Any migraine sufferers?

[Kitkat]

I have an aura that keeps coming back. Happens like every 15 minutes and lasts for about 3 minutes. Really annoying and no headache has come with it. Going on for 2 days now.

Anyone ever have anything like this?

What are your migraines like?

What helps?

What triggers them?

[commonwealth]

chronic migraines - botox - may take them away for about 3 mos. there is also surgery to relieve pressure on the nerves.

[Alaris]

I am suffering the worst migraine today I have suffered in years. Started around 4:30 AM. If I take excedrin migraine early enough I skip the vomit phase. Otherwise these are the symptoms since I was 15.

1. A small speck of blindness appears in my vision
2. The speck grows to cover about half my vision. This process takes 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Half my vision is gone for a total of about thirty minutes then slowly comes back.
4. Nasty nasty headache starts. The worst of it lasts about 2 hours.
5. If I didn't take excedrin migraine early or chug a coke early then I vomit violently about 2 hours in. Worst part by far.
6. Headache lasts 2 to 3 days. Subsequent days aren't as bad but my head is super sensitive to motion.

If I am drinking caffeine regularly I don't get these terrible migraines but I get lesser headaches with similar symptoms more often.

[SouEu]

Mine start with an aura. It is a flashing, multi-colored lightning bolt that blocks my vision. I also get a white-out around the edges. Both grow until I can't really see much of anything. This lasts about 30-60 minutes.

Next the headache comes in and my brain gets scrambled. I have a hard time thinking, talking, forming a thought. I call it the "migraine stupid". The headaches are bad, what you would expect from a migraine.

I become very sensitive to light and sound, and can't bear to hear anyone talk.

I also tend to go numb on 1/2 of my body. It is the opposite side of the brain where the headache is. Sometimes the migraine covers both sides - those are the worst. My face feels like I just came from the dentist. My hand is numb and fingers feel numb.

Soon, the nausea sets in.

When one hits, I pretty much need to crawl into bed, in a dark, quiet room and try to sleep it off.

I usually have lingering effects the next day. I call it my "migraine hangover". My head is still cloudy, and I seem a little dizzy, and mentally numb. I still have some of the "migraine stupid" that lingers. If I bend over, my head throbs.

I either take a combo of 4 Advil/200 mg caffeine. If I have a current prescription of migraine medicine from a doctor, I find if I take it as soon as the aura starts, it stops the migraine from getting as bad and lasting as long. It also gets rid of the "migraine hangover" the next day. I just ran out of my prescription, so I guess a trip to the doctor is in order.

[sushi_chef]

aha, interesting....

https://search.yahoo.co.jp/image/search ... 0%E6%90%8D

https://search.yahoo.co.jp/image/search ... 20migraine

from this site, http://girlschannel.net/topics/154265/

some interesting sayings( to sushi_) are,

foot sole massage works. so, maybe like this?


http://www.chinesefootreflexology.com/4points/

avoid any types of flour at least 2 weeks.
about flour, remembers...."inclined to think that pig meat is not good, and that fine flour is not good, and the finer the flour we eat the shorter will be our lives. It would be better for us to eat coarse bread, such as the Graham bread. I now feel to say peace be with you" (heber c kimball jd 12:191)
maybe fined grain-cereals are conspired products.

herbal medicine works. so,....https://search.yahoo.co.jp/search?ei=UT ... 20migraine
:-B

[sushi_chef]

also, norman walkers juicing life might be the way to go.
norman walker juicing
https://search.yahoo.co.jp/search?ei=UT ... %20juicing

blender might be better....
https://search.yahoo.co.jp/image/search ... r%20juicer
:-B

[brlenox]

I have an aura that keeps coming back. Happens like every 15 minutes and lasts for about 3 minutes. Really annoying and no headache has come with it. Going on for 2 days now.

Anyone ever have anything like this?

What are your migraines like?

What helps?

What triggers them?

