Migraine headaches affect a lot of people around the world and especially women. The majority of migraine sufferers are women in a percentage of 70%. This is the reason that migraines are also known as the female headache. The main factor that makes women more vulnerable to migraine headaches is the changes in the hormone levels at every life stage women have to undergo. The most important stages being menstruation cycle, pregnancy and menopause. In this post we will concentrate on why women suffer from migraines during menopause. Migraines can be very disturbing to women experiencing the changes of menopause. They may occur in various levels of intensity and duration and the pain may range from mild to very intense. Women who suffered from migraines before this period may experience more frequent crisis, while women who did not experience migraines before may start during the menopause period. The symptoms of the migraines during menopause are no different than ‘normal’ migraine headaches.  These may include:

• Throbbing pain in one part of the head

• The pain to become more intensive with movement of the body and head

• Feelings of tiredness and sudden weakness

• The duration of the pain may be a couple of hours or couple of days

 • Sudden tendency for vomiting and feelings of nausea and dizziness

 • Extra sensitivity to bright light, sound, and strong smells

 • Sweating in the hands and feet

 What to do to get relief from the headaches?   Basically there are three ways to get relief from migraine headaches.  These are:

1. Lifestyle changes:   Changing your lifestyle to avoid or minimize triggers of migraines. This means that you should identify what are the major causes of migraines for your case and alter your lifestyle in order to prevent the emerge of a migraine crisis.

2. Alternative / Natural methods:   There are a lot of ways to get treatment from migraine headaches. These include the use of herbs and the adoption of natural ways for headache relief such as yoga, massage and relaxation exercises.  

3.   Medication:   Up to now there is no medication for the complete cure from migraines. The drugs available are mainly used for prevention purposes and to minimize the effects of migraine pain. The most common group of medicines is triptans and is only available after a prescription from a certified doctor.

If you are among the women who suffer regularly from migraine headaches then the best approach to follow is to visit a doctor that specializes on headaches and discuss your case with him. There are such kinds of doctors in all countries and they can give  better advice than the ordinary practitioners. Make sure that you go to the doctor with as much information as possible about your migraines. This may include the duration and frequency of the pain,  how much sleep you had the day before, what you eat, what other activities you did and generally everything that may help the doctor understand your lifestyle better.

Yeah!!! I am so happy!  I had posted before how I was taking 400mg of Sam-e with a B complex vitamin every morning.  Well besides making me feel happy, hopeful and more like myself, I am losing weight!

I had tried absolutely everything to take off the weight I had gained on Zoloft, coupled with a thyroid imbalance AND perimenopause symptoms!!!   Nothing worked.  Well, I’ve been taking Sam-e every morning on an empty stomach for about 3 months now and I’ve lost 12 lbs. without changing anything else! I do always try to eat right though, and stick to my low calorie foods list.   Although recently, I’ve allowed myself to live it up a little since it’s my birthday!  And I still lost weight.  This hasn’t happened since my twenties!

My theory is since Sam-e is so good for your liver, this is an indirect benefit of a better functioning liver!  My body is metabolizing more efficiently because my liver isn’t so congested.  I just feel so much better in every way.  My husband has been taking it too now, but for only a week and he said he’s noticed a great improvement in his well-being.

Sam-e is a naturally occurring substance found in our body and tends to decline as we get older.  It promotes the balance and availability of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which makes you feel happy.  It’s great for depression.  It’s also great for the liver because it normalizes liver enzymes. My girlfriend’s accupuncturist put her on Sam-e to bring her out of the woods from hepatitis -and it did!  She’s the same woman who told me to start taking it when I was detoxing from prescription antidepressants -and I felt better in 48 hours!  It’s worked for us and I encourage  anyone to try Sam-e first before going on anti-depressants.  It’s a great supplement for the symptoms of menopause or pre menopause symptoms.  I have read that a good liver contributes to virtually zero menopause symptoms!  Since using Sam-e I have alleviated my menopausal symptoms.  For me, that’s certainly worth it!

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For many women during their perimenopause and menopause years, insomnia is very common.  From having trouble falling asleep to waking up throughout the night,  insomnia strikes many women leaving them tired and miserable the next day.  You may also be one of those women who wakes in a pool of sweat during the night.  Pre menopause symptoms of night sweats  is caused by the body’s hormonal fluctuations and inconsistent body temperature .  Instead of relying on sleeping pills, try some natural remedies first.  Many times that’s all you need.
Magnesium   works wonders for anyone having trouble falling asleep.  It is great for menopausal symptoms  and perimenopause symptoms because it help balance hormones, calms nerves and promotes deep restful sleep.  Magnesium oil also relieves aches, spasms and pains, elevates mood and supports a healthy immune system.  Many people suffer menopause symptoms like  pms, fibromyalgia, cramps and migraines needlessly because they don’t have enough magnesium!

If you have magnesium deficiency you may experience fatigue, leg cramps, loss of appetite, depression, or high blood pressure.  The recommended RDA of magnesium is 320mg a day for women.  Up to 90% of Americans do not get enough!  It is often called the forgotten mineral.  If you overlook it your body will pay a price.   You can find magnesium in dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grain foods. Pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, avocados, bananas, potatoes, spinach and legumes are all great sources of magnesium.

You can also take a supplement if you feel you are lacking.  Many come with calcium and vitamin D in the mix.  That is because magnesium helps the body absorb calcium and potassium.  Calcium and magnesium work synergistically in hundreds of reactions in the body and must be taken in balance.  The contraction-relaxation phase of muscle function cannot operate without magnesium.  Bones also need a healthy balance of both.  Calcium is essential for healthy blood and regulates heartbeat, assists in blood clotting and iron absorption, eases insomnia and regulates the passage of nutrients in and out of our cells.

Magnesium helps keep your heart and bones strong and healthy.  It helps regulate body temperature and activates the enzymes necessary for metabolism.

Soaking in magnesium is great too!  Taking a bath with magnesium oil flakes or Espom salts is very relaxing and promotes sound sleep.  Don’t take my work for it. Build up your magnesium reserves and see if you don’t get a better night’s sleep and relief from your symptoms of menopause.