Migraine is a very depressing disorder, and it can make you feel utterly helpless. However, Ayurveda has a very promising treatment for migraine. And I have personally seen its amazing effects. The most fascinating thing is that this treatment protocol is very cheap. In fact, with little practice you can follow it at home and cure yourself. Let’s believe that priceless things like air and water are freely available to all. So is the natural treatment.
I hope that you know Ayurvedic perspective of migraine. It will help you relate with the logic of treatment procedures. I have tried to write elaborate descriptions and explanations so that you don’t have to refer to any other posts.
However, if you are completely new to Ayurveda, unfamiliar with the basics, or want to explore details, please refer to following links –
After the basics, you can get down to the real treatment.
It is extremely important to correct the diet and lifestyle before starting the treatment. I mean that diet and lifestyle change should be a priority when you start the treatment. Because food makes your body and your disease. Your disorder is born out of your dietary and lifestyle habits.
According to Ayurveda, Nidana (cause) Parivarjana (prohibition) is the first and foundation step for Ayurvedic treatment. Therefore, you might not find any change in your health status even after eating medicines, IF YOU FAIL TO CORRECT DIET AND LIFESTYLE.
And therefore, the first few steps form the foundation for the entire treatment, not to be missed or skipped at all!
If you want to repair anything inside a house, you must be able to get inside it. As we saw earlier, according to Ayurveda, the nose is the door to the head region. The nasal passage is the most critical route of medicine intake in migraine treatment. Therefore nasal drops are the fundamental treatment for all kinds of migraines in Ayurveda.
By this week, you might already be taking Ayurvedic nasal drops like Anu tailam, Shat-Bindu Tailam, etc. for emergency migraine relief. In this blog, I will tell you some details about how to use these nasal drops systematically to get the best benefit.
Anatomy of Nasya
The term Nasya comes from “nasa” or the nose.
Nasya or nasal drops work on the nervous system more than any other part of the nasal passage. The primary focus of nasya is Shrigataka marma. Shrigataka marma is a vital point at the end of the nasal passage, which controls activity in the facial region. It is similar to a physical entity in the nose called Pterygopalatine ganglion.
The pterygopalatine ganglion is connected to almost all the parts of the head. It is the largest parasympathetic ganglion in the head. Pterygopalatine ganglion controls the secretions of lacrimal glands, nasal mucous glands, paranasal sinuses, palate, and pharynx. On the other side, it is connected to facial and maxillary nerves as well. It is also connected to the sympathetic system through internal carotid plexus. Pterygopalatine ganglion controls the sensation and motor response of the entire face region.
The nerves are covered with a thin sheath that protects the nerve signals and prevents rapid nerve deterioration. However, in some people, the protective covering of the nerves becomes fragile and ineffective. Unprotected and dry nerves are prone to irritation and pain. In the long run, the unlaminated nerves lose their signals on the way to their destination. This condition results in memory loss and dementia. Therefore, Migraine is sometimes also associated with dementia. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326303.php
Looking from an Ayurveda perspective, The primary feature of vata dosha is dryness. For more information, please visit dosha qualities. Because of reasons mentioned in an earlier blog, dryness increases in the body, and vata dosha gets vitiated. The deterioration process of tissue cells and nerves results in migraine pain.
As the nerves in the cranium get irritated or hyperactive, they cause pain. Their irritation gets transferred to Pterygopalatine ganglion. That’s why Migraine also results in visual impairment, pain in eyes, ears, loss of sense of smell, etc. Migraine in Ayurveda
The higher nerves shed their hyperactivity to the Pterygopalatine ganglion. What if we can turn Pterygopalatine ganglion into a sink for all nervous hyperactivity? It will be able to absorb all irritation and pain and relieve us from migraines. In people, who do not suffer from migraines, the nerves are better lubricated and do not get hyperactive, thus no pain.
However, we can reverse the above process by transferring medicated moisture via Pterygopalatine ganglion to the deeper cranium nerves. And this result can be effectively achieved by nasya or Ayurvedic nasal drops.
