Natural Headache Remedies

Headaches are a common and unwelcome part of life that effect many of us.  As a person who has struggled with headaches on and off for over 20 years I have an interest in finding alternative ways to treat them that does not require taking tons of pain medication.

There are many kinds of headaches as well as a wide variety of causes.  This means that one remedy will not likely work for everyone.  If you find a remedy that works for you it is also not likely that it will work for every headache that you have since they will likely not all be the same kind of headache.

The severity of a headache can vary from a dull pain that is gone within a few hours to a disabling migraine that can prevent you from doing your normal daily activities and last throughout the entire day and/or night. Anybody suffering from a migraine or disabling pain should consult a physician as soon as possible.

Headaches can be caused by several things, here is a list of common causes:

• Emotional Stress - Stress and Tension headaches make up about 90% of all headaches.  Stress headaches are not usually disabling but a nuisance none-the-less.  Depression and anxiety contribute to stress headaches as well as
• Tension - This mainly happens when long-lasting tension generates a reduction of the muscles in the neck.  The pain is usually throbbing and affects the front, top, or sides of the head. 
• Poor Posture - Poor neck posture is a common cause of headaches as it places strain on your muscles spinal cord.  For every inch that the head moves forward in posture, it increases the weight of the head on the neck by 10 pounds.  A forward head position is a cause of head and shoulder tension and pain, chronic pain, headaches, and stress-related illnesses.
• High Blood Pressure - High blood pressure can cause headache, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, along with other symptoms.  If you have a history of hypertension (or if it runs in your family), you should consult a physician and have your blood pressure checked to be sure your headaches are not a side effect of a more serious problem.
• Family Heredity - Do you have family members that suffer from headaches or migraines as frequently as you? Medical conditions can be passed down through generations. You can inherit a natural chemical imbalance which makes you susceptible to headaches.
• Weather and Environment - The following have been identified as possible causes for headaches; changes in humidity, changes in temperature, storms, extremely dry conditions, intense odors, flickering lights, smoke, changes in altitude, and dusty environments.
• Eye Strain - Straining your eyes to focus can cause headaches.  If you haven't had your eyes checked in a while, you should have your eyes checked.  If you're eyes have had a problem focusing over a long period of time, or if they have been degenerating over a long period, you might not even notice there is a problem.  Another eye strain can occur even if you have good vision, long periods of intensely focusing (sitting in front of the computer or reading/studying for an extended period)  
• Fatigue - Overexertion, too many activities, and lack of sleep can cause headaches.  When sleep is disrupted on a continual basis (due to schedule changes, stress, or sleep disorders), it can result in headaches and fatigue.
• Diet - Chemical reactions from food can effect certain people who are sensitive to certain substances in foods and drinks.  In addition, hunger and poor diet can cause headaches.  Skipping meals and low calorie diets can be a contributor as well.
  
• Caffeine Withdrawal - Caffeine is a stimulant that is added to many beverages, foods, and dietary supplements.  Excessive intake is associate with caffeine dependency and can be linked to withdrawal symptoms which include headaches.
•  Hormonal Changes - Headaches in women, particularly migraines, have been related to changes in the levels of estrogen (especially during a woman's menstrual cycle).  Estrogen levels drop immediately before the start of a woman's monthly cycle.  Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy have also been linked to headaches.

One of the first things to do when struggling regularly with headaches is to keep a headache diary.  You should write the following down:

• Your symptoms - Write down where you feel pain, what it feels like, and any other symptoms that come with your headaches. (i.e., vomiting or sensitivity to noise, smells, or bright light)
• Time - Write down the time your headache started and ended
• Food - Write down any food or beverages you had. (common triggers include chocolate, caffeine, and foods with the preservatives MSG and nitrates)
• Weather - Were there any changes in the weather, such as storms/rain, high winds, high humidity, or a high pollen count?
• Treatment - You should keep track of any treatment(s) you tried, and whether or not it helped or made the headache worse.

Here is a LINK to a free online headache diary that you can print and use at home. 
If you end up going to the Doctor's office, be sure to take your headache diary with you.  It will provide important information for your Physician or medical practitioner.

