We have touched upon the “migraine problem” in previous posts, such as
“Emotional Freedom Technique” dated July 7, 2015, and
“I’m Frustrated” dated June 29, 2016.
These, however, suggested tapping to help relieve, or at least lessen, the pain experienced by people having migraine attacks.
Pictured above are our dear friends Atilla and Gülbin Atakol, and the person who has benefitted from tapping to relieve her migraine pains, which I’ve mentioned before, is Gülbin.
I hope the findings I will go over below, will benefit her, and other migraine sufferers even more.
SOME STATISTICS
The Migraine Research Foundation (MFR) estimates that around 38 million people in the United States alone – and 1 billion people around the world – suffer from these painful headaches. 18 % of women, 6 % of men and 10 % of children in America suffer from these headaches. This means around 1.2 million visits to the emergency room every year.
Summing up, it is a major medical problem. Although migraine can sometimes be difficult to treat, new research coming out of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital could help doctors develop more effective treatment protocols.
WHY MIGRAINES ARE SO DIFFICULT
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a number of reasons why migraines can be so difficult to live with. First, they cause excruciating pain, usually on one side of the head, and can cause other problems like nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances like flashes of light before the eye and extreme sensitivity to lights and sounds. While some people get these headaches occasionally, others can have them almost daily.
One of the most frustrating things about migraines is that they can be caused by a number of other issues, including hormonal changes, changes in the level of serotonin (the “feel good” chemical in the brain), some medications (like birth control and nitroglycerin), and certain foods and food additives (especially MSG, look at my post “I’m Frustrated” dated June 29, 2016). Some of these things can be avoided while others cannot.
The new research coming out of Ohio, however, might prove to be helpful to patients and doctors struggling to manage this condition, as low nutrient levels are emerging as another possible cause of migraines.
WHAT THE NEW RESEARCH HAS FOUND
This new research is coming out of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, one of the top pediatric hospitals in the US and was led by Dr. Suzanne Hagler, a fellow in the division of Neurology and a professor at the hospital’s Headache Center.
The study was based on research conducted on patients at the Headache Center itself. The study looked at the records of migraine patients – children, teens and young adults. Specifically, researchers focused on the vitamin D, coenzyme Q 10, folate and riboflavin levels of these patients, as it was hypothesized that low levels of these nutrients could cause or exacerbate migraines.
The study results pointed to a definite link between mildly low levels of vitamin D – as well as coenzyme Q 10 and riboflavin. No such link was found with folate.
Scientists working on this study discovered that:
* Overall, a high percentage of migraine patients showed lower than normal levels of vitamin D, CoQ 10 and riboflavin.
* While women and girls were more likely to have lower levels of CoQ 10, men and boys were more likely to have mild vitamin D deficiencies,
* People with occasional migraines were less likely to have low levels of CoQ 10 and riboflavin than those who have them on a more regular basis.
Although the above study does not even mention what I am going to re-state below, please think about this very seriously.
Recall my post of May 6, 2016 “Cholesterol, Part II” and read the last part “A SHORT NOTE ON CHOLESTEROL LOWERING DRUGS” again.
Statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) stop the body’s production of CoQ 10 and, most probably, reduce the body’s production of vitamin D. The body needs cholesterol and sun exposure to synthesize vitamin D3.
Do you think that taking these drugs could also play a role in migraine headaches?
If stronger links are found between low levels of these vitamins and minerals and the occurrence of migraines, then the use of supplements and/or, better still, a proper diet might become a larger part of migraine treatments.
Foods rich in riboflavin are:
- Yogurt (home made)
- Asparagus
- Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables
- Chicken
- Fish
- Eggs
So, continue tapping, get daily sun exposure, for about 20-40 minutes. If you are on cholesterol lowering drugs, take vitamin D3 supplements. Take CoQ10 supplements; remember that the body’s production of CoQ10 decreases with age. Eat the foods listed above.
There you have it; I hope this will help.
See you all next week.
