According to the National Headache Foundation, more than 29.5 million Americans have Migraines. Symptoms of a Migraine include:

• Moderate to severe pain on one or both sides of the head.
• Pulsating or throbbing pain.
• Pain that is worse with activity.
• Nausea with or without vomiting.
• Sensitivity to light and sound.
• Vertigo

Approximately 20% of people with migraines experience an “aura” prior to the onset of a migraine. This would be perceptions of flashes of lights, zig-zag lines, blind spots in the vision or even tingling on one arm or leg.

I can help.

Many people who present to my office have a history of chronic headaches. While a headache may sometimes be a warning sign of a more serious condition, most types of headaches that I see are either a tension headache, migraine, or a combination of both.

Commonly, the migraine patients I see work in a stressful work environment, stooped over a computer all day. Usually, they have a head forward posture (what I call “computer neck”), which results in structural instability of the cervical  
spine. This directly impacts the tension of the muscles in the neck and shoulders, contributing to the headaches.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been studied as a treatment for migraine headaches for over 20 years. This procedure involves placing a few fine, painless needles in specific spots that greatly eases the tension in the neck and shoulders, and allows the headache to seemingly “melt away”. Relief is obtained in as little as 10 minutes. 

Chiropractic

As in the “computer neck” posture mentioned above, Chiropractic improves the structural integrity of the cervical spine by retraining the weight of the head (8-10 pounds) to be carried by the cervical spine instead of being held back by the neck and shoulder muscles. (For every inch forward the head is displaced, 10 pounds of force is applied to the posterior neck and shoulders!). Additionally, a misalignment of the vertebrae, or subluxation, can irritate the nerves that travel the length of the spine to the brain. This misalignment produces pro-inflammatory substances in an effort to repair the injured tissues, making a person more prone to chemical imbalances in the brain.  There are several clinical trials that demonstrate the efficacy of Chiropractic in the treatment of Migraine headaches.

Hormone Imbalances

An imbalance of female hormones is another factor believed to be related to migraine headaches. Indeed, I see a pattern with the onset of migraines and the menstrual cycle. Fluctuations in the hormones can be helped with acupuncture as well as certain herbal therapies.

Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

Diet
The following foods may trigger migraine headaches:

• Chocolate (ohh, nooo!)
• Cheese
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG), an excitotoxin used as a flavor enhancer to fool the brain into wanting more.
• Nuts
• Peanut butter
• Onions
• Dairy products
• Meats containing nitrates, such as bacon hot dogs and other embalmed mystery meats.
• Fermented or pickled foods.

Try eliminating these foods for a time and reintroduce them one at a time. Maybe you can find the trigger.

Supplements

• 5-HTP --Your body makes this amino acid and converts it into serotonin, an important brain chemical. Researchers think abnormal serotonin function in blood vessels may be related to migraines, and some of the drugs used to treat migraines work by affecting serotonin function.
• Magnesium—People with migraines often have lower levels of magnesium that those who don’t have migraines. Some studies indicate that magnesium supplementation can help women whose migraines are triggered by their menses.
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)—A few studies indicate that riboflavin may reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.

Closing thoughts

Symptoms of migraine headaches can often be severe enough to disable the person from daily activities. Treatment and management of migraine headaches can be a little more complicated than that of tension headaches. A treatment regime individualized to the particular patient provides for the greatest success of a favorable outcome.
In my practice, I perform both Chiropractic and Acupuncture, and have found the combination to be a great relief to my migraine patients.

--Dr. Max Norris DC, Dipl. AC.

Acid Reflux is painful. Acid can splash up into the esophagus and cause heartburn, belching, chest pain and even ulcers if the condition persists.

5 Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux
The first thing to examine is your food intake. Does anything in particular make it worse? Are you eating a lot of over cooked food? Cooking kills the enzymes your body needs to digest and assimilate the nutrients, so foods that containliving enzymes are crucial in dealing with acid reflux.

Balance your Hydrochloric Acid levels
Increasing you natural production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is the first step in preventing acid reflux symptoms. Use a good quality Sea Salt with the dozens of trace minerals your body needs. Also, add a Betaine HCL supplement before your meals.

Change your diet
Processed foods and sugars practically guarantee that an imbalance in the beneficial bacteria will develop in the stomach and intestinal tract, which will result in acid reflux due to the inability to digest the food. Eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Taking a good Probiotic supplement will help restore balance to the intestinal flora.

Digestive Enzymes
Enzymes are found in abundance in raw food, but as mentioned above, cooking above 118`F kills the enzymes. Only raw, living foods are high in nutrient values and enzyme levels to properly digest and assimilate food. There are a number of Enzyme Supplements available.

Increase Your Vitamin D
Increased vitamin D optimizes the production of 200 antimicrobial peptides that aid in eradicating any infection in your body. Vitamin D is abundantly manufactured from sunlight, but can be supplemented as well.

Psoas Muscle Contracture
Folks that sit a lot can develop a Hiatal Hernia, allowing acid reflux to develop. The Psoas Muscle lies deep in the body, attaching to the spine and diaphragm and inserting to the upper femur. Sitting shortens this muscle, which can pull the diaphragm down around the top of the stomach so that acid gets trapped in the upper part of the stomach above the diaphragm. 
There are manual methods that can release this muscle and bring the stomach back down below the diaphragm where it belongs, and stop the refluxing of stomach acid.

5 Natural Remedies that Work Quick
If you still experience acid reflux after making the above Lifestyle changes, try these quick remedies for instant relief:

Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
One tablespoon mixed with a small glass of water before each meal helps calm the stomach and aid in digestion. This works well with acute episodes of acid reflux. 

Baking SodaIf you do not have High Blood Pressure or on a Sodium restricted Diet, one spoonful in a glass of water (before it stops fizzing) will help.

Organic Aloe Vera Juice
This is commonly used to treat an upset stomach, diarrhea and inflammation associated with bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, and so helps with acid reflux as well. One ounce with two ounces of water, when episodes flare up.

Glutamine
This Amino Acid naturally occurs in the human body, as well as milk, eggs, fish, parsley, spinach and more.Glutamine is an anti-inflammatory that reduces intestinal inflammation and aids in digestion (you probably thought that the sprig of parsley the restaurants use as a garnish was just for looks).

Herbal Licorice
Herbal Licorice helps coat the stomach with a protective gel. Not the candy, but the root of the licorice plant itself, which can be found in tea or tincture forms.Eliminating the discomfort of Acid Reflux can be done without expensive over the counter synthetic medicines. 
There are many Natural Remedies available.