2019-05-01_Better_Nutrition

(^24) • MAY 2019
asktheNATUROPATHICdoctor/ANSWERS TO YOUR HEALTH QUESTIONS
Chronic Headache Relief
To fi nd the right solution for this often-debilitating problem,
you fi rst have to identify the cause/// BY EMILY A. KANE, ND, LAc
a:
First, it’s important to note that if
you have a new, sudden, intense,
non-resolving headache, this could be
a medical emergency and you need an
MRI as soon as possible. In most cases,
however, headaches are an ongoing issue
that can plague people throughout their
lives. And they’re tricky for health care
providers to sort out. To fi nd the most
eff ective treatment, it’s critical to examine
any patterns to your headaches and try to
determine what’s triggering them.
:I get frequent headaches. Tylenol and over-the-counter pain meds
don’t work. I definitely don’t want to get constipated and addicted to
opiates, but I can’t function at all on my headache days. Can you help?
—Joy E., Honolulu
Emily A. Kane, ND,
LAc, has a private
naturopathic practice
in Juneau, Alaska,
where she lives with
her husband and
daughter. She is the
author of two books
on natural health,
including Managing
Menopause Naturally.
Visit her online at
dremilykane.com.
Hormonal Issues
One common cause of headaches or
migraines in women is hormonal shifts.
These happen in a major way at puberty,
pregnancy, and menopause, but hormones
also change dramatically as part of the
monthly cycle during your fertile years.
If your headaches occur before men-
struation, this is because of high levels of
estrogen and progesterone precipitously
dropping off. A tincture of Vitex (chaste
berry)—one dropperful daily throughout
the month—can lessen the steep drop-off
of progesterone and help provide relief.
You can also employ a seed rotation
diet to help smooth out hormonal shifts,
but be aware that this will increase your
fertility! So if you are sexually active and
do not want to get pregnant, be sure to
have a birth control method in place if you
try this headache remedy. I favor condoms
since those protect against STDs as well,
and don’t mess with hormones. You can
also try a non-hormone IUD (ParaGard).
The seed rotation plan involves
Day 1 of your cycle (fi rst day of men-
strual bleeding) to mid-cycle (usually
day 13–15). Take 1 tablespoon of ground
fl ax seeds and 3 tablespoons of pump-
kin seeds—stirred into a salad, soup, or
applesauce—daily during this time.
Then, in the days between ovulation
(mid-cycle) and the end of your cycle,
switch to 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and
3 tablespoons sunfl ower seeds daily.
If your headache occurs mid-cycle,
when only estrogen is high, try an
anti-estrogenic diet for three months.
This basically means cutting back on
animal foods—cheese, beef, pork, and
chicken—or avoiding them altogether.
Other Potential Causes
If your headaches are not related to
hormonal changes, heat, ice, or pressure
will often alleviate the symptoms, and
these treatments can give clues as to the
origin of the headache as well. For example,
if you put a wrung-out hot towel over your
shoulders and that relieves the headache,
you likely have a tension headache from
tight upper-back muscles.
If you have a more classic migraine
(too much blood pushing into the skull