Practically all headaches have as a contributing factor a magnesium deficiency. Migraines tend to a magnesium and a riboflavin deficiency with correction reducing the occurrence at least by half or more. Learning how to work the magnesium, however can take awhile. It took me two years to figure out dosages and frequency so that I could feel the headache coming on - treat and then have the headache go away. Now after 5 years, I can go for several days with no magnesium and not get headaches which means my body is reestablishing stores in the bones and muscle tissues. IF you look up magnesium and migraines you will find much information. However to get the point that it actually starts to keep them away for days on end you will have to understand vitamins D, A, E, and K. in higher doses as the D is a regulator for magnesium and calcium as well.

[Rose Garden]

I think my headaches might be tension headaches gone wild. If I don't get them under control early, they get so bad that I just camp out by the toilet because I puke every few minutes. I don't have any vision distortion or anything like that, though. I get them if I've not slept well for a long while or if I'm under a lot of stress.

Many times I've nipped them in the bud by sitting up on my bed away from the wall and slowly rotating my head around in circles stretching my neck as far as it go in every direction. I have to do that for nearly an hour or longer but it will kill the headache almost every time. I can also dodge the headache by taking Advil early on. A cup of coffee helps but usually wears off after a bit unless I take Advil with it.

I've just started talking magnesium and am seeing good results after just a few days. I don't know if it will stop the headaches but I'm feeling more energetic. I'm taking two different kinds: magnesium chloride and magnesium malate. Different kinds help different problems and those two seemed to address my worst problems.

[eddie]

There are " Classic," and " Common," migraines, the classic involves an aura and the common does not. You can have the aura without the headache, but I find the aura to be unsettling even without the headache pain.

[brlenox]

I think my headaches might be tension headaches gone wild. If I don't get them under control early, they get so bad that I just camp out by the toilet because I puke every few minutes. I don't have any vision distortion or anything like that, though. I get them if I've not slept well for a long while or if I'm under a lot of stress.

Many times I've nipped them in the bud by sitting up on my bed away from the wall and slowly rotating my head around in circles stretching my neck as far as it go in every direction. I have to do that for nearly an hour or longer but it will kill the headache almost every time. I can also dodge the headache by taking Advil early on. A cup of coffee helps but usually wears off after a bit unless I take Advil with it.

I've just started talking magnesium and am seeing good results after just a few days. I don't know if it will stop the headaches but I'm feeling more energetic. I'm taking two different kinds: magnesium chloride and magnesium malate. Different kinds help different problems and those two seemed to address my worst problems.

Tension headaches are the classic magnesium headache. Some estimate that up to 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium. The type of magnesium you are taking matters as certain types have better absorption than others most supplements use M. oxide which is only good for loosening the bowels. As I mentioned, it took two years to get this to start working. Another trick is that magnesium is absorbed better transdermally than through the digestive track so sometimes if you take a epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) hot bath for 30 minutes or more that can help. However, once again a depleted magnesium state is so critical that the body, starving as it is for magnesium may have greater priorities for it's use than your headache. There are over 400 functions for magnesium in the body. One of the most critical is that if it falls below 1% in the serum blood level the body panics and starts sucking it out of the bodes and teeth as when the level falls below 1 % it will lead to heart attack. So it is the primary contributor to osteoporosis (not calcium). So until get the correct type of magnesium (Malate is considered one of the best for digestion and chloride is better for transdermal) and take it until your stores are built back enough that it can perform it's muscle relaxing role.

[ajax]

IF you look up magnesium and migraines you will find much information.

Thanks lenox. Passing along to my spouse.

[Rose Garden]

I think my headaches might be tension headaches gone wild. If I don't get them under control early, they get so bad that I just camp out by the toilet because I puke every few minutes. I don't have any vision distortion or anything like that, though. I get them if I've not slept well for a long while or if I'm under a lot of stress.

Many times I've nipped them in the bud by sitting up on my bed away from the wall and slowly rotating my head around in circles stretching my neck as far as it go in every direction. I have to do that for nearly an hour or longer but it will kill the headache almost every time. I can also dodge the headache by taking Advil early on. A cup of coffee helps but usually wears off after a bit unless I take Advil with it.

I've just started talking magnesium and am seeing good results after just a few days. I don't know if it will stop the headaches but I'm feeling more energetic. I'm taking two different kinds: magnesium chloride and magnesium malate. Different kinds help different problems and those two seemed to address my worst problems.

