Hey Migraine Mentees 👋 

Today’s newsletter is short and sweet - It takes 5 minutes to read, but if you’ve only got 60 seconds, here’s what you need to know:

• Magnesium supports over 600 vital processes in your brain and body, helping with everything from muscle and brain function to energy production...

• Research links higher magnesium intake to larger brain volume and fewer white matter lesions...

• Around 15–20% of the global population still isn’t getting enough magnesium, with those numbers being even higher in migraine and chronic headache populations…

• If you can't get it through food, supplementation is an easy way to increase your levels and get your RDA...

Either you get it or you don’t… We suggest you get it.

🧠 The Migraine Mentors

First time reading?! Sign up HERE.

In This Week’s Edition…

• 🥡 Weekly Take-Out

  • Meme of The Week - Migraines Are Just Headaches, Right…?

• 📸 Weekly TikToks

  • Migraine Nutrients You Need To Take!

  • 3 Surprising Supplements for Brain Health and Migraine

• 🔈️ The Migraine Mentors Minicast - Podcast Series

  • Why Metabolic Health Matters for Migraine

• 💣️ This Week’s Sponsor

  • Cornbread Hemp - 👋 See Ya Later Inflammation!

• 📜 This Week’s Top Article

  • The Power of Magnesium for Migraine Attacks

• 🍴 Migraine-Friendly Recipe of the Week

  • Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto

🥡 WEEKLY TAKE-OUT

Meme of The Week

🥡 WEEKLY TIKTOKS

Migraine Nutrients You Need To Take!

@headache_whisperer

#migraine #migraines #headache #headaches

3 Surprising Supplements for Brain Health and Migraine

@themigrainementor

#creatorsearchinsights #MigraineRelief #migraines #migraineawareness #MigraineResearch #vestibularmigraines #migraine #brain #supplements ... See more

🗞️ MIGRAINE MINICAST

Why Metabolic Health Matters for Migraine

We’ve seen this happen a thousand times…

🥼 Patient experiences migraine, patient goes to see medical doctor, medical doctor prescribes migraine medication, migraine medication doesn’t work, medical doctor prescribes several medications that don’t work, medical doctor doesn’t know what else to do and patient eventually gives up…

Don’t let this be YOU!

There is SO much more to the story, and if you haven’t responded to medications like you had hoped, there’s usually reason for it…

⛽️ Underlying metabolic issues are often the root cause of migraine symptoms, which is why we’re so keen on treating them from the beginning.

Here’s why you need to take a look under the hood and treat underlying metabolic issues…

👇️ Click the link below to check it out! 👇️

Looking to kickstart the new year with better sleep?

Cornbread Hemp has you covered with their all-natural, melatonin-free sleep support. Their gummies are crafted with USDA organic ingredients like full-spectrum hemp extract, valerian root, lavender, and chamomile, ensuring you avoid the groggy hangover often associated with melatonin. Vegan and guilt-free, they seamlessly fit into your bedtime routine, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Embrace the new year with calm and restful nights, knowing sweet dreams are just a gummy away.

Plus, Cornbread is giving More Relief. Less Medication. readers 30% off your first order when you use code RESOLUTION at checkout.*

Order now and get the sleep you deserve

*One-time purchases only, cannot be combined with subscription discounts.

📜 TOP ARTICLE

The Power of Magnesium for Migraine Attacks

Magnesium is a powerful mineral that plays a critical role in many bodily functions, especially when it comes to migraine prevention and relief.

It supports over 600 vital processes in your brain and body, helping with everything from muscle and brain function to energy production…

Recent research has even linked higher magnesium intake to larger brain volume and fewer white matter lesions in the aging brain!

And of course, this one should come as no surprise - Studies continue to show that low magnesium levels are linked to an increased risk and frequency of migraine attacks.

So if you’ve been looking for ways to better manage your migraine symptoms, here’s why magnesium deserves a spot on your radar…

🗣️ Why Magnesium Matters

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of chemical reactions within our brain and body…

And there are two key processes that are particularly important for migraine management: Regulating nerve signal transmission and stabilizing blood vessel activity. 

When magnesium levels drop, blood vessels can constrict, and nerve pathways can become more reactive—both of which can trigger or exacerbate migraine symptoms.

