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Read Dr. Elena Krasnov's Weekly Column in the Health & Fitness section of the 24 Hours Magazine. Look for new articles every week!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Healing a Migraine through the Bowels

Q: Dear Elena: I have been a migraine sufferer for over 10 years. At times, I am in bed for 3 days at a time and can't move. I have eliminated some foods that have made it worse, but I am now at the point where heavy medication is my only option. Can you shed some light on if there is anything natural I can do?

A: Treating migraines can be tricky. I have come across many causes, which together or separately aggravate the condition.

One commonly overlooked cause of migraines is dysbiosis in the bowel. To put it simply, if you are allergic to yeast that is in your food or if you suffer from frequent yeast infections or both, it could be an aggravating factor for you.  I have had many patients improve significantly after they have done a bowel cleanse, followed by a prescribed Candida free diet and have detoxified their tissues.  Often it takes a lot of effort to convince a patient that it can be the cause until they see it for themselves.

You should start by looking at your digestion. Detoxification of the liver and bowel often improve migraine symptoms by removing possible food associated triggers. Food allergies may be one of your triggers, since some foods make your pain worse. Therefore, you have to look at healing the mucous membranes of your small intestines. L-Glutamine and Aloe Vera are both very effective in promoting bowel healing. You should also avoid eating foods that are high in histamines such as chocolate, strong cheeses and fermented foods. There are also a few migraine homeopathic remedies around. I prefer to use the complex homeopathic mixture from Pasco called Migrenopas. I find it to be effective and easy to use.

You should also try and determine if there is a connection to your menstrual cycle. As is well known, women after menopause have a lot less migraines then their younger counterparts. There is a strong connection between estrogen imbalance and frequency of migraine attacks. Often PMS symptoms occur at the same time. If there is a correlation between severity of your attacks and your menstruation, then you should look into doing a hormone detox, which by the way always includes doing a liver cleanse.

Generally, I think all problems start in the bowel. Treatment should begin there.

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Dr. Elena Krasnov is a registered Naturopathic Doctor and Clinic Director of the Toronto Naturopathic Clinic. Submit your questions online at 24hrs.ca

Co-written by Miranda Tallon-Malisani Holistic Nutritionist