Almost two years ago I was at my wits end. I had made an appointment at a pain clinic to see if there was anything that could be done about my migraines - the frequent incapacitating bouts were getting to be too much. In preparation for my visit I was supposed to chronicle my pain journey and the remedies I had tried. It was through that exercise that I realized the normal solutions were not possible and I needed to think outside the box. That began a two-year journey to find migraine remedies that actually help me.

Yes, I know every migraine is different and everyone who suffers from migraines has a different experience. So, obviously these are not a one-sized fits all solution. But here are the things I’ve been doing that have helped greatly reduce the number of migraines I have.

Migraine Remedies That Have Helped Me:

1:: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day of the week.

This is probably the remedy that is the biggest pain! I mean, it sounds good in theory. Going to bed at 9pm each night and waking up at 5:30am every morning sounds good for the weekdays but when you are up at 5:30am on a Saturday morning, things get a little tough. But I will say this is also one of the things that has helped me the most. When I am consistent with my sleep patterns my head is always better. I’ve gotten to the point that I often wake up naturally just before my alarm because my body has gotten used to this - which is another bonus because startling awake from an alarm is migraine inducing for me.

2:: Drink water - a lot of water.

I don’t just mean the recommended 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day. I don’t mean count your coffee or tea intake as water. I mean drink a whole heck of a lot of water every single day. I shoot to drink 100 ounces of water every day. And I find that I feel better and am less migraine prone when I get this in every day. If I fall behind a day or two I’m likely to feel a migraine beginning to develop. (As I write this I have two large water bottles on my desk both full of water waiting for me to finish them off in the next hour.

3:: Drink Gatorade or some other electrolyte-giving liquid.

This past summer I read an article about hydration for marathon runners but something in the article struck a cord with me even in non-marathon seasons. Some people have saltier sweat and they need to replenish that! I am one salty sweater. It’s weird I know, but I’ve found that if I put a little Gatorade powder in my first water bottle of the day, I do much better throughout the rest of the day.

Also, if I feel a headache coming on, one of the first things I will do is drink a bottle of Gatorade. Migraines are often a result of dehydration, so if I can nip that in the bud ASAP, I am often able to stop the headache from getting worse.

4:: Essential oils

Honestly, I don’t think these have the power to cure every ailment and issue a person has. But I have found that a little peppermint or lavender after a long day helps me calm down and feel less stressed. I will either pour a couple drops of both into my essential oil diffuser and run that a couple hours before bed and then as I fall asleep, or I will dab a little peppermint on my temples and massage it into my neck and shoulders to release some tension.

As a little warning… for those that are more sensitive to smells when you have a migraine, test out the scents before you have a headache. I have made the mistake of trying a ‘stress’ mixture when I already have a migraine the smell made things so much worse!

5:: Take Magnesium daily.

This natural pain reliever also helps keep the migraines at bay. I take one 500mg tablet each morning with my one-a-day vitamin. But I also take one when I feel a migraine coming on, or with my Advil to help fight the pain and hopefully make the migraine more manageable. (For those with horrible monthly cramps, taking this daily has also helped make them less intense. Bonus!)

6:: Avoid food triggers - for me that includes mushrooms, wine, soy sauce, and some teas.

If you haven’t read Heal My Headache it is a MUST. In the book the author talks about how there are certain foods that tend to be triggers for migraine sufferers. He recommends eliminating all of them for several weeks and then slowly introducing one back to see if it triggers a headache. If it does, eliminate that food from your diet permanently.

I also think a good way to have an idea about this is take a look at the foods you hated as a kid, or things that you tend to not want to order. Often those are the things that give you headaches, and you may have never noticed that. Mushrooms are that food for me. I have always hated them. I never order anything with mushrooms and then I found out that they are a major trigger for many people. There are other things - like avocados - that are a trigger for meany but not for me.

I’ve got more to share but the post was getting long. Stay tuned for next Tuesday and 6 more migraine remedies that I swear by.