6/15/2011

Avoiding Headache Triggers in the Form of Allergies



We live in a world that is becoming increasingly polluted and unfriendly for the human body.  This is not only true in the general environment in which we live, it is also true in many cases with the types of foods that we have available for us as well.  The preservatives that are used in these foods are often something that breaks down the human body from the inside out and other issues, such as genetic manipulation of fruits and vegetables can also cause us considerable problems.  Unfortunately, this is led to an epidemic of allergies that many of us are experiencing regularly and the headaches that go along with them cause many of us to suffer considerably.

If you are having headaches as a result of allergies, you need to understand that the headaches are not really a problem, it is the fact that you are triggering the headaches by putting things into your body that it is trying to reject.  This is the case with food allergies, something that many of us suffer from and may not even recognize.  Some of the more common food allergies include dairy, preservatives, sweeteners (especially artificial sweeteners) and shellfish.  Even if we have a slight allergy to these that is not immediately recognized whenever we eat them, they can cause a headache to come along later on in the day and it can be difficult to trace it back to the specific trigger.

In order to overcome this situation, you need to be able to identify the things that are triggering the headaches and remove them from your diet.  This often requires that you keep a log of everything that you eat, along with the way that you feel.  Don't be surprised if the headaches occur several hours after you eat something that is triggering it.  Just be aware that almost anything you eat could be the culprit, so be ready to remove it from your diet.

Another allergy problem that can easily trigger headaches is from pollen.  That is why many of us suffer from headaches on a seasonal basis and we can almost mark the calendar as to when those headaches are going to start.  As long as you can avoid the pollen whenever possible, by running a high quality air filter in your bedroom and washing your hair before bed, you will be able to ease the amount of suffering that you receive as a result of the pollen and the headaches will be few and far between.




Can Weight Loss Cure Your Headaches?

You would probably be surprised with the number of individuals who are suffering from headaches as a result of carrying around too much weight.  One of the reasons why this is the case is because very few individuals recognize the fact that obesity, or even just carrying around a little bit of extra fat can harm the human body considerably.  It not only puts a lot of wear and tear on the joints, it can also throw us out of balance on the inside and this can lead to headaches.

That is why it is important for you to make sure that you are watching your weight and eating healthily on a regular basis.  This is especially true if you suffer from headaches regularly and cannot identify what it is that is causing them.  The weight loss that you experience can go a long way in helping you to reduce those headaches and a healthy diet that you are eating is also going to help you to be balanced and to reduce those headaches even further.  Try eating raw fruits and vegetables with every meal, even if you don't make them the bulk of your daily diet.  The anti-inflammatory properties of those food items can go a long way in helping you to reduce head pain.

Another thing that you can do which not only assist you in being able to lose weight, it often removes headaches very quickly is to exercise regularly.  This exercise can either be cardiovascular or it can be weight lifting, preferably a mixture of the two.  After exercising for 20 minutes straight, your body will release endorphins into it which can help to reduce your headaches considerably.  It will also boost your metabolism and improve your circulation, two things that can help you to lose weight and can remove headaches on their own.

The unfortunate thing is, it is not going to be easy for you to lose weight, especially if you have been carrying it around for a long time.  I would suggest that you resist the urge to buy prepackaged foods that claim to be able to help you to lose the weight, simply because many of the preservatives that are in these foods are headache triggers for many individuals.  All that is really necessary is that you need a clean diet and get some exercise.  You will notice a difference in the weight on your body and you will suffer from far fewer headaches, not long after you start.




Is a Lack of Sleep behind Your Headaches?

Of all of the different things that we need in order to be as healthy as possible, sleep is something that is generally left to chance.  Most of us need anywhere from eight to nine hours of solid sleep every night in order to do our best but unfortunately, we tend to get anywhere from five to six hours of sleep if we are fortunate.  A lot of us feel as if we are able to do this without any repercussions but more than likely, you are experiencing some and blaming them on something else.  A good example of this is if you are having headaches regularly, as this can easily be attributed to a lack of sleep.