General Procedure for Nasya
There are many types of nasya in Ayurveda. It is a complete branch of body cleansing in itself. However, here, I will describe Snehana (moisturizing) nasya that is safe for everyday use by everyone. However, try not to use this nasya in children below 15 years. All kinds of nasya require a certain amount of control over breathing and willingness to tolerate a possible pain.
For all children below 15 years, use small amount of cow’s ghee, drop by drop, enough to moisturize the inner lining of the nose. Usually, the use of cow’s ghee as a nasal moisturizer is enough to solve all major problems like stuffy nose, congestion, body ache, etc. in children. Oral intake of cow’s ghee along with food is best tolerated and most effective in small children.
Back to nasya treatment – The following procedure suits people of all prakrati (body types).
Choose your Nasya oil
There are several options for Nasya. You can use edible quality of almond oil, cow’s ghee, olive, or sesame oil for nasya treatment. For faster and better relief, you must use Anu tailam or Shat Bindu Tailam. However, these oils might create a little painful experience. Probably, you can start with cow’s ghee, the mildest option, and gradually become more comfortable with other options.
Nasal Drops according to their effects
Shad Bindu Taila
Anu Taila
Cow’s Ghee
Almond Oil
Sesame Oil
Olive oil
Shad Bindu tailam is highly recommended not only for migraines but for all kinds of head region disorders right from headache to facial paralysis.
Anu thailam is another excellent remedy for migraines. Also recommended for everyday use by Acharya Charak even for a healthy person. It is a complete health supplement for all the organs in the head region.
In the beginning, you can start using two to three drops of these oils as nasal drops. You can increase up to 8 to 10 drops per nostril.
It might pain to use all the classical ayurvedic oils as nasal drops. But if you are successful in consistent use of these Ayurvedic oils, you will never face migraines again.
Check your sensitivity for the chosen nasal drops
Step 1: First, apply them on your toes and leave overnight.
Step 2: If there is a reaction in the form of rashes, itching, etc. on the toes, repeat the same check with other oil options.
Step 3: If there is no reaction, then put one drop of the chosen nasal drop in the evening on day 1
Step 4: Gradually increase up to 3 drops per nose. If you don’t face any problem, the nasal drops will work well for you. You can do this checking for 4-5 days.
Precautions –
Avoid mixing any essential oil in Nasya drops.
Avoid using castor oil, mustard oil, flaxseed oil, and coconut oil without medical supervision.
Nasya Treatment
Please read the full procedure before starting nasya treatment. You will need prior preparations in many places.
Vata dosha is the fundamental cause of migraines. According to Acharya Sushrut and Vagbhatta, one should use nasya in the evening time. The evening is the time vata dosha is dominant, and therefore, medicine will have its best effect. Besides, the prana vayu (vata subtype that controls respiration and brain activity) is predominant during the evening time. The approximate time is 4 – 8 pm with maximum vata dominance. It is considered proper to avoid nasya right at the time of sunset (range of 20-30 min time window).
Pre Nasya Procedure
Shir Swedana (head sweating)
For best absorption of nasya and eradication of kapha(mucus) based obstructions, all the blood vessels in the head region must be well dilated. Mild head fomentation or Ayurvedic head spa can achieve this state. Head fomentation with gentle head massage also helps to improve blood circulation and eliminate dryness.
However, if you are not able to follow the first step of head fomentation due to any reason, skip to the next.
Day 1:
Step 1: Check your sensitivity for massage oil(mustard/sesame/olive/castor oil/almond oil) by applying a small amount of it on your toes. Let the oil sit overnight. If you have no itching, rashes, etc. on the toes in the morning, the respective massage oil is appropriate for your head massage.
You can use any other massage oil as well according to suitability. Coconut oil has a cooling temperament and is not the first choice of coldish vata dosha. Almond oil and castor oil are the best choices.
Day 5: If you are planning to do nasya at 5 pm, plan to start the below procedure at 4 pm. Avoid eating or drinking during the process.
Step 1: Do a mild head massage with the chosen oil (5-30 min.), more time better benefit. A circular motion massage is a good option.
Step 2: Cover your head with a towel soaked with warm water (at a comfortable temperature).
