Should I stretch? Whats the point?!
Has your disc slipped?
Top tips for Headaches and Migraines! ๐ง
1: Drink Plenty of Water!
Dehydration is one of the leading causes of headaches and can be a contributing factor in migraines too. Itโs thought that even just a 2% reduction of water in the brain can cause headaches! Many people are chronically dehydrated and donโt even realise. If youโre a headache or migraine su erer (or even if youโre not!) try to drink between 1.5-2 litres of water each day.
2: Avoid Known Triggers โก๏ธ
Many migraine su erers have triggers that can bring on a migraine attack. The most common include chocolate, wine, cheese, sulphites and co ee. If youโre a migraine su erer keep a food diary. Log everything you eat and drink and look out for any patterns so you can avoid the foods that could be triggering your migraines.
3: Take A Magnesium Supplement ๐๐ผ
Studies have shown that magnesium supplements can help reduce the frequency and severity of headaches and migraines. Magnesium is an essential nutrient, but thanks to overfarming and the poor-quality, western diet itโs thought that around 75% of people donโt meet their daily requirement through food alone. Supplements have been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks by up to 41%.
4: Ask your Chiropractor! ๐ฉ๐ผโโ๏ธ ๐จโโ๏ธ
Chiropractic isnโt just for bad backs. Certain headaches called cervicogenic headaches, stem from joint and muscle tension in the mid-back, shoulders and neck. Treating these areas can help alleviate headaches and the associated symptoms-weโve had amazing results with a range of patients at the clinic.
5: Reduce Your Stress Levels ๐ต
Stress is a huge contributor to headaches and migraines so itโs essential that you keep your stress levels in check. For most people, daily life is stressful - whether thatโs from working, juggling a family or other stressful situations. So if youโre adding to your stress every day, it makes sense to work on reducing it each day too. Meditation is a great way to relieve stress and with the many meditation apps available it can be quick and easy too.
Is water important? Of course...don't be a drip! ๐ง
It will come as no surprise, that up to 60% of the human body is comprised of water. Therefore, why is it that drinking water is often neglected from our daily routines?
On any given day the body can lose up to 1.8L of fluid, usually through perspiration (and this is not even from smashing it at the gym!)
Our body is constantly regulating its temperature through sweat in order to maintain a healthy core temperature to function well, this can be simply when youโre sat at your desk, typing on the computer, watching the tv and sleeping. Therefore, majority of the time, perspiration goes unnoticed!
Here are some benefits of drinking water and how it can help the body overall.
The Brain: Your brain is made up of 73% water, and therefore dehydration can dramatically affect its ability to function optimally, which can sometimes be seen by the following;
Your mood and memory.
Alertness
Concentration
Reduces motor skills.
Heightens sensitivity to pain.
Flush out Toxins:
Water consumption helps to flush the toxins from your body via sweat and urination- this helps to prevent such issues such as kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
The body will naturally detoxify anyway, it is always working hard in the background, through the use of your lungs, liver and kidneys โ however (and we are all guilty of this) we sometimes give it a little more than it can handle (unhealthy foods, lack of exercise), therefore, water will help to flush the excess!Boosts immune system:
This is because it helps to flush those aforementioned toxins, in addition, water helps the blood carry oxygen around the body. How? Blood is made up of many products, however, dehydration has shown to increase viscosity of blood therefore making it slower moving around the body.Prevents headaches:
Nobody likes a headache! Nonetheless, it is always good practice to ask yourselfโฆ. Have I drunk enough water today? If the answer is no, then the chance is that dehydration is playing its part in producing your headache.Maintains regularity! Drinking plenty of water helps to ward off constipation! Which ultimately is going to be advantageous in looking after your gut health in the long term.
Ideally, we should be aiming to drink between 2.5-3Litres daily but more if you are exercising in order to help the body function the best it can!
So, if you are feeling tired, hungry, headacheโฆ ask yourself that important questionโฆ
โHave I drunk enough water?โ
Desk work? How should you be sitting?
For many, changing work positions from office to home is highly likely at this uncertain time, therefore, getting up and moving is even more essential!
Statistically, (research is consistently confirming this also), that occupational sitting or being a desk-based worker increases your susceptibility of neck ache, tense shoulders, mid- low back pain and a rise in posture related headaches. Although, this may not be an issue in early stages, poor seating/ working posture over time causes muscles to fatigue and become less efficient. Therefore, the more fatigued they become, the earlier pain and discomfort will arise during your working day. Similar to, the less sleep you have the grumpier you become ;)
Some points to consider when setting your desk upโฆ.
