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If you've ever wondered whether stress is truly causing your migraine attacks, stay tuned.
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This episode has the answer.
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Migraine Heroes is a podcast for chronic migraine sufferers
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who've seen countless doctors with no results.
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Learn how to reduce your migraine attacks without endless medications or constant sacrifices.
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Hello, I'm Diane Ducarme.
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I've helped over 500 people break free from migraine.
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Even after suffering for up to 60 years.
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My mission in life?
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To bring this relief to a million people
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using a unique blend of Eastern medicine and Western science.
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By the end of this episode, you're going to know
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how stress plays a direct role in triggering migraine attacks.
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Not just emotionally, but physically.
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Why stress relief alone isn't always enough to prevent migraine attacks
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and what you need to do instead.
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Practical strategies to reduce the impact of stress on your migraine
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even if you can't eliminate the source of stress entirely.
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Stress is often dismissed as a secondary migraine trigger,
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but research shows it plays a much more direct role than many people realize.
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It's not just about feeling overwhelmed.
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Stress affects brain chemistry, inflammation levels, and even hormone balance,
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all of which contribute to migraine attacks.
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One of the biggest issues with stress
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is that it doesn't always just trigger migraine in the moment.
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It sets off a chain reaction in the body.
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Many people experience let-down migraines,
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where an attack happens after a period of stress rather than during it.
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I remember Alicia, who would bravely power through her week
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to find herself with a migraine on Friday night or Saturday morning
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systematically when the stress of her week was over,
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topped up with systematic migraines on her holidays.
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We're going to talk about that.
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Another key factor is how stress impacts pain sensitivity.
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Chronic stress increases the level of inflammatory chemicals
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directly involved in migraine attacks.
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This means that even if stress isn't the initial trigger,
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it makes your brain more sensitive to other triggers.
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One of the most frustrating things about stress-induced migraine
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is that it often creates a vicious circle.
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Stress triggers a migraine.
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The migraine itself causes more stress due to missed work,
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disrupted plans, or anxiety about future attacks.
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And then the increased stress leads to another migraine attack.
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This cycle can feel impossible to break,
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especially when everyday life is full of unavoidable stressors
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like responsibilities with the children,
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financial pressures, and work deadlines.
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The key to managing stress-related migraine
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isn't just about relaxation technique.
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It's about breaking the cycle at its root.
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Let's look at things from a Western and an Eastern perspective.
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From a Western perspective, stress doesn't just impact emotions.
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It changes how your nervous system functions.
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Many migraine sufferers have an overreactive sympathetic nervous system,
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the fright, flight, or fight system,
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which makes them more reactive to stress, bright lights,
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loud noises, or even minor changes in routine.
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Note that if you've gone through trauma in your childhood,
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this phenomenon will be acute and more systematic with body circuit memory.
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Breaking that cycle is really important.
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That will make the object of a podcast of its own.
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And this is something that in the Migraine Heroes app we tackle very explicitly.
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One way to contract this is by acting on the parasympathetic nervous system,
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the rest or digest system, through deep breathing, meditation,
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or even certain types of exercises like yoga.
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These activities help shift the brain out of a stress response state,
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reducing overall migraine risk.
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If you've been told to just relax to avoid a migraine,
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you know how frustrating that advice can be.
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While relaxation techniques can be helpful,
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they're not a cure-all because migraine isn't just about stress.
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It's about how your body responds to stress.
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For example, sudden relaxation after prolonged stress,
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like finally taking a vacation after weeks of work,
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can actually trigger an attack, just like in the story of Alicia.
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This happens because the body adapts to high cortisol levels during stress.
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And when those levels suddenly drop,
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it can lead to a physiological imbalance that sparks a migraine.
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A better approach is to manage stress proactively rather than reactively.
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This means incorporating small daily stress reduction habits
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instead of relying on occasional relaxation during extreme levels of stress.
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Things like taking short breaks throughout the day
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instead of pushing through exhaustion,
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practicing diaphragmatic breathing for five minutes in the morning,
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using progressive muscle relaxation before bed
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to prevent overnight tension buildup.
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Let's look at it from an Eastern perspective.
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Eastern practices emphasize the deep connection between the mind and the body.