Take care to avoid exposure to wind, cold air, high-speed fans, or any extreme temperature fluctuations. (drinking chilled water, scalding tea, etc.) during the process.
Re-soak the towel with warm water and warm the head for a total duration of 5-15 minutes, depending on your comfort, season, and local climate. If you feel uncomfortable or heated, stop the fomentation and lie down for some time.
Avoid exposure of wet hair to wind, sunlight, or air conditioner.
Step 3: After swedana, rest in a lying position for 5-10 min. Practicing Shavasana in this duration is a great idea.
Nasya Procedure
This procedure starts after 5-10 minutes after the pre-nasya process.
Step 1: Lie down on a comfortable surface without a pillow.
Step 5: Ready the Ayurvedic nasal drops (Anu Taila/Shat Bindu Taila/Cow’s ghee/Almond oil) in a dropper or cotton swab.
Step 6: Put the thumb of your left hand below the nose tip and push backward. This step will ensure that nasal drops have a larger nasal opening for percolation.
Step 7: Take the dropper/cotton swab in your right hand and put 5-7 nasal drops in your right nose.
Step 8: Inhale deeply to ensure better percolation of Put the nasal drops in the left nose in the same amount.
This procedure assumes that you are doing everything alone. In case you have a helper, let him do the massage, fomentation, and nasal drops for you.
Post-Nasya Treatment
Dhomrapaan or herbal smoking increases the heat and dilates the blood vessels in the head region. After Nasya treatment, herbal smoke helps the nasal drops to spread along with accelerated circulation in the head region and melt the mucous-formed obstructions in head channels.
Day 1: Prepare the herbal smoke
Step 1: Take a mixture of the following herb in the dried powdered form. All the herbs should be in equal quantity. If you are not able to get all the herbs, start with as many as you can get, there is no need to wait. Even if you start with any 5 of the below-mentioned herbs, you will see an immediate benefit.
Black cardamom
Green cardamom
Vetiver
Licorice
Guggulu
Sandalwood
Peepal Bark
Banyan Bark
Indian Fig Tree Bark
Lodh Tree Bark
Jatamansi
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Bay leaf
Step 2: Mix all the ingredients, add some water to make a thick paste.
Step 3: Use a wire/thin pen/pencil and make a thick layer of this paste over it. This layer should be as thick as your thumb and approximately 7-8 inches in length. Step 4: Let the preparation dry.
Step 5: Take out the herbal smoke cigarette from a wire/thin pen/pencil. It will have a hole inside it for a smooth smoking process.
Smoking Process
Step 1: Put the herbal cigarette in a smoke pipe. Apply little ghee/cooking oil at the outer tip.
Step 2: Sit comfortably, keep the body straight and relaxed. Look straight in the front.
Step 3: Close the left nostril and inhale the smoke from the right nostril.
Step 4: Release the smoke from the mouth. This is a critical step, as smoke released from the nose can harm the eyes. Therefore, you must inhale the smoke from the nose and exhale ONLY from the mouth.
Step 5: Repeat this process three times.
Step 6: Close the right nostril and repeat the 3 clouds of smoke from the left nostril.
Step 7: Continue this process for a maximum of 8-10 minutes.
Ayurvedic herbal smoke can be used regularly, independent of the nasya treatment. In my future posts, I will describe the use of herbal smoke from instant migraine relief. I hope that your Migraine will be gone by then.
Precautions –
Avoid going to sleep, bathing, eating, drinking (cold water) immediately before or after the entire Nasya treatment.
Wait for a minimum of 30-45 min before starting your regular routine.
If you are using Nasya treatment before sleep, wait for 1 hour after the entire procedure and then go to sleep.
Try to have food 1 hour before you start the procedure or 1 hour after the process ends.
Complications of nasya
All good things have limits. If you use snehan (oil/fat) nasya in the following conditions, you might face kapha (mucus) related problems –
Indigestion
Indigestion is normally a result of excess kapha dosha or imbalance of the mucus element in the body. If you have excess kapha (oily, stable, cool etc.) link
When you add oily nasya to this condition, you are looking at a possible complication of excess kapha.
