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Think less salt means fewer migraines?
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Today, we uncover why low sodium might be triggering your attacks and what your body
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really needs to lower its migraine frequency and intensity.
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Migraine Heroes is a podcast for chronic migraine sufferers who've seen countless doctors with
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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, 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 using a unique blend of Eastern medicine and Western science.
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In this episode, you will learn how too much or too little salt can trigger migraines,
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the role of sodium in blood pressure, dehydration, and brain function, and an Eastern approach
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to balancing salt intake for migraine prevention.
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Salt or sodium chloride plays a huge role in regulating blood pressure, nerve function,
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and hydration levels, all factors that can influence migraine occurrence.
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But does it help or hurt migraine sufferers?
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Research has provided mixed answers, and it often depends on the individual.
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So there are three things that we want to cover from a Western science perspective.
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First, we want to talk about salt and blood pressure.
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Studies published in the American Journal of Hypertension suggest that high sodium intake
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can contribute to high blood pressure, which has been linked to an increased risk of migraines.
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However, research also indicates that for some people, a low-sodium diet can also trigger
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migraines by causing blood pressure to drop too low.
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Number two is on salt and hydration.
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Electrolytes, including sodium, are essential for maintaining proper hydration levels.
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A study in the Journal of Headache and Pain found that dehydration is a major migraine
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trigger and an imbalance in sodium levels can either worsen or alleviate migraine symptoms.
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The third one is on the neurological effects of sodium.
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The brain relies on sodium for neurotransmission.
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A study in neurology found that sudden shifts in sodium levels, either too much or too little,
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can lead to neurological disturbances, including headaches and migraines.
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Now let's look at things from an Eastern perspective.
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In traditional Chinese medicine, salt is seen as more than just a mineral.
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It's an essential component of the body's energy balance.
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Salt plays a big role in the kidney system.
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In traditional Chinese medicine, salt is linked to the kidney system, which governs water
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metabolism and brain health.
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And so excessive salt intake can lead to kidney yang excess, resulting in symptoms such as
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high blood pressure, tension headaches, and inflammation, deficiency and weak qi.
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Too little salt can also weaken the body's qi, leading to dizziness, fatigue, and migraines.
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Proper salt intake is necessary to support blood circulation and maintain a steady flow
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of qi into the brain.
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Number three, balancing salt intake naturally.
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Traditional Chinese medicine recommends using natural sea salts or mineral-rich salt rather
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than processed table salt.
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This is a really important nuance because processed table salt is going to lack the
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essential trace of minerals.
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Foods that support healthy sodium balance can include, for example, seaweed, miso, and
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lightly salted bone broth.
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Now how did I learn any of that?
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The other day I was in the Migraine Heroes app.
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In that app, there's a human chat 24-7 for people who are on a premium plan.
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But because we seek to help as many people as fast as possible, there's also an AI chat
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that is trained to help free of charge people who suffer from migraine disease and provides
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them with advice, help, support.
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And I was making some adjustments to it when I saw one of our active customers, a premium
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customer, ask a question on salt and migraines and the AI answer with some of the above.
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They were both teaching me something new I didn't know.
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Now in my work, I do leverage seaweed and a lot of other foods that are rich in salt
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and rich in salt and minerals at the same time.
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And I was after those foods for very specific benefits that surpass salt, but without being
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fully conscious that the salt was namely what I was after and what was helping.
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And so that's how simply I found out and how the idea of this podcast came along.
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Now a few guiding principles for using salt effectively to prevent migraines.
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And those will rely on your common sense.
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You will see in all of my podcasts, I'm going to call to your common sense, call you away
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from indoctrination around science and into your body, force you inside of your body.
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Here are some guiding principles for using salt effectively to prevent migraines.
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Number one, listen to your body.
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If you experience migraines triggered by dehydration, increasing natural salt intake may help.
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If you have high blood pressure and that's a concern for you, moderate your intake.
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Number two, use a high quality salt, opt for mineral rich salts like Himalayan pink salt
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or Celtic sea salt instead of high processed table salt.
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Balance with hydration.
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Number three, sodium and water work together.
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Make sure to drink enough water, especially if you increase salt intake.
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Number four, avoid processed foods.
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Most excess sodium comes from processed and packaged foods.
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Focus on whole nutrient dense foods.
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And last but not least, monetary symptoms.
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Track your salt intake and migraine patterns to determine whether salt is a trigger or
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is a helpful factor for you.
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Want to learn more how to make a natural electrolyte drink to support hydration and prevent migraines
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alongside learning about some of the foods that can have salted minerals? Download
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my free guide on easy drink that supports electrolytes, balance, and foods that support
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salt intake at MigraineHeroes.com slash salt.
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Some of the key takeaways for today.
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Salt plays a vital role in blood pressure, hydration, and nerve function, all of which
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can impact your migraines.
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Too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure and inflammation, while too little
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can lead to dehydration and low energy.
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From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, balancing your salt intake is key to maintaining
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qi flow, kidney health, and helping prevent migraines naturally.
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Simple dietary adjustments, including high quality salt choices and proper hydration
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can optimize salt's role in your migraine prevention.
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Found this episode helpful?
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Hit subscribe so you never miss an episode with the powerful insights and practical tips
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for real migraine relief.
