Healing Herbs For a Headache

Headaches

A headache can put a damper on your day especially if you suffer from migraines. Headaches are often caused by tension, which is not uncommon in our stress filled world.

Long work hours in front of a computer can cause eyestrain and tighten muscles in your shoulders, neck, and scalp.

Muscle strain can prompt dull pain to develop around your temples and send you searching for ibuprofen. Often a tension headache resolves with relaxation and sleep. The other big headache prompter is dehydration so be sure to drink eight glasses of water a day.

Migraines are more severe headaches

brought on by stress, lack of sleep, menstruation, and over stimulation from noise or lights. Arteries in and around the brain narrow, triggering symptoms that include light sensitivity and blurred vision.

Then the arteries dilate, causing head throbbing and nausea. Discomfort can last hours or days. Herbs can soothe both kinds of headaches.

RECOMMENDED HEALING HERBS: Cinnamon • Ginkgo • Lavender • Lemon balm • Passionflower • Skullcap • Valerian Migraine-specific: Butterbur • Chaste tree • Feverfew

SUPERB-HERB TEA (Infusion)

Anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic skullcap, lemon balm, and lavender help calm tension headaches. Feverfew has a long history of migraine relief.

2 servings

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

1 teaspoon skullcap leaf and flower 1 teaspoon lemon balm leaf 1 teaspoon feverfew leaf 1 teaspoon lavender buds 2 cups water Honey, to taste

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

1. In a large bowl, mix the skullcap, lemon balm, feverfew, and lavender.

2. Boil the water and pour it over the mixture. Cover and steep for 20–30 minutes.

3. Strain out the herbs. Pour the tea into one large cup or two small ones.

4. Add honey and sip this soothing drink.

LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL RELIEF

1 application

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 1 teaspoon olive, almond, coconut, or other carrier oil 1–2 drops lavender essential oil

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

1. Put the oil in a small bowl and mix in a drop of lavender.

2. Close your eyes and gently massage the mixture into your temples.

MIGRAINE AROMATHERAPY

Long praised for its powers to soothe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), chaste tree has been shown to relieve PMS-related migraines.

1 application

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 1 cup distilled water 6–10 drops chaste tree essential oil

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

1. Fill a clean diffuser with the distilled water.

2. Add the chaste tree oil.

3. Turn on the diffuser, lie back with your eyes closed, and relax.

ALTERNATIVE: Mix a drop of chaste tree essential oil with a teaspoon of almond or other carrier oil and massage it into your temples.