In this case, you must take some herbal digestive like Hinguvadi churna/Hinguashtaka churna or vati-(tablet) and relieve yourself from indigestion. Also, if you have practiced the initial detox, you should not face any kind of digestive problem during the nasya. For better advice, please get in touch with your physician.
Drinking water immediately after a meal
We need an optimal internal temperature and enzyme concentration to cook the food inside our stomach. However, imagine what will happen if you are trying to fry something and put cold water on it while cooking. You would need to heat it for a much longer time. Sadly, we don’t have that much time or resources inside the body (due to binge-eating) and therefore the undigested food rots inside the intestines as it passes (or gets stuck).
Nasya on a cloudy day
Our metabolic rythmns are deeply connected with the sun. And for this reason, our body as well as the mind gets affected by the presence or absence of the sun. Link
Since our metabolism and mood is on a low normally on a cloudy day, it is not a good idea to take nasya or any kind of panchkarma treatment. A faster rate of metabolism helps the body to absorb the effects of nasya and prevents kapha related complications.
A new infection of cold
Any new infection in the body, especially the nasal infection taxes the body. The body is focused on stablizing a fighting strategy and it is a very bad idea to give a new work to it, like to manage the nasya , esp the heavy dose of a oil nasya. Oil nasya, if unabsorbed, might lead to kapha imbalance and worsening of common cold or any other nasal/oral infection. So take to care to use a good thing in a good way.
Immediately after bath
Bath reduces the body temperature of the body drastically, epecially if it is a cold bath. Immediately, after a bath body is under the influence of coldish kapha dosha, And it is engaged in regaining the normal body heat. At this time a new work like managing nasya can be very straining.It can lead to nasal infections or make you suseptible towards them.
Immediately after drinking oil/fats (snehapaan)
Now fats/oils are the best way to balance vata dosha in the body. Snehapaan lubricates the alimentary canal, absorbs the toxins and removes dryness. But digesting the oils takes up a lot of time and energy. That’s why it is advised to drink only small amount of oils initially.And we don’t want an intrusion in this work by adding more work – nasya.
Immediately after Anuvasana Basti (oil enema)
Oil enema introduces enough moisture in the body. It helps to reduce vata dosha significantly. Besides, body needs time to manage the effects of enema. A nasya immediately after oil enema can encroach on the space of reduced vata dosha and aggravate kapha, thus causing slowing down of overall metabolism, reducing body heat and making you prone to kapha related disorders like cough, cold, indigestion etc.
Bottomline is that Ayurveda believes maintaining a complete homeostasis inside the body, in everything that you do. Because balance is the key to life, balance in body, in breathe and in the mind.
You can use this nasya treatment before Migraine, aura stage of Migraine, or during the migraine pain or post-migraine attack. However, it is better to use it before a migraine attack, if you are doing it for the first time.
Nasya treatment is the backbone of the entire Ayurvedic Migraine treatment. I hope that this post helps you to get permanent relief from Migraine. If you happen to find any relief through this series, please share your experience with me.
A migraine patient should avoid vata vitiation at all costs. And therefore he should avoid the following factors –
Excessive exercise
Excessive indulgence in sexual activity
Heavy manual labor
Controlling natural urges like defecation, hunger, sleep, burping etc.
Exposure to extreme temperature fluctuations
Cold water bath
Excessive use of a hairdryer
Exposure to harsh sunlight, strong wind, etc. for a long duration.
Eating extremely cold/hot food together in a meal – e.g., ice-cream with soup/hot chocolate.
Frequent mid-meal snacking
Cold food like Ice-creams, soft drinks, etc.
Eating excessive amount of dry food
Digging nose (if you do)
Alcohol intake
Any intoxicant – drugs, weed, etc.
Sleeping in the day time or daily light transition period (sunrise/sunset)
Eating heavy food after sunset or before sunrise
Misery/sadness/depression
All these factors disrupt the healthy metabolism of the body. They can trigger excess mucus production and clog the channels (ice creams, soft drinks), create dryness and lose of moisture (manual labour, alcohol etc.) and thus vitiate vata dosha as a result.
You might also have your unique triggers for migraine stimulation. I know a person who gets a migraine attack whenever he consumes Ashwagandha (an Ayurvedic medicinal herb). Be careful about your triggers and try to avoid them till the treatment protocol is over.
