Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Tackle It Tuesday - Migraine Relief Kit


For this week's Tackle It Tuesday post, I wanted to share with you how I made my Migraine Relief Kit and what goes in it!  I have suffered from migraines since I was a teenager and I have learned a lot about what helps relieve them when I have them.  The trouble is, once I have a migraine, I can't think or function well enough to remember all my remedies!  So I was looking at a post about a first aid kit, and I thought, why not make a Migraine Relief Kit?  Something where I can have all my migraine relief remedies all in one place? Here's my kit;

What's in it?  Below are pictures and descriptions of everything in my box.
As you can see, I have a large bottle of electrolyte water.  Often times, migraines and headaches are a sign that you are dehydrated.  I have this in my kit just in case I am out of drinking water, and to serve as a reminder to drink plenty of water once my migraine begins!
This is my favorite lotion from Bath & Body Works.  Stress Relief Hand cream.  Aromatherapy can work wonders for migraines, and rubbing some of this on my hands, neck, and shoulders can really help.  Plus, it helps remind me that some simple self-massage and reflexology can help too.  There are pressure points on your hands, feet, and neck that can help with headaches and migraines.  If you suffer from headaches or migraines I strongly suggest you learn some of these reflexology pressure points.  And this lotion is wonderfully relaxing whether you have a headache or not!

I suffer from the migraines that not only make my eyes very sensitive to light, but there is usually pounding, excruciating pain behind one of or both of my eyes.  I went looking for a sleep mask, and I found this sleep mask at Walgreens.  It has removable gel inserts that you can put in the freezer and then back into the sleep mask.  Oh that nice cool feeling on top of my eyelids, while also shielding my eyes from any light in the room.... it's really a GREAT find for migraine and headache sufferers!  I can pop the inserts into the freezer for about 5 minutes and then be ready to go!

As I mentioned before, aromatherapy can really help.  I have this bottle of eucalyptus oil in my kit to remind me to use it in my oil warmer.  For headaches I would recommend either Eucalyptus or Lavender scented oils in a diffuser.  Experiment and see what works for you, but be careful because some scents can actually trigger migraines.  Also, make sure you use pure essential oil, not perfume oil.  The "perfume" oils contain chemicals that can make your migraines worse.


My heating pad.  I made this one myself, with a fuzzy sock!  I filled the sock with a mixture of dry uncooked white rice, some eucalyptus scented Epsom salts, and some dry crushed spearmint.  I sewed the end shut with needle and thread.  When I need it I heat it up in the microwave for about two minutes and then put it behind my neck.  The heat combines with the soothing scent is so relaxing!  Migraines and headaches often come with neck and shoulder tension, so this is a must-have for a migraine relief kit!


Of course, some obvious essentials... over the counter migraine relief medication!


I found this in a little shop of natural teas and remedies.  It's a loose tea blend of chamomile, white willow bark, and a couple other herbs that are known for pain relieving.  I haven't tried it out yet, but once I try it I will let you know how it works!


I also included a couple other tea bags of my favorite soothing teas.  I have a Stash Chai Green Tea, a Stash Chai White Tea, and Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra (with valerian).  A nice soothing cup of hot tea helps me relax and fall asleep.  Plus, I often get a sour stomach and nausea with my migraines, so hot tea helps with that symptom as well.


This is another aromatherapy remedy!  This is a "Bath Tea" of a blend of herbs and essential oils.  You put it in a bath tub full of hot water and it releases the scent into the bath water.  VERY relaxing and effective!


This is some allergy medicine.  Antihistamines can help relieve a migraine.  I put these in my kit because I know it works, but I almost always tend to forget about taking them once a migraine hits!

AND, last but not least, Emergency Chocolate!  Because sometimes a migraine or headache can be caused by, or aggravated by low blood sugar.  And besides that, chocolate just makes me feel better.  If you put some chocolate in your kit, make sure it is Milk Chocolate, NOT Dark Chocolate!  Dark Chocolate is a migraine trigger, and might actually make your headache worse!


If you suffer from migraines, educate yourself on as many remedies as you can, and try to figure out what your triggers are so you can avoid them.  Common triggers are stress, dehydration, hormones, perfumes, chemicals, and some foods.  The most common foods that can trigger a migraine are; Sharp Cheeses, Dark Chocolate, Citrus fruits, and Red Wine.  You may be triggered by one or more of these things, and there may be things that trigger your migraine that are not listed here.  The best defense is to prevent the migraine by avoiding your triggers, but they can't all be avoided all the time, so maybe you will want to put together your own Migraine or Headache Relief kit to have everything in one place when they do strike!


Sunday, March 17, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 
Join the Meme at Book Journey with me!  Come check out It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?

Last time I posted, I had just started reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.  Well, guess what?  I'm hopelessly addicted.  Each time I finish a book in the series.  I say to myself, "Maybe I should look for something different to read for awhile."  And then I say to myself, "Ha!  Who are you kidding?" and start the next book in the series.

So now I'm on book 6.  I think I need to pace myself.  Slow down, take it easy.  After all, what will I do when I have read through all of them, and have nothing left to live for?  I haven't felt this way about a book series since Harry Potter.  Come to think of it, The Dresden Files IS a "Harry Potter" for grown ups.  Even the main character's first name is Harry.  (Although the ubiquitous Harry Dresden was named after the Magician, Harry Houdini.)  Harry the grown up Wizard isn't in Magic School, he's living in Chicago where most people don't know about or don't believe in magic.  Yet he manages to make a living as a Supernatural Investigator, doing all kinds of odd jobs that mostly end up with him battling the ultimate evil and almost losing his life.  He has to skirt around the rules laid down by the White Council, very much akin to how Harry Potter had to question the sanity and integrity of the Ministry of Magic.  With each book there is a new case, a new mystery to solve.  Yet there is an ongoing plot line that continues through each book and takes you deeper into Harry's past (which haunts him), and effects how and why he makes choices through each book.

Did I mention I just LOVE this series?

Anyways, I am in the middle of Book Six, Blood Rites;

"For Harry Dresden, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Still, there’s something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film’s producer believes he’s the target of a sinister curse-but it’s the women around him who are dying.

Harry’s even more frustrated because he only got involved with this bizarre mystery as a favor to Thomas-his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can’t quite figure out. But Harry is about to discover that Thomas’ family tree has been hiding a shocking revelation that will change his life forever…"

Sample of Chapter 1; http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/blood-rites/br-chapter-1

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Monday Ramblings.
Onward, another week to conquer.  This week the kids go back to school.  (They were out on Spring Break last week)  I have my usual work schedule, and faithful hubby is working 7 days a week.  So far, it's been 14 days since he last had a day off.  This week in Mom-Land I will try to stay on top of housework, focusing on Laundry and organizing my Master Bedroom.  I have something exciting to share with you tomorrow for Tackle It Tuesday, so come back tomorrow to see it!

Have a Great Week!  Please leave a comment and tell me what YOU are reading right now!