zionMigraines can cause a lot of misery. In the US alone more than 11 million people suffer from chronic migraines that are disabling. And more than 38 million people total experience migraines each year. (https://migraine.com/migraine-statistics/ ) Some people can get relief from migraines using prescription medication but other people find that medications don’t alleviate their migraine pain. Common symptoms that migraine sufferers endure include light sensitivity, nausea and vomiting, sound sensitive, aura, and intense pain. Turmeric is a natural remedy for migraines that might help some people who suffer from migraines have fewer migraines and have less intense migraines when they do occur.
Turmeric is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. The active agent in turmeric, curcumin, has been studied for years and there is a lot of research that indicates it can relieve pain as well as some prescription medications. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001/) New research that is being done into the nature of migraines and what causes them indicates that the root cause of migraines could be inflammation in the body. (http://n.neurology.org/content/64/10_suppl_2/S9.short) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4888678/ ) Because turmeric is such a potent anti-inflammatory agent, taking turmeric curcumin for migraines can be a powerful weapon in the fight to eliminate migraine pain. Curcumin also thins the blood and promotes better circulation in the body. Poor blood flow to the brain can be one of the contributing factors in migraines so taking turmeric can help improve blood flow to the pain and stop migraines before they start.
How To Take Turmeric To Help Migraines
Curcumin, the active agent in turmeric, is not easy for the body to absorb. So in order to help the body absorb it turmeric should be taken with black pepper. Black pepper helps the body absorb curcumin and use it to stop inflammation and pain. In order to get the most therapeutic benefit from curcumin you would have to take a relatively large amount of turmeric, more than you would get in your favorite curry. Turmeric supplements that are formulated with black pepper to help with absorption are the best choice to take if you are going to take turmeric curcumin for migraines. Or you could drink gold milk which also has a high concentration of turmeric and has black pepper in it also.
Supplements
If you plan on taking turmeric curcumin for migraines, the most recommended dosage amount for many ailments including headaches and migraines is 500 g per day. (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-662/turmeric) although your doctor may recommend a higher dose based on your particular health. When you are choosing a turmeric supplement make sure that you choose a supplement that is all natural and has no additional ingredients except for black pepper to help with the absorption of the curcumin in the turmeric.
Golden Milk
If you want to try golden milk or gold milk as a daily tonic to help prevent migraines you can drink this delicious drink in the morning or at night. Most people prefer to drink it at night because it can help promote healthy sleep as well as helping to reduce headaches and body aches and pains. Golden milk is made from turmeric, black pepper, and other spices that you can choose based on your individual taste. Vanilla is often added for taste. Ginger and cinnamon can be added both for their health properties and for taste. And if you don’t drink dairy milk you can make golden milk with non-dairy milks like almond milk or soy milk. There are many different ways to make golden milk but essentially you mix the turmeric and other spices into milk and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer, covered, for about ten minutes so that it reaches full strength. Then you can strain it if you want, or just put it into a mug and drink it. You can add honey or maple syrup to make it sweeter but don’t add sugar or artificial sweeteners because they can be stimulants and that can keep you awake.
You can also buy golden milk spices already mixed and just add a couple of spoonfuls to warm milk if you don’t keep a lot of spices on hand or don’t want to buy a lot of different spices. Commercial gold milk spice blends also may contain herbs like ashwagandha will can boost your immune system and overall health.
If you feel a migraine coming on and you want to try and stop it before the worst of the symptoms start you can drink gold milk immediately after the symptoms start to lessen the symptoms and possibly ward off a full-blown migraine.
How To Prevent Migraines
Taking turmeric supplements everyday or drinking gold milk everyday is a natural way to prevent migraines. If you tend to get migraines more than once a week you should start taking turmeric curcumin for migraines daily. You should notice that your migraines become less frequent once you start taking turmeric regularly or drinking gold milk every day. There are also other things that you can do to help prevent migraines like:
Diet
Ingesting turmeric curcumin for migraines can be very helpful but there are a variety of factors you must address to discover the root cause of your migraines. What you eat can have an impact on whether or not you get a migraine. Diet is one way that you can manage your migraines. Although diet alone can’t stop migraines changing the way that you eat can make you less prone to getting migraines. According to the American Migraine Foundation people that are prone to migraines should avoid caffeine or limit the amount of caffeine that they have each day. Also eating some foods that are heavily processed or contain MSG, high amounts of salt and sugar, or yeast can trigger migraines. (https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine/migraine-and-diet/) Sticking to foods that are whole and unprocessed is the best way to keep those migraines in check.
Dehydration is also a trigger for migraines. It’s important for everyone to drink plenty of water but it’s especially important for people that suffer from migraines to make sure that they are drinking at least eight glasses of water each day. If you are already drinking eight glasses of water each day and you still are getting migraines frequently try increasing the amount of water that you drinking. Stay away from sodas and carbonated beverages. Stick to plain water or water flavored with fruit. Infusion pitches are an easy way to add cucumber, berries, lemon, or other fruits to water so that you always have some delicious and refreshing fruit water available.
Exercise
Exercise is an important part of any healthy lifestyle but for people who have migraines exercise is critically important. When you exercise your brain releases endorphins, which make you feel happy and work as your body’s natural painkillers. Exercise also increases circulation and helps keep oxygen rich blood flowing to your brain. Exercise is a good way to reduce stress also. Stress is one of the most common migraine triggers. Regular exercise dramatically lowers stress levels and will also improve the quality of your sleep. When you are exercising for at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week you will also find that you have an easier time sleeping and getting enough sleep will also help lower the frequency of migraines that you suffer from.
Get More Sleep
Not getting enough sleep is also a very common trigger for migraines. If you are not getting enough sleep or if you are not getting restful sleep then your brain doesn’t get the chance to rest during the REM sleep stage. When that happens you are more likely to develop a migraine. Your brain becomes overloaded and when inflammation and stress levels spike along with the stress of not getting enough sleep it’s easy for a migraine to occur.
If you have difficulty sleeping drinking gold milk before bed will help increase the blood flow to your brain, reduce stress and inflammation, and help you relax. Keeping your bedroom cool and dark is a good way to make it easier to sleep. Use blackout curtains to keep out light and noise and to help keep the temperature in the room cool. Lower the temperature at night. Science shows that the ideal sleeping temperature for most people is about 68 degrees. Make sure that you have a high-quality mattress and comfortable blankets and pillow. You can also use essential oils and other tools to make it easier for you get the rest that you need to stop migraines.
Essential oils
Essential oils can make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep to get the rest you need. You can use essential oils to make room sprays or linen sprays that you can spray directly on your bed or pillow. Or you can use an essential oil diffuser to waft essential oils throughout the room all night to help you sleep. The best essential oils to use for sleep are:
Lavender
Sandalwood
Chamomile
Peppermint
Clary Sage
Grapefruit
Lemon
Marjoram
Cedarwood
Bergamot
Ylang Ylang
Vetiver
You can mix the essential oils together to create your own custom blend that works for you. Just make sure that you are only mixing a couple drops of each oil because they are very potent.
