How To Live Headache Free

Dr. Mark Wiley | Feb 22, 2012 | Comments 5

Headache misery doesn’t have to ruin your life. Adopt a proactive attitude and take control of the roots of your pain, and you can eliminate headache triggers. That enables you to discover a new, improved, pain-free life.

Dismiss Your Triggers

The headache triggers I discussed last week (here) include: oxygen deprivation (often from shallow breathing), dehydration (insufficient water), poor diet (foods your body can’t handle), improper exercise and rest, uneven muscle development, poor posture, stress, poor self-image and attitude.

You may be tempted to discount the usefulness of knowing about these triggers in fighting headaches. In the past, for example, you may have been told to remove all headache-causing foods from your diet and thought it was irrelevant. Not so. These foods do have an effect. The secret to understanding these triggers is recognizing how they cause you problems in combination with each other.

True And False

Yes, it is true that all of the above are known headache triggers. It is also true that not all of them cause headaches for you. That should be good news. But what you need to work out for yourself is which of these triggers set off your headaches and in what combination. This takes a bit of effort and commitment on your part, but is well worth it in the end. Trust me. Here’s what I want you to do:

Consider each of the trigger categories, and choose one to work on for a week. If you start with oxygen deprivation, then make that your focus for each hour of each day for a week. Make sure your home and office are well-ventilated. Make a point of stopping what you are doing every hour to inhale deeply and take full breaths. Do your best to sleep in a way that does not disrupt the flow of air into your nose. See how you feel and make notes.

Then, next week, continue your oxygen program on auto-pilot. It should be in a self-sustaining groove so you can now focus for an entire week on hydration. This includes drinking two glasses of room temperature water each morning. You should also avoid diuretic beverages for the week (coffee, tea, soda, alcohol and beer). Drink enough water throughout the day so that your urine is clear in color every time you relieve yourself. Be sure to hydrate after exercise. Again, see how you feel, take notes and then move on to changing your diet and so on.

Know Your Number

After you have spent six weeks on these kinds of measures (one week for each trigger component), you should feel amazing. However, I know that many headache sufferers are in great pain and are on the verge of giving up hope. Even if you have not done the above mini-program, there is still hope – if you can count.

Not all known headache triggers cause headaches in every person who gets headaches. Coffee may cause an instant headache in one person while another can drink an entire pot with no pain. This leads many to dismiss the list of triggers and to think that their headaches are somehow special and unique. Again, they are not.

The secret to applying the trigger prevention method is to know your number. That is, every headache sufferer has a certain number of triggers his body can handle or process in a given day without problem. However, once that number is passed, you may be hit with a headache. For me, that crucial number is three.

On any given day, my body can safely handle three triggers. If I stay within that number, I will not get a headache. However, if I encounter four or more triggers, I am in pain almost immediately.
For example, if I decide to start my day with coffee and add sugar and milk (three of my triggers), I need to be extra mindful of the rest of my daily activities and choices. If I wake up with clogged sinuses (a trigger) and want coffee, then I drink it black. This allows me to remain headache-free, even if I incur one more trigger during the day. If the day is stressful, which I may not have control over, that’s my third trigger. If I allow a fourth, I am out for the count with head pain.

Your number, then, is a threshold not to be passed. Everyone has a different number, but most are fewer than five. If you are able to stay within your daily number, you can prevent your headaches and thus be “cured” of them. When you surpass your number and get a headache, at least you’ll know the cause and not be fooled into believing that you have no control over them or that they are unbeatable.

Beneficial Corrections

Take a shot at eliminating headache triggers and find your number. If you can spend six weeks correcting these triggers, then you will be in a better place for change. If you can’t do that kind of six-week program, then keep a diary of your choices, activities and foods each day, numbering them and associating those numbers with headache intensity. That enables you to learn how to prevent them.
Most headaches are preventable because we bring them on ourselves. Stop hurting yourself, be kinder to yourself and know your number. Here’s to your headache-free life!

