A guide to stopping the sniffles and sneezes that come with spring

Spring has come. With it comes thoughts of flowers and gentle rain, but for many people, those spring signs bring on sniffles, sneezes, and respiratory concerns. These spring symptoms have many potential causes, from actual viruses spreading through the community to spring allergies.

When you’re suffering, you may feel desperate for relief.

Fixing your spring maladies starts with finding the underlying cause. Once you know what’s causing you to feel bad, you can take measures to improve it.

This guide takes a deep dive into common spring health concerns, including allergies, and gives you tools you can use to help yourself feel better. When you feel well, you can get out there and enjoy the warmth of spring.

5 common spring allergies symptoms

If you’re sick in the spring, always consult with a doctor first to rule out any underlying infections. For many, spring discomfort is due to allergies. Allergies affect people in many different ways, but these are five common symptoms.

1. Runny or congested nose

One of the most common signs of spring allergies is a runny nose. If you find yourself reaching for the tissues more frequently when spring rolls around, you can probably chalk it up to allergies. Many people have a condition called rhinitis, which means “inflammation of the nose,” according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Rhinitis can cause a runny or congested (stuffy) nose.

2. Itching

Itching in the eyes, nose, and throat are usually signs that you’re having an allergic reaction to the seasonal change. These are often some of the signs that help you distinguish between a cold and allergy symptoms.

3. Watery eyes

Your eyes are quite susceptible to allergens. The delicate tissue that lines the eyes can get irritated when exposed to spring allergens, like pollen or mold. If you’re tearing up frequently, but aren’t really sad, then it may be due to your allergies flaring. Mayo Clinic indicates that eyes may also become red and swollen because of exposure to allergens.

4. Sneezing

When you start sneezing excessively, it’s often because of irritation from allergens in the air. The extra pollen that accosts you in the spring can cause this symptom to flare up.

5. Skin itching or hives

While hives are usually connected to topical allergens, some people will develop hives or itching skin due to seasonal allergies, the AAFA warns. Sometimes you can have an allergic reaction to plants growing more abundantly in the spring as well. Though these aren’t seasonal allergies, they’re more likely to occur in the spring.  

When do spring allergies start?

Spring allergies usually flare up at the start of spring. The actual month varies depending on the local climate. For most parts of the United States, the symptoms show up as early as February.

What causes spring allergies?

You can have allergy symptoms any time of year, but they’re worse for many people in the spring. This is due to a number of allergens that present themselves when the world comes out of winter and heads into the growing season again.

Pollen

One well-known allergen that’s present in the spring is pollen. While you might think of flowers as a source of pollen, the AAFA explains that trees are a more common problem. Specifically, you may notice allergy symptoms if you have these trees in your area:

• Alder
• Ash
• Aspen
• Beech
• Birch
• Box elder
• Cedar
• Cottonwood
• Elm
• Juniper
• Maple
• Mulberry
• Oak
• Olive
• Pecan
• Poplar
• Willow

Pollen can also come from grasses in the spring. These grasses are common culprits:

• Rye
• Timothy
• Kentucky
• Bermuda
• Orchard
• Johnson
• Sweet vernal

Pollen counts tend to be higher on warm and dry days. Wind can also cause pollen to spread more easily, so weather directly impacts how much pollen you’ll be exposed to.

Mold

In the spring, people start going outside. The leaves and dead foliage that fell in the winter have been harboring a lot of mold, and it gets moved around by foot traffic and even the wind.

Mold spores get carried on the wind. They can travel on both wet and dry days, triggering your allergy symptoms. The more time you spend outdoors in areas where there are good conditions for mold growth, the worse your allergies may be.

Animal dander

In the spring, your pets may start shedding to prepare for their summer coat. This releases more dander, the shed skin flakes that come with pet hair, into the air.

For many people, dander is an allergen. It has proteins in it that people are allergic to. If you have pets, and you notice increased allergy symptoms in the spring, it may be because of the increased dander in the air.

Insects

Insects become more active as the weather starts to warm. Many insects leave behind droppings that people have allergic reactions to. Cockroaches, which tend to invade homes, are a common trigger for spring allergy symptoms due to their droppings, according to Health Partners.

Treating allergies starts with a proper diagnosis

The symptoms of allergies can be similar to the symptoms of colds and other conditions. In order to get the right treatment, you need a proper diagnosis.

Visit your doctor for a full checkup if you’re noticing spring allergy symptoms. Your doctor will be able to tell if you have allergies or a different type of problem. If you do have allergies, your doctor can help you choose a treatment that will work for the type of allergy and reaction you have.

Is it a cold or allergies?

Like many with allergies, you may find yourself asking, “Is it a cold, or allergies?” Knowing how to tell the difference is important because the way you take care of yourself will be different. If you’re sick, you’ll benefit from extra rest. If you have allergies, the treatment is less restrictive. 

Some ways you can distinguish between colds or allergies, according to Mayo Clinic, are:

• Duration: Allergies last for weeks or months, while a cold typically resolves within five to seven days.
• Aches and pains: This symptom doesn't come with allergies.
• Itchy eyes: This is typically an allergy symptom.
• Sore throat: This usually means you have a cold. But post-nasal drip caused by allergies can sometimes cause you to wake up with a sore throat. If you’re not sure, talk to a healthcare provider.
• Fever: Allergies never cause a fever.

