By Jessie Donovan
In Chinese medicine, it is said that pain is caused by a lack of free flow of blood and qi, the latter of which is broadly defined as energy. Headaches are commonly associated with a hyperactive liver, which is generally caused by liver depression qi stagnation. This can be caused by pent up anger and, also certain diets. Bob Flaws, an expert on Chinese medicine says that when qi is depressed in the liver it gathers like hot air and must go somewhere. It vents upward and can cause a number of emotions and symptoms, including headaches. Another cause of headaches can be a weak spleen, which hinders the movement of body fluids and can obstruct network vessels in the head.
After years of loading my body with different medications to control the pain, I decided to take a new approach to treating my daily headaches. I wanted something natural, so I tried acupuncture and saw a decrease in severity and frequency after just a few sessions. It was here that I learned about three valuable therapies, diet, exercise and deep relaxation, which can reduce pain at no cost.
The first step to controlling headaches is diet. This will keep your organs healthy and may prevent headaches. To maintain a healthy spleen, it is important to avoid uncooked foods, sugars, flour products, oils and fats. Uncooked foods make the spleen work harder. Cooking is like predigesting and makes it easier for the body to take in nutrients. Sugars gather in the spleen and can excessively dampen it, which causes damage. Flour products, oils and fats also have the same dampening effect.
A bland diet is the best for the spleen. This includes complex carbohydrates, like rice and beans, 1-2 ounces of various lean meats 2-4 times a week, some fresh or cooked fruits and, for women especially, tofu or tempeh (soy products).
As far as the liver goes, it is important to avoid coffee, chocolate, alcohol, hot or peppery foods and sour foods. These can all have a negative affect on liver depression qi stagnation by putting stress on the liver.
Next, there is exercise, which can create movement of qi and quickening of blood. Aerobics, or any exercise that raises your heart rate 80% above its resting rate and keeps it there for at least 20 minutes is best for headache prevention. Since pain is caused by the blockage of blood and qi, it is obvious why exercise can help. Too much of it, however can be bad. Chinese medicine calls body fat yin, so if there is an insufficient amount it cannot control its yang.
Finally, there is deep relaxation. This helps to relieve headaches and to teach a new way to deal with stress to avoid any pent up anger and liver depression qi stagnation. It is important to look for a guided and not subliminal relaxation tape, which starts at the top of the body and works down since there is already too much movement of qi upwards.
If you incorporate these three free techniques along with acupuncture into your lifestyle, you may see a decrease or improvement in your headaches over time. It is important to remember, however, that this will not happen overnight.
After years of loading my body with different medications to control the pain, I decided to take a new approach to treating my daily headaches. I wanted something natural, so I tried acupuncture and saw a decrease in severity and frequency after just a few sessions. It was here that I learned about three valuable therapies, diet, exercise and deep relaxation, which can reduce pain at no cost.
The first step to controlling headaches is diet. This will keep your organs healthy and may prevent headaches. To maintain a healthy spleen, it is important to avoid uncooked foods, sugars, flour products, oils and fats. Uncooked foods make the spleen work harder. Cooking is like predigesting and makes it easier for the body to take in nutrients. Sugars gather in the spleen and can excessively dampen it, which causes damage. Flour products, oils and fats also have the same dampening effect.
A bland diet is the best for the spleen. This includes complex carbohydrates, like rice and beans, 1-2 ounces of various lean meats 2-4 times a week, some fresh or cooked fruits and, for women especially, tofu or tempeh (soy products).
As far as the liver goes, it is important to avoid coffee, chocolate, alcohol, hot or peppery foods and sour foods. These can all have a negative affect on liver depression qi stagnation by putting stress on the liver.
Next, there is exercise, which can create movement of qi and quickening of blood. Aerobics, or any exercise that raises your heart rate 80% above its resting rate and keeps it there for at least 20 minutes is best for headache prevention. Since pain is caused by the blockage of blood and qi, it is obvious why exercise can help. Too much of it, however can be bad. Chinese medicine calls body fat yin, so if there is an insufficient amount it cannot control its yang.
Finally, there is deep relaxation. This helps to relieve headaches and to teach a new way to deal with stress to avoid any pent up anger and liver depression qi stagnation. It is important to look for a guided and not subliminal relaxation tape, which starts at the top of the body and works down since there is already too much movement of qi upwards.
If you incorporate these three free techniques along with acupuncture into your lifestyle, you may see a decrease or improvement in your headaches over time. It is important to remember, however, that this will not happen overnight.