If I had to give you one single reason for eating the way I do and working so hard to heal my body, it would be migraines. I’ve suffered from migraines since I was a teenager, and though I get them less frequently these days, I still find myself in need of these natural migraine remedies from time to time. (You can read more about my story here.)
Conventional migraine medicines make me sick and are toxic, so as I’ve learned more about treating various conditions naturally, I’ve tried lots of different natural migraine remedies. The thing about migraines is that the cause might change from one migraine to the next, so the remedy that works one time may not work the next time.
If you’ve suffered from migraines, you know how painful they are. Below, I’ll give you my best natural migraine remedies so that you can find what works best for your migraine headaches.
My natural migraine remedies
Before I get into remedies to combat a migraine that’s already underway, let’s talk about migraine prevention.
It’s important to note that the best thing I’ve done to prevent migraines is to eat a good diet. When I originally removed grains and refined sugar, my incidence of migraines went down. I also began to sleep better, which had its own positive effect on lowering the frequency of migraines. To prevent migraines, consider
- removing grains, dairy, sugar, and artificial foods from your diet (read about the first five ingredients you should remove from your diet now)
- doing a gut-healing diet like GAPS (which can heal the underlying conditions that cause migraines)
- ensuring you get good rest; going to sleep by 10 pm is best (extreme fatgiue will get me every time!)
- reducing stress to avoid tension headaches
- staying hydrated to decrease the odds of a dehydration headache
While the above steps have definitely decreased the frequency of migraines for me, when I do get a migraine, I want to try all of my natural migraine remedies before I resort to taking something over the counter. Here’s what I use:
Magnesium
When a magnesium deficiency is present, most of our bodily functions are affected. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include weakness, muscle cramps, nausea, fatigue, headaches, and more.
There is a type of magnesium formulated especially for brain health, which can pass the blood-brain barrier in order to nourish the brain, called magnesium L-threonate. I find that if I have a headache coming on, sometimes I can take a couple of these magnesium capsules and the pain will begin to ease.
I wrote in detail about the brain-nourishing benefits of this type of magnesium and how it has helped our oldest son with with behavioral problems in my post Our Favorite Supplement to Treat ADHD and Other Behavioral Problems. Get my favorite magnesium L-threonate, called MagMind, here.
Sole water
If I’m taking a couple of MagMind capsules, you can bet I’m swallowing them down with a glass of sole water. I’ve written extensively about the benefits of drinking sole water in my post How to Make Sole Water and Three Reasons Why You Should, but what you need to know is, sole water
- is mineral-packed
- promotes hydration
- aids in detoxification
- creates cellular energy.
Sole water is so simple and cheap to make, there’s no good reason not to try it! Use one cup of mineral-rich salt and three cups of filtered water to fill a quart-sized jar with a plastic lid. Give it a shake, then leave out on the counter overnight. Use a teaspoon of the mixture each morning in a glass of water, then work your way up to using more.
I use a tablespoon in a glass of water when I have a headache coming on, then drink several glasses throughout the day when I’m battling a migraine. Get my favorite Real Salt for making sole water here.
Extra virgin cod liver oil
When I have a headache coming on, I reach for a bottle of extra virgin cod liver oil, one of the best ways to get brain-boosting omega fats into my body.
Those omega fats are anti-inflammatory, while the saturated fat in the oil nourishes the brain. It’s best to take a dose of cod liver oil daily, but when I have a migraine coming on, I’ve been known to take a teaspoon every hour until it goes away.
I take a liquid version with no additives or flavors, and just drink it down with some filtered water. You can read about why our family switched to extra virgin cod liver oil here. Get the best quality, extra-virgin cod liver oil here.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice used medicinally in many places. If I have any turmeric capsules on hand, I’ll pop a handful when I feel a migraine coming on. The turmeric helps to ease the inflammation, thereby easing the migraine headache. Read more about the benefits of taking turmeric and how to make your own turmeric capsules here, or purchase organic turmeric capsules here.
Peppermint essential oil
This is the first thing I reach for when I have a headache. I dab a drop directly at the point of pain (unless, of course, it’s one of those gnarly migraines that settle in the eye).
The cooling sensation instantly brings relief. Usually, when the oil wears off, I have to reapply it, but I’m okay with that because it really does help. Peppermint essential oil also helps to clear the sinuses, which can be a reason for a migraine.
I often dab it on my forehead, scalp, and sinuses, which can be a little intense and sometimes makes my eyes water, but leaves me feeling clearer-headed once the initial sting clears. Get peppermint essential oil here.
Neti pot
If a migraine is due to sinus congestion, or even underlying sinus infection (and sometimes, it’s not as obvious as you’d think that the problem is in the sinuses), using a neti pot can help clear the problem.
I have found sometimes that doing a rinse of my sinuses with a neti pot can stop a migraine in its tracks. I add about half a teaspoon of real salt to some body-temp filtered water in each nostril to thoroughly give my sinuses a good rinse. Get a neti pot like mine here.
Lymph massage
Massage is helpful to clear the sinuses as well, and I love to give myself a quick lymphatic massage in the shower in the mornings when I remember. This is one of my favorite natural migraine remedies because it’s simple and non-invasive, and I can do it, even if I’m lying down in pain.
By doing lymphatic massage, you clear your lymph nodes of toxins that can build up and cause pain. Watch the short video below to see how it’s done:
Coffee enemas
Finally, I saved this tip for last because I know not everyone will try it, but it is one of the most effective natural migraine remedies because it helps get to the root cause of migraines. In fact, when I began doing coffee enemas regularly a few years ago, my incidence of migraines decreased dramatically.
Coffee enemas clean the blood and increase glutathione (the mast antioxidant needed for detoxification). They provide such immediate, intensive detoxification, that I’ve experienced a coffee enema instantly relieving a migraine that had previously lasted for days and had not responded to even over the counter pain meds.
To do a coffee enema, boil two tablespoons of freshly-ground, organic, light or medium roast coffee in about one cup of filtered water. Bring to a boil for five minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Strain the coffee into a quart-sized jar, then fill the rest of the way, checking to ensure the coffee ends up slightly warmer than body temperature.
Use an enema bag to use the coffee as an enema, and retain the enema while lying on your right side for 15 minutes before expelling. If you’d like to read in greater detail, you can read all about the benefits of coffee enemas here. You can get a kit especially for coffee enemas here.
Natural migraine remedies: just try it!
I’ve given you lots of options for the next time you have a migraine, so just pick a remedy and give it a try! If that doesn’t work, move down the list. 😉 If you suffer from migraines, you have my sympathy, but hopefully, using these tips, you can prevent and get rid of those nasty, painful headaches that show no mercy.