Tension headaches are the classic magnesium headache. Some estimate that up to 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium. The type of magnesium you are taking matters as certain types have better absorption than others most supplements use M. oxide which is only good for loosening the bowels. As I mentioned, it took two years to get this to start working. Another trick is that magnesium is absorbed better transdermally than through the digestive track so sometimes if you take a epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) hot bath for 30 minutes or more that can help. However, once again a depleted magnesium state is so critical that the body, starving as it is for magnesium may have greater priorities for it's use than your headache. There are over 400 functions for magnesium in the body. One of the most critical is that if it falls below 1% in the serum blood level the body panics and starts sucking it out of the bodes and teeth as when the level falls below 1 % it will lead to heart attack. So it is the primary contributor to osteoporosis (not calcium). So until get the correct type of magnesium (Malate is considered one of the best for digestion and chloride is better for transdermal) and take it until your stores are built back enough that it can perform it's muscle relaxing role.

Thanks for the information, brlenox. I was actually going to also buy magnesium citrate as well but things were getting dicey with the toddler in the store so I cut my magnesium shopping short. It is supposed to be the best for building up magnesium stores, according to the www. I haven't had a major headache in over a year, thanks to Advil and a much lower stress level. However, sometimes I have to take Advil several times a day for a few days in a row to keep them away, so hopefully the magnesium will stop that. I don't see that being good for my health. I'm optimistic since I'm feeling so much more energetic these days. Hopefully, my deficiency wasn't too bad in the first place.

[Silver]

I think my headaches might be tension headaches gone wild. If I don't get them under control early, they get so bad that I just camp out by the toilet because I puke every few minutes. I don't have any vision distortion or anything like that, though. I get them if I've not slept well for a long while or if I'm under a lot of stress.

Many times I've nipped them in the bud by sitting up on my bed away from the wall and slowly rotating my head around in circles stretching my neck as far as it go in every direction. I have to do that for nearly an hour or longer but it will kill the headache almost every time. I can also dodge the headache by taking Advil early on. A cup of coffee helps but usually wears off after a bit unless I take Advil with it.

I've just started talking magnesium and am seeing good results after just a few days. I don't know if it will stop the headaches but I'm feeling more energetic. I'm taking two different kinds: magnesium chloride and magnesium malate. Different kinds help different problems and those two seemed to address my worst problems.

Tension headaches are the classic magnesium headache. Some estimate that up to 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium. The type of magnesium you are taking matters as certain types have better absorption than others most supplements use M. oxide which is only good for loosening the bowels. As I mentioned, it took two years to get this to start working. Another trick is that magnesium is absorbed better transdermally than through the digestive track so sometimes if you take a epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) hot bath for 30 minutes or more that can help. However, once again a depleted magnesium state is so critical that the body, starving as it is for magnesium may have greater priorities for it's use than your headache. There are over 400 functions for magnesium in the body. One of the most critical is that if it falls below 1% in the serum blood level the body panics and starts sucking it out of the bodes and teeth as when the level falls below 1 % it will lead to heart attack. So it is the primary contributor to osteoporosis (not calcium). So until get the correct type of magnesium (Malate is considered one of the best for digestion and chloride is better for transdermal) and take it until your stores are built back enough that it can perform it's muscle relaxing role.

Is there something in the typical North American diet that causes the depletion of magnesium? Foods/drinks to avoid?

[Kitkat]

There are " Classic," and " Common," migraines, the classic involves an aura and the common does not. You can have the aura without the headache, but I find the aura to be unsettling even without the headache pain.

I agree! I hate the aura as much as the headache sometimes. Maybe it's because I know what is coming :-s

[Kitkat]

I have an aura that keeps coming back. Happens like every 15 minutes and lasts for about 3 minutes. Really annoying and no headache has come with it. Going on for 2 days now.

Anyone ever have anything like this?

What are your migraines like?

What helps?

What triggers them?

