I had migraine for 10 years. Two children, husband and full time job. I had headache twice a week it was horrible. I couldn’t live without medication.Tried all natural things, herbs, acupuncture massages, diet. Doctors not helping in this case only can give you medication so you can use it all your life.
6 moths ago my coworker gave me book GREEN FOR LIFE (Victoria Boutenko). This book changed my life. I drink green smoothies every morning and don’t have headaches anymore. I am free of pain and can enjoy my life again.
I saw this comment on Today I Am Mad and Sad as I was getting ready for bed last night and had to look up the book immediately. Green for Life has 301 reviews on Amazon, most of which are glowing. The book itself sounds pseudoscientific at best, with a lot of unsubstantiated claims and testimonials as proof of over-the-top claims. However, the basic idea is that consuming more leafy greens, in the form of a “green smoothie,” can improve one’s health. Green smoothies are basically smoothies that combine leafy greens with fruit or are made entirely with vegetables, kind of like gazpacho. I’m a pretty skeptical consumer, but it is easy to get behind the idea of using quick, easy-to-make recipes to add more vegetables to my diet.
I was quickly convinced. I stayed up far too late, scouting for recipes on my phone and plotting my trip to the farmers’ market. So far, I’ve made one smoothie, a combination of spinach, frozen strawberries, ginger, and water, and it wasn’t bad. The feeling of virtuosity that accompanied consuming two cups of spinach made up for the unusual flavor.
Angels did not come down and whisk my migraine away, but I’m willing to try this out for a few weeks. I put the book on hold at the library — it doesn’t sound useful enough to actually buy — and have been searching the internet for recipes that don’t have a zillion hard-to-find ingredients. If you’re seduced by this potential “miracle cure” (said totally tongue-in-cheek), check Green Smoothie Community (some simple ones are here), Vitamix, and Got Greens? for recipes.
What “miracle cures” have you been seduced by?
I stumbled upon my headache cure with my vitamix green drinks. I had headaches all day every day for about two weeks out of the month for the past four or five years. Then I cut out flax and the headaches cut in half. When I started drinking green smoothies in the morning, I felt a lot more resilient to the headaches. I could tell that I was supposed to have one, but I didn’t. I only got one tiny headache last week and ibuprofen helped.
I don’t know why this is helping me, but I feel so relieved. My green drink is: an apple, two slices of ginger, kiwi or pineapple guava, parsley, rosemary and about two cups of kale. All these ingredients are from our garden or a friends garden, except for the ginger. Good luck!
I’ve tried a lot of ‘migraine’ diets. The list of foods to avoid was strangest with the Ayurvedic diet. The most annoying was the diet presented in How to Heal Your Headache.
I’ve taken all sorts of crazy prescriptions, of course. And had Botox, which was weird. I even tried soaking a string in potato water tying it around my head (my gramma’s recommendation).
I didn’t get relief until I moved away from places with sharp changes in barometric pressure. Never letting myself get very hungry or thirsty and keeping a very strict sleep schedule and doing yoga religiously helps, but those things become impossible if I’m living somewhere where the weather makes me sick.
Enjoy the smoothies!
This is so interesting that you posted this about green smoothies, because I am trying something called a ReBoot where you eat tons of fruits/vegetables and fresh juices as a jumpstart to healthier eating. I don’t think it will “cure” my migraines but I think that anything that I can do to eat healthier may help bring my pain level down.
I just made a juice using my new Breville juicer with 1 apple, 2 pears, and 1 piece of ginger and it was delicious. I would never be able to eat three pieces of fruit like that so it’s definitely helpful. Will be interested to hear your results with the greens smoothies.
Thanks Kerrie, and Merry Christmas to you and your family 🙂
I once drank natural honey, apple cider vinegar and water religiously for a few months because a friend swore it cured her migraines. Yuck! Never helped, and to this day I have not been able to make any recipe with apple cider vinegar in it.
I’ve been drinking green smoothies for about 6 months. If my headaches are any better, it is nominal, but I do feel generally a bit healthier, and even lost a few pounds. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing. I don’t imagine even honey was able to make apple cider vinegar a palatable drink. Maybe bourbon would do it? 😉
Kerrie
I’ve used green smoothies for overall health effects. I feel more energized and have better skin when I am on a green smoothie kick. I make mine with frozen bananas and yogurt, since it helps in flavor and texture. Pineapple works well too, since it’s so sweet.
I fall off the green smoothie bandwagon though when I run out of ingredients and don’t make it to the store in time to get more. But, it’s a good habit to have! Good luck!
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Thanks for the pineapple tip, Rose. I’m out of ginger but do have frozen pineapple, so I’ll try it out today.
Kerrie
To all:
First want to wish all of you a “Merry Christmas” and a headache
free holidays.
I am a long time migraneur and want to thank Kerrie for what
she trying to do with this blog. Keep it up girl!!
Kerrie asked about what “miracle cures” have tried. Well have
tried dozens and dozens of ideas. Most just cost me time and
money. But as you know when desperate will try a lot of different concepts. Below are just some of the esoteric/ie. maybe non-
conventional ideas. Always remember “caveat emptor”
1. Alpha-Stim-they are on web. A medical device to help with brain waves. Unfortunately the only thing it did-was relieve of
money-over $500 o.o.p.
2. Special Dental Device-like bite guard. Went to a dentist and
invested in nite guard-supposedly helps some persons.
3. Magnets-in my pillows
4. Sinus Buster-over the counter product (keep in mind none
of these items helped.
5. Chinese Herbs-“Pian Tou Tong Pian”
6. Bracelets-l-embedded wearable technology/energy field
7. Bought an air purifier
8. Purchased hypo-allergic sheets
9. Chinese foot pads-all the rage about 8 years ago
10. Homeopathic Rub-Pennquil
11. Oxygen Therapy-where one as tanks of oxygen at their
residence. And uses them at beginning of headache. Thank
goodness insurance covered most of this.
Could list a dozen more ideas have tried. I would not recommend any of the above as they did not work for me.
There is one product have been waiting for about 5 years to
be licensed is neuralieve. You can find this on the net-it is
like brain stimulation done by the person themselves with a
device. But they are still in clinical trial-and will probably be
released first in Europe.
To good health Everyone!!!
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Thanks, Timothy — for the kind words and the list of everything you’ve tried. My list is long, too, though the most expensive and invasive was an occipital nerve stimulator. Desperation will make even the most cautious people try some outrageous things!
Take care,
Kerrie
I know absolutely nothing about the book, but I’ve been having spinach-y smoothies for breakfast off-and-on for a while. They can be really, really tasty. Here’s one I like (it is of my own invention, I think):
Cinnamon Pear Breakfast Smoothie
1 1/2 C OJ
1/2 pear, cut into chunks but not peeled
1/2 C uncooked rolled oats
1 frozen banana
2 C spinach
1 tsp cinnamon
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I often add a scoop of vanilla protein powder and sometimes substitute a peeled seedless tangerine for the pear. If I use citrus, I put in about a cup of milk in place of the OJ.
I can’t say it’s done anything special, beyond making me feel virtuous, but I enjoy having them for breakfast.
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Thanks for the recipe. Sounds yummy!
Kerrie