Some symptoms overlap. Both allergies and colds can make you feel tired and weak or cause sneezing and a runny nose. That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor if you’re not sure.

Other common spring health concerns

At Evidation, our goal is to help you live the healthiest life you can. That’s why we want you to know about other potential health risks associated with spring. In addition to seasonal allergies, you may also struggle with:

Asthma

Asthma has the same springtime triggers as allergies do. Mold and pollen, specifically, can make your lungs struggle if you have asthma because your body views them as a threat.

If you’re experiencing tightness in the chest or shortness of breath, even if you have allergy symptoms as well, it may be due to asthma. This health condition can become serious quickly, so talk to your doctor about the right medicines to control it.

Once you have medication, take it as prescribed. Keep your inhaler or other rescue medication handy to ensure you can get treatment when needed.

Insect bites

As insects become more active, the risk of getting bit increases as well. Some insect bites or stings cause little more than an itchy reaction on the skin, but others can lead to full allergic reactions and sometimes anaphylaxis — a life-threatening allergic reaction.

One of the most dangerous insects to watch for in the spring is the tick. Ticks carry a number of viruses, parasites, and bacteria, including Lyme disease. Lyme disease rates are growing by about 476,000 new cases a year, according to the Global Lyme Alliance, and it can be difficult to treat once you catch it. To protect yourself, wear insect repellent when you go outdoors, and if you live in an area with ticks, check yourself for them when you come home.

Cold and flu

Spring means people are getting out into the community more frequently, rather than staying at home like they do in the colder months of winter. With more time around other people comes a higher risk of catching a cold, flu, or coronavirus.

If you’re feeling unwell in the spring, but don’t have typical allergy symptoms, consider that you might actually be sick. Give yourself some time to rest, and if you’re worried about flu or COVID, be sure to get tested.

How to prevent spring allergies

If you're living with allergies in the spring, you're in good company. The AAFA says over 100 million people in the US alone have spring allergies. Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect yourself from these symptoms. Consider these strategies:

Reduce allergy trigger exposure

If you know what your allergy triggers are, reduce your exposure to them. For instance, if you’re sensitive to pollen, avoid chores like mowing the lawn or working in the garden, and don’t bring your outdoor shoes into the home to track in pollen. If you’re allergic to dogs, avoid going to homes that have dogs.

Watch pollen counts

Your local news station will monitor pollen counts. If you have a high pollen day, try to stay home. If you must venture out, do your outdoor activities earlier in the day before the pollen counts rise. Keep your doors and windows closed to prevent pollen from entering your home.

Improve your indoor air

Have your indoor air quality tested, and if the test discovers pollutants, install air cleaning systems. Use your air conditioner to circulate air through the filters, so you don’t add more pollen and other allergens into your home. Use a HEPA filter and HEPA-filtered vacuum in your home.

Clean up your space

Cleaning your space not only helps prevent colds and the flu, but it can also reduce allergen exposure. Keeping dust mites, pet dander, and even pollen off of the surfaces of your home will reduce your exposure to allergens.

Practice better healthcare

Overall, if you take better care of your body, your body may be able to handle allergen exposure better. Learn how to de-stress and relax, so you aren't adding stress hormones to the mix. Use Evidation to track exercise, so you have accountability to make better choices.

How to treat allergies

Prevention is helpful, but sometimes it’s just not enough to stop your allergy symptoms. You can’t avoid pollen altogether, no matter how hard you try, especially in the spring. If you’re living with allergy symptoms, talk to your doctor about treatments. Your primary care doctor can help, but if you have serious allergies, consider getting an appointment with an allergist for specialty care. Some additional options to help include these:

Use medication

There are many over-the-counter medications that treat seasonal allergies effectively. These include:

• Oral antihistamines
• Corticosteroid nasal sprays
• Cromolyn nasal spray
• Oral decongestants

Some people find that one medication works well for a while, then stops working. Talk to your doctor about changing your medicine if you experience this.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before trying anything new, especially if you have health conditions or take other medications that could interact with these.

Consider allergy shots

If your allergies are making you miserable, and you aren’t getting relief through the above options, talk to your doctor about allergy shots. Allergy shots reduce your body’s allergic response by gradually increasing exposure to the allergen in a safe, controlled way.

Protect your health with Evidation

Allergies are a frustrating problem, and spring seems to bring them out. As you move through spring and into summer, make sure you’re taking care of your body well. Evidation can help by adding the accountability component and making it fun to take care of yourself.

Keep taking care of your health with Evidation - download the app today.

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If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, and you're curious about utilizing natural methods to help manage your symptoms, you may be wondering whether exercise can be helpful for diabetics. Good news: exercise is highly beneficial for people who have diabetes. Here, we'll explore the benefits of exercise for people with diabetes, examples of safe exercise routines you can implement as a diabetic, safety tips to keep in mind when you're working out, and the importance of monitoring your blood sugar as your body gets used to a new routine.

Benefits of exercise for diabetes

As a diabetic, you know it's important to keep a close eye on what you eat to keep your symptoms in check. It's also important to make sure you're getting enough movement throughout the day to support your well-being.