Practically all headaches have as a contributing factor a magnesium deficiency. Migraines tend to a magnesium and a riboflavin deficiency with correction reducing the occurrence at least by half or more. Learning how to work the magnesium, however can take awhile. It took me two years to figure out dosages and frequency so that I could feel the headache coming on - treat and then have the headache go away. Now after 5 years, I can go for several days with no magnesium and not get headaches which means my body is reestablishing stores in the bones and muscle tissues. IF you look up magnesium and migraines you will find much information. However to get the point that it actually starts to keep them away for days on end you will have to understand vitamins D, A, E, and K. in higher doses as the D is a regulator for magnesium and calcium as well.

I actually just started taking magnesium, but not for headaches so hopefully it will help my headaches as well. Thanks for sharing

[Kitkat]

Update:

I was starting to get concerned. My aura was coming every time I did anything physical and then it would go away when I rested, which has never happened before. Then yesterday the headache came and now my eyes are completely normal.

I am excited to see if I can work with magnesium supplements to help with my headaches. I had no idea there was a connection there.

I also once had a migraine that was like a mini stroke - I lost verbal skills for about 5 minutes. Totally freaky!

They have also caused half of my body to go numb. I even went in and had an MRI done and they found nothing. Just pesky migraines.

So, today I just have a lingering headache and feel otherwise completely normal.

[Kitkat]

I am suffering the worst migraine today I have suffered in years. Started around 4:30 AM. If I take excedrin migraine early enough I skip the vomit phase. Otherwise these are the symptoms since I was 15.

1. A small speck of blindness appears in my vision
2. The speck grows to cover about half my vision. This process takes 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Half my vision is gone for a total of about thirty minutes then slowly comes back.
4. Nasty nasty headache starts. The worst of it lasts about 2 hours.
5. If I didn't take excedrin migraine early or chug a coke early then I vomit violently about 2 hours in. Worst part by far.
6. Headache lasts 2 to 3 days. Subsequent days aren't as bad but my head is super sensitive to motion.

If I am drinking caffeine regularly I don't get these terrible migraines but I get lesser headaches with similar symptoms more often.

Yep...pretty much me too, almost EXACTLY. I got queasy just reading your description :ymsick:

Any idea what triggers them for you?

[Alaris]

I am suffering the worst migraine today I have suffered in years. Started around 4:30 AM. If I take excedrin migraine early enough I skip the vomit phase. Otherwise these are the symptoms since I was 15.

1. A small speck of blindness appears in my vision
2. The speck grows to cover about half my vision. This process takes 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Half my vision is gone for a total of about thirty minutes then slowly comes back.
4. Nasty nasty headache starts. The worst of it lasts about 2 hours.
5. If I didn't take excedrin migraine early or chug a coke early then I vomit violently about 2 hours in. Worst part by far.
6. Headache lasts 2 to 3 days. Subsequent days aren't as bad but my head is super sensitive to motion.

If I am drinking caffeine regularly I don't get these terrible migraines but I get lesser headaches with similar symptoms more often.

Yep...pretty much me too, almost EXACTLY. I got queasy just reading your description :ymsick:

Any idea what triggers them for you?

I was thinking yesterday that perhaps it's celestial beings crammed into a telestial sphere. :p

Doctors are completely useless in determining a cause. Looking at a list of causes is laughable. I used to think the correlation was caffeine, yet caffeine does impact the frequency and magnitude. I do not believe caffeine causes them as I have been off caffeine for months or years and I still get them.

My personal feeling is that food has nothing to do with it. I tried for years to find causation but couldn't find any correlation - stress, time of day, foods, etc. etc.

Here's my best theory so far after dealing with these for 25 years:

I believe my body builds up something ... a chemical or something in my brain. It is likely hereditary as my brother gets the same migraines. I think either my body is either unable to expunge a naturally produced chemical or a chemical that is part of normal consumption that non-migraine sufferers are able to expel as waste through their normal bodily functions. After a certain amount of buildup, something in my brain is triggered to "flush." Boom migraine.

