Migraines have become one of the most common reason why people have been missing work and school in America. In fact, migraines are occurring 50% more often than they were 20 years ago. Could there be a simple solution to this growing migraine problem?
Dehydration is one of the most overlooked parts of our health in America because water is so readily accessed to us, but just because we have an almost unlimited supply of drinking water doesn’t mean we are actually drinking enough water. Dehydration can happen whenever to, whether it is hot, cold, inside, or outside all day, dehydration can happen to anyone if we let it slip our mind.
How is dehydration causing your migraine?
Dehydration effects our bodies in many ways, but one way that dehydration can cause a migraine is that dehydration cause a loss of blood flow to the whole body, including the brain. This forces the brain to work harder to receive oxygen and the blood vessels in the brain then start dilating and contracting in effort to get more blood to the brain. This then causes abnormal nerve activity in the brain which probably the cause of your pain.
How to prevent dehydration
The best way to prevent dehydration is be aware of how much water you are drinking. The average person is supposed to drink half their weight in ounces every day. (150 lbs. person should drink 75 ounces everyday) Now for some people this is a lot of water and will need to slowly work up to their proper hydration level. The best way to increase how much water you drink every day is to increase 5 ounces to what you normal drink every day till you get to your desired number.
Some other simple ways to prevent dehydration is:
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine
- Eat fruits with a high water content
- Begin hydrating the day before intense outdoor activates
- Be aware that dehydration happens in cold and hot weather
- Avoid salty foods
If you have been suffering from migraines, dehydration might be the simple solution to help you get rid of your migraines and start living a migraine free life.
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http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-triggers-dehydration/
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/really-the-claim-to-prevent-migraines-drink-more-water/