Sit with your back against the back of the chair
If you are using an office chair, then the seat should have a slight recline to it.
Ensure that your weight is evenly distributed across your bottom (sorry people no crossing those legs)
No arm rest on the seat, this disables the ability to tuck yourself under the desk to be the correct distance.
Your knees should be slightly lower than your hips
Feet flat on the floorโฆ. Canโt reach the floor? Obtain a foot rest.
Screen at eye level โ those with laptops will need to adapt this, consider a separate keyboard (Laptops are less than ideal, why? because they cause forward head posture, which increases neck and low back tension)
Try to get up and move every 20mins
Although, the above is helpful and guidelines for an โidyllic desk/sitting postureโ, honestly, we are not designed to sit all day! This is why fidgeting and movement in paramount, anything to stop the load constantly accumulating in the same spots causing those muscles to become chronically fatigued.
If you have the option or access to a vary-height desks are a great idea for this reason, so you can sit, stand or perch mid-height to spare your back and neck. There has been a lot of research for these types of desks, and are proving to provide valuable research data in reducing back related sick days from work.
Feel youโre experiencing this type of discomfort, based around your work life โ get in touch, we are experienced in this type of postural change and can help relieve pain and give you the best toolkit to help combat it!
Tune your Immune System...
The immune systemโฆ. Can we influence it?
Our bodyโฆ what an amazing piece of machinery it is, it has lots of systems and mechanisms that need to work cohesively in order for us to survive! Many of you will be aware (particularly since this is a really hot topic currently!) of an important system the body possesses, the immune system.
So, what is it made up of?
The immune system comprises of organs, cells, tissues and proteins. A combined effort of all these components help to ward off foreign bodies such as bacteria and viruses that cause infection and disease.
As we go through life, picking up germs, bacteria and certain pathogens along the way, the body has a way of remembering what it has seen, therefore, creating immunity, a bit like building a small army.
What can you do to help ourselves and boost our immunity during periods of uncertainty and stressโฆ?
Sleep:
Getting a good night sleep will help the body recharge! Studies have shown that at least 7 hours of sleep per night will benefit the body, encouraging a restorative and recharge effect! Struggling to relaxโฆ.? Consider using breathing techniques such as โDiaphragmatic breathingโ (big belly breath in for 5 through the nose and release for 10 seconds out the mouth, nice and steady) In addition to this, good sleep hygiene is essential regardless, putting down digital equipment at least an hour before bed for example.
Stress
An overburden of stress to the system can decrease the bodyโs ability to be prepared to ward off illness. Constant stress initiates the fight or flight mechanism the body possess to protect itself, which, over time will fatigue and lower resilience, therefore, increasing chances of becoming unwell.
Some things to considerโฆ where possible:
Practice self-care: whether that is 10mins in a comfortable quiet spot having some time out to pay attention to the small things, this could be focussing on one sound from a bird in the garden, looking at the steam drifting up from your coffee cup.
Talk! speaking to those close to you of any worries you may be experiencing (problem shared is a problem halved).
Fighting those urges to rely on unhealthy options of dealing with stress such as smoking, alcohol and food in high sugar content! (althoughโฆsmall piece of dark chocolate doesnโt hurt in moderation!)
Vitamin C โ Try to get plenty of this into your diet through fruit and veg (Oranges and Kiwis are high in Vit C). Although, these wonโt stop you from getting illnessโ, research shows that it can help boost the immune system! If you did get a cold, having a balanced diet with vitamins C can help reduce the time in which it takes you to recover!
Did you knowโฆ Blueberries are classed as a superfood! They contain a type of flavonoid called Anthocyanin. Current research is finding that flavonoids help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and generally good for weight maintenance! (Taken in moderation of course ;)) An additional bonus hereโฆother helpful aspects of blueberries are the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions they also bring to the table!
Exercise!
Get that heart rate up, stretch out and keep moving! The health benefits from exercise is 10-fold! Ranging from mental to physical wellbeing! Get those endorphins circulating and boosting that positivity โ it will help to relax you, increase focus on tasks at hand and allow for a more upbeat you!
Ultimately, make sure you get outside, enjoy the fresh air and sunshine (when she decides to visit, its full of Vitamin D. another essential vitamin the body loves!)
Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and tips and tricks on how to stay healthy! We are here to look after you!
Keep smiling, keep positive, be awesome!