What to Do
Some of the Lifestyle changes highly recommended for migraine patients are –
Brahma Muhurata Jagarana
Waking up early morning before sunset can solve more than 50% aggrarvation problems in migraine. However, as stated earlier, you should take it easy and go for a gradual change over a few months.
Usha Paan is a traditional morning ritual of drinking water. Ideally, you should store water in the copper vessel overnight and drink it in the morning. You can drink water normal or lukewarm according to your comfort and the external climatic condition.
The above link for ushapaan is the primary method. The advanced form of Usha paan drinking water in the morning is done not through the mouth but the nasal passage. Before the advanced stage, you must practice neti kriya, which is another important migraine prevention factor. I will have a future post on this procedure.
In this method, you insert the lukewarm water through the nasal cavity(nostrils) instead of the oral cavity (mouth).
After regular use practice of Advanced ushapaan. After daily use of advanced ushapaan, You will notice a definite decrease in the intensity and of Migraine within one month.
After you are comfortable with the basic stage, you can move to drink water through the nose, just like an elephant. Just like yoga, Ayyurvedic procedures also emerge from the nature. And elephants have the most remarkable memory among all animals, even better than humans!
Kill the Pain
Try to avoid pain killers for migraine pain. They don’t kill the pain. Pain killers hide the pain and kill our liver and kidney in exchange. Here are some alternatives that might help you combat the pain in a simple manner –
Nasya (painkiller nasal drops) According to Ayurveda, the nose is the entrance to the head. And nasal drops are the primary treatment for all kinds of head disorders, right from the common cold to facial paralysis. Nasal drops can also effectively bring down the migraine pain without any side-effects. They have a faster action as compared to the medicines that go through the oral route.
Precaution – all nasal drops should be used at an average temperature, except cow’s Ghee. Solidified cow’s Ghee should be heated to a mildly high temperature to make it liquid again, before using it as a nasal drops.
For use in mild migraine pain or a pre-migraine aura Almond oil: 5-6 drops Cow’s Ghee: 5-6 drops
For severe migraine pain Anu tailam: 5-6 drops This Ayurvedic preparation might cause pain in the nasal passage. However, it effectively clears the mucus and reduces swelling in the nasal vessels. In fact, initially the pain is so sharp that it will put aside your migraine pain, ha ha ha, just kidding! I have personally used it many times and have found it incredibly useful. But yes, it does pain initially. To get used to the pain, you can start with 1-2 drops and gradually increase the dosage.
It is beneficial in short term pain control as well as long term migraine relief. In fact, Acharya Charak recommends use of Anu Taila everyday as a prevention of all imaginable disorders in head region, right from hair-loss to dementia. If you are fine with the piercing feeling, you can use it even before the migraine starts.
Shat-Bindu Tailam
This is the savior preparation for all migraine patients. Shat-bindu Tailam is a stronger and more effective option than Anu Tailam. And it also pains a little as Anu tailam.
You can safely use these nasal drops SOS in case of migraine pain. In future posts, I will cover their systematic intake for complete relief from migraine.
I sincerely hope that this information brings you the best of Ayurvedic benefits.
I hope that the week one detox plan helped you gain some momentum. If possible, try to stick to Ghee detox as much as possible throughout this treatment protocol as it will eliminate the very foundation of migraine disorder.
However, mental satisfaction is the very essence of Ayurvedic treatment. Therefore, if you are not able to stick to the Ghee Detox, you can switch breakfast and lunch to a regular diet. However, I would advise you to still continue with an exclusive ghee diet at least for dinner (in a minimal amount enough to quench hunger).
In this blog, I am going to help you choose the best food options that will prevent vata dosha and migraine aggravation. However, the sutra remains – whatever you eat, cook it in Ghee (except fruits).
Fruits In fruits, you already know what to avoid. Please refer to the fruit detox plan.
Soaked Almonds
Besides, organic almond soaked overnight in water are very good for migraine. After soaking the almonds overnight, peel off the cover, and slow grind them to a very fine paste. Mix brown sugar or powdered rock candy in 1:1 ratio. Eat the paste and drink lukewarm organic milk (optional) after that , for better absorption.