Some of the benefits that exercise can have for people with diabetes include:

• Weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce insulin resistance and support your metabolism, which can help you maintain weight loss over time.
• Blood sugar control: When you exercise, you improve your body's sensitivity to insulin. Over time, this can help your cells use glucose more effectively. This removes excess glucose from your blood and helps to reduce overall blood sugar levels.
• Heart health: People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. Exercise can help to lower your blood pressure, achieve and maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and lower your overall risk of developing cardiovascular conditions.
• Stress reduction: Managing your stress is an important part of treating diabetes, as anxiety and stress can increase blood sugar levels. Exercise helps to support positive mental health, potentially lowering the amount of and severity of diabetes symptoms you experience.
• Improved circulation: Diabetes can make it harder for your body to heal from wounds, and you may also experience neuropathy (nerve damage) that affects your movement. Exercise can help to improve circulation, which can work to mitigate these conditions.

Examples of safe exercises for diabetics

As a person with diabetes, it's important to talk with your doctor before adding exercise to your routine. Your doctor may caution you against certain types of exercise due to other health issues, or may have special recommendations to help you keep your blood sugar in check while you're exercising.

Some exercises that can be a good fit for people with diabetes include:

• Walking and jogging: Aerobic exercise works to support your heart health and can help you maintain a healthy insulin sensitivity. Starting with just a few minutes and working up to 20 minutes of walking or jogging a few days each week can make a major difference to how you feel.
• Strength training: Lifting weights and doing other types of strength training (including bodyweight training and using resistance bands) helps your body build muscle. Over time, this can help your body regulate the use of glucose more effectively.
• Yoga and Pilates: As we mentioned, keeping stress levels in check can go a long way to support your health as a person with diabetes. Yoga and Pilates can both help you get your daily exercise in while also providing a mental break from the stresses of the day.

The bottom line: the best type of exercise is the kind that you enjoy and will do consistently. It can take some time to find the type of exercise that's the right fit for you, and that's OK. If you're new to exercising, take some time to explore your options and find what feels best for you.

Safety tips for exercising as a diabetic

As a person with diabetes, it's important that you're exercising safety measures when exercising. In addition to being hydrated, following a healthy diet, and taking it slow when you're getting started, there are some other safety tips you'll want to consider.

Monitoring blood sugar before, during, and after exercise

Check your blood sugar before and after your workout to keep an eye on fluctuations. During your workout, keep an eye out for signs of blood sugar issues. If you're new to exercise, it's important to pause every 30 minutes to check your blood sugar until you understand how your blood sugar levels are affected by exercise. If your blood sugar is below 90 mg/dL, have a small snack to increase your blood sugar levels. If your blood sugar is above 270 mg/dL, don't exercise until your blood sugar stabilizes.

Protect your feet

People who have diabetes are more susceptible to foot injuries and infections than people who do not have diabetes. Wear shoes that are comfortable and fit well, and be sure to wear clean, moisture-wicking socks. After you exercise, be sure to take a look at your feet so you can notice any blisters, cuts, or redness. Properly take care of any injuries and seek medical attention if necessary.

Ready to start improving your health? Download the Evidation app today

If you're ready to start implementing healthier habits into your daily routines, the team at Evidation is here to help. When you download our free app, you'll have the option to share health data you're already tracking. With your permission, we use this data to find patterns and links in your behavior that affect your health. After analyzing your data, we offer personalized, content-based insights that can help you make the decisions that help you feel your best. If you're ready to get started, we're ready to support you. Click here to download our free app and learn more about what we do.

If you're looking for a way to boost your mental clarity, improve your fitness, and support a healthy aging process, yoga may be a great fit for you. Older adults can experience many health benefits from practicing yoga, including improved balance and flexibility, relief of depression symptoms, reduced pain, reduced blood pressure, and more.

Here, we'll take a more in-depth look at some of the ways that yoga can support the aging process, as well as some of the exercises you can use to get started on your yoga journey.

Benefits of yoga for seniors

No matter how new you are to the concept of yoga, it's easy to get started with a gentle practice that will support your mental and physical health needs as you get older.

Older adults can experience many benefits from establishing a regular yoga practice, including:

• Reduced stress. It's natural to hold tension in your body, and practicing yoga can help to relieve some of the stress that's held in your shoulders, neck, and upper back. You may also find that the mental focus yoga requires can give you a break from the never-ending to-do list you keep in your mind.
• Better sleep. Practicing yoga may make it easier for you to fall and stay asleep at night. If you've been struggling with insomnia, or you're finding that you're staying up too late or waking up too early, yoga may help you regulate your sleep cycles.
• Improved heart health. From helping you manage your blood pressure to reducing blood cholesterol to regulating blood sugar levels, yoga can have myriad benefits for cardiovascular health.

Of course, it's important to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you have health concerns like high blood pressure, diabetes, or other issues that may affect your ability to work out.

Gentle warm-up exercises

Whether you're new to yoga or you've been practicing for years, it's a good idea to start your practice with a gentle warm-up that prepares your muscles for challenging movement.

Try these simple ideas to get ready for your practice:

• Centering: Start by standing in the center of your mat in mountain pose (feet rooted into the mat, standing tall, shoulders back). Bring your palms together in front of your heart and take several deep breaths, listening to the sound of the air moving in and out of your lungs.
• Hamstring warm-ups: From your mountain pose, reach your arms high overhead, and then bend forward at the waist. Allow your hands to fall to the floor, bending your knees if necessary.
• Wrist warm-ups: Sit cross-legged and bring the backs of your hands together, with your fingertips pointing toward the floor. While keeping the backs of your hands in contact with one another, rotate your fingers toward your chin, then toward the wall in front of you.

