Reduce Fear by Making a Plan
Take control and become more confident
Facing my fear. When it comes to fear, a snake does it for me. I am afraid of snakes, especially those thick muscular types such as the constrictors, the pythons, the anacondas, and so on. Whenever I would see them, mostly on TV screens, my control and confidence would take a dive. I want to reduce my fear of them.
But, I am so repelled by their very muscularity, strength and the way they look and move. There is nothing I like about them at all. My distaste is visceral. My reaction, irrational and the idea of facing them fills me with dread. I perceive snakes as a threat to my very existence.
And that is the key word, perceive. It’s my perception. My thought. And it is that thought that drives my fear. If I can control the thoughts, then I can control my reactions. I can be more confident that I can handle things.
Think about the what-ifs
I’m one of those people who like to be prepared. So I do think about the what-if and plan for it. For instance, when I go (pre-pandemic) to a movie theatre or any other place where there are a lot of people in an enclosed space and limited exits, I tend to scan the area first, locate all the exits and position myself in such a way that I can easily get to an exit. Same thing with being on an plane. For one thing, fashion is out of the question. I wear sneakers or shoes that I can run in, or that will protect my feet in the unlikely event that I have to exit the aircraft via a rubber slide. I also wear trousers because I might have to climb over seats and people as I make my way to the closest exit!
Let your mind drift to the the worst case scenario and come up with a plan
Back to fear. So, in order to have a plan, it is necessary to identify the fear and the reason for it, and then come up with a plan. This is what I did, and no, I did not get a snake friend. Instead I let myself think about my worst case scenario. I let my mind go there.
I am in bed and wake up to find a huge snake in the room with me. The bedroom door is closed and the snake, which is at least 20 feet long and 12 inches wide is lying stretched out on the floor, between my bed and the door. The distance to the door is 6 feet. I lay there and try to think of the different ways to get to the door without the snake having a chance to wind its body around my foot or leg and start its deadly squeeze.
So, lying there going through different escape tactics, I face the fear, complete with racing heart. After several long agonizing minutes, I arrive at several options I would try if it ever came down to that. Somehow the panic begins to lessen.
Having a plan boosts your confidence
The point is that by going through this exercise, I’ve thought of the what-if scenario and developed a plan A, B, and C. The plans are filed away deep within the recesses of my mind and hopefully, if I am ever confronted with this type of thing, my brain will bring those plans to the forefront and I will act decisively.
So if there is something that frightens you, think about it. Examine it. Some may say that you are being pessimistic, fearful or paranoid by thinking of the what-ifs. I say no, you are not. It’s quite the opposite really. It takes courage to look fear in the face, and then decide what steps you can take to overcome or reduce that fear. Training yourself in this way makes you more prepared to handle whatever comes your way.
Being prepared reduces fear
Being prepared helps reduce the panic you feel. You won’t freeze like a deer in the headlights if something that frightens you becomes a reality. You won’t be paralyzed into doing nothing to help yourself. Those who have confronted their fears, even if it is just in the mind, (which is very powerful in itself), will be able to calm themselves, control their thoughts, and increase the chances of bringing plans A, B and C tucked away in your brain back to the forefront when needed.
So this is what has worked for me. If you are afraid of something, be it a thing, a person, or a situation, and are overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty and don’t know what to do, then try my method. It just might help you lose or reduce the fear and gain more confidence in your ability to cope.
Blaxit:
Black Americans Exit America
Blaxit is the word used to describe the latest migration of Black people in America to other countries. In this article, I use the term Black people to refer to African Americans and People of African Descent.
Past migrations
This is not the first time that Black people in America have migrated en masse. After slavery in America ended in 1865, Black people moved steadily from the American south to the north.
Why? They moved because the north represented freedom from the extreme violence and oppression that continued to exist in the south after slavery.
Black people began moving in the late1800s which led to two waves of Great Migrations. By the end of the second Great Migration in 1970, six million Black people had left the south.
Ironically, Black people in America are still searching for that seemingly elusive safety and promising future.
Blaxit in a nutshell
Brexit, the term used for withdrawal of the UK from the European Union, was modified to Blaxit in 2016 by Ulysses Burley III to describe the exit of Black people from America.
