Summer should be a time for fun, vacations, back yard activities, enjoying theme parks, and even working outside. If you suffer from migraines, it can also be a time when the sun and heat make your head hurt while you experience an increase in migraines.
In this article, I want to share information that can help to keep your migraines under control during these summer months. Unfortunately many summer activities such as time in the sun, tanning, and heat will cause an increase in one or both of the two natural elements (nitric oxide and tyramine) involved in the formation of a migraine headache.
Tanning
Many people still want to have a nice tan in the summer. For those who don't have the time to spend in the sun, sunless self-tanning products in the form of lotions, sprays, gels, and pills are often used. Some of these products can cause extreme headaches for a migraineur because they contain the amino acid L-tyrosine to accelerate the tanning process. Be sure to read the label and not use any product that contains L-tyrosine or indicates that the product can increase tyramine in the body.
Depending on the amount applied and the body's reaction, a headache can occur within hours or days of the application. When there is a delayed reaction, a product may be overlooked as the problem. Since it may be difficult to determine the cause of your headache or to know if a product is involved, please feel free to contact us (see email address and phone number below) to get our help. Also if you have experienced a headache after using any product, supplement, or drink, please let us know about it so that we can share it on our trigger list.
Heat and Sun.
Many migraineurs are affected by heat especially after being outside on sunny days. When we investigated what happens when the body's heat increases, especially in the head, we found that the body produces nitric oxide to expand blood vessels to increase the blood flow in an attempt to cool the body.
For a migraineur the expanding blood vessels in the head and an increased level of nitric oxide in the body may be the trigger that results in a migraine headache.
On hot sunny days, a hat with a brim can be very helpful. Hats are in fashion today, so don't worry if you are the only one wearing one. Staying out of the sun completely may be the best solution.
Summer Fun.
Whether you are enjoying activities on vacation or working hard in the yard, strenuous activities can result in a headache. The harder the body works the more blood it needs to keep the muscles working without fatigue. Again, the way it increases blood flow is by producing nitric oxide. As we mentioned above, the increase in nitric oxide levels can result in a migraine headache.
Enjoy the summer by trying to stay cool and watch out for products and drinks that contain the amino acid L-tyrosine.
Migraine Defense is designed to work by building a defense against internal migraine conditions and some of the external triggers. A migraine-free summer is still within your reach and right now is the best time to order Migraine Defense.