Healthy by Nature radio show this week: There is a fungus among us and it is the typically overlooked cause of a lot of health problems. Fungus diet expert Kristin Kons, Nutritionist Gayle Pruitt, and Andy Hopkins from RealFoodGrocery.com complete a round table to discuss how to manage this insidious infection. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and ways to listen nationwide. Call with questions at 1-800-281-8255.
 
What to do for headaches
People have many different types of headaches for a multitude of reasons. Two weeks ago I shared my personal history with migraines and my “aha moment” when I realized I could stop them. Last week I talked about the steps I took to rid myself of that blight. Before I go on to cover currently accepted remedies as promised, let me review some of the different types of headaches.

Sinus Headaches. Frequent headaches centering on the cheek and eyebrow area are usually sinus-related. Most chronic sinus problems are caused by yeast rather than bacteria, so we’ll cover that on the show Sat. If the pain comes and goes with the seasons, we’re probably talking about allergy which is a topic for another week.

Stress Headaches. One physical stressor is having your spine misaligned, so visiting a chiropractor is a good idea. Misaligned teeth or dental work is another best served by a dentist specializing in those problems. Emotional stress is a biggie and solving the problem that is causing the stress is obviously best. But emotional stress bothers us more if we are: lacking in sleep, low in B-vitamins or short on magnesium. Hmmm, can you send your boss, spouse, child or neighbor a bill for a massage to undo the tension they are causing?

Eye-strain related. You don’t need me to tell you to get away from the computer (a black pot / kettle situation anyway) but maybe a reminder to get an eye exam wouldn’t hurt.

From chemicals. Some chemicals in sufficient concentration will give anyone a headache. They are poisons and thank goodness our brains warn us to get away from them. (Many people get headaches from the chemical  MSG monosodium glutamate because it excites nerves.) However, if you are more sensitive than other folks, it may be due to some of the same problems I discussed last week as being related to my own migraines. It seems counter-intuitive to think of our gut in relationship to a pain at the other end of our bodies, but gut health has a lot to do with all parts of the body working correctly. If you just generally feel toxic, you might try the Detox Formula from Lily of the Desert.

Migraine and cluster. I put these together because although migraine is more common in women and cluster headaches in men, the cause of both types are a mystery and most likely related to the same types of aggravators I discussed last week. All of those things (supporting the good gut bacteria, improving mineral balances, checking the thyroid and other hormones, avoiding foods to which you are sensitive, drinking enough water and getting the sugar and other crap out of the diet) provide multiple important health benefits. So they seem like a logical place to start. Click here for a good list of supplements with some science or at least a lot of anecdotal history behind them. The list has information (including doses for different ages) on nutrients like magnesium, calcium, Vitamins B 2 and 12, Vitamin D, CoQ10, SAMe and fish oil as well as the herbs Feverfew, Butterbur, Ginger, Ginkgo and Cayenne pepper. Also recommended are the amino acid L-Tryptophan and melatonin (better known as an aid for jet lag and sleep).

Prevention is ever so much more pleasant and efficient than treatment, but if you get a headache you might try this approach. I found some symptom relief by putting an ice pack on my forehead and a heat source on the back of my neck. Even a sock filled with dry rice and heated in the microwave works.

My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book : Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

Copyright 2011 Martie Whittekin, CCN