10 • The Southwest Portland Post
November 2008
FeATUReS
EarthTalk TM
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: Are there natural
headache remedies that can get me off
of Tylenol, Advil and other medicines
whose side effects can be as bad as or
worse than the pain that led me to use
them?
-- Jan Levinson, Portland, ME
Many of us may be too dependent on
over-the-counter painkillers to treat the
occasional headache, especially given
the side effects of such drugs. Ibuprofen
(Advil, Motrin) can increase the risk
of heart and circulation problems—
including heart attack and stroke—and
is also tough on the digestive tract.
Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol)
has been linked to nausea, diarrhea,
and kidney and liver problems. Many
natural health care practitioners dis-
parage drugs for merely masking the
symptoms of larger problems.
All headaches are not the same and
gobbling down pain pills will not ad-
dress the causes, whatever they may
be. Some headaches are caused by ten-
sion; others stem from sinus congestion,
caffeine withdrawal, constipation, food
allergies, spinal misalignment or lack
of sleep.
And then there are migraines, which
researchers think are neurological in
nature: The brain fails to constrict the
nerve pathways that open the arteries
to the brain, resulting in a pounding
headache as blood fl ows in unchecked.
Assessing what kind of headache you
may have can help lead the way to a
solution beyond deadening the pain
with a pill.
To make tension headaches go away,
the Farmers’ Almanac recommends ap-
plying an ice pack to the neck and upper
back, or, even better, getting someone to
massage those areas. Also, soaking the
feet in hot water can divert blood from
your head to your feet, easing any kind
of headache pain in the process.
Another all-natural headache cure
is acupressure (like acupuncture, but
without the needles), which promotes
healing throughout the body by stimu-
lating channels of energy known as
meridians. Victoria Abreo, alternative
medicine editor for the website Bel-
laOnline, says that anyone suffering
from a tension headache can employ a
simple acupressure technique to help
relieve the pain:
“With one hand, press the shallow
indention in the back of the head at
the base of the skull,” explains Abreo.
“Simultaneously, with the thumb and
forefinger of the other hand, press
fi rmly into the upper hollows of the eye
sockets, right where they straddle the
bridge of the nose and meet the ‘t’ of the
eyebrow bridge.” She says to press softy
at fi rst, and then more fi rmly, holding
for three to fi ve minutes.
As for migraines, avoiding certain
trigger foods might be key to staving
them off. Abreo says migraine suffer-
ers should try steering clear of dairy
products, processed meat, red wine, caf-
feine and chocolate. New research has
shown that some people with specifi c
dietary defi ciencies are more prone to
migraines.
According to Dr. Linda White, who
writes about natural health for Mother
Earth News, some recent clinical trials
have shown three nutritional supple-
ments—magnesium, riboflavin and
coenzyme Q10—to be particularly ef-
fective at reducing the frequency and
severity of migraines.
Also, a number of herbs—including
Massage and techniques such as acupressure (acupuncture without the needles) can
go a long way to relieve tension headaches without the need for chemical painkillers.
(Getty Images)
feverfew, butterbur, lavender, gingko
biloba, rosemary and chamomile—have
proven track records in preventing or
stopping migraines. Since herbs can be
potent and are not regulated or tested,
headache sufferers should consult a
trusted doctor or naturopath before
using alternative remedies.
CONTACTS: Farmers’ Almanac,
www.farmersalmanac; BellaOnline,
www.bellaonline.com; Mother Earth
News, www.motherearthnews.com.
Dear EarthTalk: Are there any elec-
tric bicycles or scooters that make for a
nice cheap, green-friendly commute?
-- Sean Foley, Nashua, NH
Bicycle commuting has long been a
symbol of greener living, and it is great
exercise, too. But most people are prob-
ably not up to commutes much beyond
fi ve or 10 miles one-way in the interest
of time and in not arriving at work too
(Continued on Page 11 )
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