Staying in tune with my body and how I’m feeling has been empowering.  I can now recognize the signs of needing down time or when my body is trying to fight something off.

I also learned more about the benefits of probiotics. I was probably a latecomer to the Kombucha trend.  Now, I always have them in my refrigerator.  Whenever I start to feel less than 100%, I drink half a bottle or a full one.  My body reacts well to them.  Live probiotics are immensely beneficial.  One of my doctors told me I should be drinking them regularly.

Probiotics in capsule form have been suggested to me in the past by doctors, when I had been under the weather or taking an antibiotic.  Two of my favorite Kombuchas are the organic Raw Gingerade and Trilogy flavors.  They feature over 1 billion probiotics per serving.

Once again, I’ve come to learn firsthand that consistency is key.  I have a long list of allergies and when I get a migraine, the nasal congestion that can accompany it makes me feel puny.  Using a daily nasal spray, focusing on breathing techniques learned / reintroduced in the mindfulness course to relax, and doing cold compresses on my face all help me.

Whether feeling perfectly well or under the weather, whenever possible I wrap up work and any other tasks that could lead to elevated stress well before dinnertime.  That allows me valuable time to wind down, let my mind rest, and not place a heavy toll on my body when I’m truly ready to fall asleep.

I’ve never been a huge TV watcher, so I find something soothing to do for an hour before bedtime – like read passages in a book, have mellow conversations, or take a warm, comforting bath.

My life is truly better after experiencing migraines.  That may sound like a weird thing to say.  I am a different, healthier, and a more mindful individual as a result of this journey.

I have learned to listen to my body, acknowledge, and implement changes that I can control to lead me to a healthier state.

What’s a migraine like for me now?  In all reality, it can be a complete surprise.  Though I can say with certainty that stress, a lack of sleep, and interrupted eating patterns have proven to me over and over they have negative impacts on my migraines.

On the rare occasions now when I’m affected with a migraine, I experience myriad symptoms: a dull pain behind one of my eyes, the feeling of significant fatigue, slight nausea, my eyes start drooping (the one with the pain nearly closing), and a small singular pain behind neck that trails upward near my ear.  Mood-wise I’m irritable, uncomfortable, lethargic, but hopeful.  I know I will beat it. I may need to go to bed for the night when it’s only 6:20 p.m.  I’ve learned that is just the reality of the situation.

I wake up the next day, initially feel okay, but within an hour or so, sometimes the symptoms begin to reappear.  I’m already zapped of energy. It’s like my body had to fully wake up to register the migraine’s presence.  I’ve got a dull, achy headache that spans across my forehead and my eye is bothering me again. My eyes always seem to take the brunt of it.  The migraine pain tends to target one of my eyes at a time.  I want to go back to bed again, yet I just had breakfast and started my day.

Coming next: Dr. Klimas says we are living in “a very toxic society”