Diane Ducarme is the Founder & CEO of Nectar Health, a company dedicated to adding years to the lives of those suffering from migraine disease. Diane's journey is as impressive as it is diverse. With an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master's in Science Engineering Technology, and Mathematics, and studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine in China, she brings a unique blend of expertise to the field of women's health. Diane's passion for making a difference and drive to understand the impact migraines have on individuals worldwide led her to found Nectar Health. In this episode, Diane and I talk about the complex nature of migraines, the strong correlation between migraines and menstruation, the connection between contraceptives and migraines, misconceptions around migraine treatment, Diane’s pioneering approach to migraine treatment and management, and so much more!
Gut-Brain
The gut and the brain talk to each other constantly through nerves, hormones and the immune system. For many people with migraine, nausea, bloating or a change in digestion is one of the first signs an attack is coming.
These episodes explain the gut-brain axis in plain language, from the microbiome to the vagus nerve, and how members use digestive clues to spot their patterns earlier.
Start here
Is nausea really just a migraine side effect? Discover how your gut and brain work together to trigger pain, inflammation, and discomfort.
Could your gut be predicting migraines? Discover how digestion, microbes, and inflammation shape pain—and how balance can prevent attacks.
When your gut heats up and your brain starts to ache, it’s not random — it’s a message. A flare-up in your gut can echo upward, shifting your brain chemistry, amplifying inflammation, and lowering your migraine threshold. In this episode of **Migraine Heroes Podcast**, host **Diane Ducarme** connects the dots between digestive distress and neurological pain, helping you understand why gut trouble so often becomes head trouble. You’ll discover: 🔥 **How gut inflammation changes the brain** — from neuroinflammation to altered neurotransmitters 🔥 **Why the stress–gut–brain loop keeps symptoms cycling** — and how permeability, cortisol, and inflammation feed each other 🔥 **How Eastern medicine explains a “hot” or “inflamed” gut** — and why cooling, calming, and restoring flow can quiet the mind 🔥 **Practical ways to soothe the gut so the brain can finally settle** — using food, routines, and simple nervous-system resets This episode blends neuroscience with holistic medicine to help you recognize when your gut is speaking — and how to respond before the pain reaches your brain. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on [migraineheroes.com](http://migraineheroes.com) **References:** - **Gut–Brain Axis & Neuroinflammation (The Journal of Headache and Pain, 2020):** This study by _Arzani et al., 2020_ shows how gut permeability and inflammation heighten neurological sensitivity and increase migraine risk. Read more[ here](https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-020-1078-9). - **Altered Gut Microbiota in Migraine (Xu et al., Nature Scientific Reports, 2023):** Xu and colleagues found that individuals with episodic and chronic migraine show distinct gut microbiota signatures, highlighting a gut–brain connection influencing inflammation, pain sensitivity, and migraine frequency. Read more[ here](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-27586-4) - **Unravelling the Gut–Brain Connection: A Systematic Review of Migraine and the Gut Microbiome (Kennedy et al., 2024):** Kennedy and colleagues reviewed current research showing that gut microbiome imbalances can influence inflammation, nervous system regulation, and migraine severity, reinforcing the gut–brain axis as a key factor in migraine. Read more[ here](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40399789/). - **Migraine and the Gut Microbiome: Insights from Mendelian Randomization (Zhang et al., Frontiers in Neurology, 2024):** Zhang and colleagues used Mendelian randomization to show genetic links between gut microbiome composition and migraine risk, suggesting that certain microbial patterns may play a causal role in migraine development. Read more[ here](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2024.1356974/full). **Disclaimer**: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for providing medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. For women, men, and children who suffer from migraine disease, Migraine Heroes is your go-to resource for understanding, managing, and overcoming migraine attacks. We cover all types of migraines and related headaches, including primary and secondary migraines, chronic migraines, and cluster migraines. We dive deep into the complexities of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, as well as rarer forms like hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, and acephalgic migraine (silent migraine). Our discussions also extend to cervicogenic headaches, ice pick headaches, and pressure headaches, which often mimic migraine or contribute to overall migraine burden.
All Gut-Brain episodes
Do you wake up nauseated before the migraine pain begins? Discover why nausea may be an early warning sign and what your morning pattern can reveal.
Explore why bloating can appear alongside migraine, and how digestion, nervous system changes, hormones, and treatments may shape the pattern.
Could healthy foods still trigger migraines? Discover 5 reasons histamine sensitivity overloads your system and how to reduce the burden.
