Most people who get a lot of headaches rely on pills to take away the pain. Ask around and you’re likely going to hear, “I take Ibuprofen every time I get a headache.” But what about taking a drug-free approach to headache prevention?
Consider why you might be getting headaches in the first place. Oftentimes it has to do with what you put into your body. What do you regularly eat and drink? Some things that trigger headaches include caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, cheese, and foods/drinks made with artificial sweeteners. Avoiding these things can lessen or eliminate the number of/severity of headaches you experience. Meanwhile, other headache triggers can include foods high in histamines, tyramine and/or nitrates. Read more labels, be more aware of what the ingredients are in the foods and drinks you consume, and avoid the ones that seem to bother you the most.
Another drug-free approach to headache prevention is the anti-inflammatory diet. Basically, increase your intake of foods containing monounsaturated fats and omega-3s. Reduce your intake of foods with omega-6 fats. Practically-speaking, eat more avocados, nuts, olive oil and fish and eat less corn, soy and vegetable oils (and processed foods containing these things).
Do you skip meals? If so, don’t do that. When you skip meals, low blood sugar and dehydration can bring on headaches. If you ever see people who carry water bottles around with them everywhere they go, they’re on to something good– staying well hydrated during the day! Meanwhile, when you’ve got to pee, go to the bathroom rather than holding it or else risk suffering with a headache.
Other ways to prevent or lessen headaches include taking time out of your day to stretch, relax, and do exercises such as yoga to help get the blood flowing and/or applying a cold ice pack to the spot on your head where it hurts. You might also consider regular visits to Lakewoods Chiropractic as chiropractic care regularly aids in the prevention of and reduction of headaches; call 651-464-0800 to make an appointment or email info@lakewoodschiropractic.com. Lakewoods Chiropractic, of Forest Lake, MN, is conveniently located at 255 Highway 97 in Suite #2A.
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