Headaches and migraines are generally accepted as just a part of life.  They can be brought on by stress, not eating regularly, not enough physical activity, not drinking enough water, lack of sleep and for women from hormonal imbalance.  You know what I am talking about, that throbbing or massive pounding going on between the eyes.  I personally have very few headaches and have never experienced a migraine.  My husband suffers from migraines, but with a natural holistic protocol we have been able to keep them very few and far between these days.

Many women experience headaches just before their periods and for menopausal women they can just be erratic at best.  When estrogen levels take a dive, which is usually just before a period, the headaches can flair.  Some women get the migraines which can be oh so disruptive to life!  So, what do you do?  In the past, we used the conventional method of ibuprofen or acetaminophen, along with some very strong prescription medications.

These were a band aid of course.  And my concern was the side effects to the liver if you take them excessively.  My husband was taking the highest dosage possible.

I am holistic so I recommend a lifestyle change that you can practice for life.  Opt for a low glycemic food plan, eliminate the sugar, gluten, dairy, soy (GMO), peanuts, alcohol and caffeine.  Use high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements, essential oils, grapeseed extract, may need to increase the calcium.  CoQ10 and magnesium may need to be added as well.  Each person is different so you may need to try and then adjust.  Remember that stress can influence your hormonal balance.  I love to walk and hike, Yoga, Pilates and meditation.  The key is to get calm and centered and pay attention to the level of stress in your life!

And we all know that hydration is key to living.  Cut the carbonated drinks.  Water is best and drink more of it in the heat.  Add fruit or veggies to infuse it.  Non caffeine teas are good but not in excess.  Watch how much you are drinking in the later part of the day or you will be getting up at nigh disrupting your sleep to urinate.  Balance is the key.

Tell me how you deal with headaches and/or migraines?  Share what has worked and what hasn’t.  I help people overcome their limiting beliefs that are keeping them stuck, broke and unhealthy to create balance, time freedom and health!  You can find me at www.livinglifeholistic.com or via email at susano@livinglifeholistic.com

How could I not drink enough water! Do you find yourself asking that question? I hear this a lot ~ I really try, but my days are busy and, honestly, I forget! Who wants to stress out about how much water they’re drinking in a day, on top of all the other things we have going on in our day!  We are already multitasking way too much already!

Remember how you used to be told that if you were feeling thirsty, you were already dehydrated? Well, that isn’t true. Your body isn’t designed to tell you when you’re too late, it’s designed to trigger the thirst mechanism when it is time to drink something – BEFORE you are dehydrated!  Your body is after hydration and nourishment. You get a lot of your hydration needs from your food. Sometimes, your body will kick out “I’m hungry!” signals when you’re actually thirsty and craving hydration!

This “You must drink 8 glasses of water a day” doctrine only became the doctrine when we stopped eating our fruits/veggies and started eating more processed food. Yes! Your body needs to be hydrated, you can’t live without water. There are studies out there nowadays that are showing that we’re already getting a lot of water in our daily diets, especially if we’re eating healthy with lots and lots of vegetables and fruit. And let’s face it – water can be boring.  There are lots of great ways to get the amount of water your body needs to keep you hydrated. I drink a warm chai tea in the morning, 20oz. protein smoothie every morning, sometimes another 20oz protein smoothie in the afternoon,  then I go through a 20oz. water bottle that I carry around with me all day long. That alone is almost 64oz. of liquid! And that’s not even counting all the fruits/vegetables I eat daily.

Here are some tips to help you get the water your body needs to keep up with your busy life: 

1. Eat your Fruits and Veggies – Cucumber, celery and radishes are more than 95% water! Throw some in your salad or keep some spears handy for snacking (add some hummus for important protein). Tomatoes, green peppers, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, baby carrots, are also great vegetables for their water content. Watermelon, star fruit (I really like these), strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe are sweet treats that are all more than 90% water. If you are diabetic, then watch the fruit intake for the natural sugar.
2. Don’t Overdo it – You CAN drink too much water. You can actually flood your system with water, producing low sodium levels, flushing out minerals and vitamins that your body actually needs to perform at peak condition and do a number on your kidneys. If you’re eating lots of clean veggies, you’re getting LOTS of water. But when you do drink water, don’t chug it, you’ll just wind up peeing it out without doing much to hydrate you. Nothing like having to find a bathroom everywhere you go!  Sip it throughout the day instead. And speaking of urination THAT is the real sign of your state of hydration. It should be a pale yellow color. If it’s almost clear, you’re drinking too much. If it’s dark yellow, go drink something!
3. Make Your Water More Interesting – Filter your water whenever you can. Infuse it with a slice of lemon, strawberries or a slice of cucumber. Glass is best! It sounds silly, but having a glass or bottle you enjoy drinking out of can make a difference in how you feel about drinking! Especially if you are using essential oils in your water the container has to be glass as the oils will disintegrate the plastic.

Just remember that caffeinated drinks will dehydrate you, so you should replace them with something to hydrate.  Water is not the goal, hydration is. Keep your water consumption interesting, listen to your body, and you will always be hydrated.

I’ve just given you really important information about water and helpful hints on how to keep hydrated. What fun ways do you have to stay hydrated? Tell me so I can share!

I help people overcome their limiting beliefs that are keeping them stuck, broke and unhealthy to create balance, time freedom and healthy thriving lives.  Find me at www.livinglifeholistic.com or via email susano@liviniglifeholistic.com