[sushi_chef]

"Author Archive | Mark Hyman, MD


Food Allergy/Bowel and Gut Imbalances
The symptoms: Fatigue, brain fog, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, joint or muscle pain, postnasal drip and sinus congestion, and more.
The testing: Check an IgG food allergy panel and also check a celiac panel because wheat and gluten are among the biggest causes of headaches and migraines. Stool testing and urine testing for yeast or bacterial imbalances that come from the gut can also be helpful.
The treatment: An elimination diet — getting rid of gluten, dairy, eggs, and yeast — is a good way to start. Corn can also be a common problem. Getting the gut healthy with enzymes, probiotics, and omega-3 fats is also important.

Hormonal Imbalances
The causes: Premenstrual syndrome with bloating, fluid retention, cravings, irritability, breast tenderness, menstrual cramps; use of an oral contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy; or even just being pre-menopausal, which leads to too much estrogen and not enough progesterone because of changes in ovulation.
The testing: Blood or saliva hormone testing looks for menopausal changes or too much estrogen.
The treatment: Eat a whole-foods, low-glycemic load, high-phytonutrient diet with flax, soy, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Use herbs such as Vitex, along with magnesium and B6. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and refined carbohydrates. Exercise and stress reduction techniques also help.

Magnesium Deficiency
The symptoms: Anything that feels tight or crampy like headaches, constipation, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, sensitivity to loud noises, muscle cramps or twitching, and palpitations.
The testing: Check red blood cell magnesium levels. Even this can be normal in the face of total body deficiency, so treatment with magnesium based on the symptoms is the first choice.
The treatment: Magnesium glycinate, citrate, or aspartate in doses that relieve symptoms or until you get loose bowels. If you have kidney disease of any kind, do this only with a doctor’s supervision.

Mitochondrial Imbalances
The symptoms: Fatigue, muscle aching, and brain fog, although sometimes the only symptom can be migraines.
The testing: Checking urinary organic acids can be helpful to assess the function of the mitochondria and energy production.
The treatment: Taking 400 mg of riboflavin (B2) twice a day and 100 to 400 mg a day of co-enzyme Q10 can be helpful, as can as other treatments to support the mitochondria.

Keep in mind that sometimes a combination of treatments is necessary. Other treatments can be helpful in selected cases, such as herbal therapies (like feverfew
"
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/18/how- ... migraines/
:-B

[brlenox]

I think my headaches might be tension headaches gone wild. If I don't get them under control early, they get so bad that I just camp out by the toilet because I puke every few minutes. I don't have any vision distortion or anything like that, though. I get them if I've not slept well for a long while or if I'm under a lot of stress.

Many times I've nipped them in the bud by sitting up on my bed away from the wall and slowly rotating my head around in circles stretching my neck as far as it go in every direction. I have to do that for nearly an hour or longer but it will kill the headache almost every time. I can also dodge the headache by taking Advil early on. A cup of coffee helps but usually wears off after a bit unless I take Advil with it.

I've just started talking magnesium and am seeing good results after just a few days. I don't know if it will stop the headaches but I'm feeling more energetic. I'm taking two different kinds: magnesium chloride and magnesium malate. Different kinds help different problems and those two seemed to address my worst problems.

Tension headaches are the classic magnesium headache. Some estimate that up to 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium. The type of magnesium you are taking matters as certain types have better absorption than others most supplements use M. oxide which is only good for loosening the bowels. As I mentioned, it took two years to get this to start working. Another trick is that magnesium is absorbed better transdermally than through the digestive track so sometimes if you take a epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) hot bath for 30 minutes or more that can help. However, once again a depleted magnesium state is so critical that the body, starving as it is for magnesium may have greater priorities for it's use than your headache. There are over 400 functions for magnesium in the body. One of the most critical is that if it falls below 1% in the serum blood level the body panics and starts sucking it out of the bodes and teeth as when the level falls below 1 % it will lead to heart attack. So it is the primary contributor to osteoporosis (not calcium). So until get the correct type of magnesium (Malate is considered one of the best for digestion and chloride is better for transdermal) and take it until your stores are built back enough that it can perform it's muscle relaxing role.

Is there something in the typical North American diet that causes the depletion of magnesium? Foods/drinks to avoid?