Blaxit in a nutshell, is the growing movement of Black people leaving America in search of friendly, welcoming countries where it is less stressful, less racist, less violent and less murderous than America.
Where Black people are going
Some people have already decided that their new home will be in an African country and Ghana, The Gambia, South Africa, and Tanzania are some popular choices.
Others are looking to countries such as Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.
Not for everyone
But Blaxiting is not for everyone. For many it’s not so clear cut. Sometimes making a choice to leave America means leaving family behind because not all family members want to leave.
Some make the heart-wrenching decision to leave anyway and resolve to return to America periodically to visit family.
And for many others, the very idea of leaving America permanently is unthinkable. They are Americans. America is their home and no one is going to make them feel like they have to leave their own country.
Blaxiting is the best option for some people, but not for others. For those who choose the Blaxit journey, the key to success is to do your research and then make the informed decision that is best for you.
Ghana to Reopen its Borders
Aiming for September 1st
When will Ghana’s borders reopen? That’s the burning question on the minds of many African-Americans these days.
The answer is soon. For those itching to go, Ghana hopes to reopen its borders by September 1st.
On August 16, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo presented an update on the country’s Covid-19 situation and also shared a brief outline of the government’s plan to reopen the country’s borders.
Here are my key takeaways of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s speech for those of you counting the days to Ghana’s reopening
Ghana is moving cautiously toward a sense of normalcy while strictly adhering to safety protocols, including mandatory wearing of masks and social distancing.
Ghana has made significant progress in the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus.
According to the President, as of July 24, there were 3,307 reported active cases of Coronavirus infections. By August 15th, that number had dropped to 1,847.
Furthermore, no active cases of virus infections were reported in the Northeast, Savanna, Upper East or Upper West Regions.
Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Eastern and Western Regions are the areas with the highest number of active cases.
The statistics are impressive
40,567 people have recovered from the virus and the death rate is very low at 0.5%.
427,121 tests have been conducted and there is no backlog of testing at their testing centers. Results that used to take weeks now can be obtained in 48 hours.
No wonder people want to travel to Ghana as soon as the borders open.
So when exactly will that happen?
Ghana has taken a phased approach to returning to the new normal. Strategic and cautious measures are being implemented to ease into opening the country’s borders.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ministry of Aviation, and the Ghana Airport Company Ltd, are working together with the Ministry of Health on measures to effectively test every passenger arriving at Kotoka International Airport so as to avoid the spread of the virus.
The outcome of this study will determine whether or not the air border will be reopened. President Akufo-Addo is hopeful that they will be able to do so by September 1st.
Until further notice, Ghana’s borders by land, air and sea remain closed.
Skin Bleaching is a Symptom of a Deeper Problem
Eliminating Color & Peeling Away Self-Value
Imagine walking down a store aisle and being confronted with products claiming to bleach skin! Which is exactly what I encountered one day. Whatever you want to call it, skin bleaching, skin whitening, skin lightening, I never realized how widespread this dangerous practice is.
I am a proud Nigerian-American Black woman who makes it a point to encourage people of all ethnicities to value who and what they are. So I was especially appalled and disappointed to see so many skin whitening products for sale on shelf after shelf in a store in Lagos, Nigeria … a Black African country, for goodness sake.
I find such products, which essentially equate whiteness with better, to be condescending, ignorant and offensive.
With so many shelves devoted to these products, obviously there is a demand for them. According to one World Health Organization report, skin bleaching is a multi-billion dollar global industry. What a shame. Stratistics Market Research Consulting predicts that the global market for skin lightening products is expected to reach $8,011 million by 2026. Other researchers have projected figures to reach as high as $8,895 million by 2024.
Certain skin conditions may require the use of medications to treat localized discoloration of the skin. This article is not about that. It’s about the use of products to lighten naturally darker skin so that it resembles some perceived whiter, preferred ideal.
Skin bleaching, whitening, lightening, brightening (or whatever they choose to call it), remains a big problem globally. In Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, North and South America, Middle East, and Africa, women, and an increasing number of men use these products. They bleach face, hands, arms, neck, legs and sometimes the entire body.
