HEADACHES
There are many different types of headaches: tension headaches, migraine headaches, allergic headaches, etc. One may have a mild or severe headache, or the pain may be frontal or toward the back of the head. It may be a dull aching pain, or an almost unbearable pain. It may be an intermittent intense pain, a throbbing pain, a pressure pain, or a penetrating pain.
A headache is not a disease, but a symptom, showing that something else is wrong in the body and needs to be taken care of. A headache is like the red engine warning light on the dashboard of your car. If you ignore the warning light when it comes on, you won't get very far down the road before your car engine will stop running. If you ignore a headache, (which is a built-in warning device), your body will also stop functioning properly.
When a person has a headache his body is trying to tell him that something is wrong. He may be constipated, or not getting enough sleep, or eating the wrong kind of foods, or under too much stress, or not drinking enough water, or breathing poisonous air, or taking the wrong medications, etc. It is sometimes hard to find the cause of headaches, so one needs to look very carefully at his lifestyle and be willing to make any necessary changes.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) may also cause headaches in sensitive individuals. Many who read food labels are unaware that MSG may be listed as "flavoring," "natural flavoring," or hydrolized vegetable protein." Hydrolyzed vegetable protein may be 10-30% MSG. (Headache 31:107-110, 1991)
Three of the major causes of headaches are constipation, dehydration, and stress. When one is constipated, the waste material in the colon spoils and becomes putrefied from being in the body too long. The blood capillaries to the colon begin to pick up the toxins and poisons that are in the colon. These enter the blood stream (causing many problems), and are carried to all parts of the body, including the brain where one develops a headache. Two factors that will improve constipation are drinking plenty of water, and eating natural foods. Leave refined concentrated foods alone (there is no food more constipating than cheese).
Not drinking enough water is another major cause of headaches. The human brain is composed of over 80% water, and when a person doesn't drink enough water, they will have headaches. Everyone should drink at least two quarts of water daily. Stress is another major cause of tension headaches. Two physical things we can do for tension headaches are soaking in a bathtub of lukewarm water for a half hour, and drinking red sage tea, which is excellent for tension headaches.
Some other simple ways to relieve headaches are to take a hot foot bath with plain water or with a tablespoon of mustard seed in it, and place a cold compress to the head for 20 minutes. Two other herb teas that are good for headaches are peppermint and black cohosh. Black cohosh is especially good for severe headaches and congestion in the head
In conclusion, remember that headaches are merely the body's warning signal that something is wrong. Living naturally and healthfully, and learning to take handle our burdens will eliminate many of the stressful situations in our lives, and help us to deal with those that do come in a calm way that will minimize headaches.