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/how-to-live-headache-free/

The Invisible Epidemic Causing Headaches, Fatigue and Depression

Posted By Dr. Mercola | December 26 2011 | 139,571 views

Story at-a-glance

• Indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health. One study identified a total of 586 different chemical pollutants in the indoor air of 52 homes along the Arizona-Mexico border.
• Poor indoor air quality can cause or exacerbate a number of common ailments, including asthma, allergies, headaches, memory loss, fatigue and depression. Long-term health effects from exposure to toxic airborne particles include heart disease, respiratory disease, reproductive disorders, sterility and even cancer.
• Four major sources of indoor air pollution include pressed wood products, carpets, paints, and furnishings treated with flame-retardant chemicals, such as mattresses, upholstery, drapes and curtains.
• The most effective way to improve your indoor air quality is to control or eliminate as many sources of pollution as you can by using a high-quality air purifier. There are a wide variety of devices on the market, and the technology is constantly being upgraded. At present, air purifiers using Photo Catalytic Oxidation (PCO) seems to be the best technology available.
• More than 14 additional common-sense strategies are included that can help you improve the air quality in your home or office.

By Dr. Mercola

Most people spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors.

But indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health.

For example, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), poor indoor air quality can cause or exacerbate:

• Asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems
• Headaches
• Eye and skin irritations
• Sore throat, colds and flu
• Memory loss, dizziness, fatigue and depression

Long-term effects from exposure to toxic airborne particles include heart disease, respiratory disease, reproductive disorders, sterility and even cancer.

Tips for Healthier Indoor Air

In The Daily Green, the American Lung Association offers 25 tips on how to keep the air in your home healthy.
Here's a small sampling of them:

Don't Allow Smoking Indoors: Each year, second hand smoke sends up to 15,000 children to the hospital.
There is no safe level of secondhand smoke; never let anyone smoke inside your home.
Don't Idle the Car in the Garage: Carbon monoxide exposure can lead to weakness, nausea, disorientation, unconsciousness and even death. Fumes from cars or lawnmowers left running in enclosed spaces can endanger your health.
Use Low-VOC Paints: Paints release VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, for months after application. VOCs can include highly toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Use low-VOC or no-VOC paints, varnishes, and waxes.
Clean Your Air Conditioner and Dehumidifier: Standing water and high humidity encourage the growth of dust mites, mold and mildew. All of these can worsen asthma. Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner when needed, and clean both regularly.
Beware of Dry Cleaning Chemicals: Dry cleaning solvents can be toxic to breathe. Let dry cleaned items "air out" outdoors before bringing them inside.
Avoid Toxic Household Products: Hair and nail products, cleaning products, and art and hobby supplies can increase the levels of VOCs in your home. Some of the VOCs in these products have been linked to cancer, headaches, eye and throat irritation and worsened asthma.

To see the rest of their tips, please review the featured Daily Green article.

Do You Know What's in the Air You Breathe?

One 2009 study, in which they used gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to examine the air inside 52 ordinary homes near the Arizona-Mexico border, researchers found that indoor air was FAR more contaminated than previously demonstrated. They identified an astounding 586 chemicals, including the pesticides diazinon, chlorpyrifos and DDT. Phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in a variety of plastics, were also found in very high levels. Even more disturbing was the fact that they detected 120 chemicals they couldn't even identify!

For a listing of the most common indoor air pollutants and toxic particles, please see this previous article.

There's little doubt that most indoor areas have poor air quality. The question is, what to do about it? One of my recommendations used to be to move to an area known to have better air quality, as the more heavily polluted your outdoor air is, the worse it's going to be indoors.

I now believe the best thing you can do is to be proactive about cleaning the air inside your home and office, and being mindful about the chemicals you bring into and use inside your home. I also recommend paying close attention to the materials used in the construction and furnishings of your space as many building materials act as a continuous source of toxic air contaminants.

You may not have much individual control over the air outside, but these are some of the factors you DO have control over, which can help you create as health-promoting an environment as possible.

Four Major Sources of Air Contamination You DO have Control Over

Since environmental health is a concern of mine, I wanted to create the healthiest office possible for my staff, so a few years ago we built the "greenest" building we could. So green, in fact, the building received the prestigious Gold LEED certification. In addition to using air purifiers and lots of live plants, we also paid a great deal of attention to the building materials and furnishings that went into the space.

Four of the most common sources of air contamination from building materials and home furnishings include:

1. Pressed wood products—This faux wood is made of wood leftovers combined together. Pressed wood products include paneling, particle board, fiberboard and insulation. The glue that holds the wood particles in place may use urea-formaldehyde as a resin. The U.S. EPA estimates that this is the largest source of formaldehyde emissions indoors.
   