Seated yoga poses

Starting with gentle stretching in a comfortable seat can help your mind begin the process of easing into your practice. You can also return to these seated poses whenever you need a break during a more strenuous practice.

Try these seated positions at the start of your practice:

• Easy pose: Simply sit cross-legged on your mat, with your shoulders pulled down and away from your ears. Allow your hands to rest comfortably. If you feel so inclined, go through a few slow neck circles.
• Staff pose: Continue sitting up tall, with a straight spine, and move your legs out directly in front of you. Keep your heels flexed and your palms on the ground next to your hips.
• Seated forward bend: From staff pose, lean forward while thinking about keeping your spine straight. Bend at the hips, extending your hands toward your feet.

Standing yoga poses for balance and flexibility

Standing yoga poses can help to promote balance and up the intensity of your practice.

Try these standing yoga poses to challenge your focus and boost your flexibility:

• Raised hands pose: Start in mountain pose, and notice the connection between your feet and the ground. Raise both arms above your head and press your palms together.
• Chair pose: From mountain pose, bend your knees as your hips sink back, as if you're about to sit in a chair. Raise and straighten your arms so that the creases of your elbows are in line with your temples.
• Standing forward fold and ragdoll pose: From mountain pose, bend forward and allow your arms to fall to the ground (bending your knees slightly is fine). Grasp opposite elbows and allow the weight of your head to pull your shoulders forward, while you rock side to side.

Breathing exercises and mindfulness

In addition to your yoga practice, you may want to engage in mindfulness and meditation practices to keep your mind relaxed and calm both on and off of the mat. Guided meditations, like this one, can be a great way to unwind. Breathing exercises can also help your mind to stay calm no matter what stresses life brings your way. Box breathing—inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and holding again for four seconds—can center your focus quickly and easily.

Evidation: Here to support healthy aging

Seeing your progress in real-time can help you build the motivation to keep pushing forward, even when things get tough. Using fitness and nutrition trackers can provide you with the data you need to make decisions that support your health. Whether you're tracking your daily steps or are using an app to track your progress in yoga, seeing health data can help you to see that you're moving in the right direction.

At Evidation, we're here to support you through every step of your wellness journey. Our app uses the health data you're already tracking to provide content-based insights that can help you take the right next steps to support your overall well-being. Click here to learn more about how it works (and how you can start getting rewarded for sticking to healthy behaviors) today. 

Cold and flu season is here in full force. When you get hit hard with the flu, balancing your health becomes even more challenging. It’s important to find ways to recover as quickly as possible while maintaining your energy. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to get past the flu as quickly as possible and get back to enjoying your life.

What is the flu?

“The flu” is a term that’s used by many to describe everything from gastrointestinal viruses to the common cold. But it’s actually a shortened name for influenza, a viral illness that can come on quickly and last for about a week. 

Some common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Respiratory concerns, including cough, runny nose and sore throat
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping
• Muscle aches

In contrast, a cold typically doesn’t have a fever and extreme weakness, though it can cause similar respiratory symptoms.

How to get over the flu

How long do flu symptoms last? This depends on the person, but the typical time frame for the flu is four to seven days. If you want to ease your symptoms, consider these tactics:

1. Rest up

Allowing yourself to rest is a key part of how to treat the flu. If you keep pushing yourself to work and take care of family responsibilities rather than taking time to rest, you might find that your symptoms linger far longer than they should.

2. Drink up

Drinking plenty of fluids can help your immune and respiratory symptoms do their jobs so you get well faster. In addition to water, which is a great choice, consider electrolyte sports drinks and bone-broth-based soups. These also add nutrients along with hydration.

3. Treat symptoms

For the flu, the best line of defense is often to treat your symptoms. If your body aches and fever are intense, consider taking OTC medications. However, if the fever doesn’t bring body aches and isn’t very high, you can let it do its job, which is getting the virus out of your body.

In addition to the fever, you may want to treat your cough and congestion. Decongestants can loosen the mucus so your body can get rid of it. An expectorant can help you clear mucus out of your lungs so you don’t develop complications such as pneumonia.

4. Talk to your doctor

If you have the flu and are at high risk for complications, your doctor may be able to prescribe an antiviral medication. While these don’t stop the flu, they can shorten it or reduce the chances of developing complications. If you have any additional symptoms beyond the typical flu symptoms, such as wheezing, ear pain, shortness of breath, or an extremely high temperature, it’s a good idea to get your doctor on board.

Nutrition for recovery

During your recovery, nutrition can help speed things up. You may not feel like eating, but you’ll want to keep your body nourished as best you can. Some foods that may speed up your recovery while providing important nutrients include:

• Bone broth soups with antioxidant-rich vegetables
• Fresh fruits, specifically berries
• Lean protein from fish and poultry
• Smoothies made from fruits and vegetables with almond milk

Eat as much as you can, even if you’re not feeling hungry, and choose these healthier options to fuel your body’s recovery.

Hydration strategies

Staying hydrated can be challenging when you don’t have an appetite. One option to try is to put yourself on a schedule to keep pushing water through. Also, if water tastes unappealing while you’re sick, don’t be afraid of clear sodas, fruit juices, and sports drinks. These can all help hydrate you and give you some calories while you’re recovering and not eating as much. You might also want to use broths and soups to add both nutrition and hydration to your recovery journey.

