Classic migraine: Preceded by an aura, can consist of disturbances of vision, speech health-issues, weakness and sensory disturbances and particularly heightened sensitivity to noise. An aura may also consist of brilliant stars, sparks, flashes or simple geometric forms passing across the visual field.
Common migraine: the pain is accompanied by nausea, a general feeling of illness, and sometimes depression and irritability.
Cluster headaches: a variant of migraine. They are sudden and severe, usually on one side of the head or face, producing sweating and tearing.
Silent migraine: a type of migraine that causes visual distortion without the pain.
What are the Symptoms of Migraine?
Migraines begin with a throbbing headache, usually centered behind or above one eye. It can also begin at the back of the head and spread to one entire side of the head.
What is the Cause?
The main cause of migraine is alternating constriction and dilation of the blood vessels in the brain. Migraine can be triggered by shock, anxiety, stress, low blood sugar, hormone fluctuations, depression, food (especially chocolate) and environmental allergies, overexertion, liver malfunction, constipation, changes in diet, climate or daily lifestyle.
Diet
- Avoid all stimulants and artificial agents such as MSG and aspartame
- Stay away from sugar, refined and processed food
- Be aware of possible food and chemical sensitivities
- Drink purified water; use chemical free and pH balanced household and skin products
- Normalize your sleep patterns: in bed by 10pm and up by 7 am follows your natural circadian rhythms
- Follow the hypoglycemic diet and eat between meals to stabilize blood sugar that may precipitate a migraine
- Avoid refined salt and follow the acid alkaline balancing document
- Avoid all fried foods
- Eliminate pasteurized dairy and avoid all cheeses that contain tyramine
- Avoid all artificial color and preservatives and stay away from alcohol and stimulants
The Glutamate Connection to Migraines
See the diagram here to understand the glutamate connection to migraines.
Essentially, an excitatory response can occur staring with high estrogen and low progesterone, or possibly low testosterone in men. If your diet is high foods/drinks that increase glutamate levels (coffee, sugar, wheat, grain-fed meat, beer) while being low in vitamin C, b-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, progesterone in women or testosterone in men, this creates an excitatory response in the brain. This process is connected to many other health disorders as outlined in the diagram.
Supplementation
If migraines are hormonally triggered, b-complex helps normalize estrogen.
Vitamin C produces GABA to lower glutamate levels. Vitamin C is heavily concentrated in the brain, and plays a major role in keeping inflammation down.
Magnesium helps prevent high calcium levels the lead to the excitatory response and releases muscle tension.
Zinc prevents high copper levels, preventing constriction.