Magnesium plays an important role in “calming the nervous system” and making sure neurons fire appropriately…

So when you’re deficient in it, you’re essentially setting yourself up for a neurological meltdown.

📉 The Deficiency Connection

Stress, poor dietary habits, inflammation, poor sleep, and certain health conditions can deplete magnesium stores… And of course, these factors are also implicated with migraine.

Common signs of magnesium deficiency include muscle cramps, fatigue, blood sugar instability (“being hangry”), and mood changes.

Migraine sufferers often have lower-than-optimal magnesium levels, which may leave the brain and blood vessels more vulnerable to these factors that lead to migraine episodes.

Even more important is adequate gut function, which is needed for the absorption of magnesium, regardless of how you get it.

❤️‍🩹 Here’s How Magnesium Helps

1. Reduces Inflammation: Magnesium helps reduce gut and brain inflammation that can make you more prone to migraine symptoms and potentially make them more severe in nature.

2. Helps Relax Muscles: Muscle tension can contribute to migraine pain. Adequate magnesium supports muscle relaxation, proper muscle tone, and neuromuscular integration.

3. Supports Healthy Brain Function: Magnesium assists in global brain function by balancing neurotransmitters involved in pain signaling and mood regulation, along with long term memory formation and stabilization of neurons.

4. Improves Sleep Quality: Poor sleep is a common migraine trigger. Because magnesium has a calming effect, it can help improve sleep quality, indirectly reducing migraine frequency.

🧪 Finding the Right Sources of Magnesium

You can increase your magnesium intake through dietary choices and supplements (we will always prefer diet > supplements, but they’re there for a reason…).

Foods rich in magnesium include leafy greens like spinach and kale, nuts such as almonds and cashews, seeds (pumpkin and sunflower), whole grains, and legumes. 

If you’re considering a magnesium supplement, it’s a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional to find the right form—such as magnesium threonate (which crosses the blood-brain barrier), citrate, glycinate, or oxide—and proper dosage to meet your needs.

🤔 Things to Keep in Mind

• Dosage: While safe for most people, high doses of magnesium can cause gastrointestinal upset and have a laxative effect. Always start slowly and follow the recommended guidelines and/or your providers recommendations.

• Synergy with Other Nutrients: Nutrients like Vitamin D and calcium can influence magnesium absorption, so it’s important to maintain a balanced diet or supplement regimen containing these nutrients.

• Individual Response: Each person’s experience with migraine attacks are unique… And while magnesium helps many sufferers, it works best when combined with other healthy practices we’ve mentioned in the past—proper hydration, exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep.

With that being said, adding magnesium to your migraine-management toolkit might just be the missing link in your quest to finding solutions…

As we’ve suggested in the past, it’s best to talk with your healthcare provider about testing your magnesium levels and whether adding more of this essential mineral—through diet, supplements, or both—could help you feel and function at your best.

🍴MIGRAINE-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto

🥣 Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchinis

• 1 ripe avocado

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1 clove garlic (optional, based on tolerance)

• 1/4 cup walnuts

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (Sub apple cider vinegar is lemon is a trigger)

• Salt and pepper to taste

📖 Instructions

1. Make the Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles)

   • Use a spiralizer or a vegetable peel to create noodles from the zucchinis. Set aside.

2. Prepare the Avocado Pesto

   • In a food processor, combine avocado, fresh basil leaves, walnuts, garlic (if using), olive oil, and lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar). Blend until smooth and creamy. If the pesto is too thick, add a little water or more olive oil to reach the desired consistency.

   • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Combine and Serve

   • Toss the zucchini noodles with the avocado pesto until they’re well-coated.

   • Serve immediately, or chill for a refreshing cold dish.

💪 The Health Benefits

Why It’s Migraine and Histamine Friendly

• Hydration: Zucchini is high in water content, which can help maintain proper hydration levels—critical for migraine prevention.

• Avoiding Triggers: This recipe avoids common migraine triggers like aged cheese and processed foods. It is also a low glycemic meal which is critical for migraine management.

• Fresh Ingredients: Fresh basil, zucchini, and avocado are low in histamine, reducing the risk of triggering symptoms.

• Limit Histamine Liberators: Garlic is used optionally and in minimal amounts since it can increase histamine release in some individuals.

• Walnuts and Avocado: Both ingredients are high in magnesium, contributing to better nerve function and muscle relaxation.