Rest and sleep

You’ll need to rest while you’re sick, but you may find it hard to sleep. One strategy to use to help you sleep is to treat your fever and body aches before it's time to go to bed. The relief you get may let you sleep.

When you can’t sleep, do less. This is a great time to curl up with a blanket and a favorite movie or to listen to a podcast or some favorite music. The less you do, the more your body can rest, and the faster you’ll get better.

Stress reduction techniques

Being sick is a stressful situation. Not only does your body have the stress that comes with fighting illness, but you may feel stressed because you’re missing work or other responsibilities. Using stress reduction techniques won’t change these situations, but it may improve your ability to rest even while facing them.

While you have the flu, some stress reduction techniques aren’t going to apply. Heavy exercise, for example, isn't a great idea when you're fighting the flu. However, you might find that mindfulness and meditation exercises are beneficial during this time, and they might help you reduce your stress levels.

Building resilience: Long-term habits to boost the immune system and prevent future illness

When it comes to the flu, prevention is the best strategy. Once you have the flu, you can speed up your recovery somewhat, but it does have to run its course. Some strategies that can help you prevent future illness include:

• Supporting your immune system with balanced nutrition
• Adding immune-boosting supplements, such as vitamin D and vitamin C
• Drinking the right amount of water
• Practicing good hand hygiene
• Increasing physical activity to improve strength and endurance

In addition, consider taking the annual flu vaccine. It will protect against the most recent variation of flu, giving your immune system the information it needs to fight the flu better when you’re exposed.

Tracking your health can also help you stay on track with your wellness goals. While it may not keep you from catching the flu, making healthier choices may improve your immune system’s ability to fight it. 

Evidation can help by rewarding you for healthier choices. We’re also working on an innovative flu monitoring program called FluSmart. This program allows members to connect their health-tracking devices and record their symptoms, so we can track flu cases and help members pick up on their symptoms early, sometimes even before they realize they’re getting sick. Learn more about FluSmart and how it’s helping track and monitor the flu.

Whether you’re hoping to speed up your recovery from the flu or prevent it in the first place, tracking your health can be beneficial. Use Evidation to track your health and earn rewards for healthy choices along the way.

Migraine pain can make it impossible to carry on with your day-to-day activities. In addition to throbbing headache pain, many people who experience migraines also experience nausea and a painfully heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for days.

Thankfully, identifying your migraine triggers can help you enjoy more pain-free days. Here, we'll take a look at how the medical community defines migraines, common migraine triggers, and how you can manage your triggers to reduce the frequency of your migraines.

What are migraines?

A migraine is a severe throbbing or pulsing headache. Often, migraines are only felt on one side of the head. Some people experience a condition known as aura before they begin to feel the headache pain of a migraine. Symptoms of an aura can include tingling in the face, arm, or leg, difficulty speaking normally, visual disturbances like blind spots in the vision, and more. Some people experience an aura without migraine pain--this is known as a silent migraine.

Common migraine triggers

People who experience migraines typically have triggers that can bring on a migraine attack. It's important to understand your triggers so that you're able to lower the number of migraines you experience. Triggers can differ from person to person, and your triggers may change with age.

1. Unhealthy amount of sleep

Many people know that a lack of sleep can cause headache and migraine pain, but a study showed that getting too much sleep can do the same. If changes in your sleeping pattern trigger migraines, it's a good idea to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

If you struggle to sleep and notice that it affects your day-to-day well-being, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor to learn more about participating in a sleep study. This can provide you and your healthcare provider with valuable insights on how to improve your sleep, as well as reduce the number of days that you experience migraines.

2. Stress

Lowering your stress levels isn't just good for your blood pressure--it can also help to reduce how often you get migraines as well. Stress is a known trigger of migraine pain, especially in kids and young adults.

Taking steps to lower your daily stress benefits your health in many ways. If stress is a migraine trigger for you, it's especially important that you evaluate where your stress is coming from, and create an action plan to move forward.

Some changes you can make to reduce the amount of stress in your life include participating in meditation or yoga, practicing breathing exercises, journaling a few times each week, getting regular exercise, and talking with a licensed therapist if you need support in lowering your stress levels.

3. Dietary influences

Many people who experience migraines notice that their pain is often tied to food triggers. While exact triggers differ from person to person, many people have the same food-related migraine attack triggers.

Common dietary migraine triggers include:

• Smoked fish
• Aged cheese
• Artificial sweeteners
• Yeast extract
• Alcohol
• Cured meats

Many people find that when they have another risk factor for migraine--such as a high stress level--their dietary triggers are more likely to cause an attack. Keeping a food log can help you learn more about what foods trigger migraines for you.

4. Hormones

Many women find that migraines tend to occur at the same time in their menstrual cycle. Changes in estrogen are related to migraine pain. You may find that you experience migraines just before your period, when estrogen drops.

If you notice that your migraines are related to your hormones, it's a good idea to talk with your doctor about medications and lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your migraines. Your doctor may recommend birth control to make changes to your estrogen levels, or may recommend migraine medication.

5. Caffeine

Caffeine is tricky when it comes to migraines, as the compound can both relieve and trigger attacks. When the body is dependent on caffeine, withdrawal from coffee or other caffeine-containing substances can cause the blood vessels to enlarge (normally, caffeine shrinks the blood vessels). A person who is not dependent on caffeine may be able to drink caffeine during a migraine to shrink the blood vessels.