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Stress isn't just a mental issue.
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It can manifest physically, and this concept is central in Ayurveda as well.
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Ayurveda views migraine attacks as a result of excess pitta,
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the fiery, intense energy of the body,
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which can be aggravated by stress, anxiety, and emotional disturbance.
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When pitta is aggravated,
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it can create heat and tension in the head, triggering a migraine.
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Therefore, balancing pitta with calming activities,
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cooling foods, and mindfulness practices
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is key to preventing migraines in the system.
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Eastern philosophies also emphasize the importance of emotional balance
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and maintaining overall health.
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Stress is often viewed as an emotional, energetic disturbance
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that affects both the mind and the physical body.
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Practices like meditation, yoga, and mindfulness
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are often recommended to help people with migraines
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because they allow individuals to reconnect with their inner peace,
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reduce stress, and restore balance to the body's energy system.
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So how to integrate Eastern practices in stress management?
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Practices like yoga nidra, yogic sleep, or qigong,
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a meditative movement practice in China,
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are particularly beneficial for calming the nervous system.
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Cooling foods like cucumber, coconut, and dairy help soothe pitta energy,
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while spicy foods aggravate it.
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Incorporating calming herbs such as chamomile
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can help reduce inflammation and stress.
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Since stress is a major trigger,
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managing it requires a whole-body approach.
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Three of the most effective ways to build stress resilience are number one,
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Lack of sleep increases cortisol level and lowers pain tolerance,
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making migraines more likely.
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Aim for seven to nine hours of consistent sleep
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by setting a bedtime routine and limiting screen before bed. Now,
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all of that might be really true in practice.
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Attaining sleep if you have a lot of migraine attacks,
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especially during your sleep, is really hard
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and will make the object of another podcast. Number two,
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Blood sugar fluctuations can make stress worse,
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leading to more frequent attacks.
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Eating balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and fiber
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helps stabilize energy level and reduces stress-related migraines.
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That being said again,
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sometimes imbalances will make you binge certain foods,
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and sometimes these certain foods can also help momentarily with your migraine attacks,
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something that we'll deep dive into in more detail. Number three,
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Gentle exercise like yoga, walking, stretching, swimming
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help regulate the nervous system and lower stress hormones.
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However, high-intensity exercise can sometimes act as a trigger,
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so it's important to find your right balance.
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Since everyone's migraine triggers are different,
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finding a stress reduction strategy that works for you is key.
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Here's how to start. Number one,
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track your triggers.
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Keep a migraine diary
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to identify if stress is a major factor in your attacks.
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Look for patterns.
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Do your migraines happen after stressful events or during high-pressure times?
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That's going to make a huge difference.
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The Migraine Heroes app offers you a free tracker with free migraine reports. Number two,
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identify your biggest stressors.
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Pinpoint the top two to three sources of stress in your life
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and brainstorm ways to reduce and manage them. Number three,
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practice consistency.
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Stress management isn't about occasional self-care.
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It's about daily habits that keep your nervous system balanced.
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Set small, achievable goals,
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like doing a five-minute walking breathing exercise daily
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or taking short movement breaks during work. Number four,
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prioritize recovery.
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If you're in a high-stress state for a long time,
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your body might need more time to adjust.
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Incorporating restorative practices like acupuncture, massage,
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spending time in nature can help regulate your stress response over time.
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If you want to learn more about how to rest and relieve your stress
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and stress-related migraines,
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you can download my free guide to go deeper on this topic at
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MigraineHeroes.com slash stress.
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while stress might be a significant trigger for your migraines,
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it doesn't mean that you're powerless against it.
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By understanding how stress impacts your body
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and implementing small, sustainable changes,
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you can reduce your migraine frequency and intensity
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without completely eliminating stress from your life.
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The key to managing stress-related migraine
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isn't just about avoiding stress,
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it's about changing how your body responds to it.
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By tracking your patterns,
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building daily stress management habits,
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and prioritizing recovery,
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you can reduce your migraine frequency and intensity over time.
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Found this episode helpful? Hit
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subscribe so you never miss an episode
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with the powerful insights and practical tips
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for real migraine relief.