Is it really what you eat… or _how your body feels when you eat it_ that shapes your migraines? In this episode of **Migraine Heroes Podcast**, host **Diane Ducarme** uncovers a hidden trigger many overlook: the state of your nervous system when you eat. Because when stress takes over, your body doesn’t just think differently, it digests, absorbs, and reacts differently too. You’ll discover: 💡 How stress can quietly shift your appetite, food choices, and lower your migraine threshold without you realizing it 💡 Why irregular or emotional eating creates internal chaos that your migraine brain struggles to tolerate 💡 A simple at-home practice to help your body move from tension to calm before a migraine fully builds This episode invites you to look beyond food itself and start listening to the state your body is in when you nourish it. Because sometimes, the trigger isn’t on your plate… it’s at your pace. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on [migraineheroes.com](http://migraineheroes.com) **References: ** - **Global Burden of Headache Disorders (Stovner et al., 2025):** This paper provides updated global estimates of headache disorders, highlighting their widespread impact on disability and public health worldwide._ Read more [here](https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(25)00421-5)_. - **Global Epidemiology of Migraine (Steiner et al., 2023):** This review explores the global prevalence of migraine and its implications for public health, emphasizing the need for improved recognition and policy response. _Read more [here](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-022-00763-1)._ - **Lifestyle Factors and Migraine (Seng, Martin & Houle, 2022):** This paper examines how lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, diet, and physical activity influence migraine occurrence and severity. _Read more [here](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(22)00211-3/abstract)._ - **Stress and Migraine (Buse et al., 2022):** This review evaluates the relationship between stress and migraine, discussing how stress can both trigger and result from migraine attacks. _Read more [here](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s10194-021-01369-6)_. - **Nighttime Snacking, Stress, and Migraine Activity (Martin et al., 2014):** This study investigates how eating patterns and stress interact to influence migraine activity, highlighting the role of behavioral triggers. _Read more [here](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967586813005365)_. - **Migraine and Brain Glucose Metabolism (Gross et al., 2019):** This paper explores the “neuroenergetic” hypothesis of migraine, suggesting that altered brain energy metabolism may contribute to migraine susceptibility. _Read more [here](https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(22)00039-6/fulltext)_. - **The Metabolic Face of Migraine (van den Maagdenberg et al., 2019):** This review discusses metabolic mechanisms underlying migraine and how they may inform new treatment approaches. _Read more [here](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-019-0255-4)_. - **Irregular Meals and Migraine (Topal et al., 2025):** This scoping review examines how irregular eating patterns, including skipped meals and fasting, are associated with migraine risk and frequency. _Read more [here](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40795-025-01048-8)._ **Disclaimer**: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for providing medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. For women, men, and children who suffer from migraine disease, Migraine Heroes is your go-to resource for understanding, managing, and overcoming migraine attacks. We cover all types of migraines and related headaches, including primary and secondary migraines, chronic migraines, and cluster migraines. We dive deep into the complexities of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, as well as rarer forms like hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, and acephalgic migraine (silent migraine). Our discussions also extend to cervicogenic headaches, ice pick headaches, and pressure headaches, which often mimic migraine or contribute to overall migraine burden.
What if your migraine isn’t just about what you eat but about when your energy crashes? In this episode of **Migraine Heroes Podcast**, **Diane Ducarme** uncovers the powerful link between blood sugar and migraines—and why even “normal” labs can miss what your brain is truly experiencing. Your brain is one of the most energy-demanding organs in your body. When blood sugar drops, it can trigger a silent alarm that destabilizes your nervous system and opens the door to pain. You’ll discover: 💡 Why sudden blood sugar dips can trigger migraines even when everything looks fine on paper 💡 How your brain’s high energy demands make it especially sensitive to glucose fluctuations 💡 A simple, practical way to stabilize your blood sugar and create a safer, steadier environment for your brain This episode helps you move beyond surface-level advice and understand the deeper energy dynamics behind your migraines so you can support your brain with consistency, not guesswork. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on [migraineheroes.com](http://migraineheroes.com) **References: ** - **Pathophysiology of Migraine (Goadsby et al., 2017):** This major review explains migraine as a disorder of sensory processing, covering trigeminovascular mechanisms, aura, genetics, and brain network dysfunction._Read more [here.](https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00034.2015)_ - **Diet and Headache: Part 1 (Martin & Vij, 2016):** This review examines how foods, food components, and elimination diets may influence headache and migraine, including evidence around caffeine, MSG, alcohol, and other dietary triggers. _Read more [here](https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.12953)._ - **Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Studies in Migraine (Montagna, Cortelli & Barbiroli, 1994):** This review looks at magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings in migraine and discusses abnormal brain and muscle energy metabolism as a possible part of migraine biology. _Read more [here](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1994.014003184.x)._ - **Migraine Triggers: Practice and Theory (Blau, 1992):** This paper questions simplistic ideas about migraine triggers and argues for a more careful interpretation of how triggers may lower the threshold for an attack rather than directly cause one. _Read more [here](https://europepmc.org/article/MED/1495822)_. **Disclaimer**: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for providing medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. For women, men, and children who suffer from migraine disease, Migraine Heroes is your go-to resource for understanding, managing, and overcoming migraine attacks. We cover all types of migraines and related headaches, including primary and secondary migraines, chronic migraines, and cluster migraines. We dive deep into the complexities of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, as well as rarer forms like hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, and acephalgic migraine (silent migraine). Our discussions also extend to cervicogenic headaches, ice pick headaches, and pressure headaches, which often mimic migraine or contribute to overall migraine burden.