6. Dehydration

Not getting enough water is a migraine trigger for many people. In addition to drinking plenty of water each day, it's also important to pay attention to how much fluid you lose through physical activity. If you're spending a lot of time outdoors, or you're exercising heavily, it's easy to forget that you're losing water through sweat. Drinking plenty of water can help you avoid a dehydration headache after exercise or hot weather.

7. Alcohol

About 33% of people who experience migraines find that drinking alcohol can make them more likely to experience an attack. Researchers are unsure of exactly how alcohol is related to migraines. It's possible that the dehydrating effect of alcohol contributes to the development of a migraine after drinking.

If you find that drinking alcohol is a migraine trigger, it's a good idea to give it up in favor of mocktails. If you choose to drink, have a glass of water between each drink, and be sure to get plenty of sleep to avoid a migraine attack in the morning.

Managing migraine triggers

Once you understand your migraine triggers, it can be helpful to keep a journal of your daily migraine symptoms. Every few weeks, look back at your journal to learn more about your triggers.

Migraines can be hard to decipher, and it can be tough to figure out exactly why you're getting migraines so often. Focusing on (and confirming or eliminating) one potential trigger at a time can help you get to the root cause of your pain.

Evidation: Here to support you through every step of your health journey

If you're dealing with migraines, you know how important it is to keep track of your health data so that you can have more pain-free days. At Evidation, we believe in the importance of tracking--and putting health data to good use. We're excited to provide you with personalized insights, guidelines, and articles to help you feel your best, day after day. Download the Evidation app today to get started.

Stepping on the scale while trying to lose weight can be a source of anxiety for many. While the number on the scale is influenced by many factors, it's hard not to see it as a report card, letting you know if you've worked hard enough to get your desired result.

If you feel anxiety when it's time to step on the scale during your weight loss journey, you're not alone. Here, we'll take a look at why weight loss can trigger anxiety, why it's important to use the scale as a single tool in your toolbox of measurements for tracking your progress, and how you can reduce your anxiety as you work toward your goals.

Why weight loss can trigger anxiety

There's no way around it: losing weight is hard work. From increasing your movement to changing long-standing eating habits, changing the number you see on the scale is no small feat. Much like sitting down at a performance review or waiting to see your score on a test, it can be tough to get numerical feedback on your performance.

In addition to scale-related anxiety, giving up comfort behaviors (like eating food with low nutritional value as a means of coping with stress) can also ramp up anxiety. The idea of giving up these behaviors can be anxiety-producing, but it's important to discover new methods of self-care that also support your long-term goals.

While ups and downs are a normal part of every weight loss journey, taking steps to reduce anxiety can help you feel your best, stay focused, and can even help you continue to make forward progress. Let's take a look at why it's important to consider factors outside of the scale.

The risks of focusing solely on the scale

There are many factors that can influence the day-to-day numbers you see on the scale. Hormonal issues, new stressors, water retention due to sodium consumption and/or sore muscles, sleep, and even your body's rate of digestion can all cause normal fluctuations in weight.

When you only focus on what you see on the scale, you may be more inclined to self-sabotage your own hard work if your weight doesn't reflect your efforts. Seeing normal fluctuations can also cause some people to increase the intensity of their new habits, creating unsustainable routines. This can result in an endless cycle of ups and downs on the scale that can make it tough to stay motivated.

Tips for dealing with anxiety and weight loss

Thankfully, reducing anxiety and working toward healthy stress management doesn't just make it easier to stay on track. Over time, steps that you take to reduce your stress and anxiety levels can actually contribute to your progress.

Some ways that you can reduce anxiety while you're working to lose weight include:

• Develop new comfort behaviors. Instead of turning to food or binge-watching TV for comfort, try reading a new book by a favorite author, listening to your favorite music, taking a walk, or engaging in a workout to lower stress and anxiety levels.
• Remind yourself that change is uncomfortable. If it were easy to lose weight, you would have done it already. Reminding yourself that any type of life change is uncomfortable can help you remember that when things get tough, it's a sign you're doing the right thing.
• Talk to loved ones. If you typically bond with your partner or other family members over food, talk to them about how you're working to get healthy, and work together to develop new routines to enjoy each other's company.
• Prioritize self-care outside of the gym and the kitchen. Getting healthy isn't just about what you eat and how much you move. A solid self-care routine also means scheduling regular check-ups with your primary care provider, going to the dentist on at least a yearly basis, and learning to set boundaries at home and at work.

How to set realistic weight-loss goals

Talking with your doctor, certified personal trainer, or registered dietitian can be helpful in setting your weight loss goals. If the ever-rising costs of healthcare are stopping you from being able to chat with a healthcare provider or fitness professional, calculating your ideal body mass index can give you a general guideline to a healthy weight range for your body.

Losing one pound per week is a fantastic way to sustainably work toward your goals. It's important to remember that not every week will result in a lower number on the scale. Look for an overall downward trend over a couple of months, rather than focusing on your numbers from one week to the next.

Creating a supportive environment for weight loss

When you're working to lose weight and are living with anxiety, it's important that you prioritize your mental health. Creating a supportive environment is key to developing the behaviors that will keep you moving toward your goal weight.