Avoid eating anything for next 30 min or when you feel hungry, whichever is earlier.
Vegetables – Migraine patients must avoid following vegetables – brinjal, green peas, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, puli broccoli, mustard leaves, spinach, and all kinds of green leafy vegetables like spinach, bitter gourd, potatoes, water caltrop, etc. However, vegetables cooked in Ghee are less harmful.
Spices – Avoid the use of red chili powder, mustard seeds,
Grains – Wheat and rice are the best options for migraine patients. However, avoid fine flour (maida) bread, white bread, cookies, cakes, and other sweets made out of any grain.
Migraine patients should avoid all kinds of pulses, lentils and millets unless advised otherwise. All these grains are very dry and cause vata vitiation in the body. Daily consumption of the above grains can aggravate migraines in intensity. However, lentils/millets tempered with Ghee are not very harmful. Only moong dal (green gram) is a lentil that does not cause vata vititation and can used safely in migraine condition.
Migraine patients must also avoid urad dal (black gram) at all costs, except south Indian dishes prepared from fermented urad dal.
Meat Non-vegetarian fat from pig, deer, buffalo, bison, sheep, goat, horse, chicken, turkey crab, all kinds of the mollusk is highly recommended in the soup form for all migraine patients. All kinds of fish and marine animals are also perfect for all migraine patients. Specially rohu fish is the best for migraines. It is essential to temper these soups with digestive herbs like black pepper, black cardamom, cumin, etc.
Avoid meat of rabbit, primarily fruit-grain eating small birds like the sparrow, parakeet, etc.
However, if you are a vegan, please avoid all meat as they will only add to migraines. Veganism itself is enough to cure not only migraines but all kinds of physical and mental problems!
Cooked food Please avoid Idli/raw radish/curd at night, according to Ayurveda. Try to avoid grain-based meals at night. Stick to fruits/boiled vegetables/meat soup at night.
Processed Food – Try to avoid eating all processed/packaged/ready to eat/ready to cook and ready to kill food. If you have a problem cooking or have no access to freshly cooked food, better stick to the ghee-fruit diet. You can mix and match between ghee and fruit diet to satisfy your taste buds.
Fats
Pure ghee is highly recommended in migraine treatment. Other oils like cold-pressed sesame, mustard oil are also edible. However, if you have any kind of congestion, or kapha related disorders like chronic cough and cold, try to avoid
Appetizers –
It is important to ensure that you have good amount of appetizers and digestive Herbs to adequately digest and absorb the oily food recommended in migraine. Therefore, it is advisable to use a good amount of black pepper, Hing, cumin seeds, bay leaves, black cardamom, star anise, cinnamon etc. in your food. Appetizing soups also can be very helpful if only they do not contain flatulence-causing vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower etc. Also exercises will help the oil to spread throughout the body and relieve dryness.
Some recommended recipes for migraine patients
Fried Radish –
Take 500 grams of diced radish. Heat 50 ml ghee Sesame/mustard/olive oil in a frying pan.
Add a pinch of asafoetida, 1/2 tsp ajwain(caraway),1/2 tsp seeds cumin seeds and let them crackle for 10 sec.
Add diced radish and fry them till they turn soft. Add salt to taste.
You can The same procedure can be used for making Fried Arabi (colocasia), carrot, jackfruit, green banana, and air potato. Please avoid the use of jackfruit if you have a weak digestive system. Raw jackfruit is an absolute no in Migraine. Also, avoid eating all raw vegetables.
Home remedy for Migraine relief for week 2
I have come across a home remedy that has helped me treat 6-7 migraine patients myself, without any medicine. This week you can start with this home remedy and see if it works for you too. Also, please share your experience with me, it will be helpful for everyone to know the effectiveness of this combination.
Mix equal amount of powdered almond, rock candy (misri), white pepper, cow’s ghee. Consume one tsp of this paste with normal water, everyday early morning empty stomach. Avoid eating anything for next 1 hour. You can also mix the ingredients and store.