There are several reasons:

The most obvious is that processing of foods is greatly reducing of most minerals.

The second thing is corporate farming practices which make no effort to replace over farmed land with the sundry minerals that are depleted in the farming process.

The third, and the one I consider the most egregious is the exceptionally poor advice to stay out of the sun and or to use sun screen. Vitamin D is one of the critical regulators of magnesium absorption and utilization in the body. Partially because it is a necessary component of calcium utilization and the two minerals are symbiotic along with the several co-nutrients that improve absorption.

The fourth is possibly Glyphosphate- otherwise known as roundup. The mechanism by which it works is it inhibits mineral absorption at the root level. Some plants can handle this and remain living while others cannot and die. Many GM foods are those where they place the survival traits in various food items and then spray roundup with wild abandon. The plants survive but with reduced mineral uptake. After successive years the soil become compromised and cannot be used for plant growth.

I have to add a significant 5th cause. Our digestive system is the primary process in our bodies that impacts health. However a healthy digestive system is a miraculous symbiotic integration of between 400 and 500 species of bacteria that all perform very specific functions. The excessive and cavalier use of antibiotics without a concern for the good bacteria that are killed by their use has left most of us with a compromised capacity to properly use nutrients as in many cases the bacteria that assists in certain functions have been killed by antibiotic use. That probiotics are finally being recognized is a move in the right direction but we are talking at best in most commercial sources 12 species of bacteria and in many cases these are in a suspended state and cannot activate quickly enough to be of use. True kefir that one makes at home using real kefir grains is by far the best probiotic at 52 identified healthy organisms that are robustly thriving at the time of consumption.

Off of the top of my head those are primary contributors and there may be others I have forgot.

[brlenox]

My personal feeling is that food has nothing to do with it. I tried for years to find causation but couldn't find any correlation - stress, time of day, foods, etc. etc.

The body is a complex organism and we have become a people that want a quick fix or pill to correct issues. Tragically, it simply does not work that way and so people often conclude with "it's not my fault" or nothing "I can do about it" etc. Few people take the time to read the medical studies, and other research and make uneducated observations. In most cases, it is all about nutrition and food is the primary source of such.

[eddie]

I think my headaches might be tension headaches gone wild. If I don't get them under control early, they get so bad that I just camp out by the toilet because I puke every few minutes. I don't have any vision distortion or anything like that, though. I get them if I've not slept well for a long while or if I'm under a lot of stress.

Many times I've nipped them in the bud by sitting up on my bed away from the wall and slowly rotating my head around in circles stretching my neck as far as it go in every direction. I have to do that for nearly an hour or longer but it will kill the headache almost every time. I can also dodge the headache by taking Advil early on. A cup of coffee helps but usually wears off after a bit unless I take Advil with it.

I've just started talking magnesium and am seeing good results after just a few days. I don't know if it will stop the headaches but I'm feeling more energetic. I'm taking two different kinds: magnesium chloride and magnesium malate. Different kinds help different problems and those two seemed to address my worst problems.

Tension headaches are the classic magnesium headache. Some estimate that up to 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium. The type of magnesium you are taking matters as certain types have better absorption than others most supplements use M. oxide which is only good for loosening the bowels. As I mentioned, it took two years to get this to start working. Another trick is that magnesium is absorbed better transdermally than through the digestive track so sometimes if you take a epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) hot bath for 30 minutes or more that can help. However, once again a depleted magnesium state is so critical that the body, starving as it is for magnesium may have greater priorities for it's use than your headache. There are over 400 functions for magnesium in the body. One of the most critical is that if it falls below 1% in the serum blood level the body panics and starts sucking it out of the bodes and teeth as when the level falls below 1 % it will lead to heart attack. So it is the primary contributor to osteoporosis (not calcium). So until get the correct type of magnesium (Malate is considered one of the best for digestion and chloride is better for transdermal) and take it until your stores are built back enough that it can perform it's muscle relaxing role.

Is there something in the typical North American diet that causes the depletion of magnesium? Foods/drinks to avoid?

There are several reasons:

The most obvious is that processing of foods is greatly reducing of most minerals.