Striving to be, or to look like what they are not, comes at a cost
Bleached skin not only looks unnatural, but it can often be permanently damaged (scars, burns, splotchy patches, etc.). Bleaching products contain toxic, dangerous ingredients including mercury and hydroquinone which can cause liver and kidney damage, cancer and the destruction of melanocytes (the cells that produce melanin responsible for pigment and provide a measure of protection from the sun’s skin damaging ultra violet rays). Some people even go as far as to take tablets and injections and more recently, infusions of glutathione, to achieve lighter skin.
I, for one, am glad to know that several African countries have banned the importation of most, and in some cases all skin bleaching products. Some of these countries are South Africa, Kenya, Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Tanzania and Rwanda. Although banned, enforcement is difficult in light of the fact that the demand is still so high that smugglers continue to have a robust business dealing in these products.
If you are bleaching your skin, or even thinking about starting to to do it, I would ask you, Why? Why would you do this to yourself?
More importantly, I would ask you, what does this say about self-value? About what you think of yourself? About the essence of who you are?
Have you been taught, or have you bought into the false idea that everything white is better?
Do you value what you are not, more than you value who you are?
It all comes down to value. This is very serious. Valuing who you are includes valuing your natural self (ethnic, racial, genetic). Valuing yourself first is an absolute must.
If you think that by bleaching your skin you will attract a man (or woman) to marry you, or that you will get a better job, or that you will increase your status in life, please consider this.
If a man is marrying you because you are lighter in complexion, then he is a superficial person and you do not need that kind of a husband.
If a company is hiring you because your skin is lighter, then you need to question the values of that company. Do not compromise who and what you are because of a job. You don’t need that kind of an employer.
As for increasing your social standing, don’t believe the lie. Everybody will know what you are doing to yourself anyway. You’re not fooling anybody. And people don’t respect people who don’t respect or value themselves. Never forget that. Value yourself first, and you will find that others will value you too.
America is Sick
I could not write until now. George Floyd. The pain is so deep, so raw, so devastating and so heartbreaking.
I am so hurt and so angry.
As a mother of a son, aunt to nephews, “mom” to several young men, sister to a brother, cousin to male cousins, woman to her man, and a friend of men, I cannot tell you of the anguish I feel.
We are not going to take it anymore.
Stop killing us. Stop killing our children, men and women.
I forced myself to watch Don Lemon’s program, “I Can’t Breathe: Black Men Living and Dying in America. I forced myself to watch the videos of the killings of several black men, including 10 year-old Tamir Rice, and 17 year- old Treyvon Martin.
Forced myself to watch the program to honor, in my way, George Floyd and other murdered black people at the hands of the police. I will not watch the video of George Floyd’s death ever again. I cannot. I cannot bear to hear him calling for his mother as he lay dying. I cannot. I can only pray that his mother, who died two years ago, came to him as he lay dying. I cannot watch it again. I can’t.
We are not going to take it anymore. You will stop killing our Black boys and men.
A friend of mine, Ira C. posted this on Facebook: “I vow I will never watch police kill you. On my life. That’s my love for you.”
What if we all took that vow today?
What if when we see police brutalizing an unarmed black man, or anyone for that matter, what if we refuse to accept it? What if we linked arms and approached the police peacefully and with determination and demanded that they stop the brutalization? What if we collectively made the decision to stop them from killing an unarmed, subdued human being?
They cannot shoot us all, and there will be more people. They cannot arrest all of the good people. Undertaking this strategy would require the courage and support of everyone around. It requires that we have agreed to make the vow. Because we have now seen for ourselves how unimaginably barbaric and inhumane too many police can be.
We cannot leave black boys and men alone with police. Most police are good, but some of them, too many of them, are murderous. They kill us and get away with it.
Today I have to remember that most people are good. I see that goodness in my friends and strangers. I see that goodness in the hurt, heartbreak, outrage, courage and support of young people of all races and ethnicities all over the world.
Today I am thinking of how people are reaching out from all over the world to ask, “What the hell is going on in America? Why are they killing Black men?” My African friends are outraged.
I am thinking of the sickness that is America. It seems that for some segment of white society, there is, and has always been, some kind of sick, twisted and warped fascination with, and addiction to, black people.
