This book is now available through publishers Rupa & Co.

There is nothing that a migraineur fears more than a migraine attack. It is excruciatingly painful and comes with a flurry of stressful symptoms like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and light and sound sensitivity. If you dread your episodes, this may be the book you need. Migraines for the Informed Woman- Tips From a Sufferer de-mystifies not just the why, what, when and how of migraine in an easy and simple way, but also gives you a positive perspective on what can be done to keep them managed and at minimum levels.

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Triptans are the relatively new weaponry in the scientists’ arsenal in migraine management and treatment. They work at the neurochemical (serotonin receptor) level. Triptans are not painkillers. All the Triptan drugs act at the wall of the blood vessels (especially cranial/dural blood vessels) and cause their constriction (or narrowing) called vasoconstriction, thus offsetting the swelling that causes the pain. It is also effective in alleviating some of the other symptoms of migraine attack such as sensitivity to light and sound. It acts towards stimulating the release of serotonin in the bloodstream.

Triptan range of medication includes chemicals Frovatriptan, Naratriptan, Eletriptan, Sumatriptan, Almotriptan and Rizatriptan. They should however, never be mixed with ergotamine drugs or any other drug stated in the drug literature or by the doctor. In addition, they are not to be taken in conjunction with any anti-depressant that is known to increase serotonin levels. Neither are they indicated for use by hemiplegic and basilar artery migraineurs.

All of these medications have similar possible side effects such as those of dizziness, fatigue, tingling sensations on skin, dryness of mouth, hot flashes, chest pain or tightness, sensitivity to temperatures, joint pains, coronary artery vasospasm, transient myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation, serotonin syndrome etc.

Triptan drugs are available at pharmacies on showing a doctor’s prescription due to the potential side effects, which may be serious in nature. Some Triptan drugs work faster than the others do. Some others work for longer hours, some have only one set of side effects, and the other Triptans may have another set. This makes it imperative for you to consult your doctor before taking these medications. The doctor will make a decision on a case-to-case basis depending on your migraine frequency, intensity, duration, medical history (especially those of heart, diabetes and hypertension etc).

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This Pranayama imitates the sound of a humming bee during it’s exhaling phase. It thus channelizes breathing through a vibrating state. The Brahmari Pranayama is the most efffective of all the Pranayamas chalked out for migraineurs.

The Benefits:

• The brahmari cures post delivery and menstrual migraines through higher serotonin release pre-menstruation,
• It is extremely useful for Alzheimer patients and those with heart conditions,
• The Brahmari also balances blood sugar and hormone secretion,
• It’s practice increases the rate of metabolism and calms the mind,
• It is proven to improve memory and concentration.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Sit on a mat on an even floor (Preferably in Vajra Asana or Sukha Asana).
2. Close your glottis partially as you inhale through both nostrils, making a snoring sound.
3. Exhale slowly emitting the buzzing sound of a humming bee.
4. Humming while exhaling allows you to spin out your breath and make a longer exhalation.
5. Repeat the process 5 – 10 times.

Personally, I recommend The Art of Living Foundation’s Basic Course where they teach you how to do the different Pranayama with precision. The Foundation’s chapters have presence in almost all the countries of the world and in all major cities. You may visit their website to www.artofliving.org to find out the location of their branch in your locality. Another trusted source would be to watch and follow or buy the DVDs of Baba Ramdev. His instructions are articulate and make them easy to follow. Information and YouTube demonstrations of asana and Pranayama are available on his website www.baba-ramdev.info.

Remember, any Pranayama done wrongly has the potential to be dangerous. It is recommended that you learn Pranayama through a qualified Yoga instructor.

As with aerobic exercises, benefits can be enjoyed with consistency. As with homeopathic medications, benefits are more forthcoming with regularity in timing of practice. In addition, as with aerobics and homeopathic programs a sensible diet, lean on fat, moderate on complex carbohydrates, high on high fibre, protein and water, along with a good dose of patience brings sustained results. As with all Pranayamas, they are best done on an empty stomach in the morning or evening.