The second thing is corporate farming practices which make no effort to replace over farmed land with the sundry minerals that are depleted in the farming process.

The third, and the one I consider the most egregious is the exceptionally poor advice to stay out of the sun and or to use sun screen. Vitamin D is one of the critical regulators of magnesium absorption and utilization in the body. Partially because it is a necessary component of calcium utilization and the two minerals are symbiotic along with the several co-nutrients that improve absorption.For me getting too hot or to cold can cause a migraine. Heat dilates the vessels and cold constricts, any movement of the vessels can cause the migraine mechanism to come into play.

The fourth is possibly Glyphosphate- otherwise known as roundup. The mechanism by which it works is it inhibits mineral absorption at the root level. Some plants can handle this and remain living while others cannot and die. Many GM foods are those where they place the survival traits in various food items and then spray roundup with wild abandon. The plants survive but with reduced mineral uptake. After successive years the soil become compromised and cannot be used for plant growth.

I have to add a significant 5th cause. Our digestive system is the primary process in our bodies that impacts health. However a healthy digestive system is a miraculous symbiotic integration of between 400 and 500 species of bacteria that all perform very specific functions. The excessive and cavalier use of antibiotics without a concern for the good bacteria that are killed by their use has left most of us with a compromised capacity to properly use nutrients as in many cases the bacteria that assists in certain functions have been killed by antibiotic use. That probiotics are finally being recognized is a move in the right direction but we are talking at best in most commercial sources 12 species of bacteria and in many cases these are in a suspended state and cannot activate quickly enough to be of use. True kefir that one makes at home using real kefir grains is by far the best probiotic at 52 identified healthy organisms that are robustly thriving at the time of consumption.

Off of the top of my head those are primary contributors and there may be others I have forgot.

[creator]

I actually just started taking magnesium, but not for headaches so hopefully it will help my headaches as well. Thanks for sharing

I hope you'll post again after a few weeks of taking Magnesium regarding whether it has had any effect on your headaches. Typically I've found that it takes a week or two of consistent use for supplements and herbs to build up in the body to where they become noticeably effective (that's the case for me and the supplements I take during the summer for allergies).

[brlenox]

For me getting too hot or to cold can cause a migraine. Heat dilates the vessels and cold constricts, any movement of the vessels can cause the migraine mechanism to come into play.

I'm betting that you actually have a list of things that trouble you in terms of health. That we are speaking of magnesium specifically shouldn't exclude that there are contributive factors in a majority of illnesses. I would guess you might have one of the increasingly more common auto immune diseases which compound health issues greatly. However, as in all things there are factors that are related to the autoimmune diseases that are increasing.

Were I you and genuinely interested in trying some of the ideas, I would think it through to a solution as opposed to a termination of effort. For instance while I am convinced that the Sun is the best source the issue is actually vitamin d deficiency. Thus again if you really wanted to try these things you might opt for a supplemental solution such as taking vitamin d.

If you do so then as in all things it should be done with knowledge and understanding. Vitamin d will up your magnesium needs as it will enable better usage. However, most important is that you never take vitamin D without taking Vitamin K2. K is the regulator for Calcium distribution in the body and failure to use K will encourage the body to build up potentially harmful calcium deposits, hardening of the arteries, gall stones, kidney stones, calcification of organs etc. Vitamin K manages the D and Calcium relationship to stop the detrimental issues from occurring.

This really is such a limited venue to expertly discuss these things simply for the time it takes to type all of this out. I just recommend that before you try anything that you really educate yourself concerning proper usage. When people fail to do this they do not realize the desired results and walk away from possible solutions claiming they do not work.

[Alaris]

My personal feeling is that food has nothing to do with it. I tried for years to find causation but couldn't find any correlation - stress, time of day, foods, etc. etc.

The body is a complex organism and we have become a people that want a quick fix or pill to correct issues. Tragically, it simply does not work that way and so people often conclude with "it's not my fault" or nothing "I can do about it" etc. Few people take the time to read the medical studies, and other research and make uneducated observations. In most cases, it is all about nutrition and food is the primary source of such.

Yeah how sad. Stupid people.