Migraines are a big problem. They affect millions of people.
The question we really need to ask isn’t, “how do you treat a migraine?” but rather, “what’s causing the migraines?”
This is where Functional Medicine comes in. Functional Medicine is medicine by cause; not by symptom. It helps us discover the underlying triggers of disease. The root cause of your migraine may not be in your head at all. In fact, it may be caused by many other factors. But 10 people with the exact same symptoms might have very different underlying causes.
Migraines can be caused by:
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Sensitivity to foods like peanuts or dairy or eggs. Gluten allergy. This is a special kind of food allergy that creates a lot of inflammation. Many people are sensitive to gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt. I often do an elimination diet with clients who have migraines.
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Hormonal imbalances. For example, many women get premenstrual migraines, which is often caused by imbalances in oestrogen and progesterone—too much oestrogen, not enough progesterone. This can be caused by stress; by consuming too much alcohol, sugar, flour, and starches; and by not getting enough exercise or sleep. But it is often a genetic factor and I can see this in DNA testing.
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Vitamin B deficiency. Some people who don’t get enough riboflavin (B2) get migraines. But I have sometimes found that it may be a lack of B12 or Folate.
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Imbalances in melatonin. Newer studies have shown that this may be related to sleep cycles, which can be improved with melatonin.
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Magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is the relaxation mineral. If you’re deficient in it, you can often get headaches and migraines.
So, remember: migraines are not all the same. You have to find the underlying cause.