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The Bhastrika Pranayama is the most powerful of all pranayama techniques and combines the Kapalbhati and Ujjai systems in it. It is specifically prescribed by Ayurveds and Yogis to manage and prevent migraine attacks. The other pranayama that help in treatment, prevention and management of migraines are the Kapalbhati Pranayama, the Anulom Vilom Pranayama and the Brahmari Pranayama.

The best and the safest way to learn pranayamas is under the guidance of a qualified or certified Yoga instructor or a competent Ayurved or Yogi. Pranayamas done wrongly can prove to be very harmful with potentially serious outcomes. I have outlined below, the basics of how the Bhastrika Pranayama can be done. However, it is advisable that you learn the Bhastrika Pranayama in person and under the physical presence of a certified Yoga instructor.

1. Put a mat on an even floor.

2. Sit on it in the Lotus position

The Lotus position

(SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tanumânasî_en_Meditacion_Loto_Padmasana.JPG)

3. Keep your head, neck and body errect (in a straight line).

4. Close your mouth.

5. Inhale and exhale forcefully and in quick succession or rapidly 10 times. Both inhalation and exhalation should sound like the bellows of the blacksmith.

6. As you breathe in your lungs and abdomen should dilate and contract when you breathe out.

7. The 10 counts count for 1 set. 

8. Pause for 10 seconds after every set is complete. During this state of pause, breathe slowly and fully to the maximum lung capacity; pause for 3-5 seconds and exhale  slowly and completely.

9. Repeat the set 2 more times pausing between the sets.

10. The final expulsion should be followed by a deep inhalation. 

11. Pause after this inhalation for as long as it is comfortable.

12. Exhale slowly and completely.

The Bhastrika Pranayama should be done on an empty stomach with either very light snack or a glass of water half  hour before the session. Like all Pranayamas, the best time to do the Bhastrika is either morning or evening. The Bhastrika should never be done when a migraine attack is underway. 

Besides being a cure for migraines, the Bhastrika increases our BMR, cures asthma, sinus conditions, certain digestive ailments. It claims to purify blood, calms the mind and is proven benefecial in cass of muscular dystrophy and oxygen defeciency disorders. It balances the Vata, Pita and Kapha states of the body.

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Hi,

Extensive researches concluded in 2005, that giving migraineurs supplements of the Coenzyme Q10 proved beneficial in reducing migraine instances and duration. Coenzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects us from free radicals and thereby reduces damage caused to heart through food and environmental factors. It also retards ageing and has been found beneficial to not just migraineurs but also to AIDS and cancer patients as it steps up the body’s immune system functioning. It is also known with the chemical names of benzoquinone and ubiquinone. 

Some foods which are rich in Coenzyme Q10 are:

Foods rich in Coenzyme 10:

1. Mackerel
2. Herring
3. Pork
4. Peanut Oil
5. Canola Oil
6. Chicken Legs
7. Sesame Seeds

Be careful not to include those food items that you may be allergic to.

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Any exercise induces the body’s pituitary gland to release endorphins. There are 4 different types of endorphins – alpha, beta, gamma and sigma. It is found that during prolonged exercise sessions, acidosis of the blood occurs, which is indicated by decrease in the blood flow and oxygen to the muscle tissues. This triggers the release of beta-endorphins, as a response to tackle the anticipated pain or stress. These beta-endorphins have analgesic properties and raise the bar for the body in tackling migraine pains.

Similarly, another polypeptide, the enkephalin, is released by the thalamus of the brain during periods of exercise. They have the specific capacity to block the neurotransmitter, Substance P, which is notorious in triggering migraines. Catecholamines are another substance, which is released in short periods of exerting exercises. They raise the density and secretion of serotonin mildly and help counter migraine pains to some extent.

