• Ayurveda Mental Health Neurological Health
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UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF AYURVEDA TO BEAT MIGRAINES

For some, few things are more dreaded or painful than a migraine. Migraines are intense headaches that bring about a serious pulsing, throbbing sensation. They can at times be accompanied by nausea, insomnia, visual sensitivity or difficulty speaking when they take the form of a more severe attack. Furthermore, leading up the headaches themselves, migraine symptoms like neck stiffness, food cravings and fatigue can appear a day or two in advance.

While the direct causes of migraines are not fully understood, it is believed that certain lifestyle habits can trigger migraines, such as the consumption of alcohol and other inflammatory foods, exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants and lack of stress management. It also appears to be linked to genetics.

For many, conventional pharmaceutical treatments do little to alleviate their frequency or intensity. By contrast, an Ayurveda-informed approach offers a holistic, natural way to treat migraines. Many Ayurvedic remedies work to treat the root cause of an ailment, thereby alleviating the variety of symptoms that can manifest as a result. In the case of migraines, Ayurvedic therapies like panchakarma can help mitigate factors like stress, diet and digestion that all affect one’s experience of migraines.

TIPS TO BEAT MIGRAINES

PANCHAKARMA

According to Ayurveda, the pain resulting from migraines, including sensitivity to light and sound, derive from the accumulation of toxins in the head. Undergoing a panchakarma, which is a multi-day detoxification program, is a powerful way to cleanse the body of the toxins that contribute to migraines while also reducing stress, promoting immunity and enhancing cognitive awareness. Typically, you can undergo a panchakarma with the help of an Ayurvedic practitioner, who can formulate a personalized treatment plan depending on your dosha and specific ailments.

Traditional detoxifying elements of panchakarma include:

• Vamana: Therapeutic vomiting to clear the respiratory and upper gastrointestinal tract
• Nasya karma: Pouring medicated oil into the nose to treat migraine, congestion and facial paralysis
• Basti: Herbal oil enema to purify colon and intestines
• Virechana: Purgation of the intestines and lower gastrointestinal tract
• Raktamokshana: Bloodletting to clear blood stream of impurities

As you can see, panchakarma is intended to deeply purify the body of toxins, thereby alleviating conditions beyond just migraine, such as bronchitis, arthritis, indigestion, insomnia and stress management. If you have the opportunity, we highly recommend trying it out to promote powerful detoxification and purification. You can also try a number of panchakarma techniques at home with our DIY panchakarma guide.

SHIRODHARA

One practice often carried out during a panchakarma that is especially effective for migraines is shirodhara. Shirodhara involves pouring warm, medicated oil onto the forehead, which helps restore doshic balance and soothe the nervous system. Especially given that migraine pain is often most prominent in the forehead area, this is a particularly useful practice for alleviating that pain. It also helps to and reduce stress, anxiety and mental confusion, all of which can accompany migraines.

OIL PULLING

Oil pulling is a detoxifying wellness practice and a natural remedy that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. Oil pulling involves swishing 1-2 tablespoons of oil in the mouth for 10-20 minutes in the morning. The oil helps remove toxins and impurities from the mouth, thereby potentially mitigating the toxic buildup of migraines. If you’re just starting out, you can use coconut oil or sesame oil, which both contain powerful cleansing, antibacterial properties. Or you can try out our UMA Pure Detox Oil Pulling Treatment, which is formulated with a targeted blend of detoxifying and rejuvenating peppermint, coconut, sesame and clove.

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YOGA

As both research and Ayurvedic wisdom have demonstrated, the benefits of yoga on both our mental and physical health are immense: it reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and cortisol levels, boosts circulation, promotes mental and emotional grounding and more. As one study showed, the benefits of yoga extend to migraines, too—those who practiced yoga experienced less severe and less frequent migraine attacks. Poses especially helpful for migraines include Child’s Pose, Downward Dog and Bridge Pose.

DEEP BREATHING

One hugely beneficial element of yogic practice is Pranayama, or yogic breathwork. Learning calming, grounding breathing techniques and

meditation can help you mitigate migraine pains and their accompanying feelings of stress, anxiety and panic. According to Ayurveda, different breathing techniques are suitable for different doshas. To learn more about how to tailor your breathing for maximal calm, check out our blog on Pranayama here.

Though migraines might seem out of our control, a holistic, Ayurveda-informed approach can make a serious impact on our overall experience, boosting our mental, physical and emotional health all at once.

• Ayurveda Mental Health Neurological Health
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5 NATURAL WAYS TO COMBAT IRRITABILITY AND RELAX YOUR MIND AND BODY

Modern life (“Covid” life, in particular) is packed to capacity with busy days and busy nights – leaving us precious little time to relax and de-stress. If you find your days getting more stressful, and your mood suffering as a result, it may be time to recalibrate with these easy ways to combat irritability.

1

Meditation

Over the past few years, meditation and mindfulness practice classes have been popping up all over the place – and we can certainly see why. Meditation comes in many forms, but all are intended to promote stress relief, mental strength, and an internal sense of peace. The great thing about meditation is that you can practice it for anywhere from five minutes to five hours, depending on your needs and how much free time you have on your hands.

Tailoring your meditation to your dosha can help you get the most out of your practice. Don’t know your dosha? Try our Dosha Quiz as a starting point

And of course, there’s even an app for that! Guided meditation apps like Headspace provide a quick, accessible way to meditate that only requires a commitment of ten minutes a day.

2

Aromatherapy

Using botanical and herbal extracts for their therapeutic effects can be a great way to enhance your mood and relax your body. Essential oils like lavender, chamomile, and jasmine, have been used in aromatherapy for centuries to boost positive mental energy, calm muscles, and alleviate tense nerves. These calming oils can reduce stress by slowing your heart rate and breathing levels, allowing you to relax physically as you center yourself mentally.

3

Healthy Diet

Like many of us, you probably eat lunch at your desk a few times a week, frequently grab last minute take out, or resort to quick microwave meals when you get home from work late. Well, it’s time to stop! Foods that are high in fat and sugar will make you feel lethargic, so instead, replace these meals with healthy ayurvedic diet options that incorporate fresh, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. Asparagus is a stand out vegetable when it comes to aiding stress relief, as it’s packed with folic acid, which has been shown to decrease depression levels.

4

Exercise

Low on the time or energy you need to make it to spin class? Rethink your definition of physical activity, as evidence shows that the more you exercise, the more energy you’ll have day to day. Even something as simple as a lunchtime jog around the block will help you shake off the stress of the day and will boost your adrenaline levels. Team sports – if that is an option to practice safely in these times of social distancing – are also a great option for staying motivated and developing a stronger sense of community! Also – you may want to try calming techniques to tailor your yoga practice by your dosha.

5

Sleep

If you are irritable throughout the day and prone to mood swings, you may simply need more sleep. On average, an adult needs approximately 7-9 hours sleep, but the vast majority of us fall short on this front. If you struggle to fall sleep, turn off your TV and tablet and take part in calming activities like light reading, a warm bath, or a gentle self-care massage. Whatever you do, make sure to turn off your technology at least an hour before you’re planning to go to bed, in order to help your brain wind down and prevent overstimulation.

We cover Ayurvedic remedies for better sleep in an article here and sleep tips by your dosha in an article here.

If restful sleep is still evading you, try Uma’s Pure Rest herbal wellness blend – it’s a powerful alternative to chemical sleeping aids when used topically via Uma’s trademarked application regimen.

Learn more about our wellness oils and how they promote mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing here!