Is your gut healthy?
When looking for the cause of an illness, in this case, migraines, it’s important to remember the name merely identifies the symptoms and nothing about the cause of the symptoms. While many individuals can experience the same symptoms, they each may have a unique cause. In fact, there may be more than 20 different causes of migraine headaches!
Identifying a specific cause takes some detective work. Let’s examine two different causes and associated care for both.
Gut Imbalances
Headaches associated with fatigue, brain fog, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, joint or muscle pain, postnasal drip, and sinus congestion can be linked to food allergies. Blood, stool, or urine testing can be done to determine the allergen. It is recommended to try an elimination diet, where specific foods are removed from the diet to lessen symptoms.
Chemical Triggers
Heavily processed diets contain large amounts of chemicals such as aspartame, MSG, nitrates, and sulfites, all of which may be headache triggers. Removing additives, sweeteners, sulfites, and processed foods from the diet can have a huge impact on headache incidence.
“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating...will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” -Edward Stanley