03/31/2025
Migraine is the most common type of neuro-vascular headache. And it can be extremely debilitating to our clients.
Unfortunately, the most common drugs used to “treat” them can have major, long-term side effects in the GI tract which tend to create disease elsewhere. And over-use of drugs (too long OR too much) can actually cause the very headaches they are trying to relieve! Your patients and clients are HIGHLY unlikely to realize this fact – and thus realize the importance of addressing their headaches in other, truly healing ways.
I want to share with you some key pearls about migraine right now. Below is a specific set of remedies I have seen work many times in providing ongoing migraine prevention. Fewer headaches. Less intense. Shorter. And in some cases: full relief. They can take 2 or 3 months to achieve full effectiveness, so it’s important for your clients to be consistent and committed (and be sure to set their expectations properly!). Of course, we want to be practicing in the true spirit of functional medicine! Use this type of remedy for Rapid Relief while you delve into bio-individuality and support each unique patient or client in exploring and identifying their specific Root Causes of migraines beyond a need for these key nutrients.
Riboflavin. The lowly Vitamin B2 is a powerful remedy for migraine, activating the MTHFR enzyme needed for methylation and directly supporting cellular metabolism. You will need 400-500mg once daily which is a therapeutic dose (and yes, an admittedly high one). There is excellent research into this dynamic here and here.
Magnesium. Consider 300-400mg twice daily with food, but build up one dose at a time. The glycinate and malate forms are easy to find, easily absorbed, and effective, without over-stimulating bowels. Learn more about magnesium from Dr. Mark Hyman here! This minerals is so effective that IV magnesium is used for treatment of acute migraine in care facilities. (Note that these doses are contraindicated in those with kidney disease).
CoQ10. An absolutely critical enzyme for energy generation in our mitochondria (the little energy factories in every cell of our body; especially the heart and the brain). For migraine, consider 100-150mg twice daily with food. Be sure to use the ubiquinol or other enhanced absorption formula, especially for those over ~40 y/o (some of us lose our ability to convert ubiquinone to the reduced ubiquinol form as we age). This has also been studied.
For real-time migraine relief, it’s important to take action as soon as the first inklings of one appear. Help your clients to choose to honor their body’s needs and slow down the process by lying down in a dark, quiet room and practice vagus-triggering breathing (e.g. box breathing). A combination of lavender and peppermint essential oils can be quite powerful if used quickly and repeatedly to prevent a “spiraling-up” migraine or at least reduce the intensity. Aromatherapy sounds weak to many people, but it’s been shown to be quite effectively. In non-sensitive individuals, you may also dilute both with a carrier oil and apply topically (to the head and pulse points as well).
SAFM
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