If you are prone to headaches and want a natural source of relief, you’ve come to the right place.

While there are many types of headaches, Ayurveda teaches that most are symptomatic of an imbalance in the blood.

Let’s explore some common causes and review Ayurveda’s wisdom on sources of natural relief.

What Causes Headaches?

There are a variety of different causes of headaches, and each requires a different kind of remedy. For example:

• Stress / Tension. Tension headaches (Vata) usually strike when you hold stress and tension in your body, particularly around the shoulders, neck, and jaw.
• Sudden Exposure to Cold Food. This could occur, for example when you drink something cold, and is usually temporary.
• Heat / Sun Exposure. Heat exhausts the liver (disturbs Pitta), which then disturbs your blood chemistry leading to a headache. Liver heat tends to create a vertex headache, which you feel at the very top of your head.
• PMS / Menstrual Related.These are often due to hormonal imbalances and/or your liver's inability to process hormones.
• Dehydration. Dehydration causes the brain to shrink, leading to pain.
• Sinus Inflammation. This type of headache tends to occur more at the front of the head, around the nose and sinus area, in the forehead, behind the eyes, or in the cheeks. The pain is usually less intense with these headaches, but they can feel heavy and dull. They may be worse in winter and spring, particularly if you are prone to seasonal allergies.
• Congestion Headaches (Kapha). These occur as a result of excess mucus in the respiratory tract and sinuses which can form when you eat a rich, heavy diet of Kapha provoking foods.
• Toxicity (ama). Caused by exposure to environmental toxins, constipation, or fermentation in the bowels. This type of headache pain is generally intermittent and located at the back of the head (occipital), but it tends to migrate.
• Colic / Spasms of the Blood Vessels. This condition creates a throbbing headache and is frequently associated with toxins in the blood.
• High blood pressure. This type of headache occurs when you have high blood pressure, or even when a cough or vomiting pushes blood into the head.

Questions for Consideration

Each type of headache has its own causes, symptoms, and remedies. You may be able to find the root cause by examining your own experience, asking yourself these questions, and recording your findings in a journal for future reference:

• What time of day, month year do your headaches occur?
• When did they start?
• Do you experience headaches on weekends or just work days?
• Where in your head is the pain?

Natural Headache Relief

Headache remedies vary by the cause. Here are some of the main ones.

Stress/Tension Headaches

Regular self-massage (abhyanga) with sesame oil will help reduce the tension, worry, and anxiety that are the source of this type of headache.

Heat / Sun Exposure

Cool the environment and your body. Refrigerant alterative foods and herbs can help cool down an overheated liver.

PMS / Menstrual Related

Chastetree (Vitex) and Black Cohosh (Actaea) are specific to PMS headaches. See more on PMS.

Dehydration Headaches

If headaches are due to dehydration, try an electrolyte balancing drink of warm water, a pinch of mineral salt, and a squeeze of lime before meals.

Sinus Headaches - Inflammation & Congestion

To reduce congestion headaches, first clear any accumulated mucus from the head and sinuses:

• Nasya oil helps decongest and clear the sinuses, lifting the heavy feeling from the head.
• Regular use of a neti pot with a saline solution can also help keep the nasal passages and sinuses clear.
• A hot shower or placing a warm, damp towel over your face for a few minutes can help liquefy mucus.
• Avoid heavy, cold, sweet, and fried food as these produce more mucus in the body and can lead to congestion type headaches. Instead, favor a lighter diet of Kapha pacifying meals.

Toxicity Headaches

These headaches may be due to digestive toxins (ama) in the colon. Haritaki can help reduce toxic accumulation and relieve constipation. A gentle enema may also be effective as it cleanses and nourishes the colon, helping relieve excess Vata and tension.

Migraines

Migraines develop when there are high levels of ama (toxins) in the blood. They are generally associated with Pitta dosha and an overheated liver. See more about migraines.

Colic / Spasms of the Blood Vessels

Clear toxins in the blood by following toxicity headache notes above. Peppermint and chamomile are frequently used for relief from spasmodic headaches.

High Blood Pressure

With high blood pressure, it is critical to find the cause, in addition to reducing the pressure.

Answer some questions about how foods make you feel. Then you'll receive a full food report customized for you.
COMPUTE MY DIET FOR HEADACHE
OR, GET A GENERAL DIET FOR BALANCING HEADACHE

Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Headache'. Individual results vary depending the cause of your imbalance and by constitution. Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine. Please check with your medical doctor before making any changes to your health & wellness routine, and for the proper use of these products.

MORE MIND STRESS SLEEP TIPS

DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care. Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.

Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using biocharacteristics (gunas). Biocharacteristics are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Headache', you should select foods with the following biocharacteristics. Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.

Bowel Health:

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.

SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Cleanse & Detox:

Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Analgesic

ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

Respiratory-Health:

Flushes Sinuses

FLUSHES-SINUSES

An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

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Rebuild Electrolytes

REBUILD-ELECTROLYTES

Substances that increase your electrolyte balance. Electrolytes help you retain water, keep your palate moist, and truly quench your thirst.

SEE ALL 'REBUILD-ELECTROLYTES' FOODS / HERBS

,

Rebuilds Fluids

REBUILDS-FLUIDS

Herbs or substances that create moisture in the body and increase fluids.

SEE ALL 'REBUILDS-FLUIDS' FOODS / HERBS

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Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Strength, Muscle Health:

Muscle Relaxant

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS

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Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Other:

Cleanse And Detox

Subtaste:

Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

HOW TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE #2

HEADACHE IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE #2 - AFFECTING BLOOD & EMOTIONS

Affecting Blood: Initially, imbalances are localized, often in the digestive tract. As an imbalance grows, it starts to affect your body systemically, via the blood. If you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are starting to spread, have entered the bloodstream, and are now systemic. Pay particular attention to the biocharacteristics, tastes, and doshas out of balance systemically, so you know how to strengthen your body as a whole, and reduce physical stress on your organs. At this stage of imbalance you will begin to experience generalized discomfort, imbalanced emotions, and may develop sensitivities to temperature. It may take several weeks of strict adherence to a specific remedial diet to clear blood level imbalances. Blood cleansing herbs may reduce symptoms. A several day cleanse may shorten the recovery time. (See all disease stages on JB)

GET MY FREE AYURVEDA BODY MAP According to Ayurveda, one or more of the following doshas and biocharacteristics may aggravate 'Headache'. If you have an excess of one of these doshas or biocharacteristics below, Ayurveda recommends reducing foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate them. Click on the biocharacteristic to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be reduced.

Are you prone to a problem with 'Headache'? Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Mind Stress Sleep by taking the free mind stress sleep quiz:

TAKE THE MIND STRESS SLEEP QUIZ

The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Headache'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them. On average the biocharacteristics of people reporting Headache were less aggravated than 62% of other symptoms. From the 16,436 people who reported Headache average deviation in biocharacteristic levels were the following:

Risk Factors of Headache

Complications of Those Reporting Headache

5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY
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