Here are several different remedies that do not require pain medicine.

Natural Headache Remedies

1. Large Glass of Water - Sounds too easy, right? Well it works more often then you think. Dehydration is one of the MOST COMMON causes of headaches, so a glass of cool, clear water might be all you need to start relieving pain.

2. Deep Massage/Pressure Points - You probably already know about massages and how they help to relieve stress & tension. A firm massage on the head, face, AND neck can get rid (or greatly reduce) headache pain.  See this LINK for instructions and a list of pressure points.

3. Aromatherapy - This is becoming a commonly used headache remedies. Sandlewood, peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and a wide assortment of other natural oils can be used to reduce, if not completely eliminate pain. These scents can be found in oils, candles, and even soaps. *Note* If you are scent sensitive during your headache, this may not be a good idea.

4. Take a Hot Shower - Hot water on your neck and back should loosen your muscles and allow better blood flow. You can also use aromatic soap (idea #3) during this process.

5. Ice Pack - Take an ice pack and apply it to the back of your neck (or wherever the pain is located) and allow it to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. This technique should help reduce any inflammation.

6. Relaxing & Resting - Sometimes a headache is just your body telling you that you're overworked and stressed. Lie down in a dark room, shut your eyes, and just relax for awhile. Make a mental note to relax your muscles throughout the day, we often tense up our muscles when busy or stressed without even realizing it.

7. Diet - Do you eat always seem to get a headache when you eat certain foods or drink certain beverages? It might be time to eliminate some foods from your daily diet. Everyone reacts differently to foods (and the ingredients they contain) so it's important to look closely at the ingredients of what you're eating on days when headaches occur. If need be, keep a food diary (in addition to the headache diary to see if you've eaten or drank something similar on your days with a headache).  Eat frequent small meals to keep your blood sugar regular.  If you suspect a certain food (chocolate, wheat, dairy, etc.) try to eliminate it from your diet for a month and see if your headache decrease or terminate completely.

8. Calcium Supplement - This can help to relax your muscles and increase blood flow, which should help to alleviate pain a bit. A large glass of orange juice should do fine if you are without supplements. Many experts recommend taking a supplement which has both magnesium & calcium for maximum headache relief. 

*NOTICE* Calcium can react with several kinds of medication, including but not limited to: antacids, blood pressure medication, antibiotics, and other medicine.  Check with your Doctor first if you are taking any sort of medicine!

 

9. Exercise - This may be a remedy that is not easy to do depending on the severity of the headache. If possible, you should consider doing this before AND after a headache. Exercise increases circulation & blood flow which allows more blood & more oxygen to reach your brain. 

10. Rest your eyes - Do not strain your eyes to much. Give them a deserved rest every 50 min by looking at the horizon. 

11. Posture - For office use and video game play, place your computer monitor height so that the top third of the screen is even with your eyes and the screen is 18-24 inches from your face.  Take frequent breaks. If you sit for long periods, take frequent breaks, even if only for 30 seconds to get up or do neck exercises. Pull your head over your shoulders and squeeze the blades of your shoulders together in the back. Always use a back support pillow when sitting or driving. By supporting the back, the head and neck will move back over the shoulders.  Choosing a supportive neck pillow while in bed is very important since we spend about a third of our time sleeping.  Make a habit of checking your posture regularly, many of us slouch our neck and back forward while sitting and standing. 

I hope these remedies are helpful.

Jessica

*This post is merely information - not medical advice. If readers need medical advice, they should consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional. Mind Crumbs provides no warranties in relation to the medical information supplied on this blog, and that no liability will accrue to the blog owner in the event that a user suffers loss as a result of reliance upon the information.

Canola Oil - Natural Hair Conditioner

Looking for a fast fix for your dry or frizzy hair that doesn't require a trip to the salon or pricey hair treatments?

