Many Headache Remedies

Headache Remedy Page
The Chinese have a long tradition of alternative
medicine. The next time you have a headache, try eating
one of these tried and true Chinese food cures: fresh
radishes, buckthorn berries, licorice, cinnamon, mint
leaves, orange peels, or gingerroot.
Spearmint has long been used as a successful cure for
stress headaches. Like peppermint, it is good for
nervousness, which often causes headaches. Since
spearmint is an antispasmodic and diuretic, it is also
good for menstrual-related problems (which often cause
headaches). You can prepare spearmint soup by cooking
tender, fresh spearmint leaves in water with eggs - like
egg-drop soup. Or brew a spearmint tea.
Very strong Chinese black tea can be a fast headache
pain reliever. Caffeine from the tea constricts blood
vessels in the head, which reduces pain of a migraine.
However, once this effect wears off, there may be a
rebound headache when the blood vessels again dilate.
Besides the salicylate rich willow, black poplar trees
have long been used for headache relief. Despite the
fact that aspirin is inexpensive and readily available,
people in rual parts of Europe and the USA still chew
the bark of the willows and black poplar to cure their
headaches. Dried poplar bark is available through most
mail order herb catalogs, or can be special ordered
by most health food stores.
Some doctors say that a deficiency of copper in the diet
can cause constriction of blood vessel walls causing
pain and headaches. Oysters, lobster, liver, nuts,
seeds, green olives, and wheat bran, are all high in
copper.
Cowslip, is a plant common throughout Europe, Siberia,
western Asia, and North Africa. It is said to be a gentle
but effective pain reliever, particularly for headaches.
The root contains salicylates, or natural aspirin. A
mixture of closlip petals, honey, sugar, and lemon juice
is sometimes used. Europeans also use cowslip root to
strengthen the flavor of certain wines and beers.
Cowslip is available in cut or powdered form theough
most mail order herb companies and health food stores.
The seeds and live plants can also be purchased.
The ancient Romans And Greeks ate sweet and spicy violet
petals to get rid of headaches. Other ways of taking
this medicine was to brew the petals in tea or soak them
in a glass of wine.
Heady Tea


Feverfew is especially good for migraine headaches. But
if you are pregnant, make this tea with just the
peppermint and rosemary.


2 parts peppermint leaves
2 parts feverfew leaves
1 part rosemary


Make an infusion, letting the herbs steep for at least
10 minutes.
Another traditional Chinese remedy for headache is to
eat honey. Or mix 3 large spoonfuls of honey in boiled
water and drink. Honey has natural pain-relieving
powers. Warning: Honey is not recomended for people
with high or low blood sugar.
The bark of birch trees is also commonly used as a pain
reliever by Native Americans. Cut dried or powdered
birch bark is available through most mail order herb
catalogs.
Another way to reduce headache tension is to massage
with Melissa oil, an extract of the plant, is more
effective in relieving headache pain than is a massage
with mineral oil. The Melisa plant is also called balm
root, lemon balm, or sweet balm. Can also be brewed as a
tea with lemon juice.
Feverfew (from the plant Chrysanthemum parthenium, a
member of the daisy family) is one of a handful of
medicinal plants to be thoroughly scientifically
investigated. Studies have shown its effectiveness in
the treatment of migraine headaches. Eating on small
leaf of feverfew in a sandwich everyday for a month may
prevent headaches. Capsules of the freeze-dried leaves
can be purchased in most health food stores.
Mackerel and salmon, fatty fish common in many Japanese,
Scandinavian, and American cuisines, contain an oil that
breaks down polyunsaturated fats in the body. This
change is more likely to prevent headaches, however,
rather than relieve them.
Vinegar, say the British, is not only good for sore
muscles. It also works wonders for a headache. They
suggest that a headache sufferer soak compresses with
vinegar, chill them, and apply them to the forehead,
temples, and neck. Even better, boil equal parts of
vinegar and water and inhale the rising steam.
Another Chinese headache treatment uses the aromatic
flower of the magnolia tree. This, like most Chinese
medicines is typically brewed into a tea.
Salicin can also be found in almonds. In parts of North
Africa and western Asia where almond trees are common, a
local doctor might tell you to take 10 to 12 almonds,
the equivalent of 2 aspirins, for a migraine headache.
And the almonds are far less likely to upset your
stomach.
The Chinese have always found relief from the effects of
alcohol in the jackfruit, which can be eaten whole or
ground into a powder. It works by stimulating the
production of body fluids (to replenish those lost
through frequent urination and perspiration), including
salivation, moisturizing the skin, and helping to
alleviate cotton mouth. Of course, if you are
dehydrated, you can't make body fluids - so drink plenty
of water before, during, and after imbibing.
Here is a tea said to relieve the nausea of a hangover.
Equal parts kudzu root, umeboshi plum and fresh ginger
root. (the root of the kudzu vine has been used to treat
alcohol abuse for more than 1,300 years. It reportedly
curbs the desire for alcohol.) All of these ingredients
are available in health food stores. They have an
antispasmodic effect on the stomach muscles and are
helpful in relieving nausea.
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This page was last updated on: January 10, 2005

Wood betony works well for both children and adults. It is said to help migraine headaches.
You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything - even poverty - you can survive it.
--Bill Cosby








Next time you have a headache try eating some strawberries. They contain natural salicylates, an ingredient that is found in aspirin.
For headaches make a tea using leaves from one sprig of rosemary and three leaves of betony per cup of boiling water.
False unicorn is considered a tonic to the reproductive organs and addresses symptoms of headaches and Depression in menopausal women.
A hot bath or whirlpool will help alleviate muscle aches. To relieve a headache, minimize sinus congestion by using a salt water gargle (1 tsp of salt per 8 oz. of warm water). And apply cool or warm compress (whichever brings more relief) to the painful area.

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