3 Most Common Types of Hormonal Headaches
Do you suffer from headaches every month? There are 3 common types of hormonal headaches. In this post, we’ll talk about what causes these headaches and some things you can do to prevent them!
Before we dive in, the absolute first thing I recommend you to do is to start a headache journal. And if you’re like, “Leah, what in the world is a headache journal?!” This is why it’s so important!
It’s a way to start recognizing patterns with your headaches. Once you start noticing the patterns, you can take steps to prevent the headaches in the future.
Besides just tracking when you got a headache, you can also track what else was going on around that time and that will give you hints as to what may be affecting those headaches.
What to track in your headache journal:
Food you ate
How much water you drank
How much you pooped (gross, I know, but it can be so so helpful to have this info!)
Whether or not you exercised
Your stress levels
Places you went
Where you’re at in your menstrual cycle
You will eventually start to see a pattern and be able to address things that may be causing your headaches! So, start the headache journal - you will thank me later!
3 Common Types of Hormonal Headaches
Pre-Period Headaches
Typically, pre-period headaches are caused by the rapid drop in hormones right before your period. I see this most often with women who are estrogen dominant. Right before your period, both hormones drop, this is what causes your period to start. BUT if your estrogen was already high, that estrogen drop can cause a headache.
Seed cycling is an amazing way you can support your hormones during this time. But, if you’re dealing with these pre-period headaches due to high estrogen, we are going to put a twist on your seed cycling!
Seed Cycling for Estrogen Dominance
Normally, you consume 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds and 1 tablespoon of flax seeds at the start of your period. Then, during ovulation, you switch to 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds.
However, if you struggle with pre-period headaches, try this seed cycling method instead!
Once you ovulate, switch your seeds to sesame and sunflower, BUT continue to eat 1 tablespoon of flax seeds. This combination will help your body get rid of your excess estrogen, which will help eliminate those pre-period headaches.
Consistency matters here! You’re going to notice the best results from seed cycling when you remember to take your seeds every single day. I get my seeds from Funk It Wellness and they make it SO easy to stay consistent!
Use code LEAH15 to get a discount on your seeds at Funk it Wellness!
Post-Period Headaches
Headaches after your period are also very common and these are linked to low iron. A few things you can try to prevent these headaches are eating beets and/or taking an iron supplement. You can also eat things like seaweed or kelp to help replenish the minerals that your body loses during your period. These things can all greatly reduce your post-period headaches!
Headaches During Ovulation
The third common type of hormonal headache is headaches during ovulation, which can point to a histamine intolerance. With histamine intolerance, the histamines are actually driven higher by your estrogen. And what ends up happening is that your body goes into a cycle with the histamine and the estrogen.
The best thing you can do for this is to stop eating foods that contain a high amount of histamines, such as, cheese, fermented food, and alcohol. Another great thing you do is to help your body filter out the excess estrogen from your body. Seed cycling is amazing for this and you can follow the same seed cycling method for estrogen dominance that I outlined above.
I also recommend consuming more raw foods around ovulation, such as, smoothies and salads because this will also help filter out excess estrogen. For example, one of my favorite things to eat during ovulation is a raw carrot salad. Carrots are amazing at helping your body filter out excess estrogen and beets are a wonderful support for your liver during this time.
Simple Raw Carrot Salad Recipe
2 raw carrots chopped up
1 beet chopped up
2 green apples chopped up
sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt, and lemon juice
So, these things will help, but ultimately you want to get to the root of your estrogen dominance! Learn more about detoxing estrogen naturally here.
Ultimately, it’s hard to know the exact cause of your hormonal headaches until you start tracking your symptoms and variables. That’s why I tell everyone to start a headache journal if you are struggling with any of these common types of hormonal headaches!
The more information you have, the easier it will be to figure out what is causing those headaches so you can take steps to prevent them.
Learn more about supporting your body during each phase of your menstrual cycle inside the FREE Painless Period Prep Guide!
The recommendations presented in this blog are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor. Before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your health care provider.
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