If you suffer with headaches, migraines and other types of inflammation, you hopefully have been following our headache and migraine blog series.

You can go to our blog to read the previous posts:  Hometown Family Wellness Center blog or you can start by reading:  The Life of Headache and Migraine Sufferers Changed by Chiropractor in Freehold NJ – Part I.

Today we are going to discuss dietary recommendations and natural remedies that can help you with your headaches, migraines and inflammation.

Diets that help reduce inflammation

A diet that is high in antioxidants from fruits, vegetables and foods known for their anti-inflammatory properties help control inflammation.  By incorporating these foods in your diet, you will most likely notice the frequency and intensity of your headaches decrease.

Fruits: apples, acerola berries, fresh pineapple, guavas, grapefruit and rhubarb, kiwi fruit, lemons, limes, oranges, kumquats, black currants, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries and strawberries, papaya, cherries, and tomatoes

Vegetables: spinach, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, bok choy, onion, leeks, garlic, green onions, broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, brussel sprouts, greens

Herbs & Spices: basil, oregano, mint, cloves, turmeric, cayenne peppers, chili peppers, parsley, rosemary

Fish and Meats: Cod, halibut, salmon, snapper, bass, whitefish, herring, trout, sardines, grass-fed beef, pork, naturally-raised (not on grain) chicken and turkey.

Whole Grains: brown rice, whole wheat, buckwheat, barley, rye, millet, spelt

Fats: extra virgin olive oil, avocado, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts

Natural Remedies that Help Decrease

Headache and/or Inflammation

1.     Ginger contains over 500 different compounds, many of them which are anti-inflammatory in nature.  Try a 500 mg capsule when you feel a headache coming on, or about one third of a teaspoon. C ook with ginger regularly.  One simple recipe is to braise beef or chicken strips with broccoli and one-half cup diced or sliced ginger.  Use pineapple juice as a sweetener in this dish.

2.     Omega-3 fats:  The average American has eaten too many omega-6 fats in their diet over the last 20 years that has resulted in a widespread omega-3 fat deficiency.  Omega-3 fats prevent inflammation in the body. The tie in to a headache is that inflammation can lead to a headache.  Make sure you have omega-3 fats in your diet by adding two to four capsules of 500 mg EPA with DHA daily.

3.     Antioxidant Vitamins:  Did you know that increasing your vitamin C intake could reduce inflammation in the body by 45%?  That’s what researchers reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in March of 2006.  A level of 2000 mg is a good start to decreasing inflam-mation in the body that may be related to headache.  You can always increase it later.

Make sure, also, that you get at least 400 IU vitamin E in your supplements daily. Vitamin E is responsible for reducing inflammation of the muscles, which may occur in the neck and cause headache.

4. Magnesium:  This vital mineral has been found in deficiency levels in those who have migraines.  It’s an essential mineral for contraction of the blood vessels.  Adding 300-400 mg magnesium per day is probably safe, however, without a hair analysis test to see where all your mineral levels are, you’re taking shots in the dark.

5. Feverfew:  This herb has been used traditionally for treating headaches. Use as directed on the label.

6. Germanium has been used to oxygenate the system and provides pain relief in many different situations.  When using it, take it on an empty stomach, and never at the same time with any prescription medications. 200 to 300 mg may prove extremely helpful.

Now are YOU Ready to Eliminate YOUR Headaches?

Remember that you must decrease all the reasons for having a headache in the first place, not just use a supplement as a remedy.  Address the 12 health and dietary habits discussed in the beginning of this blog series and use the supplements to fill in the gap.  The dietary habits start in Part II of our blog which you can ready by clicking:  Freehold NJ Chiropractor Changing the Lives of Headache and Migraine Sufferers – Part II

If  you are ready to living a headache-free life, contact our office in Freehold, NJ by calling 732-780-0044 and ask for Dr. Russell Brokstein’s headache elimination evaluation!  By taking an overall health and wellness approach including chiropractic, diet, addressing habits and stress reduction, we have been helping many headache sufferers in Monmouth County, NJ for the past 13 years.