September 14, 2008

Do Oranges Trigger Migraine?

Oranges are a surprising inclusion in a list of potential migraine triggers. Many people would dismiss the idea completely, believing that orange juice is part of a healthy dietNot if you are sensitive to citrus. The citrus group of foods, which includes fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit, is a known allergen. Additionally, a lot of commercial orange juice is squeezed with the rind on, subsequently bruising it and releasing synephrine, a vasoconstrictor.There have been links between migraine headaches and synephrine as well as related vasoconstrictors, so it makes sense that this could be a trigger. Many patients found that freshly squeezed orange juice made at home had no adverse effect.A 2004 study found that: “In migraine patients, plasma levels of octopamine and synephrine were higher compared with controls, although in migraine with aura, the difference was not significant”.(1)Synephrine is a stimulant that raises blood pressure, which can also cause migraines. It is theorized that migraine sufferers with citrus allergy can gain relief from low dosage of daily blood pressure medication.Citrus fruits also cause magnesium deficiency in some patients, and magnesium deficiency has been linked to migraine without aura. In a study where thirty migraine patients were treated […]

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Root Causes of Insomnia

Insomnia refers to a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, despite a person’s best efforts. Any sleep disturbance that lasts over three weeks may be considered insomnia. Insomnia can have many root causes, and many solutions, too. It is estimated that 64 million people suffer from insomnia. Thinking about that statistic can be enough to keep you up at night!Chronic insomnia can be caused by many different things. Insomnia can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, or it can be caused by stress in your life or anxiety. Insomnia treatment should target the root cause of the chronic insomnia. Some people choose to using medication for insomnia, such as Ambien; but using Ambien for insomnia can also make the problem worse, as you may begin to feel anxiety that you will not be able to sleep without your medication. It can be helpful to discuss your insomnia with your doctor, to make sure that you don’t have symptoms of another more serious medical condition, such as arthritis, migraines, prostatic hypertrophy, or menopause, all of which may cause insomnia and also require additional medical attention.Common Causes of InsomniaPeople […]

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September 11, 2008

Migraines and Aspartame - Is there a link?

The artificial sweetener Aspartame gained a foothold as a sugar replacement, with diabetics gaining a significant advantage. At the peak of its popularity, some 6,000 foods and drinks, even certain chewing gums and vitamin products, contained AspartameIt is marketed under several different tradenames, including Nutrasweet, Canderel, Equal and Tropicana Slim. In the European Union its E-number (additive code) is E951.The battle rages on as to whether the artificial sweetener aspartame actually causes migraine headaches. The manufacturers of NutraSweet strongly deny that there is a correlation, referring to research from Duke University which they say totally dismisses it as a possibility(1).They usually neglect to mention that they funded the study, which consisted of a one day dosage of aspartame or placebo to migraine sufferers. The results showed no statistical difference between the two groups’ incidence of headache that day, and the aspartame backers pronounced the idea of aspartame causing headaches to be thus disproved.The FDA accepted the study as conclusive proof, and has since maintained that there is no evidence to support the theory that aspartame is in any way detrimental to humans.The tradition of the FDA backing aspartame against all opponents started in 1981 when President Reagan took office. Reagan […]

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