You have two options as far as improving the amount of time that you are sleeping is concerned.  The first option is to take the time out of your day, every day in order to get enough sleep.  Don't think that you can cut back on the hours that you are sleeping during the week and then catch up on the weekend.  It does work to a certain extent, but the sleep debt that you are building up is going to really hurt you and your health.  If at all possible, make sure that you get enough sleep and go to sleep every night at the same time.  This will help you to wake refreshed and can cut down on the number of headaches you are having.

Another thing that you can do is to get more quality sleep, even if you're not able to get more of a quantity of sleep.  There are a number of different ways for you to achieve this but one of the best is for you to exercise regularly and eat a proper diet.  If you are healthy on the inside, it will go a long way to helping you to get the most out of the sleep that you get every night.  Even if you don't increase the amount of sleep that you're getting, taking care of yourself can make a difference in your quality of sleep and the amount of headaches that you have.

There are a number of other things that you can do which can improve the quality of your sleep.  Preparing in advance for a good night's sleep is one of those, along with making sure that you have the proper environment in order to achieve deep sleep.  It may take a little bit of adjustment on your part but that adjustment will be well worth it whenever you start to see the health benefits of doing so and the headaches disappear.




Managing Eye Strain and Headache Problems

Do you work at a computer on a regular basis?  If you do, you probably suffer from headaches from time to time as a result of eye strain.  There are also a number of other reasons why individuals that work on computers regularly suffer from headaches and in order for you to overcome those headaches, you really have two different choices.  You can either stop working on the computer, which is not an option for many of us or you can alter the way that you work on the computer, which is something that any of us can do.

As far as eye strain is concerned, there are a few different things that can be done which can alleviate the strain and reduce the amount of headaches that you get.  If you're having a difficult time seeing the screen, it might be necessary for you to get glasses or to change your prescription so that you can see it more clearly.  It is also possible for you to get a magnifier for the screen or perhaps to increase the font size on the screen so they do not have to strain in order to see it.

Another problem that is directly related to this is that many of us that work on the computer tend to find ourselves hunched forward with our shoulders shrugged around our neck.  This is an absolutely horrible thing that you do to your body and it can certainly cause headaches very quickly.  Unfortunately, many of us tend to do this because it gets additional heat and blood to the brain, allowing us to think a little bit harder.  That is why we often find ourselves in this position whenever we are troubleshooting.

The way that we can solve either of these problems and in many cases, overcome the headaches that we are experiencing is by getting up and moving around on a regular basis.  If you work at the computer for extended periods of time, set a timer for yourself that will go off every 30 to 60 minutes.  When the timer goes off, no matter what it is that you are doing, get up and stretch.  Stretch your neck muscles, relax your shoulders and allow yourself to look at something other than the computer screen for a minute or two.  Believe it or not, this is all that is generally necessary in order to overcome the headaches that are associated with computer use.




Hydrate Yourself for Headache Relief

There are a number of different problems that we experience on a regular basis, some of which can be considered to be rather mild and others that are life altering.  Whenever you have headaches that are chronic, this certainly falls under the category of being life altering and it is something that all of us will enjoy being able to get rid of.  The unfortunate thing is, the majority of us are suffering headaches and have absolutely no idea why it is that we are suffering them in the first place.  In many cases, believe it or not, it can actually be traced back to a problem with dehydration.


This may come as a bit of a shock to you, especially if you have gone to numerous doctors who are really unable to do anything more than give you something to mask the pain.  The reason why the medical profession as a whole does not recognize how much of a problem dehydration is, is because there is no money in it for them.  If you were to go to a doctor and they were to tell you that you need to drink water in order to get better, they would have a hard time justifying charging you the amount that they charge you.  Not only that, if they solve your dehydration, they would probably lose you as a patient because you would not need the services of a doctor any longer.


Hydrating the body is not difficult to do but it is going to take some persistence on your part in order to accomplish it.  The basic formula for hydrating yourself is to drink half of your body weight every day in ounces of water.  Along with that, you are going to need to take a pinch of sea salt from time to time in order to allow the water to stay in your body long enough to work its magic.  The salt can either be put directly into the water that you are drinking or you can put a pinch under your tongue, my personal favorite way of doing it.


The beauty of hydrating yourself is the fact that it can not only get rid of headaches quickly, it can really help you to feel your very best which is something that you may have been missing out on for quite some time.  Why not get a glass of water and start hydrating yourself now?  You may be able to start feeling better by tomorrow.