Try these tips to begin the process of creating the supportive environment you need to stay on track throughout your weight loss process:

• Consider exercising first thing in the morning. While you may need to wake up a bit earlier, getting healthy movement in before the day begins can help to ensure that nothing gets in your way when it comes to exercise.
• Get your family on board. Letting others in your household know that you want to become healthier can help you get the support you need in the tough moments of your journey.
• Try new healthy recipes (and keep your kitchen stocked with food that supports your goals). Eating well doesn't have to be bland (unless that's your thing), and trying new recipes can help you to get excited about discovering new foods that will become a part of your ongoing routine.

Health, powered by you

Developing an anxiety management plan while working toward sustainable weight loss requires a balanced approach. While the scale is a tool that can help you keep an eye on your progress, it's important to focus on the broader benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Focusing on how great you feel as you implement healthier habits can help you to stay on track, even during the weeks (or months!) when the scale isn't showing you the numbers you want to see.

At Evidation, we're here to provide you with the supportive, informative, results-driven content you need to make the most of your health journey. We're excited to help you make the most of your health data as you work to achieve the weight that makes you feel your best. Learn more about how Evidation works and get started today.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) cause 17 million deaths globally every year, making it the leading cause of death around the world. 

The cardiovascular system—which includes your heart and blood vessels—distributes oxygen through the body and removes waste. Every cell in the body depends on this process to run smoothly. 

Your cardiovascular system plays a key role in your overall health and longevity. In today’s article, we’ll share three tips to improve your cardiovascular health. 

Definition of cardiovascular health

Your cardiovascular health refers to the health of your heart and blood vessels, according to the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.

Many people experience cardiovascular health issues at some point during their lives. The heart and blood vessels are complicated, and it’s easy for small issues to grow into something larger and more concerning over time. Some people are more genetically prone to heart issues, while others develop heart problems due to environmental and lifestyle factors. Often, it’s a combination of genetics and lifestyle that lead to cardiovascular health problems. 

Lifestyle issues that can contribute to cardiovascular problems include: 

• Smoking
• Chronic stress
• Sedentary lifestyle
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes

When people are aware that they’re living with conditions that make them more likely to develop cardiovascular issues, they’re able to take steps toward improving their heart health, often avoiding invasive procedures. It’s important that you work closely with your doctor to manage your health to avoid heart damage.

While all cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) involve the heart and/or blood vessels, there are several different types of CVDs, including: 

• Congenital heart disease: A birth defect that affects the way the heart functions. People with congenital heart defects may be asymptomatic, or may require surgery to repair structural heart issues. 
• Coronary heart disease: A common type of heart disease that affects the blood vessels that direct blood to the heart. 
• Peripheral arterial disease: A type of heart disease that affects blood vessels that supply blood to the arms and legs. 
• Cerebrovascular disease: A type of heart disease that affects the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. 
• Rheumatic heart disease: Damage caused to the heart by rheumatic fever/streptococcal bacteria.

Some people who are at risk for cardiovascular issues never develop a problem, while others who are at low risk experience cardiovascular issues. Healthy lifestyle choices, including getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and tracking your health data, can go a long way in helping you ward off a cardiac event. 

Now, let’s take a look at steps that you can take to boost your cardiovascular health. 

How to improve cardiovascular health

If you’ve recently learned that you’re at risk for the development of cardiovascular disease, it’s important to take the steps necessary to boost the health of your heart. While it can be scary to get the news that your health is at risk, understanding and following through with lifestyle changes can go a long way in restoring your heart’s health, boosting your energy, and helping you rest assured that you’re doing all you can to help you live a longer, healthier life.

Diet, exercise, and lowering stress levels can all help your heart stay healthy. You’ll also want to consider staying away from substances that can cause heart damage, including alcohol and tobacco. Here, we’ll take a closer look into how certain lifestyle changes can help your heart stay strong.

Diet: foods for a healthy heart

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‍Why is diet important?

If you’re researching how to improve cardiovascular health, you likely already know the importance of choosing foods for a healthy heart. Cutting out processed and fried foods can be a great choice to help your heart get strong, but eating foods for a healthy heart isn’t just about what you have to give up–it’s also about finding new favorites. Here, we’ll take a look at both what you’ll want to cut down on in your diet to boost the health of your heart, as well as delicious new favorites you’ll want to add as you work to get healthy. 

Certain nutrients, foods, and minerals can affect how well the cardiovascular system functions. While the tips below are a good fit for most people who’re working to improve their cardiovascular health, it’s important that you talk with your doctor before making changes to your diet, especially if you’ve been informed that you’re experiencing cardiovascular disease. Your doctor will be able to work with you and monitor your progress to discover what type of nutrition plan is the best fit for your heart health needs. 

Excess sodium can cause high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease. One study showed that eating a diet high in sodium may cause water retention—straining the heart as it works harder to move extra fluid through the body. It’s recommended most adults limit their intake to 1,500 mg of sodium a day. 

Consuming too many unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats) can cause high cholesterol, which increases the chance of coronary artery disease. When cholesterol is too high, plaque can build up in the arteries—putting you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. 

Try avoiding too many unhealthy fats like fatty meats, dairy, and fried foods. Instead, do your best to eat good fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds.

So what foods and nutrients support cardiovascular health?

High-fiber diets have many benefits, like:

• Controlling blood sugar levels
• Reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) 
• Maintaining and achieving a healthy weight
• Lowering total blood cholesterol levels by lowering “bad” cholesterol levels.

