Headaches are no fun, but did you know that you don't have to reach for your bottle of asprin or paracetamol/tylenol when you feel one coming on.
There are a number of natural remedies that you can try first.
I'm going to review 3 different ways to help relieve a headache that I have tried myself and have found successful.
I have studied aromatherapy and herbology in the past, but I am not a doctor so if you have persistent headaches please consult your medical practitioner.
Using Aromatherapy to Ease a Headache
A very effective way to ease a headache is with
lavender oil. Now if you headache is caused by stress then relieving your stress levels is a great idea so check out this article -
Now back to lavender oil. This is one of the few pure, essential oils that you can use undiluted. Simply tip the bottle upside down onto your index finger on one hand and then do the same on the other. You should end up with a drop on each finger.
You massage your fingers into your temple like the photo below -
I used to try this for migraines (which I used to get every month before I had my daughter), it used to reduce the severity of the headache, although it didn't help with the lack of balance and light sensitivity (but you can't have everything!).
When it comes to just a standard headache, if I'm at home with lavender on hand this works really well.
Eating Almonds, Not Asprin for a Headache!
Now when I was told last year that merely eating almonds could help a headache I was a little skeptical, but then I tried it with success. Initially I wondered if it was just a coincidence, but I have tried it a few times now and it has worked.
I have also looked into why this works and when I saw that almonds are a good source of magnesium I realized that's why they're effective. Magnesium actually helps to relax your blood vessels and it's often when your blood vessels are tight that you get headaches.
How many almonds to take? The recommendation is 10-12 almonds, but when I've tried them I've only taken 6-8 each time, then again when I have resorted to taking paracetamol/tylenol I only take 1 not 2.
Hydration is Vital for Keeping Headaches at Bay!
I read somewhere that dehydration is one of the leading causes of headaches, now I don't know exactly how factual that statement is, but it wouldn't surprise me. Most people I know just do not drink enough water and by consuming more processed foods we are also digesting less water through our meals as well.
When my daughter complains of a headache the first thing I ask her is 'have you drunk much today?' the reply is usually no! Now when you're dehydrated just drinking water sometimes isn't enough to ease the headache quickly as you need to get electrolytes into your system too.
If you have any watermelon on hand this is an excellent source of natural electrolytes and it has the added bonus that most kids who don't want to drink water will happily consume a slice or two of watermelon!
Another option is to have an electrolyte drink (often marketed as sports drinks). This will work, but the side effect with most of the ones on the market is that they tend to be really high in sugar. This is one of the reasons (I believe) that after drinking them you are sometimes left feeling even thirstier.
One drink that I use and also give my teenager is
Arbonne's Complete Hydration as it's much lower in sugar and is formulated to hydrate on a cellular level. This means that it doesn't leave you feeling thirsty.
Have You Tried Natural Ways to Ease A Headache?
I'd love to know if you've tried any of these three ways to ease a headache or if you have a different natural method to help your headaches.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