First of all, they (being some white people) brought enslaved Africans to the shores of what would become America. They looked at us as less than humans and more like animals. Yet they could not seem to live without us, wanting us to be near them, to take care of them. Looked at us as animals and yet lusted after our bodies. Raped women, raped men, tortured and killed men, women and children, physically and mentally. But still they had to have us.
After slavery, they wanted to keep us separated from them in their Jim Crow mindset, but at the same time, they wanted us to come in and take care of them. Take care of them and then get out. They also wanted us to come to the back door of their stores for us to give them our money.
So we left them alone. Developed our own safe places. Our own neighborhoods, businesses and towns. Successful towns. But they couldn’t leave us alone then. They could not stand to see us being successful without them. What kind of schizophrenic envy is that? So they used any excuse to come into our safe places, separate and away from them. They came to loot, maim and destroy. We left them alone because that is what they said they wanted. And they still didn’t like it. What kind of sick jealousy is that?
And by the way, when they do come to kill us, it is never 1:1. In George Floyd’s death, it was 4:1. And another thing. It is always armed versus unarmed. In George Floyd’s case, the police were armed and he was not. What kind of cowardice is that?
Fear. They are afraid of us. Why? There is no need to fear us, but they fear us, even when they outnumber us. Perhaps it’s because they judge others based on what they would do. What they don’t know is that most people do not behave like them. What kind of ignorance is that?
Yes. Some white people have a sick and obsessive addiction to black people.
And they think that they can continue to hurt us and kill us. But just so you know, we have had enough.
We have an absolute right to defend ourselves. Our sons, cousins, brothers, husbands, partners, nephews, uncles and grandparents have a right to breathe. Leave us alone.
Right now America is really sick. Ugly sick.
Hope lies in the unity of good people and in the courage and conviction of young people today.
So what are you going to do?
7 Incredibly Insensitive Things People Do When They Visit Africa
You’ve done the research, read the travel guides and watched the documentaries about Africa.
You’ve decided. You’re going to Africa. You’ve got your ticket, visa and have had your shots. You’re ready. You know everything that you need to know.
But here’s the thing. You don’t know everything that you need to know. There are some things you can’t know.
More nuanced things.
Like what you should know before you travel to any African country because by not knowing, you risk inadvertently doing or saying something that is offensive.
And whether you know it or not, it will affect the quality of your dream vacation to Africa.
So how do you make sure that your African vacation is everything that you hope and dream it will be? Here’s a clue. It’s about attitude.
Some attitudes are incredibly insensitive. Here are 7 main ones that should never travel with you to Africa.
1. Bringing Along Pre-Conceived Notions of Africa and Africans
Let’s face it. Consciously or not, we’re all influenced by mainstream media to some extent. When it comes to Africa, what’s often portrayed is extreme poverty, backwardness, unsophisticated uneducated people, needy governments and so on.
But Africa is so much more than that. It is many countries (54), many people and many cultures.
Traveling to Africa with pre-conceived notions is like packing more than you need for a trip and ending up paying costly excess baggage fees for stuff you didn’t even need.
Leaving the extra baggage at home will free you up have a much richer vacation experience in Africa.
2. Taking Photographs of Children Without Permission
How would you feel if a stranger started taking photos of your child and then posted those photos on social media? Without your permission.
But yet for some reason, many visitors to Africa seem to think that it’s okay to do just that. It is not.
The best thing to do is simply ask if its okay to take that picture. 99% of the time the parents will say okay. And because you asked, the quality of your interaction with that parent is enhanced and you will be made to feel even more welcome.
3. Expecting Immediate Acceptance
For many descendants of Africans living in the Diaspora, Africa is viewed as the Motherland. They feel a special kinship or connection with Africa and Africans based on genetic heritage and expect Africans to the feel the same way about them.
So when African descendants are referred to as foreigners or strangers, hurt feelings, resentment and behaviors arise that negatively impacts the quality of interactions between people.
If you’ve ever felt this way, try not to take it personally. Give it some time. Get into good conversations. Learn from, and about each other. If you do this, your vacation is guaranteed to be all the more enjoyable and enlightening.
4. Assuming a Savior Mentality
A couple was considering relocating to an African country, however a video showed them complaining about not feeling fully welcome.
