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You can develop a headache at any time of the day or night,
while at home, at work, or at play. You can go to bed with
a headache or wake up with one. Just about everyone has experienced
this common ailment at one time or another.
Headaches can be mild or severe, and occasional or frequent.
Although the most common causes of most headaches are stress
and tension, other common triggers include eyestrain, sinus
problems, head trauma, hormone imbalance, and temperomandibular
jaw (TMJ) syndrome. Using certain drugs (including alcohol
and tobacco), breathing in polluted air or irritants from
perfumes and colognes, and having toxins present in your bloodstream
are other likely causes. Conjunctivitis, sinusitis, middle-ear
infections, fever, shock, and excitement can all bring on
a headache, as well as gastrointestinal disturbances, including
constipation, hyper- or hypoacidity, and dyspepsia (a consequence
of inadequate digestion).
Probiotics to the rescue. As you will see, many headaches
that are caused by the presence of toxins in the bloodstream
and /or digestive problems, can be alleviated with the help
of your friendly bacteria.
Some forms of headaches are diet-related. Certain foods,
including cheese, chocolate, and even wine, can trigger a
headache in certain sensitive individuals. This is due to
the unfriendly Streptococcus faecalis bacteria, which lives
alongside the "good guys" in your gastrointestinal
tract. S. faecalis is one of the normal inhabitants of the
human bowel, however, it is also an agent in many urinary
tract infections and in subacute endocarditis (an inflammation
of the heart). Additionally, it plays a part in causing headaches
in certain individuals. You see, S. faecalis alters the amino
acid tyrosine (a component of many protein foods), and converts
it into tyramine, which is a common cause of headaches including
migraines. Large quantities of tyramine are typically found
in some cheeses, chocolate, and many wines. If you generally
come down with a headache after indulging in these foods,
it’s because you have a sensitivity to this particular
protein.
Even those who can enjoy these foods without getting headaches
are not "home free" without the services of the
friendly bacteria. As I explained earlier in Chapter 2, incompletely
digested proteins are one consequence of a friendly bacteria
deficiency. When toxins and partially digested proteins are
able to permeate the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream,
the immune system will respond by attacking these substances,
and headaches are a common result.
In addition, headaches are often one of the common symptoms
of a chronic infection. If you suffer from an on-again, off-again
infection of the sinuses, nose, middle ear, mouth, or other
areas of your body, you are absorbing toxins at a terrific
rate. It is not just the stuffed-up sinus cavities that cause
pain, it’s the absorption of the toxins caused by the
bacterial infection that brings on a headache. As stated earlier,
friendly bacteria minimize the growth of toxin-producing bacteria.
Thus, fewer toxins produce fewer symptoms.
The migraine headache is a vascular headache involving the
excessive constriction or dilation of the brain’s blood
vessels. Although your doctor can’t explain why migraines
occur, one of the tell-tale symptoms is a disturbance of the
gastrointestinal tract. And most of these disturbances can
be controlled by adding Probiotics to your daily supplement
program.
Because some headaches, including migraines, are diet-related,
the use of Probiotic products that restore a healthy balance
to intestinal flora are especially useful. In her 1986 article,
"The Shift to Probiotics," published in the Journal
of Alternative Medicine, Monica Bryant of the University of
Sussex reports on her study, which showed that the use of
Probiotics had "consistently good results with headaches
and migraines that are diet-related."
Let me further explain. As discussed above, the S. faecalis
bacteria can convert the amino acid tyrosine into
tyramine, which has been identified as a causative factor
in migraine headaches. As explained earlier, tyramine is present
in chocolate, some wines, and some cheeses in relatively large
quantities. It is known to trigger migraine attacks in sensitive
individuals. When the population of friendly bacteria in the
bowel falls, leaving the field open to an overgrowth of S.
faecalis, tyramine conversion is stepped up. Those individuals
who are susceptible to its effects may end up with a blinding
migraine. This is why keeping the friendly bacterial guardians
of the bowel up to strength can ward off a headache.
RECOMMENDED PROBIOTIC REGIMEN
When experiencing a headache, take 2 capsules each of L.
acidophilus and B. bifidum (or 1 teaspoon each
powder), along with 1/2 teaspoon L. bulgaricus
powder mixed in 6 to 8 ounces unchilled filtered water, three
times daily before meals.
• Instead of the above regimen, take 1 combination capsule
that contain all three super strains in an oil-matrix carrier,
three times daily.
• Maintain either of the above regimens as needed for
symptomatic relief of headaches. If, after a decrease in either
regimen, the head-ache returns, begin taking the recommended
amount again. (Maintenance will depend on how frequently the
symptoms return.)
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