   Formaldehyde exposure can set off watery eyes, burning eyes and throat, difficulty breathing and asthma attacks. Scientists also know that it can cause cancer in animals. The risk is greater with older pressed wood products, since newer ones are better regulated. To limit your exposure:
   • Use "exterior-grade" pressed wood products (lower-emitting because they contain phenol resins, not urea resins).
   • Use air conditioning and dehumidifiers to maintain moderate temperature and reduce humidity levels.
   • Increase ventilation, particularly after bringing new sources of formaldehyde into the home.
   • Ask about the formaldehyde content of pressed wood products, including building materials, cabinetry, and furniture before you purchase them.
   • Use solid wood whenever possible.
   
   
2. Chemicals in carpets—Many types of indoor carpeting off-gas VOC’s and contain other toxic materials. The glue and dyes used with carpeting are also known to emit VOCs, which can be harmful to your health. Limit or eliminate exposure by carefully selecting non-toxic carpeting, such as those made of wool, or opt for non-toxic flooring like solid wood or bamboo instead.
3. Paint—While paints have gotten a lot less toxic over the past 25 years, most paints still emit harmful vapors, such as VOC’s, formaldehyde and benzene, just to name a few. These types of fumes may be harmful to your brain over time, and they’re released daily for about 30 days after application. Low levels can continue to leak into the air for as long as a year afterward, so you’ll want to make sure you ventilate the area repeatedly.
   
   Another danger is lead-based paint, which can be found in many homes built before 1978. Once the paint begins to peel away, it releases harmful lead particles that can be inhaled. In 1991, the U.S. government declared lead to be the greatest environmental threat to children. Even low concentrations can cause problems with your central nervous system, brain, blood cells and kidneys. It's particularly threatening for fetuses, babies and children, because of potential developmental disorders.
   
   Fortunately, it’s getting easier to find high-quality non-toxic paints, also known as “low-VOC” or “no-VOC” paint. Both large paint companies and smaller alternative brands now offer selections of such paints. For a list of distributors and manufacturers, see this link.
4. Mattresses, upholstery, drapes and curtains—These are all common sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); flame retardant chemicals that have been linked to learning and memory problems, lowered sperm counts and poor thyroid functioning in rats and mice. Other animal studies have indicated that PBDEs could be carcinogenic in humans, although that has not yet been confirmed.
   
   Your mattress may be of particular concern, as many contain not only PBDE's, but also toxic antimony, boric acid, and formaldehyde. Shopping for a safe mattress can be tricky, as manufacturers are not required to label or disclose which chemicals their mattresses contain. However, some manufacturers now offer toxin-free mattresses, such as those made of 100% wool, which is naturally fire resistant. There are also mattresses that use a Kevlar, bullet-proof type of material in lieu of chemicals for fire-proofing. These are available in most major mattress stores, and will help you to avoid some of the toxicity.

For more information and guidelines on selecting healthier alternatives, see this helpful article by Healthy Home Plans.

Air Purification Requires a Multi-Faceted Approach

The most effective way to improve your indoor air quality is to control or eliminate as many sources of pollution as you can first, before using any type of air purifier. You simply must eliminate all fixable sources of the indoor air pollution, otherwise it is like trying to drive your car with your foot on the accelerator and the brake at the same time.

This is particularly true for mold. No air purifier will ever remove the source of the mold, which is typically related to a previous or ongoing intrusion of water into the living space, providing increased humidity levels that molds require. You simply must repair this before you consider any air purifier to solve your indoor air quality issues.

Once you have eliminated the sources of indoor air pollution, there are a wide variety of devices on the market that function in a number of different ways. My recommendations for air purifiers have changed over the years, along with the changing technologies and newly emerging research. There are so many varieties of contaminants generated by today's toxic world that air purification manufacturers are in a constant race to keep up with them, so it pays to do your homework.

At present, and after much careful review and study, I believe air purifiers using Photo Catalytic Oxidation (PCO) seems to be the best technology available (see chart below).