In the next blog, I will share important lifestyle tips for migraine management.
Hope this information helps you to gain better control of your life.
Now, as we know no about how migraine happens according to Ayurveda, we can look at the Ayurvedic treatment of migraine.
This migraine self-healing protocol is derived from following classical Ayurvedic text – Charak Samhita, Ashtang Hridya, Bhaishajya Ratnavali, and Yogaratnakara. The treatment methods like nasal drops, ear drops, etc. have been used in the Indian traditional healthcare regimen for many centuries. They are safe and tested. However, I do not have a scientific data-based support this claim right now. Therefore, kindly use this information after consulting your physician.
Ayurveda considers prakrati or body type as one of the fundamental factors for any treatment. Your body is unique, and it may have individual requirements. This treatment provides suitable options for various body types. However, most of the practices are safe and effective for all. The medicines suggested are classical preparations and have a significant effect on all prakrati.
Ayurvedic migraine treatment is a two-pronged as it works on two dimensions mental and physical. Ideally, the migraine treatment must start with counseling and mindfulness training. However, I won’t expect you to meditate when you are reeling with pain. So let’s start with the easiest, practical, and effective procedures that you can follow at home. I assume that after a few weeks, you would in a better position to handle a post on Ayurvedic manas chikitsa (mind treatment) for migraine. Meanwhile, you might like to check some posts on mindfulness.
So, let’s kick-start the migraine self-healing protocol. I will cover the following parts in each blog with sufficient details.
General Detox
Diet Change
Lifestyle Change
Ayurvedic Nasal Drops
Ayurvedic Ear Drops
Ayurvedic Smoking
Ayurvedic Head Massage
Ayurvedic Mouth Filling
Neti Kriya
Ayurvedic Mini-Panchkarma
Ayurvedic general medicines and home remedies
Now food is the basic input that decides the output in the form of health or disease. And migraine needs a careful selection of foodstuff.
First of all, it is crucial to know what not to eat – Please more details in these links –
All the above recommendations work for migraine patients as well as for healthy people. However, I would like to stress the idea of “Satmya.” You are the best judge of what suits you and what does not. Listen to your body, and it will help you to make the best choices.
Migraine Special Diet
With the above indications, let’s dive deep into a diet that will help you to balance your dosha. Vata dosha vitiation is the fundamental cause of migraines and all similar disorders. Therefore, a comprehensive treatment of migraines is based on achieving a vata balance. And vata balancing diet is the first step towards an effective and permanent migraine relief.
Week 1 – Basic Detox
I assume that you have reasonable stamina to follow the essential detox. Also, I assume that you are not suffering from severe lifestyle disorders like diabetes, Hypertension, etc. In case of any severe disease, kindly consult for a personalized regimen.
The most crucial sutra for a migraine patient is to eat only when hungry (unless you are extremely weak).
Option 1
Basic Fruit Detox –
Fruit detox is applicable for summer, and spring only. It is best for the obese, people suffering from compulsive eating disorders, excessive hunger, anorexia, and depression.
One of the best food for migraine patients is fruits (plant products that can be consumed raw, without any cooking). Try to stay on fruits for this week, if possible. You can boil, bake, fry, or simply eat them raw. Local, seasonal, and organic fruits are the best for consumption. In case you are not able to get fresh fruits; you can also try dry fruits like raisins, dates, cashew, almond, dried berries, etc.
All the foods must be consumed; you must ensure that the food that you eat s adequately ripened. Consumption of raw fruits can aggravate the migraine problem. Also, do not make them into juices, shakes, etc. Eat them along with their fiber content for the best results. Avoid making milk shakes. Keep your diet strictly limited to fruits.
The use of Almonds is very beneficial for migraine patients. You must soak the elements overnight, peel their coat in the morning and eat with Rock Candy for the best benefit. You can also similarly use walnut and raisins.
Alternatives to Fresh Fruits: Some people have kapha problems like cold, stuffy nose, congestion, etc. if they consume fruits at night or early morning. However, this is abnormal metabolism, and one should try to correct the same. But before you fix it, the alternatives for dinner are – warm milk (A2 organic milk, preferably), dry fruits, boiled potatoes/sweet potatoes/beetroots, tapioca, carrots, etc. Also, these options might be useful to people who have meager availability of edible fruits.