As footage rolled, it seemed that everywhere they went — the market, for a walk, at a restaurant — they constantly pointed out what needed to be done, how and why.
Resist the urge to lecture. Ask questions instead and you’ll find that people are happy to engage in friendly lively discussions with you as opposed to polite and silent tolerance.
5. Nickel and Dime-ing
What’s a vacation without photos and souvenirs to remember it by?
You can buy African souvenirs at market stalls, arts and crafts shops or from street vendors along the roadside. But no matter where you buy, expect to bargain.
Everyone bargains, including tourists. It can be great fun haggling over prices. But it can be no fun at all if you feel that the seller is out to cheat you big time.
Here’s what to do to be fair to the seller and at the same time not be taken advantage of. Start by offering 45% less than the asking price, then bargain back and forth amicably until you and the seller agree on a price.
6. Ignoring Cultural Rules
Vacation is a time to relax and let loose. For sure. But at the same time you don’t want to do anything that constitutes a flagrant disregard of the social or cultural norms of the country you are visiting.
This includes ways of dressing, especially women, and public display of affection. The further away you move from cities and towns, the more traditional and conservative it gets.
A good rule of thumb is to check out what other people are wearing, and how couples behave in public, tourists and Africans alike. Let that be your guide.
7. Speaking Too Loudly
Maybe it’s human nature to speak a little louder than usual when you’re not sure that someone understands you. Or to speak noticeably slower, or with exaggerated enunciation of words, or worse yet, do all three at the same time.
But speaking this way will actually make people wonder what is wrong with you. If you’re visiting an English-speaking (Anglophone) African country, chances are that most people you run across, especially in cities and towns, will have a good grasp of the English language.
Using a raised voice in normal conversation is jarring on the receiving end. Speaking in a normal tone of voice is always the best way to go.
Now You Know
You are aware of the 7 insensitive attitudes that many people unwittingly take along with them when they visit an African country.
All that’s left now is for you to get on board, fasten your seat belt, relax and enjoy your flight.
When you arrive at Destination Africa, you’ll be met by some of the world’s friendliest, most welcoming people.
And one thing you’ll know for sure is that you won’t be offending your hosts by making any insensitive mistakes. You’ll feel confident and free as you learn about and enjoy all that Africa has to offer.
Originally published at http://www.travellearnafrica.com on May 18, 2020
Pets are Tested for the Coronavirus and One Black Woman is Denied the Test Twice & Dies
I watched the evening news on April 28th, 2020. Of course the news was all about the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The news anchor recounted the story of a 30 year old black woman who went to the hospital on two occasions because she was feeling sick, and was twice denied the test for the coronavirus. She died. The story was extremely brief. In fact, if you had looked away from the screen for a moment, you might have missed it.
Moments later, the news anchor reported on another story, this time about a family of four who had been tested for the coronavirus and were all doing well. And that was a good thing. Footage showed the white family looking healthy and happy. And because members of the family had tested positive for the virus, it was decided to test the family pet as well. The result was positive. The first dog in America to test positive for the virus.
A continuation of this same story aired the next morning on another TV show. The focus was on protecting our furry pets from becoming infected with the coronavirus. Watching the story, I further learned that Duke University administered the test to the pets as part of a study it had been conducting. In all, three pets were tested. The family’s two dogs and one cat.
Each story had its own merit, but here’s the thing. African-Americans, People of Color, and People living in poverty are dying of Covid-19 complications at incredibly disproportionate rates. By now we all know why.
But here you have these two stories airing one after the other, and apparently no one at the television newsroom thought of the insensitivity, or the incongruity of reporting on the death of a young black woman, who most likely died due to late diagnosis because she was not given the test for the coronavirus in time, juxtaposed against the story of a white family of 4 and their 3 pets all having received the test.
This seemingly small but significant oversight speaks volumes and is frustrating and disheartening, to say the least. These everyday slights reveal a certain view, conscious or not, that a black life is not as highly valued as a white life or even that of a furry family pet.
Rana Zoe Mangin was a beloved daughter and sister. A 2011 Wellesley College Graduate (Psychology), and University of Massachusetts Graduate (MFA). A cherished educator and role model, she taught social studies at Bushwick Ascend Middle School in New York. A beautiful human being and loved by many, she died at 12:25 pm on April 27, 2020. Cause of death, complications due to Covid-19.
