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Best herbs for migraine

Below are herbs that show promise in treating migraine. But remember, herbs – like any other treatment – can’t do all the work on their own. Pain management is done through combination of various treatments/therapies, starting with exercise, a good diet, and mind-body work.

Always consult your doctor before taking a supplement, especially if you are taking prescription medications, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are taking blood-thinning medications, have special or severe medical conditions (including but not limited to heart, kidney, or liver disease; high blood pressure; stomach disorders; ulcers; blood clotting abnormalities; or depression).
Cayenne (Do not apply cayenne to broken skin)
Form and dosage	Powder. Mix with starchy food. Use the smallest amount that causes a burning sensation on the tongue.
Comments	Produces changes in nerve fibers that prevent them from transmitting migraine pain.
Dong quai
Form and dosage	Angelica sinensis capsules. Take 500~1,000 mg daily.
Comments	Prevents migraine attacks, especially those related to PMS.
Feverfew (Discontinue taking feverfew if you have an allergic reaction).
Form and dosage	Freeze-dried leaf in capsules. Take 25 mg daily and increase to 100 mg daily after 2 weeks.
Comments	Prevents migraine attacks by stopping release of serotonin.
Ginkgo
Form and dosage	Extract. Take as directed on the label.
Comments	Enhances cerebral circulation.
Quercetin
Form and dosage	Tablets. Take 125~250 mg 3 times daily, between meals.
Comments	Prevents migraine attacks, especially those triggered by food allergies.
Tilden flower
Form and dosage	Fluid extract. Take 1 tsp (4 ml) 3 times daily.
Comments	Prevents and treats migraines associated with high blood pressure.

Recommendations:

To relieve migraine pain, use a formula that combines feverfew with willow bark, such as Migracin, according to the label directions. Feverfew by itself is especially useful if you are also taking an SSRI for depression. Taken as a preventive, it can also reduce the frequency of vomiting with migraine attacks.

Avoid foods containing the amino acid tyramine. These include anchovies, beer, hard cheeses, chocolate, corned beef, dried meats, fava beans, fermented beans such as miso and soy sauce, lima beans, pickled herring, red wine (white wine can be used in moderation), sardines, sauerkraut, and yeast. Although a single serving of a tyramine-containing food such as chocolate may not provoke a migraine, excessive consumption of these foods can increase the frequency of attacks.

Avoid bingeing on sweets or starches. The temporary “sugar buzz” is followed by hypoglycemia, which is a well-known trigger of migraine attacks.

Eliminate coffee and other sources of caffeine from the diet. Once you are off caffeine, you can use coffee as a treatment for migraine. Drink one or two cups of strong coffee at the first sign of an attack; then lie down in a dark, quiet room.

Take fish oil containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). A useful dosage is 1,000 milligrams of fish oil for every 10 pounds (5 kilograms) of body weight. Fish oil modifies the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances generated in the lining of blood vessels in the brain that exacerbate migraine symptoms.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar. These products increase the body’s production of lactic acid.

Take 800 to 1,000 milligrams of any calcium-magnesium supplement daily. Many naturopathic doctors report that migraines become less frequent if people take supplemental calcium. The effect of calcium is amplified by vitamin D, which the skin manufactures with the help of sunlight-get fifteen to twenty minutes of morning or evening sun exposure on the face and hands every day. Research shows that women who have PMS suffer fewer migraines if they take supplemental magnesium.

Speak with your doctor about taking vitamin B2 (riboflavin) to prevent migraines. In a European clinical trial, a high dosage of riboflavin, 400 milligrams per day, used for three months, reduced the frequency of migraines by 50 percent in those people who respond to it (about two-thirds of those who took it). Riboflavin is inexpensive, readily available, and produces side effects—mild diarrhea and increased urination—in only about 4 percent of the people who take it. A dosage this large, however, requires a doctor’s prescription and must be taken for about a month before it has an effect.

After informing your doctor, take a children’s aspirin every other day. In low doses, aspirin reduces the frequency of migraine attacks.

Include almonds, almond milk, watercress, parsley, fennel, garlic, cherries, and fresh pineapple in your diet.

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