Headache Reduction 101

This may seem like an odd topic but believe me, I hear this complaint so frequently I thought I'd explore it! Soothing an aching head once again I find myself contemplating what it was that brought this one on in the first place. I have had my share of aching heads lately and I usually like to place the blame somewhere so as not to panic, I suppose. Weather? Lack of sustenance? Dehydration? Female crankiness? Too many hangups on the answering machine? I don't know. I don't usually get it's origin correct but I continually try to nail down a cause, doing this, of course, without suffering another one! Something I have learned about the chronic headache is that there are some things I can do in advance to possible keep them at bay. I can make sure the boys don't pollute the entire upstairs with their Ax in the morning for starters! I also like to give myself a couple of moments after the alarm...well, I never seem to actually make it to the alarm, but will awaken by myself just in time. This is usually a good way to avoid the early morning heart palpitations a screeching alarm induces. Headache avoidance 101. I allow myself a few minutes to just lie still, take a few shallow breaths and reflect on what lies ahead. Feeling a rush of to-dos is completely headache inducing so I try not to get all jumbled up over it. If I'm successful here, I meander downstairs for a leisurely cup of coffee and puttering in the kitchen. I like this quiet time. Eating some protein and taking my morning vitamins are two good things I do for myself to take care of my body. This should fend off a head pain or two, shouldn't it? I'm kind of liking that my boys are in three different schools again this year because I can usher them out the door one at a time, avoiding the chaos of years past. Headache fender-off-er number 4! I'm doing ok so far. This is when I like to sit and take a few moments for myself and focus on my meditation. I swear that with a clear mind I can continue my day at a slower pace with a more relaxed state of being. This part hasn't really been happening much of late so I could point the finger at myself. Another remedy recommended to me from my women's health expert is Alpha Lipoic Acid, a natural supplement used to fend off the headaches caused by fluctuating monthly hormone shifts. This can be taken on an as needed basis and does seem to do the trick. Advil not needed. An old remedy that someone recently reminded me of and that my mother always employed was with your hand gently rub the area between your other thumb and forefinger, you know, the kind of webbed area, for a while. Headache gone! Weird but effective! There are many factors that come into play that I can't control but I have decided to make it a goal to help myself start the day right and during the course of the day keep frustrations, conflicts and aggravation at bay. This includes smiling nicely at the road ragers I encounter at 5 pm on the way to baseball and taking a more relaxed viewpoint when the teenage angst gets flung at me again. Let me know if you've found something helpful that you utilize for your own headache calming effects. I'll add it to my arsenal of go-to remedies. Thanks for reading! Miriam