I am happy to report that there is likely an item that you have right in your kitchen that will do just what you need.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is a particular type of rapeseed oil, identified by its low--less than 2 percent--erucic acid content. Canadian rapeseed oil producers coined the term "canola" in the late 1970s as an abbreviation for Canadian Oil, Low Acid. According to the "Alternative Field Crops Manual," canola oil is high in both oil and protein--two ingredients that play a role in restoring hair's health.  This is a great Hair Conditioner!  

Directions: 

• Heat the canola oil to a warm (not hot) temperature...about 1/2 to 1 cup, obviously if you have extra long hair you will need more oil.  (1 cup is usually good for shoulder length hair, adjust accordingly)
• Apply it to your hair, roots, and scalp and massage it in generously.  For safety, you should do this over a sink as oil dripped in the tub can create a dangerously slippery surface when showering.
• Put on a shower cap or wrap plastic wrap (several layers is best to keep the oil in) around your hair making sure it is completely covered.
• Wrap an old towel around your head over the plastic wrap.  This will help to trap in your natural body heat and keep the oil warm.  Leave it on for at least 20 minutes, an hour is better if you have the time. For deeper conditioning you can substitute the dry towel for a hot damp towel.
• You may want to place another old towel around your shoulders to catch any dripping.
• Rinse your hair and then wash with shampoo.  You may need to repeat the shampoo process, just be sure when shampooing to massage shampoo into your scalp and cover all of your hair.  You will also want to be sure you do an extra good job of rinsing out the shampoo.

This treatment should last about a month, so although it is a process, it is definitely not  one that needs to be repeated daily or even weekly.

**If you get an oil stain on something important, try using regular corn starch.  Sprinkle the dry starch directly on the oil stain and gently pat it in.  If it starts to clump up, sprinkle a little more as this means it is working.  I personally leave it overnight, then brush off the corn starch and wash as usual.  It is recommended that you would wash these items separate from your regular wash.

Getting Rid Of Hiccups

Have you ever had a terrible case of hiccups that you just can't get rid of?  I have had several occasions of hiccups that seem to last forever.  Not only are they annoying but after a long period of time, your muscles start to get sore and this can actually become painful.

A couple of days ago, my husband had the hiccups for several hours.  And similar to how I discover most of the things that I post, this came out of need.  My suggestion to him of "Just hold your breath" wasn't working....so I decided to look into other options.  

Of course there are tons of so called 'cures' ranging from eating a spoon full of sugar, drinking water upside down, to .... standing on your head.  And although I was tempted to ask my husband to stand on his head...I didn't.  :-)

 

Here is what I found that was the only thing that seemed to work, it is called the "Hughes/Green HiccupsCure"© 1997.

The basic instructions are: 

• Take a large glass of water
• Hold your breath being sure to sure to PINCH YOUR NOSE CLOSED
• Slowly take 10-20 swallows of water (keeping your nose pinched while holding your breath)
• Don't stop drinking until you have a sensation that you cant breathe at all and if you continue, you would drown. (I know this sounds bad but it doesn't work if you don't do it long enough)
• When you've reached that point, stop drinking, you will automatically gasp for air.  Take a deep breath and relax.
• For tough cases, you will need to try to EXHALE before taking your 10-20 swallows of water. 

For more information you can follow the link above.  

According to the "Hughes/Green HiccupsCure"© here is why it works:

Hiccups are caused by an uncontrollable spasm in the diaphragm, (the "breathing" muscle). Often, this spasm is triggered by irritable conditions in the smooth muscles of the stomach or the esophagus. The "Hughes/Green Hiccups Cure" forces an increase in the carbon dioxide levels in the diaphragm itself, as well as in the stomach and esophagus. By swallowing, you are making the muscles work -- so they use up their available oxygen and replace it with carbon dioxide. By temporarily discontinuing to breath, you prohibit new oxygen from entering your body and thus create an anaerobic condition in the spasming diaphragm muscle. When the spasming diaphragm and stomach are deprived temporarily of oxygen and encounter the higher levels of carbon dioxide ... you feel that scary drowning sensation! BUT this causes the spasming muscles to relax! The hiccups go away! Essentially, you are "tricking" your body into thinking that it's drowning ... and it decides to use it's resources for something other than hiccuping. The rather "scary" drowning sensation caused by this method is NECESSARY for the method to work. If it's not just a little bit difficult ... it doesn't work. 

