your body that produce the energy required for cells to survive. If these structures are injured or not functioning correctly, cells either die or work improperly.
By intake of riboflavin, researchers believe the body can overcome this mitochondrial defect [2]. Integrative Therapeutics’ Riboflavin provides your body with an adequate amount of this B vitamin. Riboflavin is the only active ingredient in this product.
Every tablet contains 400 mg of it to support your body to produce more energy and stay healthy by fighting free radicals.
2. Pure Encapsulations’ CoQ10 120 mg – 120 Capsules
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is also present in the mitochondria of cells. It has antioxidant properties and can play a vital role in preventing oxidative stress—a metabolic abnormality that may occur in some migraineurs’ brains. There is one brief randomized controlled research examining the benefit of CoQ10 in preventing migraines.
In a 2005 Neurological study, there was a reduction in migraine attacks after intake of coenzyme Q10 for 90 days [3]. Coenzyme Q10 was well-tolerated, with just one person opting out of the trial due to a skin allergy. Pure Encapsulations’ CoQ-10 120 mg capsules can help alleviate that.
Magnesium supplement for Headache
1. PureFormulas’ Magnesium Citrate – 90 Vegetarian Capsules
Magnesium is a critical mineral involved in many systems in your body, including your skeletal and muscular system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. Research studies suggest that a link exists between migraines and magnesium deficiency [4].
This is why some migraine experts suggest checking a magnesium level in their patients with migraines. If low, physicians will generally recommend either a magnesium-rich diet or magnesium supplements. Intake of a supplement like PureFormulas’ Magnesium Citrate may help you feel better.
This bioavailable form of magnesium is a comfortable way to boost your intake of the mineral, which also promotes improved calcium absorption.Every capsule gives 150 mg of elemental magnesium.
2. Vitanica’s Butterbur Extra – 120 Vegetarian Capsules
A 2004 research found that 48% of patients who took 75 mg of the extract, two times a day, could reduce the frequency of their migraine attack. Petasites hybridus (Butterbur) is a perennial shrub and herbal therapy used throughout history to prevent migraines.
It’s been deemed both a well-tolerated and effective alternative treatment, with the dominant side effect being belching and stomach upset [5].
Besides being a natural migraine releiver‚ Vitanica’s Butterbur Extra™ is formulated with a blend of other ingredients and botanicals such as ginger root extract and riboflavin. Butterbur Extra’s ™ formula is thought to support healthy brain chemistry, blood vessels‚, and vascular flow in the brain.
3. NOW® Essential Oils – Lavender Oil – 1 fl. oz (30 ml)
It has a natural cooling and numbing effect, making it excellent for relieving headache pain. It has also been proven to be a natural antiviral, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antifungal, and pain reliever.
Lavender oil can enhance blood circulation, relieve pain, and eliminate nervous tensions. Inhaling these oils has been proven to be an effective pain relief therapy for migraine and headache sufferers [6].
Bottom Line
A safe combination of therapeutic options and natural remedies is the fastest and most effective way to relieve headaches and migraine pain. Remember that there are many types of headaches, and your specific type can affect how each remedy may work for you.
