Q: I always get migraine and want to know if there are any natural therapies that can help ease the frequency and severity of attacks?

A: There are many causes and triggers for migraines and these include dehydration, food intolerance, low blood sugar levels, stress and tension and hormonal changes. On top of that there is the added muscular tension that is created by stress so stress management and relaxation techniques are advised when life goes crazy.

 

It is also possible that the hormonal changes that occur around menstruation can aggravate changes in vaso-dilation. This is also a time when you are more likely to feel stressed, tensed and have blood sugar swings and sugar cravings.

 

To ease the frequency and severity of attacks avoid all dehydrating drinks such as tea, coffee, alcohol and chocolate and make sure you drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day – more if you exercise.

 

Avoid sugar and refined foods to help keep your blood sugar levels stable and eat little and often leaving no more than 3 hours between meals and snacks. Aim for a good whole food diet rich in whole grains and raise your levels of B vitamins found in eggs, bananas, nuts, seeds, which support the nervous system during times of stress and levels of magnesium, found in green vegetables which are often depleted during times of stress.

 

Anti-spasmodic herbs can also help tension headaches and migraines – try wild yam, fever few and cramp bark. Butterbur contains compounds that prevent blood vessel inflammation, a possible migraine trigger. If these simple methods don’t work get tested for any food intolerances and see a osteopath to see if your posture is a contributory factor. If all this still doesn’t help make an appointment with your doctor.

This month’s case study is ‘Sally’ – who came to the Clinic because of Menopausal symptoms.

Sally’s story:

My periods stopped quite abruptly at the age of 48 and I was suddenly faced with hot flushes and night sweats. I visited my doctor because the night sweats were stopping me from sleeping which was really affecting my energy and mood. She ran some routine blood tests and told me I was going through the menopause. I was quite shocked as I thought the menopause was a gradual transition and that my periods would gradually wind down. She explained that there is no common pattern and with some women their periods just stop and with others the cycle becomes more irregular and then stops.

My doctor talked to me about HRT but I knew that this was something I never wanted to take – no matter how bad my symptoms were. I was prone to lumpy breasts (fortunately just benign) but had heard that HRT could make this worse. However, I knew I had to do something to help myself because the symptoms were impacting on my daily life.

I searched ‘Natural Menopause’ on the internet and it led me to Dr Marilyn Glenville’s website where I downloaded some very useful information and bought her book ‘The New Natural Alternatives to HRT’. It all made so much sense and actually made me feel really positive in the sense that I was actually embarking on a new chapter in my life rather than seeing it as the end of being a woman. This really inspired me.

Having read the book and taken on board the dietary recommendations and nutritional supplements I decided that I needed a bit more expert help and support so I phoned the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic from the number in the book. I spoke to a lovely receptionist who put me at ease and booked an appointment for me with one of Dr Glenville’s practitioners in the London clinic.

Before my first consultation I was sent a Nutrition Questionnaire that I was asked to complete and return one week in advance of my consultation to give the practitioner time to look through it before seeing me. This already felt very comforting to know as I always feel so rushed when I see my doctor and get the feeling that my case is never fully looked into.

The first consultation was one hour and the practitioner spent the first twenty minutes taking a full medical history and expanding on the information that I had given in the Nutrition Questionnaire. She explained more about the menopause and how it affects women differently in terms of age, the actual process of the periods stopping and the duration of the menopause.

My diet was given a lot of attention and the first observation was my intake of caffeine and alcohol – two drinks that are known to worsen hot flushes and night sweats as they widen the blood vessels. This brings more blood to the surface of the skin and thus a reddening occurs together with a hot flush and night sweat. I really loved my cups of coffee and glass of red wine, but I knew I had to make some compromises in order to feel well.

The second area to look at was my blood sugar and it was noted that I was eating very little protein in my diet and I was often skipping meals. She explained that something as basic as blood sugar imbalance can cause a flushing sensation as when blood drops to rock bottom, the adrenal glands release two stress hormones – cortisol and adrenaline and in combination they increase blood sugar and make us feel more alert and anxious.

