Managing Migraines Naturally: A Holistic and Herbal Approach

Migraines are no joke–I know, I’ve had a few. But if you have chronic migraines, there’s something deeper at play inside your body. In the world of naturopathic medicine, we view a migraine not as a standalone disease, but as a “check engine light” for the body. It’s like your headache is screaming at you to figure out what is wrong, but you’re in too much pain to figure out how.

And if you’re tired of dealing with the quick fixes, having your stomach hurt from downing ibuprofen like candy, or crying because it hurts too much to even take care of your own basic needs, something in this article may help.

There ARE holistic ways (and herbs) that can help manage the pain and discover the root cause of your problem.

Discover what causes YOUR migraines

The first step in naturopathic management is identifying your unique triggers. Unlike standard headaches, migraines are often a result of a “full bucket.” Stress, poor sleep, and a glass of wine might be fine individually, but together, they tip the bucket over.

• Hormonal Harmony: For many women, migraines track perfectly with their menstrual cycle. Fluctuations in estrogen can trigger vascular changes in the brain.
• The Gut-Brain Axis: Hidden food sensitivities—like reactions to aged cheeses (tyramine), preservatives (nitrates), or even gluten—can cause systemic inflammation that manifests as head pain.
• Metabolic Stability: Your brain is an energy hog. If your blood sugar drops too low or spikes too high, it can trigger a neurological “glitch” that starts a migraine cascade.

Even dehydration can cause a migraine flareup. Yes, something as simple as being dehydrated trigger a migraine. When you’re dehydrated for too long, your brain literally shrinks—tugging on the sensitive membranes inside your skull. And it’s surprisingly easy to get dehydrated, especially in the winter when water is the last thing on your mind. As soon as you start feeling thirsty you may already be up to 10% dehydrated!

Coconut water is an excellent choice to help you rehydrate your body if you can’t stand just drinking plain water, or you can add a heavy pinch of sea salt to water to help you rehydrate your tissues.

The Foundations: Magnesium and B2

Up to 60% of the population in the United States is deficient in magnesium, mainly due to the farming practices that have been used for the past 100 years or so depleting this precious mineral from our soils [Source.] There are supplements you can take daily (I prefer Magnesium bisglycinate) but because your body can only absorb so much magnesium at once from a supplement, many people get faster results from a topical spray or cream.

B2 is easily found in meat (especially organ meats), fish, or dairy products. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan you are literally starving your brain (and your hormones) of the minerals it requires to function properly, opening yourself up to deficiencies that can cause larger issues—like migraines. Adding these foods to your diet again can resolve more than just your headaches.

For many women in perimenopause, migraines aren’t a head problem—they’re a hormone and gut problem.

Other factors to consider are blood sugar and gut health. Maintaining good Gut Health is one of the keys to supporting your body’s ability to assimilate the minerals it needs to function, balancing blood sugar, and promoting liver clearance.

A Hormonal Connection to Migraines

For many women in perimenopause, migraines aren’t a head problem—they’re a hormone and gut problem.

Estrogen levels are all over the place during perimenopause, and since estrogen imbalance can be a trigger for headaches and migraines, it’s an important factor to consider when trying to figure out why migraines keep happening. Excess estrogen is cleared through the liver’s natural detoxification process, so supporting your liver is a key component to preventing the pain.

Nature’s Pharmacy: Herbs for Prevention and Relief

• Feverfew (The Preventer): This herb has been taken daily for centuries to inhibit the release of serotonin and prostaglandins, which contribute to inflammation. It needs to be taken daily in tea or tincture form to build up the preventive effects however.
• Birch or Willow: The bark from both these trees contain salicin, the precursor to salicylic acid. It’s a strong pain reliever that will work synergistically with your body to give you pain relief that can last up to six hours.
• Ginger: When an attack starts, ginger is a powerhouse. Research suggests it can be as effective as some prescription medications at reducing pain and is unrivaled at settling the “migraine stomach” and nausea.

Migraine Mitigation Toolkit

Sometimes, the best medicine isn’t a pill, but a practice.

• The Contrast Foot Bath: If you feel a migraine coming on, try placing your feet in hot water while putting a cold compress on the back of your neck. This “shunts” blood flow away from the head and toward the extremities, potentially dulling the intensity of the throbbing.
• Vagus Nerve Support: Since migraines are a nervous system event, calming the vagus nerve is an excellent way to start getting relief. Try pulling gently on your earlobes a few times while humming, listening to a sound bath audio, or having a partner stroke your hair and back for a few minutes.
• Acupressure Point Therapy: There are certain points on your body you can press with your finger which will relieve the nerve pain shooting through your head. This article has some great pictographs that can show you where to press.

A Note on Patience

The naturopathic approach is a marathon, not a sprint. While ginger may help today, herbs like feverfew can take 8 to 12 weeks to fully alter the body’s inflammatory response. Eating beef liver can take weeks to improve your hormone levels, even if you eat it almost every day for a while. The goal isn’t just to survive the next migraine—it’s to build a body that is no longer prone to having them.

You can learn more about how your body works, what it needs, where to find ethical meats that don’t come from factory farms, and a litany of herbal support methods for your body inside my book, Think Like an Herbalist.

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Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting new supplements, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription medications. There may be an affiliate link or two in this post which takes you to a product that I recommend. I make a few cents at no extra cost to you when you buy it through my link.