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Migraineurs may experience the common visual aura or the not-so-common non-visual aura. Non-visual aura could take the form of some loss of motor ability, feeling of pins and needles on face or palms, difficulty holding plates, opening doors that involve a strong pull action etc. Here’s what you can do to manage your non-visual aura better:

 Action # 1: Minimize functions that put you and your loved ones at risk. Attend to only such of the chores as are absolutely essential. Get the spouse, mate, partner and children to pitch in at such times. Any activity that is absolutely essential, must be done slowly and while concentrating. No brisk, jerky or quick movements that will bring on dizziness or will compromise your health should be made.

Action # 2: Take care while walking especially when you are turning to the left or right to enter rooms or lanes. You may want to watch out such that you are not catching the door edges etc.

Action # 3: Aromatherapy with the aroma of specific essential oils that suit and calm you often reduces the non-visual aura temporarily. 

Action # 4: Lie down and inhale slowly and deeply. Exhale slowly and completely. Repeat the process for 5 – 10 minutes. This is known to reduce most of the symptoms even in a full-blown migraine for half an hour at a time without medication.

Action # 5: Light massage of temples, forehead, neck and eyebrows with Vicks helps immensely in reducing non-visual aura. It also mitigates pain for a while.

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Hi,

Full Circle Fitness is a blog that invites people to write about their experiences with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fitness practices. Going beyond the physical aspect of fitness of our gym-centric worlds, Full Circle Fitness attempts to understand what it takes to be emotionally, mentally and spiritually healthy. A Full Circle envelops all those who come to it.  Please visit Full Circle Fitness and discuss your methods. 

Visit: http://footstrike.wordpress.com/

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If you have never done exertive physical activities before or have led a sedate life, it is advisable to keep your exercise routine to 30 minutes every other day. If you do not have the luxury of working out 30-minutes in a single go, break it up. You can fit in lots of 10 minutes thrice in a day. It all adds up.

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Hi,

Last week we saw how eating a tryptophan-rich diet didn’ t necessarily translate into increased serotonin levels in the brain unless backed by adequate Vitamin B3, B6 and complex carbohydrates. It however, did place one a better chance at getting a serotonin boost. 

Studies have established some links to a defecient state of brain serotonin with other neurological afflictions besides migraines, such as alcoholism, depression, suicidal tendencies, PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorders, generalised anxiety disorders and social phobia to name a few. 

We may experience low brain serotonin levels due to a variety of reasons:

1. Low levels of production of brain serotonin.

2. Less number of serotonin receptors in our brain region

3. High reuptake rate of serotonin back from the synapse into the presynaptic neurons, and

4. Defeciency in tryptophan levels in our body.

There is a new and fifth interesting dimension that has cropped up – that of the serotonin transporter gene (SERT). To relay a message, a neuron releases serotonin into the synapse or the gap between two neurons from where their dendrites begin. Once the message is relayed to the next neuron, the released serotonin in the synapse is collected and transported back to the pre-synaptic neuron by the SERT. SERTS are monoamine proteins. It has been found that when there are changes in the SERT metabolism, neurological afflictions begin.

It is also now being thought that the gene (called SLC6A4 – Solute Carrier family 6, member 4) that encodes the SERT can be mutated and result in changing the functions of SERT.

The area (aka promotor) in the gene SLC6A4 which synthesises RNA under the instrucions from DNA, contains polymorphism – some long repeats (16 repeats of a sequence) and some short repeats (14 repeats of a sequence). Shorter repeats obviously enable lesser coding in them and thus when we have a pair of short repeats we get an increase in the risks of developing disorder states. 

 So though SSRIs and beta blockers may help migraineurs as well as those suffering from insomnia, depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, their efficacy will not be the same between 2 persons with the same condition. Those predisposed to neurological and psychological conditions due to the presence of 2 short versions of the gene will be less benefitted than those with other variations (2 long or 1 long and 1 short).

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