This deadly Pandemic has reminded me of the crucial need for us, as black people, to become stronger, healthier, and more financially successful and independent so that we are in a better position to take control over what happens to us.
That means doing more for ourselves by ourselves and not counting on anyone to come to our rescue. Because when it comes to a crisis, it is painfully obvious that we the Black People, People of Color, and People living in poverty are the last to get access to quality healthcare and that includes testing, treatment and positive outcomes.
If or when a vaccine is developed and available, you can add it to the list of treatment that Black people, People of Color and People living in poverty will not have equal access to.
In spite of its ideals, America is an inherently racist country. But it’s not only America. The devaluation and disrespect of Black lives is a global disease.
Like the Coronavirus Pandemic.
5 Signs That Mean You are Beginning to Panic & What You Can Do About It
1. It sneaks up on you. Like an outbreak of some disease, for instance.
You begin to become overly attuned to the news, or to the event that starts it all. Everyone is talking about it.
Your awareness slowly develops into a general sense of disquiet and anxiety, but just every now and then. Nothing major.
2. You become glued to TV Breaking News accounts, and constantly monitor rapidly changing developments.
You watch the same stories over and over again.
And then you turn to social media where you pore over credible news, articles and posts, but you also come across fake news and conspiracy theories and outright lies.
You can’t help it. You read it all.
Now your occasional anxiety is more of a constant state of being.
3. Your increasing anxiety and fear keeps rising to the point where it affects your ability to concentrate.
You are distracted and sleep is becoming a restless event.
Journalists ratchet up that feeling because they communicate their own fears across the airwaves, affecting viewers like you.
4. You are consumed by the matter, and your heightened anxiety and fear lead you to behave irrationally.
You’re in full Panic Mode.
Hoarding, aggression, selfishness, and isolation are some of the behaviors that you start noticing yourself doing.
But you don’t care.
5. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, so they say.
You feel as though it will never end.
So what’s the point? Discouragement and depression begin to creep into the picture.
You start to feel hopeless.
But Wait.
It doesn’t have to be like this. You don’t have to feel this way.
Here’s what you do.
- Stop everything and just breathe.
- Educate yourself on whatever is causing you to panic. Stick to credible sources only.
- Turn off, or don’t read anything else. Knowledge is power. The power to control where your thoughts take you.
- Once you’ve educated yourself, do not spend too much time revisiting the same thing.
- Continue on with your normal routine.
- Be prepared. Listen to the experts. Learn what you need to do to protect yourself. Nothing more, nothing less.
- Remember, you are not alone.
- Draw on the calming strength within you. It’s there.
By Following These Steps
You will be better prepared to confidently deal with whatever comes.
You will be more knowledgeable.
You will be less afraid.
You will get through it.
You will remain calm.
How I Reduced My Migraine Headaches By 90%
Non-Medical Migraine Relief & More Headache Free Days
Sometimes my migraine headache begins with a slight headache that lurks around my left temple, or my right temple. It’s one or the other. Never both. At first I think, then hope, then pray that it’s a sinus headache, because sometimes it’s just that. A sinus headache.
But then, in a matter of hours, the pain intensifies to an insistent painful throbbing at the temple, but now there is the added sensation of being stabbed in one or both eyes.
At other times, the headache comes on fast and hard. I have a 30-second to one minute warning. During this short time, black dots bounce around in my line of vision and my peripheral vision is practically non-existent. Worse yet, there are jagged wavy lines around the edges of everything. This is the aura that precedes some migraines right before it hits. When there is an aura, I know that the oncoming migraine is going to be particularly vicious.
Sounds terrible? It is. I’m not alone. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, 39 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Worldwide, the number is closer to a billion.
I have lived with migraines for most of my life. Some lasting for hours, others for days. I can tell you that life is tough having to go through hour after hour of pain while still trying to continue on with everything I have to do. Because life does not stop just because I am in pain, intense or not.
