What Are Migraines?

Migraines are debilitating headaches that often occur on one side of the head (can be both sides) and are described as throbbing or pounding. These headaches are way different from the common stress or sinus headache in that they are much more intense and can cause light-sensitivity, nausea and/or vomiting.

Migraine Signs & Symptoms

• Debilitating head pain
• Throbbing or pounding headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to sound

Quick Note: Headaches vs Migraines

Before we continue, it’s important to differentiate severe headaches from migraines. As far as symptoms go, migraines are debilitating, yes, but they usually make the brain very sensitive to light (photophobia) and sound (phonophobia), whereas other intense non-migraine headaches do not produce these neurological symptoms. Because of this neurological component to migraines, they are often classified as a “neurological disorder.”

Another vital importance to understand is that headaches in general are commonly caused by poor adrenal function, poor blood sugar regulation, and high stress hormones. Migraines, however, all lead back to one main source…

The Source of Migraines: Poor Gut Health

If you look up “what causes migraines” online, most traditional sources will say it is “unknown.” Most sources will say stress, anxiety and hormones may play a piece in migraines. Some will say “no one knows what causes migraines.”

In the functional world, however, we work with patients all the time that suffer from migraines and they all have the same thing in common: poor gut health.

“How is gut health connected to migraine headaches?” you may ask? The gut is connected to our brain through the vagus nerve. It is often referred to as the gut-brain connection. This connection explains a lot things such as the cause of ADD, ADHD, Dementia, Parkinson’s, brain fog, and for us here today… migraines.

Gut health can be complex, however, so let’s breakdown the main problems with gut health that contribute to or cause migraines: (1) food sensitivities, (2) gut infections, and (3) gut inflammation. For all of our articles on gut health, you’ll find those here.

1. Food Sensitivities

Food sensitivities are very common to be the trigger or cause behind a persons migraines. These occur due to the immune system in the gut attacking the food as it comes through the digestive system. This only occurs with poor gut health which is largely due to infections (dysbiosis) and inflammation.

The most common food sensitivity is to gluten, casein (dairy), nightshades, or soy. The beautiful thing about food sensitivities is that they can be 100% reversed by healing the gut.

Keep track of what you’re eating and when your migraine comes on. If a certain food is driving your migraine, you will usually feel symptoms within as little as 5-10 minutes after eating that certain food. If you are able to narrow it down, definitely avoid that food for a while but you also have to focus on healing the gut by addressing #2 (infections) and #3 (gut inflammation) below.

2. Gut Parasites, Bacteria, Fungus, and Viruses

Gut infections can range from parasite infections, to bacterial infections or overgrowths (SIBO), to fungal infections or overgrowths (SIFO), to viruses. In fact, most people that experience migraines have at least 2 different types of infections.

Parasites can come from a variety of places including impure water, uncooked meats, and fruits. Most people only think of parasites as being common in 3rd world countries but they are very common even in America.

Although parasites can be found is so many places, they really shouldn’t be surviving in our body. They should either be destroyed by our insanely acidic stomach acid or by our immune system. The problem is most people have less-than-optimal or very poor digestive systems and immune systems.

Bacterial and fungal infections are also very common. They grow based on 3 criteria: (1) they’re fed by things like sugars and alcohols, (2) the “good bacteria” in the gut are weak or not being fed, or (3) gut toxicities are present.

In order to feed our healthy bacteria, you have to eat prebiotics everyday. Prebiotics are mainly found in vegetables and fruits — find a whole list of natural prebiotics here. It is also imperative that you cut out sugar, alcohol, and other “bad bacteria” and fungal-feeding foods. Lastly here, sometimes toxicities can also provide reason for these infections to continue to grow. In some scenarios, our body may actually allow these infections to grow in order to help with certain toxicities — an interesting idea. Nonetheless, it’s important to detox toxicities and balance any microbial imbalances.

Lastly, viral infections. This one is slightly less common however still very important. Viruses are all over our body. Most people don’t realize, however, that viruses are not actually alive agents. They’re slivers of protein particles that are usually either dormant (inactive) or active. They become activated in response to stress, inflammation, and overall dysfunction. And when they become activated, they can wreak a lot of havoc.

Herbals are by far the most effective and powerful way to address infections and if used correctly, there are ZERO side effects. Antibiotics are too harsh on all microbes (the “good bacteria” as well) which can cause further gut imbalance (dysbiosis), and they are usually very stressful to the immune system and/or thyroid system. We always use a very specific technique called Systems Health Care to determine exactly what infections you have and what herbals are needed for you to kill your specific infections.

3. Gut Inflammation

Lastly, gut inflammation can be a huge source of migraines for people. So many of the foods we eat today cause a lot of disruption and damage to our gut cells, gut lining, and overall gut health.

For healing any gut or digestive problem, it is essential to AVOID the many toxic and destructive foods and chemicals that we so commonly face.

Destructive Food, Chemicals, & Habits

Ever notice your migraines come on after eating or being exposed to one or more of these things? Keep track of when your migraines come on, what time they come on, and what you ate in the previous 24 hours leading up to it.

Many of these things are commonly found in our every-day grocery items. Always make sure you check the labels!!!

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Habits

Focus on the healing and powerful foods, and healthy lifestyle habits like getting consistent movement, sunshine, and being outdoors! There is no “one thing” that is best since all of these are so important in and of themselves.

If you can aim to avoid the damaging things listed in the previous section, and focus on these anti-inflammatory components, you can make leaps and bounds in healing your gut.

Our Approach

Whether it’s a food sensitivity, infection, or inflammation, we provide a functional and holistic approach to every complex migraine case.

We take the time to do a comprehensive history in order to nail down vital information about your migraines.

Then we do a very thorough exam using Systems Health Care to further specify if the cause of your migraines is from food sensitivities, infections, inflammation, or a combination. When necessary we can do advanced gut testing, hormone testing, or blood labs to gain more information.

Once we know what is causing your migraines, we address the problem through proper dietary changes, supplements or herbals, and lifestyle changes.

Migraines can be debilitating and exhausting. Stop believing that you will just “have them for the rest of your life” and get to the cause of your migraines so they never come back.

Suffering From Migraines?

At Freedom Health and Wellness, we address all of these things and more through a personalized and functional approach. We help people with chronic diseases and illnesses regain their health by getting to the source of their health concerns.