Migraine Headaches

The holidays can be stressful, can’t they? We often see more patients in with complaints of low back pain and shoulder pain due to the long hours of shopping or driving OR from getting those decorations out of the basement. However, migraine headaches can also come creeping back into our daily lives.

A migraine headache can be caused by many things:

1. Misalignment of the spine

2. Inadequate water intake or drinking too much caffeine

3. Eating lots of carbohydrates like cookies, candies, holiday punch and fruit cake (We don’t do any of that around the holidays!) J

4. Changes in hormones

5. Drinking wine

Migraine headaches are a type of headache where you'll often get a throbbing type pain in the head which is not usually relieved or improved by lying down. It may be accompanied by nausea, dizziness or problems with your vision. There are some folks who have an "aura" before the migraine comes, such as tingling in the fingers or lips or visual disturbances.

In order to combat migraines, don’t forget to keep well adjusted with chiropractic care this holiday season. Freeing up the nervous system by aligning the spine and relaxing the muscles in your neck can make a difference in the frequency and intensity of your migraines. Also, try to drink mainly water or herbal teas, keeping caffeine intake to a minimum. Limit your intake of carbohydrates like bread, rice and pasta as well as processed foods. Many of the items down the interior aisles of the grocery store are processed, stripping the foods of nutrients and leaving you nutritionally mugged. Instead, eat lots of vegetables, some lean meat and then a minimal amount of fruit and carbohydrates. The carbs you do eat should mainly be whole grain bread (make sure that the first ingredient on the package is NOT "enriched") and brown or wild rice.

If you suspect that your headaches are hormone-related, we have a doctor available who uses alternative methods of hormone testing and is skilled in helping women (and men) balance their hormones through the use of diet and nutritional supplements. In that way, you may be able to avoid the use of medications to treat the symptoms.

Don't hesitate to contact our office to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors to discuss chiropractic care and/or nutritional counseling to get control of your migraines! 620-665-5076

What’s one thing I can do to be healthier?

There is much talk out there (especially in the form of commercials) trying to get you to eat more fiber, which is very important to your overall health. However, the way that you get that fiber is debatable. Let’s dispell some of the myths and discuss why fiber is so important.

First of all, it shortens the time it takes for your bowels to pass. Let’s face it, if someone says “you’re full of it” you don’t want it to be a literal statement! Next, it increases stool bulk and binds to toxins, thereby clearing those toxins out of the body. Also, soluble fiber provides your gut with the nutrients it needs to multiply the healthy bacteria living there. In this way, you maintain the healthy intestinal flora while warding off the harmful organisms.

Soluble fiber includes pectin (from apples and citrus fruits), beta-glucans (from oats, rye, and barley) and arabinose (from beans), and peas. Insoluble fiber is mainly cellulose and is found in all plants. Good sources include whole grains and vegetables.

In our office, we offer Standard Process supplements, including Gastrofiber which contains five different whole foods and botanicals that contain multiple nutrients and soluble fiber. This product helps support healthy gastrointestinal elimination and healthy digestive function. These capsules can add supplemental dietary fiber to your diet. Additionally, there is a product called Whole Food Fiber which is similar to the Gastrofiber but is a powder form. Both are excellent for helping you get adequate fiber. If you have questions about these products, please call the office and we'll be glad to get you connected with one of our doctors. They would be glad to go over your particular health situation to see if you are getting adequate amounts of dietary fiber.

Additional information available on the web:

http://www.standardprocess.com