The change of seasons often brings bouts of dizziness and headaches. If your blood vessels react painfully to leaden skies, shifts in atmospheric pressure, or sudden weather changes, try these tried-and-true remedies.
Healing Fingers
First, remove your hat to improve blood circulation to the vessels in your head. Using circular motions, massage along an imaginary line from your eyebrows to your hairline and across to the crown. Pay special attention to painful spots. A five-minute massage repeated three times can ease your discomfort in about fifteen minutes.
Your fingers also need attention during a sharp headache. Start by kneading your thumb, then move to your index finger and continue in order toward your pinky. Massage the fingers on one hand, then switch to the other. Apply pressure to the tops of the finger phalanges near the nails.
Our hands also have two “anatomical snuff boxes”—the hollows on the outer sides of the wrists just below the thumb, where snuff tobacco was once placed. Those indentations appear when you extend and bend the thumb; they’re formed between a long muscle and taut tendons. Move the thumb of one hand to the side and press the hollow with the thumb of the other hand. Massage this point until the headache eases.
Try acupressure on the temples, the bridge of the nose, and the small dimples at the outer corners of the eyes. Massage each area for about a minute; you’ll feel the effects quickly.
Drink and Rest
When you have a headache, lie down rather than stand. A cold compress on your forehead and temples can also help.
If you don’t have pills on hand, drink water. The liquid shouldn’t be too cold or too hot. A glass of room-temperature water can help relieve vascular spasms.
Avoid alcohol and cigarettes during magnetic storms and sudden weather changes. Don’t burden your body with toxins.
People sensitive to weather changes should strengthen their cardiovascular and nervous systems. Dark grapes are a traditional remedy—pigments called anthocyanins in the skins may help the body adapt to adverse environmental factors. If your headache is linked to anxiety and stress, soak a spoonful of raisins in cold water overnight and drink the infusion on an empty stomach in the morning; this can stimulate the heart.
Healthy Foods
If you’re prone to “weather-related” headaches, doctors recommend reducing the load on your digestive organs. Stick to a seasonal diet of plant-based foods, lean meats, and dairy products. Foods that help with headaches include whole-grain bread, vegetables, and salads. The fiber in high-fiber foods acts like a broom for your body.
Cabbage leaves can help alleviate nagging headaches. Eat them or place them inner side down on your crown or on your temples. Lemon halves can also help. It is also recommended to soak cotton pads in beet juice and apply them to your ears.
To help prevent migraines, include eggs, soy, brewer’s yeast, grains, peanuts, liver, and fish in your diet. Your brain needs lecithin, and your blood vessels need collagen. Make a habit of drinking tea with lemon and getting enough vitamin C; this helps keep blood vessels resilient over time.
Focus on blueberries, olive oil, walnuts, and beans: they help lower “bad” cholesterol. Activities like dancing, aerobics, or swimming will raise “good” cholesterol. Autumn is no excuse to slow down your physical activity.