This is particularly true of the early morning night sweats which she felt were more linked to my adrenals pushing out the stress hormones as opposed ‘to true’ menopausal sweats. She explained that by eating protein with each meal and having a small bedtime snack it would help to keep my sugar levels stable.

My practitioner also explained that because women are all so different, there is no one ‘blueprint’ in regards to dietary and supplement protocols. This meant that what was recommended in my first appointment may change along the way and would be modified if necessary. This made perfect sense and I knew that I had invested in my health for the long term and not just for a ‘quick fix’ or to give up if symptoms hadn’t improved in the first 6 weeks!

I was asked to complete a diet/symptom diary until my next appointment which really helped me keep focused. I gradually reduced my coffee and wine intake as recommended rather than simply going ‘cold turkey’ as my practitioner explained how addictive caffeine and alcohol is. I thought it would be really tough cutting the caffeine and alcohol down but once I started the programme it became much easier, plus within the first 3 weeks there was a marked improvement in my hot flushes and night sweats.

The small bedtime snack I was asked to incorporate seemed to really help my sleep pattern and I was no longer waking in the early hours feeling hot and sweaty. Because of this my energy was so much better and my mood was more stable.

I was eating a lot more vegetarian protein including chick peas and lentils and miso and flaxseeds (linseeds) which are rich in compounds called phytoestrogens. Apparently these are very weakly oestrogenic which means they help to ‘top up’ oestrogen levels which are naturally declining during the menopause. They are often referred to as ‘Mother Nature’s gift to women.’

Although they are approximately 1000 times weaker than our own hormone, over time they can make a huge difference. Before the consultation I had never eaten these foods, let alone heard of some of them and now this was second nature to me.

Alongside the dietary changes I was taking vitamins and minerals and an herbal formula containing Black Cohosh, Agnus Castus, Dong Quai, Red Sage and Milk Thistle (called Black Cohosh Plus). This was specifically for the hot flushes and sweats and in combination with the improved diet it was remarkable.

At my follow up consultation my diet was reviewed and a few more useful tips were given and my supplement programme was reviewed. We agreed to have another consultation in 12 weeks to give me more time to get into the programme. This felt reassuring that I would be monitored and not just left to my own devices.

I’m so pleased that I didn’t get tempted into taking HRT and the rewards to my health from visiting the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic have been tremendous. I now go through the day without having to carry a fan and at night my husband also gets to sleep because I’m not throwing the duvet off or opening a window every hour! Thank you.

Marilyn’s Comments:

It is often so easy to take the ‘quick fix solution’ and take HRT because for some women they are looking for instant relief and of course HRT is associated with preserving our youth. However, if our body is healthy, through a good diet and taking scientifically tested nutrients and herbs, the menopause can happen smoothly and comfortably.

Sally’s story demonstrates just how effective nutritional therapy can be for women going through the menopause. We see women at the clinic who have tried HRT and are unhappy on it, or like Sally, simply don’t want to take HRT or those who are still on it and desperately trying to ‘wean’ themselves off.

The ‘change of life’ is a gradual process allowing our body to get used to changes and to adapt accordingly. It is a new beginning and not the end.

If Sally’s story has resonated with you, do get in touch and see how we can help.

This month’s case study is ‘Jackie’ – who came to the Clinic because of severe PMS …

Jackie’s story:

My life had been ruled by my periods for the last ten years. Every month I would have debilitating PMS which lasted for 6 days before my period. Not only was this ruining my life, it was affecting my relationship. It was like flicking a switch – one minute I was my usual happy go lucky self and the next I was depressed, moody and even suicidal (this I was dealing with through a psychotherapist).

Although my husband was so supportive and understanding, I knew it wasn’t fair to continue living like this as I was so angry towards him during this premenstrual phase. Aside from PMS, I had been diagnosed with endometriosis and would experience painful, heavy periods. On top of this I was getting thrush every month and having to resort to using pessaries and cream to treat it. So, at the age of 39 I decided enough was enough and I had to do something about it! My diet had always been fairly good with no caffeine and very little sugar but this obviously wasn’t enough.

