oxidative stress + migraine headaches

Let’s talk about how it’s been discovered that these two go hand-in-hand. Oxidative stress and migraine headaches. We’ll start off with oxidative stress, just in case the term is new to you. Here’s the quick version that can be found in any number of medical dictionaries…

oxidative stress n. A condition of increased oxidant production in animal cells characterized by the release of free radicals and resulting in cellular degeneration.

In laymen’s terms, oxidative stress is a state that occurs when there is an excess of free radicals in the body’s cells. The body produces free radicals during normal metabolic processes. The process works well in our younger years and when we haven’t yet been exposed to the onslaught of toxins out there …before we slip into a not-so-healthy lifestyle.

Oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins, and DNA, which can contribute to aging. It may also play a role in the development of a range of health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and many autoimmune disorders. Too many to list here. Migraine headaches are most definitely included in that list.

Making certain lifestyle and dietary changes may help reduce oxidative stress. You know the ones …regularly exercising and eating a balanced, healthful diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, that’s not nearly enough. The Nrf2 pathway must be activated. It is the only way we have a fighting chance against the damage caused by oxidative stress!

Take a look at this testimonial and I’ll explain why it really hit home for me on a deeply personal level.

Anthony shares his story of his young son’s recovery from debilitating migraine headaches. ❤️

“So it might be a little premature to celebrate, but wanted to share my son’s results: My son is 11-1/2 and he has been having headaches (migraine style) for the past few years. At first, he would only get one when sick with something else, like the flu. About a year ago, he started getting headaches without other symptoms or illness. In the first semester of school this year he has already missed 12 days of school. He was getting migraines approximately every 3-4 weeks and they would last 1-2 full days. His last migraine was 6 weeks ago. I started him on half a pill of a Nrf2 activator – the little yellow pill -that same week and today marks 6 weeks and he has not had one sign of a headache (or any illness) and has not missed any school. (We have been giving him 1/2 a pill every other day even though he is big enough to take a full one every day – it has been working and saves a little money)  I’m so thrilled and hope that we continue to get these results! I would do anything for my child not to suffer and thank God that this is a SAFE option.”

Can you just imagine the feeling of helplessness and lack of control that this man must have felt? Not being able to help his son for so long? I can relate in a small way because my parents experienced that same feeling of helplessness when I was a child.

I personally started my battle with headaches when I was just 11 years old …many years ago! My parents took me to every specialist you can imagine and it was finally determined that I was suffering from migraines. They would arrive without much notice and be full blown within minutes. If memory serves me correctly, it seems as though so many major events in my young life were negatively affected by migraine headaches. The more important the event, the more likely a migraine would hit. Of course, we all know that emotional stress and fatigue are sure triggers.

I can still remember in great detail how I felt when I first experienced the symptoms. I was at a local summer carnival with a close friend. Her family had invited me to join them and I was having the best time. But not for long. I vividly remember “weird squiggly things” visually appearing before me, the way I wasn’t able to tolerate the bright sunlight, the soon-to-arrive throbbing in my head, the soreness in the back of my neck. I recall sitting on the ground, under the shade of a large tree, cotton candy still in hand when nausea hit. Pretty scary stuff for an eleven-year-old. That was more than fifty years ago and I still can’t tolerate the smell of cotton candy. That’s a sure indication of how profound the event was in my young life.

I won’t get into the minute details of every headache over the next twenty-five years but will say that the list is long. A primary example… my daughter was making her first communion. We were hosting a large party afterward at our house. I had been cooking and setting everything up for a solid week in preparation for the big event. We arrived home from the church ceremony, started to set out the trays of food, our loved ones were arriving and you guessed it. The mother of all migraines hit me without warning! My only choice was to head upstairs to my dark quiet bedroom. Needless to say, I missed the entire party. Thank goodness for my devoted friends and family. They stepped up big time and took care of it all. But, as I mentioned, I totally missed my daughter’s big celebration.

 

So, as it turns out, I’m one of the fortunate ones. I don’t know if it was the fact that I concentrated on a regular regime of aerobic exercise or that my body was going through a natural hormonal change (or both) but my headaches started to diminish in frequency and intensity in my mid to late thirties.

The point of my story is that I would have given anything during those twenty-five years to get relief from those horrific headaches. I know my parents would have, as well. To have a natural supplement that not only can possibly eliminate migraines with no side effects but one that is guaranteed to make our body healthy at the cellular level …well, all I can say is that it is a life-changing gift. To my friends out there who continue to suffer from these chronic debilitating headaches, please take a look at what this little yellow pill can do. Activate your Nrf2 pathway and lower your oxidative stress. It is a fact. A clinically proven fact. You will lower your oxidative stress by 40% in the first 30 days, 70% after 120 days.

We now know without a doubt that there’s more than one type of stress to be considered when talking about our well being. There’s the all-too-familiar stress from tension …the mental or emotional strain resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Now that we know more about it, we must consider the damage caused by oxidative stress that tends to build up deep within our body as we age. It is lethal. It is the root cause of most disease. And, more to the point, doctors and medical researchers are finding that it tends to be the root cause of most migraine headaches. Who knew? I wish I had this information along with a solution all those years ago as I suffered from those always looming headaches.

No need to just take my word for this. Take a moment and go on over to the National Institute of Health website, PubMed.gov and consider a few of the more than 100 peer-reviewed studies on the correlation of oxidative stress and migraine headaches. I know …the reports can be intimidating with all of the medical and scientific jargon. Just scroll down to the Conclusions statement in each report. You’ll then be able to quickly interpret the findings of each study. 

For your ongoing reading pleasure, check out these additional reports substantiating the claim that oxidative stress can cause migraines…

Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in Patients With Migraine from the Journal of Headache and Pain

Oxidative Stress May Be the Common Denominator Underlying Migraine Triggers from the National Headache Foundation

 

 

Contact me for more information on transforming your body. 

rosestelmach@yahoo.com

  Activate your Nrf2 pathway today!