Headaches are an Invitation

We live in a culture that’s quick to numb discomfort. Headache? Take something. Fatigue? Push through. Skin flare? Cover it up.

But what if these symptoms - these inconveniences we try to silence - were actually messages? Not problems to fix, but clues to follow?

Let’s take headaches, for example.

A Headache Is Never Just a Headache

It’s a silver lining. A signal. A gift from the body that something is out of balance. In functional medicine, we don't suppress and ignore, we investigate. Because symptoms are not random. They're the body’s intelligent way of whispering, “Something needs your attention.”

Your Body Whispers Before It Screams

Maybe that headache is showing up alongside a little brain fog. Or your skin has been flaring more often. Maybe your energy is crashing mid-afternoon, and your patience is wearing thin.

These aren’t isolated issues. They’re part of a larger conversation your body is trying to have with you.

The body is wise. It alerts us to subtle dysfunction before it escalates into something bigger. When we listen early, we can respond with real healing instead of short-term suppression.

Let’s break down some of the most common root causes behind persistent or frequent headaches and what you can do to address them:

1. Dehydration: Even mild dehydration can lead to headaches. But it’s not just about drinking more water it’s about getting electrolytes into the cells.

2. Mineral Deficiency: Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions, and low levels are a common cause of headaches.

3. Stress, Cortisol, and Epinephrine Surges: Chronic stress can cause hormone shifts that lead to tension headaches or migraines.

4. Caffeine Fluctuations: Going from high to low (or low to high) caffeine intake can trigger episodic headaches.

5. Histamine Overload or Poor Metabolism: Histamine overload (or histamine intolerance) happens when your body either accumulates too much histamine or can’t break it down efficiently, which can contribute to numerous symptoms including headaches. 

6. Blood Sugar Swings:  Blood sugar swings, especially sharp drops can trigger headaches by causing a stress response in the body, leading to hormonal shifts, constricted blood vessels, and increased inflammation.

7. Menstrual Hormone Imbalance: For people who menstruate, hormonal dips, especially low progesterone can cause cyclical headaches.

8. Food Sensitivities: Food sensitivities can cause headaches by triggering inflammation and immune responses that affect the nervous system and blood vessels in the brain.

The next time a headache shows up, try to meet it with curiosity instead of frustration. Ask your body: What are you trying to tell me? Perhaps it’s one of the causes above and your body needs a little extra support with some of these listed below: 

If your body: 

1. Is Dehydrated:

   1. Add electrolyte drops or powder to your water or have sole water

   2. Drink at least 8 glasses of clean water per day

   3. Infuse your water with lemon, cucumber, or mint for flavor

   4. Set progressive hydration goals if plain water is unappealing

2. Is Deficient in Minerals like Magnesium and Potassium:

   1. Ensure your diet includes potassium-rich veggies and fruits

   2. Take Epsom Salt baths to absorb magnesium through the skin

   3. Add electrolytes to your water

   4. Speak to your health care provider about magnesium supplementation

   5. If you sweat throughout the day, consume more water 

   6. Stress depletes minerals, so if you’re stressed, add electrolytes

3. Is Chronically Stressed:

   1. Support your nervous system with:

      1. 5-minute breathing breaks (longer exhales calm the vagus nerve) throughout the day

      2. Meditation or prayer

      3. Appropriate exercise (not strenuous cardio)

      4. Yoga

      5. Humming or singing

      6. Gratitude practice

      7. Get in nature

   2. Drink Organic green tea (contains mild caffeine + the calming amino acid,  l-theanine)

   3. Prioritize deep restorative sleep for at least 8 hours per night

4. Is Stressed from Caffeine Fluctuations:

   1. Aim for consistent caffeine patterns

   2. Avoid abrupt increases or withdrawals

   3. Be mindful of hidden sources (chocolate, pre-workout drinks)

5. Has Excess Histamine or Histamine Intolerance: 

   1. Speak to your healthcare provider about natural histamine support like quercetin, stinging nettles

   2. Stop all fermented foods, including wine and beer

   3. Consume a low histamine diet

   4. Speak to your healthcare provider about using a DAO enzyme supplementation with meals if gut issues are present 

   5. Support methylation & B-vitamin status

   6. Have an Organic Acid Test (OAT), mycotoxin panel, and/or stool test completed to find the root cause

6. Is Stressed from Blood Sugar Swings:

   1. Balance meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats

   2. Test fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c and fasting insulin

   3. Support insulin sensitivity with physical movement (especially after meals) and key nutrients like minerals

   4. Prioritize deep restorative sleep for at least 8 hours per night

7. Is Experiencing Sex Hormonal Imbalances:

   1. Create stable blood sugar 

   2. Prioritize deep restorative sleep for at least 8 hours per night

   3. Support your nervous system

   4. Support liver and gut health

      1. Eat 25 grams of  fiber rich foods per day for optimal stool health

      2. Stay hydrated by drinking 8 glasses of clean water with electrolytes to promote regular bowel movements

      3. Consume bitter foods like arugula, dandelion greens for liver health

      4. Consume cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, asparagus to support hormone clearance

   5. Support methylation and B vitamin status to clear excess hormones

   6. Speak to your healthcare provider if Chaste Tree Berry and/or Evening Primrose would be beneficial for you

   7. Have a DUTCH hormone test completed to understand your hormones

8. Has Food Sensitivities:

   1. Complete an elimination diet to identify the culprits

      1. Most common culprits in headache are histamine foods, tyramine (found in aged cheese and wine), sulfites (found in dried fruits and wine), aspartame, caffeine

   2. Have a food sensitivity test completed

   3. Optimize gut health and repair intestinal permeability 

   4. Support the nervous system

   5. Prioritize deep restorative sleep for at least 8 hours per night

The headache is not a mistake - it’s an invitation. To listen. To slow down. To support your body before it has to scream louder.

So the next time a headache shows up, and you want to find immediate relief - pause, connect with your body and ask:  Where am I out of balance? What am I needing more or less of?

When we stop treating symptoms as problems to silence, and instead see them as the body’s way of asking for support, that’s when true healing begins. True healing starts not with control, but with listening. Your body wants balance. And symptoms like headaches are simply one of the ways it’s trying to lead you there.

Because your body isn’t broken - it’s brilliantly trying to bring you back to balance.