I take my physician prescribed medication when I have the very bad migraines. I don’t like taking the pills, but I am never without them. Because I dislike the side effects so much, I will sometimes weigh the pain of the migraine versus the side effects and then choose. Most of the time the medication wins out.
But over time, I have found ways to reduce the number of migraines I have. So much so that I have reduced the incidence of migraines by about 90%. Seriously. Nothing magical, but more like a combination of things I tried out. Things that worked.
I am not a doctor or any kind of health care practitioner. I’m just a fellow migraine sufferer who has found a few ways to reduce her migraine headaches.
Here are the 8 things I do that help reduce the number migraines I have, in no particular order.
- Drink Water. I find that if I don’t drink enough water each day, it will catch up with me, sooner or later. When I have migraines, I envision that I need to stay hydrated and get rid of any toxins that may have built up. So, I drink more water than usual. As soon as I feel a headache beginning, I start drinking more water. At least 6 big glasses of water a day.
- Caffeine. I read that caffeine can work in two contradictory ways. One, it can give you a headache and two, it can help with headaches. When I have a headache, I will try anything. I find that if I catch the headache early enough, caffeine helps. I will drink several cups of strong coffee trying to head it off. But what works better for me is a drink called, Mountain Dew. Someone once told me that it contained a lot of caffeine. So I drink a lot of it as soon as I feel a migraine starting. Sometimes if I am early enough, I can ward off the headache. If I already have the headache, it helps a bit.
- Eat. When I don’t eat enough, or regularly enough, it can bring on a headache. Sometimes I can get so caught up with the busyness of the day that I forget to eat well. So, I try to have snacks on hand during the day, just in case I do not take the time to have an actual meal. Nuts, fruits, etc.
- Alcohol. Champagne is totally out of the question. If I drink champagne it is 100% guaranteed that I will have a migraine headache. Some red wines will also cause a headache, but I have not figured out exactly which ones.
- Hot Washcloth or Heating Pad. I apply a hot washcloth to my head. Sometimes on top of my head, sometimes on the throbbing side of my head. Sometimes over my face. But what works the best and sometimes eases or stops the migraine is when I apply the heat to the back of my neck and base of my skull.
- Sleep prone in bed. When I don’t get enough sleep, it will catch up with me in the form of a headache.So, I make an effort to make sure to get enough sleep each night. When I have a migraine, sleeping flat or on my left or right side with a pillow under my head simply magnifies the throbbing at my temple. It’s better when I prop up pillows behind my head and back and sleep slightly sitting up.
- Check what I am eating. My doctor told me to keep track of what I was eating in order to identify which foods triggered a headache. Once I became diligent about this, because I was so tired of having migraines, I noticed that foods with MSG and certain soy products such as some soy based yogurt would trigger a headache. I was surprised that even some of the commercially prepared veggie burgers and other plant based products could trigger it. I experimented to make sure, and once I confirmed it, I completely stopped eating soy yogurt and decreased the number of veggie burgers I ate.
- No Milk. This is the single, most effective thing that worked for me. Once I eliminated milk products from my diet, the number of migraine headaches I had dropped dramatically. I was shocked and happy and I credit it all to a book I read one day, Whitewash: The Disturbing Truth About Cow’s Milk and Your Health, written by Joseph Keon. It was, as Oprah would say, an “aha” moment. Two sentences in the book made me pay particular attention and led to me testing it out. The first sentence was,“ In one study of patients who suffered from migraine headaches and asthma, 33 of 44 patients showed significant improvement after removing all cow’s milk from their diets.” The other sentence stated, “In another study reported in the journal, Lancet, 93% of patients examined were able to free themselves of migraine headaches by eliminating cow’s milk from their diets.” I tried it out after one especially horrible week of unrelenting migraine pain. It was not easy because I love cheese: Macaroni and cheese, Vegetable lasagna, Yogurt with fruit, and most especially my multi-layered Swiss cheese deli sandwiches. But I gave it all up. Cold turkey. Every time I think about giving in and eating a Swiss cheese sandwich, I remember the pain of the migraine, and I won’t touch it. It has been over 5 years now. The desire does not overcome the chance of triggering another vicious migraine headache.
Enjoy More Headache Free Days
So this has been my experience and I hope that something I’ve shared will help you enjoy more days with no pain.
