Headaches can be a pain, literally! Bad joke in the first sentence complete; now we can move on. A headache is usually a symptom of something else that is going on in the body. What we mean by this is that a common cold, for instance, can cause a person to have headaches. Similarly, headaches can be the result of a digestive issue. Rather than reaching for the medicine cabinet to simply subdue the symptom, you can address the problem naturally.
What Are Headaches?
A headache is defined by any pain or discomfort in the head. Headaches can occur in one isolated spot or different locations at the same time. One can experience a throbbing sensation, or feel as though his/her head is clamped in a vise. Primary headaches can stem from over-activity of the brain, stressed blood vessels & muscles, or pain in the neck or head. Secondary headaches are usually symptoms of other conditions that stimulate nerves in the head region.
The following tips can help you address what is causing your headaches, so give them a shot and let us know if they work.
Drink More Water
Most people don’t know that they are dehydrated. A lot of headaches stem from dehydration, so drinking more water can help get rid of headaches. That doesn’t mean you should drink more energy drinks, coffee, sodas, or alcohol. All of those things actually dehydrate you. To stay sufficiently hydrated, drink half your body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 150lbs and divide that by two to get 75, you should drink 75oz of water a day.
Eat Water-Rich Foods
Let’s stay in the same dehydration vein for a little longer. You can help yourself stay hydrated if you consume water-rich foods. Eat melons, strawberries, peaches, lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers, grapes, citrus fruits, or leafy greens. All of those foods have amazing nutritional value and they can help keep you hydrated. Drink water too!
Ice Your Temples
Sometimes headaches are caused by too much inflammation in the body. The artery that supplies blood to the brain’s lining sits behind the temple. A headache causes the lining to become inflamed, so icing your temples can lower blood temperature in that area, ultimately reducing the throbbing headache pain.
Use Ginger
Ginger root is your friend, your healer, and a great natural remedy to help calm headaches. When you ingest ginger root, lipid production begins in your cells, and lipids help to calm nerves that react when you feel pain. Peel a piece of ginger root and chew on it or drink ginger root tea to help reduce symptoms of headaches.
Get Your pH Levels Neutral
Many Americans have imbalanced pH levels, which tend to be acidic from the Standard American Diet. You can help neutralize your pH levels by consuming raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in alkaline water. Drink 1 tablespoon in 8 ounces of water once a day. You can add fresh lemon juice and a little stevia powder to make the drink taste better.
