Regarding the structural and neurological aspects, evaluating a patient for chronic headaches or migraines, we assess the neck, the head, the muscles, and how they all work together. We also must consider how the neurological system is integrating which includes:

• the oculomotor system (eyes)
• the inner ear system (vestibular)
• the balance and coordination systems (cerebellum)
• the fuel supply (autonomic system)
• the motoric system (frontal lobe)
• the limbic system (emotions and thoughts)
• the sensory system (parietal lobe).

If your headache specialist is not performing this evaluation, you may never reach your full potential with headache resolution.

Food Triggers, Blood Sugar Dysregulation, Leaky Gut, Thyroid Dysfunction, Liver Detox, Adrenals, Hormones

If you’re eating foods that are triggering an inflammatory reaction, then you’re breaking down your gut lining creating a leaky gut, which allows MORE poorly broken down foods and amino acids into the system that are triggered MORE inflammation. More inflammation requires more cortisol, which stresses the adrenal glands. More inflammation stresses the liver detoxification system. Inflammation stresses the thyroid.

When inflammation is triggered, your body’s natural anti-inflammatory hormone is released called Cortisol. Cortisol’s main goal is to liberate more glucose from the liver, to increase blood sugar levels during stressful situations (think Fight or Flight and needing energy to run from a bear). If cortisol increases blood sugar, then we have to have a way to get that blood sugar into the cells to be utilized for energy. Note that elevated HbA1c levels, along with elevated cortisol levels and inflammation, damage your gut lining, creating a leaky gut. Leaky gut allows more amino acids in than should be coming in, and your body reacts to this with inflammation. When inflammation is the trigger, this whole story starts over.