That said, truly effective air cleaning requires a multi-pronged approach that incorporates a variety of different air cleaning processes/technologies as no one device can remove all types of pollutants. Finding ONE air purifier that does it all is like trying to find one magic vitamin that would meet all your physiological needs. Still, if you can only afford one, newer devices employing PCO technology will remove the widest spectrum of pollutants.

Air pollutants fall into three main categories, each requiring a different approach:

1. Biological particles (molds, bacteria, spores, viruses, parasites, animal dander, pollen, etc.)
2. Non-biological particles (smoke, dust, heavy metals, radioactive isotopes, etc.)
3. Gases (fumes from things like adhesives, petroleum products, pesticides, paint, and cleaning products; radon, carbon monoxide, etc.)

Modern air purification devices work using the following four primary technologies:

Technology	Types of Pollutants	How It Works
Filtration	Particles and biologicals	Mechanical or electrostatic, these physically trap particles in a filter (HEPA is example)
Photo Catalytic Oxidation (PCO)	Particles, gases, biologicals	Destroys pollutants using a UV lamp and a catalyst that reacts with the UV light
Negative Ionization	Particles and biologicals	Disperses charged particles into the air to attract to nearby objects, or to each other, thereby settling faster
Ozone	Biologicals	Activated oxygen assists with the breakdown of biologicals

 

Basic Steps for Improving the Air Quality in Your Home

Aside from being mindful of the building materials and furnishings used during construction or renovation and using an air purification system, there are a number of other things you can do to take charge of your air quality and greatly reduce the amount of indoor air pollutants generated in the first place:

• Vacuum your floors regularly using a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner or, even better, a central vacuum cleaner which can be retrofitted to your existing house if you don’t currently have one. Standard bag- or bagless vacuum cleaners are another primary contributor to poor indoor air quality. A regular vacuum cleaner typically has about a 20 micron tolerance. Although that's tiny, far more microscopic particles flow right through the vacuum cleaner than it actually picks up! Beware of cheaper knock-offs that profess to have "HEPA-like" filters—get the real deal.
• Increase ventilation by opening a few windows every day for 5 to 10 minutes, preferably on opposite sides of the house. (Remember, although outdoor air quality may be poor, stale indoor air is typically even worse by a wide margin.)
• Get some houseplants. Even NASA has found that plants markedly improve the air! For tips and guidelines, see my previous article The 10 Best Pollution-Busting Houseplants.
• Take your shoes off as soon as you enter the house, and leave them by the door to prevent tracking in of toxic particles.
• Discourage or even better, forbid, tobacco smoking in or around your home.
• Switch to non-toxic cleaning products (such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar) and safer personal care products. Avoid aerosols. Look for VOC-free cleaners. Avoid commercial air fresheners and scented candles, which can degass literally thousands of different chemicals into your breathing space.
• Avoid powders. Talcum and other personal care powders can be problematic as they float and linger in the air after each use. Many powders are allergens due to their tiny size, and can cause respiratory problems
• Don't hang dry cleaned clothing in your closet immediately. Hang them outside for a day or two. Better yet, see if there's an eco-friendly dry cleaner in your city that uses some of the newer dry cleaning technologies, such as liquid CO2.
• Upgrade your furnace filters. Today, there are more elaborate filters that trap more of the particulates. Have your furnace and air conditioning ductwork and chimney cleaned regularly.
• Avoid storing paints, adhesives, solvents, and other harsh chemicals in your house or in an attached garage.
• Avoid using nonstick cookware. I now carry my favorite alternative, ceramic cookware, in my store.
• Ensure your combustion appliances are properly vented.
• Make sure your house has proper drainage and its foundation is sealed properly to avoid mold formation. For more information about the health dangers of mold and how to address it, please see this previous article.
• The same principles apply to ventilation inside your car—especially if your car is new—and chemicals from plastics, solvents, carpet and audio equipment add to the toxic mix in your car's cabin. That "new car smell" can contain up to 35 times the health limit for VOCs, "making its enjoyment akin to glue-sniffing," as this article reports.

Source: The Daily Green

Related Links:

INSIDE Your Home: The Ugly Invaders Which Can Make You Sick

Unexplained Headaches, Fatigue, Depression, and Brain Fog? Look No Further Than Your Own Home...

How Your House and Office Makes or Breaks Your Health

 http://articles.mercola.com/