For my husband, his case was so bad that this method had to be repeated about 5 times throughout the day as his hiccups kept returning.  Neither of us had ever experienced such a bad case of hiccups, but this method was the only thing that worked.  And even though it had to be repeated, it worked immediately after he did it.  I imagine with a 'normal' case of hiccups, this process should cure them with one try.

Homemade Cuticle Oil

Do you have dry cuticles that need conditioning?  Having conditioned cuticles makes your nails look better and can also help you to avoid the dreaded hangnail.  Cutting cuticles can make you more susceptible to bacterial infection, so moisturizing them is a better option.


If you don't have or don't want to spend money on expensive cuticle oil then you don't need to look any further than your kitchen for the solution.  Although there are many types of cuticle treatment that have a large list of ingredients, this simple solution works.

Begin by soaking your hands in warm soapy water to clean them and prep them for conditioning.

Then you have two options: First, you can simply just take olive oil and rub it into your cuticles, or Second, you can soak your cuticles in olive oil for 30 min's!  Yep...that oil under the kitchen counter will work as a great moisturizer for your cuticles!  If you need to remove some of the cuticle them mix some sugar with your olive oil and rub into your cuticles.






It's that easy! 

Making Microwave Heating Pack

I recently visited family and had promised my 8 year old Cousin some crafting time, so I brought my sewing machine with me.

Our first project was a HEATING PACK, a simple design than anyone can do! Filled with rice or barley (I've decided I like barley better because rice will actually have a bit of 'dust' come through the fabric when moving the rice back and forth inside), these go in the microwave to be heated up and enjoyed.

First we took a very fun trip to the fabric store where we picked out material.  Material for this project CANNOT be synthetic; it must be 100% cotton so that it doesn't catch fire in the microwave.

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:

• 100% Cotton Fabric (size will depend on how big you want your heating pack) I find that a fat quarter (usually sold pre-cut at the fabric store) works great.
• As an alternative, you can use socks, washcloths, old hand towels, baby blankets...as long as they're 100% cotton.  Be creative...old flannel pajamas, or shirts work well too.
• Scissors
• Thread
• Filler (my new favorite is barley, but you can use whatever is on sale!)
• Uncooked rice (not instant)
• Barley
• Oatmeal 
• Feed Corn (not regular dried corn or it will pop!)
• Beans
• Flax Seeds
• Cherry pits (now here is one great recycling idea!)
• Fragrance *optional*
• Essential Oil (some popular fragrances are lavender, eucalyptus, lemon, mint, vanilla...)  You can combine a couple if you like, however, I would suggest trying them out in a small batch of your filler first to be sure you like the combination.
• I was in a pinch once and tried some liquid flavoring from the kitchen and used it as a fragrance and it seemed to work well.  I've used mint and vanilla and the fragrance seems to be lasting just like the essential oils.
• Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, etc.)
• Plant Fragrance (dried lavender, rosemary, crushed rose petals, etc.)

You can make these any shape you would like for your heating pack.  I prefer a rectangle shape so you put it around your neck/shoulders.  You should leave yourself a 1/2" seam allowance, so be sure to cut it a little bigger than you want the finished pack to be.  You can make these any shape or size you want, and because they are so easy and inexpensive, you might want to make several sizes.  

I often buy fat quarter fabric squares and make 2 packs from each fat quarter. I usually fill those with 2lbs of rice or barley.  These are fairly large but a good size for going around your neck and shoulder area.

PREPARATION:

If you are going to be using fragrance in your filler, it is suggested to mix the fragrance in with your filler and place in a sealed container or large zip lock back and leave for several hours or overnight in order to allow the fragrance to soak into the filler.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.   Once you have picked your fabric out, cute out two pieces (making sure they're the same size).  

2.   Place the right sides of the fabric (the side with the print on it) together.  

3.   Pin in place and sew using 1/2" seam allowance.  Make sure to leave a 2-3" space open so that you can turn the fabric right side out (like you would with a pillow) and this is also where you will put in your rice or barley. 

