So I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for the latest superfood (for all the good it’s done me!) So I was wondering if anyone had ever heard of moringa? I got some powder as apparently it’s full of calcium and given the lack of dairy in my diet, though I’d give it a go. It’s full of other nutrients too and it’s also a great anti inflammatory. I’ve been trying to find out if it’s ok on a migraine diet to little avail. However, there are claims it’s great for migraines. I was wondering if any one knew anything about it or had tried it. It is from the leaves of a tree, and most vegetables/ leaves are fine on the diet aren’t they?
Hi @Scottl - I haven’t! But, before I try anything snazzy and nutraceutical like that, I always shoot an email to my neurologists just to make sure it’s ok… (I did that before hopping on the butterbur train and was glad that I did because 150mgs/day or more can cause liver damage). If you don’t have that kind of relationship with your doctor, give me a few days (I’m in a bit of a kerfuffle with my doctor) and I can ask.
Hi again! I was just wondering about the butterbur actually. Do you think it has helped at all? Is it safe to take with medications? I’m on nortriptyline. I’ll give anything a go!
Hi @Scottl - Moringa question asked! I specifically asked if it were a migraine trigger.
Regarding butterbur - I started taking it in late January. Nutraceuticals can take up to three months to really kick in so I don’t think I can give you an answer you want to hear (ie: it’s amazing! my headaches & dizziness went away within seconds!). And, to be perfectly candid, I suffer from severe intractable classical and vestibular migraines so nothing really helps me right now because they’re kind of spiraling out of control (womp womp…). I do know that Butterbur is ok to take with Topamax (unsure if it’s ok to take with Nort).
I know you’re having a really tough run of it (really I can sympathize!), so here are some fast-acting tricks of the trade I’ve taken up:
peppermint oil (helps with nausea)
eucalyptus oil (helps with headaches, dizziness & fatigue)
heat and steam, ie: hot shower (helps with ear popping)
exercise (helps with headache pain)
ginger capsules (helps with nausea)
ginger-turmeric tea (helps with nausea)
I make migraine emergency kits for each of my bags and keep the following within them:
peppermint oil
eucalyptus oil
imitrex
aleve
headache balm
extra dark sunglasses
cannabis ginger snaps (takes care of nausea & headache pain in one bite! - my doctors treat my headache pain with cannabis rather than strong painkillers bc it’s easier on stomach)
homemade granola (it’s important to not go hungry as that can trigger a migraine)
I can’t stress how much peppermint oil has helped me. It honestly keeps me from throwing up in the gym, on the subway, on the street, in crafting classes…
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If you haven’t adopted the migraine diet yet, try to do so as soon as you can. Migraine triggers are nasty beasts and diet is one of the triggers that you can control. Have you downloaded the Migraine Buddy app yet? It’s super useful because you can customize your triggers & symptoms, plus it provides you a glorious chart to give your neurologist when you meet with them. Another helpful app is Migraine Checked, which tells you whether or not a food product is a migraine trigger or not (so useful!!!).
Ok. Just heard back from my doctor. He responded to my email regarding everything else but moringa. blerg.
If you’re looking for a safe form of protein powder (because so many of them are migraine triggers), I use hemp protein. It tastes like grass but at least it doesn’t provoke a migraine and it’s packed with nutrients. Migraine Checked had a few other good ones, too.
Haha! Thank you so much for asking anyway. That was really kind of you.
Thank you for the other advice. I’d never even thought of using essential oils - I’m super sensitive to smells so avoid smellies generally but it’s worth a go. Natural too. Even the smell of fabric softener off the people’s clothes who are near me makes me feel ill!
Yep I’ve been following the diet since last july. I’m not sure I have noticed any link with food but I’ll do anything the doctor tells me to! I haven’t slipped up at all though and had any sneaky chocolate or anything - maybe if I did I would soon notice the link. I’ll check out those apps.
Afraid our docs in the UK aren’t so liberal- no cannabis on prescription here! I’m not sure I could handle any anyway!
try the oils! i’m sensitive to smells, too, but peppermint makes nausea go away in a snap. it’s crazy. they keep it all over the vestibular therapy floor at NYU’s rehab center. It really works! even my friend who’s in hormone treatment for pcos uses it for her severe nausea. And the good thing is that oils aren’t crazy expensive so if you’re sensitive to them you’re only down a few quid.
Good on the diet. Migraine Checked is an helpful app because it helps identify which boxed foods (ie: cereals, etc) have triggers in them. It also offers up alternatives so if you’re craving something it’ll give you a safe option. I hope they have it for you. It’s bang-up useful. And seriously Migraine Buddy is a dream. It gives so much data! FEEL BETTER.