A friend of mine had found a book in the library called ‘Overcoming PMS The Natural Way‘ by Dr Marilyn Glenville and told me to read it! I did and it was like reading a story about me. It made me realise that there were other people out there suffering each month and that I wasn’t totally on my own suffering.

I decided that I needed some professional help with this rather than trying to tackle it by myself so I phoned the Clinic. I spoke to a receptionist at the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic who talked me through the consultation process. She explained that my first appointment would be one hour and this would give me the opportunity to discuss my health issues with the nutritionist who would then put together a programme for me incorporating diet, vitamins and minerals and herbs where appropriate.

The next day I received a Nutrition Questionnaire which I had to complete and send back prior to my first appointment. This was very in-depth and enabled me to write down everything that I thought would be useful. This felt like a first step in the right direction and it really motivated me ready for my first meeting with the nutritionist.

I visited the Tunbridge Wells clinic and saw a practitioner who actually made me feel like a human being and took my PMS seriously, rather than my experience of doctors who just wanted to give me the Pill or stick me on an anti-depressant when I actually wasn’t depressed 3 weeks out of the month!

We talked about my symptoms and how the PMS made me feel which in itself was very reassuring. The nutritionist recommended that I perform a test called a Female Hormone Profile, which would give me a lot more insight into the state of my hormones rather than using ‘guess work.’

The nutritionist made some changes to my diet, which was actually generally good but her main observation was I didn’t eat enough protein. I was recommended to eat more oily fish, eggs, pulses, nuts and seeds and tofu. At this stage she only recommended a very basic supplement programme which incorporated magnesium, the B vitamins and a good essential fatty acid. She didn’t recommend any herbs at this stage because she explained how this would then not give me a true picture of my hormone levels when doing the test.

A couple of days after my first appointment I received the ‘kit’ for performing the Female Hormone Profile. It was great because it was a saliva test which made a change from the numerous blood tests I had had over the years. This test involved collecting twelve saliva samples throughout one month. At the end of the month all samples were sent to the laboratory for analysis. The results were back in time for my follow up consultation. The practitioner explained how efficient saliva is in measuring hormones and gives a much broader picture rather than a blood test which is just one moment in time.

At my second appointment the practitioner explained my test results and it made so much sense as to why I had been suffering for so long. My hormones were in a complete mess with erratic oestrogen and progesterone levels before my period. Because I had performed this test, it enabled the nutritionist to tailor my supplement programme further by adding hormone balancing herbs. She modified my programme and asked to see me again in 8 weeks, giving me two menstrual cycles to assess how I was responding to the nutrition.

The nutritionist explained the relationship between my female hormones oestrogen and progesterone and my blood sugar levels. This was one area of my diet that certainly needed more attention. I was told that protein helps to regulate blood sugar and is especially important for boosting the brain chemical serotonin which can be low in women suffering with PMS. I was asked to keep a detailed food and symptom diary until my next appointment to keep me focused on ensuring I was eating protein with each meal and snack. This really helped to keep me on track.

The difference was quite amazing even within the first 4 weeks of taking the herbs. My mood was more stable and my days of suffering had reduced from 6 to just half a day before my period. I felt like a human being again and could actually get on with my life rather than having to plan everything around my period. The most striking change for me was not feeling suicidal. My husband was so amazed at how different I was and he no longer had to keep his distance from me the week before my period!

My periods have also improved and are now more manageable which is brilliant and I no longer get thrush. All I can say is how life changing this has been for me and I just wish I had found out about the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic sooner.

My Comments:

Jackie’s story shows just how debilitating PMS can be yet so many women still just continue suffering and feel that they are alone. It also shows how effective nutrition can be in balancing hormones and improving menstrual problems like PMS and painful/heavy periods. Many women just suppress their symptoms with drugs, but once they come off them, their symptoms return and are often even more severe.

This case study also shows how useful it can be to test before taking specific herbs because the advice can be more tailored rather than using a blanket approach. The Female Hormone Profile was good for Jackie because she could see exactly what was happening to her hormones throughout her menstrual cycle, rather than just being told she had an hormone imbalance without really seeing or understanding.

Jackie has her life and relationship back and continues to be symptom free.

If you are interested in doing The Female Hormone Profile, please click here.