If you or someone you love suffers from migraines, you know how debilitating the pain is. Migraines and headaches affect the quality of our life because they literally shape how we see our world. Learn how to soothe migraines with these natural remedies.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine migraines are caused when our liver and gallbladder are out of balance. Yet making simple daily changes to how we live can have profound results on how happy and healthy we feel inside our head.
Read more: understanding headaches
1. Take care of what’s toxic. Anger, frustration, resentment. Negative emotions get a bad reputation because we don’t express them in a healthy way. Whether you rant wildly or seethe silently, undigested emotions are like poison to your mind, body and spirit. That toxicity festers in your liver and gallbladder, which causes your blood and Qi (pronounced “chi”) to become congested, which then rises upward creating tension in your head. Something as simple as saying, “I am angry about this” can release the knots in your stomach and skull. When we honor how we feel, we honor the storyline tightening in our head.
2. What’s in your belly affects your brain. Nutrition has a delicious role to play in managing our migraines and headaches. Common culprits that agitate head pain include greasy, fatty and/or fried food, sugary beverages and candy. Avoid sugary snacks after dinner and make it a habit to avoid drinking cold beverages with ice. Eating raw vegetables sounds healthy but if you have a migraine, avoid that kind of crunch. Instead look to sour-flavored tastes like lime juice, fresh kiwi or try adding turmeric to your chicken and eggs.
Read more: the connection between brain health and the gut
A soothing way to start the day and balance your liver and gallbladder is by drinking four ounces of hot water as soon as you wake up. If that doesn’t appeal to you, try drinking the juice of half a lemon mixed with coconut oil. You’ll not only help your liver, gallbladder and head – you’ll help your stomach and cholesterol too!
3. Prevention is better than cure. When you feel a migraine or headache coming on try this simple Qigong move:
To increase the effectiveness of the exercise chant “SHUUUU” (pronounced “shoe”). This Qigong exercise clears and harmonizes the energy of the liver by targeting negative emotions like anger and frustration while encouraging kind, compassionate feelings.
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4. Two powerful acupoints to combat migraines:
- Liver 3 (LV3): This point is located on the top of the foot between the tendons leading to the big toe and the second tow. LV 3 can be used to drain excess energy from the liver channel. Massage this point. As you massage visualize all dark or stuck energy leaving out through the feet, making way for clear and light energy.
- Gallbladder 20 (GB 20): This point is located at the base of the skull. It’s the bumpy protuberance where the head and the back of the neck connect. Place your hands on the side of the head and your thumbs on GB 20 point. Firmly press these points, releasing tensions from the head.
This article originally appeared on mariashriver.com.
Image via: Naturhotel Waldesruhe