4.   Once you turn your fabric right side out, use your finger or a pencil to push out the corners from the inside so they are square.

5.   Now pour your rice or barley into the fabric pack.  Don't over fill!  I usually fill them about 1/2-3/4 full, as you want the rice to move so that it can form around your body and not be hard and uncomfortable.

6.   Now you can sew the opening closed with your machine.  (If you are having a hard time getting the fabric under your machine foot without the rice/barley spilling out, you can shake all of the contents to the opposite end and use pins to pin a line across the pack so that it blocks the contents from spilling into your sewing area)

Now you are done!  

DIRECTIONS:

Place your pack in the microwave from 1-3 minutes depending on the size.  I've been told never to go over 3 minutes.  You shouldn't leave it unattended to be sure nothing smokes or catches on fire.  You can 'spritz' the pack with water before heating or place a cup of water in the microwave with the pack to give a moist heat.  The moisture will also help avoid drying out or burning your herbs and fabric. ALWAYS check the temperature before placing on your body, especially with children, as these can get very hot!

If you are giving these as a gift, be sure to place heating instructions with the pack.

ADDITIONAL IDEA:

You can make the pack out of inexpensive or re-purposed fabric and sew a covering to go over it like a pillow case.  This gives you the ability to wash the outer covering should it get dirty.  


*NOTE*

You can also make some of these to go in the freezer for a cool pack.  I don't put fragrance in these.

Burn Remedy

 In our home we seem to have ample opportunity for skin burns.  Whether it's the wood stove, the oven, or the stove top.....undoubtedly someone is getting burned.


A couple months ago my husband had a pretty nasty burn on his hand from our wood stove and it immediately blistered.  I was getting ready to leave the house but wanted to tend to his burn before I left.  Of course the first thing I did was to look in the medicine cabinet to see if I had any burn gel....no such luck.  There is always the first aid spray but I happen to know from personal experience that it is not pleasant to use.


In a last minute effort, I ran to the computer and looked up natural remedies for burns.  I quickly discovered 2 remedies that looked promising since I had them in the kitchen.

The first remedy was Honey....

If your burn is a 1st degree or 2nd degree burn (without an open wound), you can place honey over the burn to relieve the stinging and assist in the healing process.  Honey has been proven to have anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and antiseptic properties.  My husband said that as soon as his burn was covered in the honey, the burning feeling was relieved and it was completely gone after a couple minutes!

The second remedy was Camomile Tea....

Take a tea bag and soak (about a minute or so) it in a cup of very cold water, remove the bag and lightly squeeze excess water.  (You want the bag to still be wet so that the tea inside seeps into your skin, you just don't want it pouring water out the bottom) Apply the cold water soaked camomile tea bag directly on top of your burn. (If it is a large burn you may have to use multiple bags so that the entire burn is covered in tea bags) Apply pressure for at least 10 minutes.  The tea will take away the redness and relieve stinging as well as keeping your burn from blistering if you catch it fast enough.

For my husband I decided to use both since his burn was very painful and looked pretty bad.  We covered his burn, which had already blistered, with honey and then we set the tea bag on top of the honey.  We took an ace bandage and wrapped his hand to keep the tea bag snug and in place over the burn.  

Because his burn was so bad and this remedy was giving him relief, we left it on for quite some time.  After about an hour and 1/2 we removed the wrap and reapplied fresh honey and also placed a new tea bag on top of the burn.  Once this was done we wrapped it again to keep the tea bag in place.  In total he kept the honey and camomile tea bag on for several of hours.

What started out as a very red, painful, and blistered burn....ended up the next day as a small mark.  No red or irritated skin, no burn, no blister.  We were so amazed we couldn't believe that my last minute remedy actually worked better than the normal over the counter gel and antibiotic ointment.  In the long term, the burn never scared or left a permanent mark.  


I know that in our home, the next time anyone gets a burn, we will be using honey and camomile tea!

*Note*

Never use this remedy on a 3rd degree burn.  3rd degree burns require immediate medical treatment!