Fruits to avoid – raw (unripe) or artificially ripened fruits, non-seasonal, exotic fruits, inorganic fruits, Artocarpus lacucha, (also known as monkey fruit, or Monkey Jack or barhar), water caltrop, grapes,and tamarind
Fruit Detox Routine Day 1 – Normal breakfast and lunch, change in dinner Day 2 – Change breakfast and dinner, Normal Lunch Day 3 – Change all three meals Day 4 – Only fruit/boiled vegetable meals Day 5 – Only fruit/boiled vegetable meals Day 6 – Normal Lunch, Fruit-based breakfast and dinner Day 7 – Normal Lunch, breakfast, fruit-based dinner
I would suggest that you follow this detox once a week after the first week, throughout the migraine treatment protocol.
Option 2:
Basic Ghee Detox
Ghee is Indian Clarified butter than helps to normalize all the body functions. It is THE BEST GENERAL SOLUTION for migraine pain in Ayurveda. It is especially applicable for winter and autumn. However, it can be safely used in all seasons and body types. Ghee detox is best for weak, underweight, recuperating(from physical trauma), people with low stamina, and high hunger.
Ghee: Ghee is Deepan, pachan(appetizer, digestive) in nature. It helps to balance all three dosha in the body. Ghee is one of the best anti-toxin in Ayurveda. Ghee detox will ensure that that dryness in your intestine and overall body is reduced, and your nerves are less hyper excited.
Consumption of ghee at esp. at night time helps to balance Prana vayu, a subtype of vata dosha, which is primarily involved in migraines. For more information on how the timing of a medicine affects performance, please visit How to use Ayurvedic Supplements
Ghee Detox Routine Day 1 – Normal breakfast and lunch, 10-20 ml Ghee in dinner Day 2 – 20-40 ml Ghee in breakfast/dinner, Normal Lunch Day 3 – Change all three meals (20-50 ml depending on the hunger, e.g you might be hungrier in winter than in summer) Day 4 – Only Ghee meals Day 5 – Only Ghee meals Day 6 – Normal Lunch, Ghee-based breakfast and dinner Day 7 – Normal Lunch, breakfast, Ghee-based dinner
Ghee intake is such a reliable and powerful procedure that it can eliminate migraine in the long run, without any other effort or medication. People with obesity can also practice this method. However, they must ensure to eat only when truly hungry and consume only 1-2 tsp of ghee at a time. Consider this Ghee detox as a mini keto diet that will help to rejuvenate your body.
Later, as you heal, you can also use Ghee for cooking purposes. Please ensure that it is A2 organic ghee for the best results. If not, then go for whatever ghee is available. Salted Indian butter available online also produces reasonable cleansing effects.
You can also consume good quality medicated ghee or Ayurvedic oils. Some good options are Baladi thailam, Mahanarayan tail, Brahmi ghrita, kalyanaka ghrita, Ashwagandhadi ghrita, puran ghrita et cetera. However, consult your physician before trying any of these.
These two detoxes can help to make a good foundation for further treatment. However, please make sure that you choose the detox according to the season, and your body condition. Also, it is important to avoid eating anything else during this detox. If you find it very tough, keep the lunch intact and change breakfast and dinner for 30 days to achieve the same result.
Also, you can choose to go for fruit detox and then try ghee detox as well. However, ghee detox is superior to fruit detox.
It is vital to ensure that you have the right amount of appetizers and digestive herbs to digest and absorb the oily food/Ghee recommended in migraine treatment. Also, mild yoga exercises will help the lubrication from Ghee to spread throughout the body and relieve dryness.
1/2 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds) with a pinch of black salt (esp. for bloating)
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder + 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds (whole and raw) + 1 pinch of black salt, rock salt, roasted asafoetida each
There is a possibility that you neither like fruits or ghee. But fear not, there are so many ways to detox the body, depending on your health conditions. Kindly contact for more details.
In my next blog, I will specify on the kind of general diet you should follow to prevent migraine aggravation.
Ritucharya 