A popular powdered drink praised for “calm energy” and mental focus is everywhere right now. But for people with migraine-prone brains, the question isn’t just whether it’s healthy — it’s whether it’s stabilizing your nervous system… or quietly pushing it toward a migraine threshold. In this episode of **Migraine Heroes Podcast**, host **Diane Ducarme** explores the surprising relationship between this trendy drink and migraine biology. While some people feel calmer and more focused after drinking it, others experience headaches, overstimulation, or delayed migraine attacks. By combining modern neuroscience with holistic perspectives, this episode helps you understand why the exact same drink can act as support for one brain and a trigger for another. You’ll discover: 💡 Why a famous powdered drink praised for “calm energy” may either stabilize or overstimulate a migraine brain 💡 How certain compounds inside it influence brain excitability, blood vessels, and inflammation linked to migraines 💡 How to recognize whether your body experiences it as support… or as a pernicious trigger If you’ve ever wondered whether a trendy wellness drink might be helping your migraines or quietly making them worse, this episode will help you listen more closely to your body’s signals. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on [migraineheroes.com](http://migraineheroes.com) **References: ** - **L-Theanine Reduces Psychological and Physiological Stress Responses (Kimura et al., 2007): **This placebo-controlled study found that L-theanine, a compound in green tea, reduced both subjective stress and physiological stress responses during a mental stress task, supporting its calming effect on the nervous system. _Read more[ here](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301051106001451)._ - **Green Tea Effects on Cognition, Mood and Human Brain Function (Mancini et al., 2017):** This systematic review found that green tea and its components may support attention, working memory, mood, and stress regulation, suggesting benefits that go beyond simple caffeine stimulation. _Read more [here.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711317300867)_ - **Caffeine in the Management of Patients with Headache (Lipton et al., 2017): **This clinical review explains that caffeine can help some people by enhancing acute headache treatment, but can also worsen headache patterns through withdrawal, overuse, or inconsistent intake. _Read more [here](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s10194-017-0806-2)._ - **Caffeinated Beverage Intake as a Potential Trigger of Migraine (Mostofsky et al., 2019): **This prospective diary-based study found that higher-than-usual caffeine intake, especially three or more servings in a day, may increase short-term migraine risk in some people with episodic migraine. _Read more [here](https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(19)30210-4/abstract)._ **Disclaimer**: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for providing medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. For women, men, and children who suffer from migraine disease, Migraine Heroes is your go-to resource for understanding, managing, and overcoming migraine attacks. We cover all types of migraines and related headaches, including primary and secondary migraines, chronic migraines, and cluster migraines. We dive deep into the complexities of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, as well as rarer forms like hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, and acephalgic migraine (silent migraine). Our discussions also extend to cervicogenic headaches, ice pick headaches, and pressure headaches, which often mimic migraine or contribute to overall migraine burden.
That “healthy” fermented drink everyone is talking about… could it quietly be triggering your migraines? In this episode of **Migraine Heroes Podcast**, host **Diane Ducarme** explores why a popular fermented drink often praised for gut health may actually overstimulate sensitive migraine brains. Blending insights from modern neurology and Traditional Chinese Medicine, you’ll learn how something considered healthy can still create imbalance, especially if your nervous system is already vulnerable. **What you’ll learn:** 💡 How a trendy fermented drink can activate migraine pathways recognized by modern neurology 💡 The five biological and energetic reasons from Western science and Traditional Chinese Medicine that explain why it may overstimulate migraine-prone brains 💡 How to recognize whether this hidden trigger may already be affecting you and gentler alternatives for supporting gut health This episode is about **curiosity, not restriction**. Sometimes the most surprising migraine triggers are hiding inside the foods we believe are helping us. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on [migraineheroes.com](http://migraineheroes.com) **References: ** - **Histamine and Histamine Intolerance (Maintz & Novak, 2007): **This review explains how impaired histamine breakdown—often due to reduced diamine oxidase activity—can trigger symptoms such as headache, flushing, and digestive issues, offering a potential mechanism for histamine-related migraine triggers. _Read more [here](https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)28053-3/fulltext)._ - **The Diet Factor in Pediatric and Adolescent Migraine (Millichap & Yee, 2003): T**his review highlights how certain foods and additives may trigger migraine in children and adolescents and discusses the potential role of elimination diets in identifying individual dietary sensitivities. _Read more [here](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887899402004666)._ - **Migraine and Diet (Gazerani, 2020): **This review summarizes evidence linking dietary patterns and nutritional factors with migraine, highlighting how individual food triggers and metabolic responses may influence attack frequency and severity. _Read more [here](https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1658)._ **Disclaimer**: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for providing medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. For women, men, and children who suffer from migraine disease, Migraine Heroes is your go-to resource for understanding, managing, and overcoming migraine attacks. We cover all types of migraines and related headaches, including primary and secondary migraines, chronic migraines, and cluster migraines. We dive deep into the complexities of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, as well as rarer forms like hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, and acephalgic migraine (silent migraine). Our discussions also extend to cervicogenic headaches, ice pick headaches, and pressure headaches, which often mimic migraine or contribute to overall migraine burden.
Are hidden food compounds triggering your migraines? Learn the top 5 to watch for and how to spot them on labels with confidence.
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