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Sometimes, what hurts the most isn't the migraine itself, it's living in a world
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that does not get it and is designed against it.
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Migraine Heroes is a podcast for chronic migraine sufferers who've seen countless
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doctors with no results. Learn how to reduce your migraine attacks without endless medications
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or constant sacrifices. Hello, I'm Diane Ducarme. I've helped over 500 people break free from
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migraine, even after suffering for up to 60 years. My mission in life? To bring this relief
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to a million people using a unique blend of Eastern medicine and Western science.
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In this episode, you will learn why the modern world is increasingly hostile to people with
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the invisible disability that is migraines, how one personal story of resilience, my cousin
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Sébastien, reshaped my view of advocacy and healing, and what it means to stand together
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and create more accommodating spaces for each other. The idea for this episode came from a book
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that's been sitting on my nightstand. I devoured the first half and then slowed down, savoring
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every word of the second. It tells the story of my cousin's accident, Sébastien Ducarme. He was just
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18 when he dove in the sea in Portugal and, in an instance, became paralyzed from an incomplete
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spinal cord injury. It's a moving story. At that age, Sébastien was strikingly handsome, brilliant,
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already someone quite wise and thoughtful. And the story is about his journey after the accident,
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how he had to build resilience, face adversity, create new friendships, have a new identity,
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see a lot of doctors, have hope and sometimes be happy, and most of the time face setbacks,
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learning to walk again and learning especially to fall, hurting himself at a minimum. And after
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nearly a year unable to move, he learned to somewhat walk again. He got married, had three
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children and built a career. Nothing short of an ever battle for miracle. And I have to put the
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miracle with the ever battle, like it's never over and it's incredibly difficult. The struggle in his
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book is intense, physical and emotional. And what touched me most was how often he spoke about his
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mother and the role of his mom in his recovery. And as a mother myself, that resonated deeply.
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And you might be wondering, what does this have to do with migraines? But there's something else
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that stayed with me in the book. His purpose, because the title of the book is Breaking
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Through from Paralysis to Purpose, and so his purpose now for a couple of years is advocacy
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for the disabled. He says in his book, I woke up in a body that was no longer able and suddenly I
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realized that the world around me was not designed for me at all. Everything was becoming a struggle.
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And that struck me because I couldn't help but ask, is the world designed for people who live
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with migraine disease? Migraine disease is also a disability, but a different one. It's an invisible
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one. So how does that fit in the picture? And the answer, painfully, is nothing is designed for
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people who suffer from migraines. In fact, it's getting worse. Really, I mean it. So the world has
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become a minefield of triggers. Screens are now omnipresent in work and in pleasure. They hijack
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the nervous system. We go from back-to-back Zoom calls, leaving us quite drained. A constant stream
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of fear-driven news steals our peace and seems to steal the peace of the world. Advertising,
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whispers were broken and we're lacking what we need to be fixed. Social media is full of cooking
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trends that are completely off gut-wise. And then there's the lightning, bright artificial
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punishing in offices and supermarkets. Chemical scents pumped into stores. Processed foods that
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are quicker to grab but so hard to digest. And social and networking events of all kinds.
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Even climate change, like more extreme temperatures, more thunderstorms, more floods
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leading to chronic dampness in homes, even climate is getting harsher on people suffering
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from migraine disease. One layer on top of another. Trigger upon trigger. And the message is clear,
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the world is not built with migraine in mind. The truth is, our world has become faster,
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louder, less forgiving. For those of us with migraine disease, it's not just inconvenient,
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it's exclusionary. It feels like being left behind in a race we never signed up for,
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forced to follow rules that don't account for those bodies and brains. And I could shout it
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from the rooftops, we should be reversing so many of these modern trends, because for people with
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migraine disease, they make everything worse. But that would never work. When someone lives
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with a visible disability, society responds. We create accessible parking spaces, we install
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lifts and ramps, we add railings, wider doors, audio signals at crosswalks. These changes don't
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fix everything, but they show recognition and understanding that the world needs adjusting.
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And that's what Sebastian does every single day. But with migraine disease, because it is invisible,
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almost nothing is designed with it in mind. The lights stay harsh, the schedules stay punishing,
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the noise, the chemicals, the overstimulation, it all stays the same. And the ball keeps on
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rolling forward. So here's the truth. Instead of petitioning against the world, hoping we'll
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be loud enough to force change, we can build something else. We can build a world around us,
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one that protects, soothes and supports. A world where migraines aren't dismissed but respected,
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where the atmosphere itself makes healing possible. So here's a couple of very pragmatic
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advice you can do today. Number one, dim the lights. Swap harsh overhead bulbs for softer
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warm tone lamps. Add dimmers if you can. Two, filter the screens. Use blue light filters or
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software like f-lux, night shift or tinted glasses. And give yourself screen sunsets, like sort of a
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cut off time at night. Number three, quiet the noise. Keep noise cancelling headphones nearby
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or even better, earplugs. Build small quiet corners in your home where your nervous system can retreat.
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Number four, purify the air. Scented candles, plug-ins or strong cleaning sprays can be
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triggers. Switch to fragrance-free products and keep fresh air circulating. Number five, limit the
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news and social media. Be intentional. Too much zoom scrolling floods the nervous system with fear and
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stress. Give yourself windows to unplug. Mornings and evenings are often best. Number six, wash your
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environment. Reduce toxins in your home. Choose natural cleaning products. Avoid mold and dampness
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and pay attention to how your space smells and feels. Number seven, be scent-savvy outside.
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Supermarket, clothing stores, even some gyms pump artificial scents into the air. If it's too strong,
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give yourself permission to walk away. Your health matters more than courtesy. Number eight, carry your
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comfort. Keep a small kit in your bag, your favorite calming teas, ginger chews or anything that helps
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soothe symptoms when you're out and about. Number nine, create your at-home comfort basket. Have a
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go-to spot with an eye mask, a warm compressed lavender oil or whatever brings ease. When big
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strikes, you don't want to be searching. And you know at Migrant Heroes, I see glimpses of that answer
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in my own team. One of our brilliant UI UX designers, who just got married last month,
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has been pouring her heart into making the next version of our app more inclusive.
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Her dedication and focus and reliability inspires me every day. In the new version of the app, you'll
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notice small miracles. It will follow you step by step. It will guide you when the weather changes.
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And bear in mind, this is upcoming, help you notice when you've eaten something triggering.
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Offer you a secret weapon in the moment when you need most. This has been my dream, not just
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track pain, but advocate for you, to stand beside you. The way Sebastian's story taught me, we all must.
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We can't advocate and change for the full society, but we will do it for you, to guide you. Meanwhile,
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you can listen again to the advice above and make those small changes that every day will make you
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feel slightly better. And remember, every small step you take moves you closer to freedom. You are
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powerful, you're resilient, and you are no longer alone. Keep rising, Migrant Hero.
