Natural Headache Remedies

Headaches are not only painful, but annoying as well. Mandy shares some natural remedies that not only get rid of them, but also help prevent them from occurring in the first place.

At their worst, headaches can be debilitating, and as accessible and convenient as over-the-counter pain medication may be, relying too heavily on pills can have detrimental effects on your liver. Luckily, there are ways to treat your headaches naturally.

Peppermint Leaves

In addition to being an au naturel breath freshener, peppermint helps to boost your circulation, calm down inflammation, sooth muscle and joint pain, and has a positive effect on your digestive processes.

Spearmint Essential Oil

Spearmint and peppermint are very closely related, except spearmint is the sweeter of the two. If you can’t get your hands on fresh peppermint leaves, spearmint essential oil will do the trick as well. Simply dab it on the temples.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne is often used as a way to treat and decrease inflammation, and it can also be a valuable tool in fighting those stubborn headaches. Start with half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and dilute it with four ounces of water, then gently dab the solution onto the inside of each nostril, using a cotton swab.

Ginger Tea

All you need to do is grate or slice up some fresh ginger and steep it in hot water for this next natural headache remedy. As an added perk, ginger is also good for remedying nausea. If you don’t love the way plain ginger and water tastes, sweeten it with a bit of honey.

Almonds 

In addition to being a tasty and nutritious snack, eating almonds, which are protein-rich, can also ease a headache; (especially if your headache is caused by hunger, aka a common side effect of being “hangry”). Almonds contain something called salicin, an ingredient that can actually be found in over-the-counter pain medications.