Whole grains—or grains that haven’t been refined to remove their bran and germ—are a good source of fiber and other nutrients that help regulate blood pressure and boost heart health. Foods like oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and whole-grain pasta are great options. Or choose whole grains like barley, quinoa, buckwheat, and brown rice instead of refined grains like white rice or things made with white flour.

Vegetables and fruits are both low in calories and rich in fiber—and have other nutrients that may help prevent CVD. Load up on red, yellow, and orange produce like carrots, red peppers, and tomatoes; they contain carotenoids and vitamins that can nourish heart health. Berries are full of heart-healthy phytonutrients—try throwing some in a smoothie or your morning oatmeal. 

Exercise for heart health

Your heart is a muscle just like your biceps and calves—exercise can strengthen it. If it’s been awhile since you last hit the gym, got out for a walk, or sit down to do some stretching at the end of the day, don’t worry–there’s no need to train for a marathon to boost the health of your heart (unless that’s your thing). Simply getting active a few times a week can work wonders to help get your heart health back on track, one workout at a time. No matter what your limitations, there are movement strategies you can use to begin the process of strengthening your body–and your heart.

The benefits of exercise include:

• Lower blood pressure. Exercising can help lower blood pressure and slow your resting heart rate.
• Reduced inflammation. As bodily systems are activated through exercise, the body adapts and reduces chronic inflammation. 
• Healthy weight. Being overweight can put stress on the heart and cause buildup in arteries, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke. Exercise, when paired with a healthy diet, can help to maintain a healthy weight.
• Strengthened muscles and bodily systems. A combination of aerobic exercise and strength training is recommended to improve your muscles' ability to draw oxygen from the blood. This reduces the need for your heart to work harder to pump more blood to muscles.
• Reduced stress hormones. Exercise reduces stress hormones, which put a burden on the heart. Many studies also suggest that people who exercise consistently are less likely to suffer from a sudden heart attack. 

If you’re looking to exercise more, a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training has been shown to be best for heart health.

‍Aerobic exercise, also fittingly called “cardio,” relies on breathing to fuel the activation of large muscle groups for a sustained period of time. Aerobic literally means “with oxygen.” It improves circulation to lower blood pressure and heart rate. It can also help your heart pump stronger. Ideally, for healthy individuals, a routine of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week is best. But beginners should take their time and work their way up. If you are managing health conditions or haven’t exercised in a while, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about what exercise program is right for you. Aerobic exercises include:

• Cycling / arm cycling
• Running
• Jump rope
• Swimming
• Brisk walking

‍Resistance training, also known as strength training, has a more direct effect on body composition. Resistance training grows and strengthens muscle mass while reducing body fat. One study found that one hour per week of resistance training also reduced a specific type of fat around the heart, potentially reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some examples of resistance training include: 

• Weight machines
• Resistance bands
• Free weight workouts (dumbbells and barbells)
• Body weight exercises (pushups, chin-ups, squats)

Exercise is a powerful practice to support cardiovascular health—especially in combination with a healthy diet. If possible, make a plan to get moving this week.

If you struggle to stay on track when it comes to exercise, you aren’t alone. Teaming up with a friend or family member who’s also working to improve their habits can be a great way to stay the course when motivation wanes. Setting a regular time to walk or do other exercise that allows you to still have a conversation with a friend or a group can help you stay on track, even on days when you’d rather hit the couch than lace up your sneakers.

Healthy habits for heart

Habits can also play a big role in the health of your heart. 

Sticking to habit changes can be tough, and it’s important that you set achievable goals to help you stay motivated as you work to make small changes that will impact your life in a big way. 

‍Higher stress levels may cause higher blood pressure—amplifying your risk of heart attack and stroke. 

To reduce stress, find time for hobbies that help you relax. Practices like meditation can also help reduce stress. Or try reaching out to a loved one to talk and catch up.

Don’t skip out on regular checkups. Finding potential health issues early can help you get the right treatment quickly and avoid any unnecessary complications. 

‍What are habits to avoid?

‍Alcohol and smoking can lead to poor heart health. 

According to the CDC, smoking causes around 1 in 4 deaths from CVD. Chemicals found in tobacco smoke cause cells that line blood vessels to become swollen and inflamed. This narrows the blood vessels—leading to cardiovascular conditions.

Excessive drinking can lead to heart failure, high blood pressure, or stroke. It can also contribute to cardiomyopathy—a disorder that affects the heart muscle. Alcohol is high in calories too. Excessive drinking can lead to weight gain and becoming overweight, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Maintaining and improving cardiovascular health starts with your lifestyle. If you can eat better, exercise regularly, and avoid bad habits you may begin to build a more robust cardiovascular system. Adopting a new lifestyle can be challenging, but making small changes on a daily basis can help you establish healthy habits to improve your overall health and well-being. By taking things one day at a time, you can gradually build a foundation of healthy behaviors that will benefit you in the long run.

If you learned anything new, share this with a friend or family member who could benefit from learning about these tips for better cardiovascular health.

Evidation: Helping you take control of your health

At Evidation, we’re here to work with you to help you make the most of your health data. When you keep track of your health data trends, you’re able to spot what’s working well–and what needs improvement. This means you’re able to get in front of problems before they start. If you’re ready to take strides forward in your health, we’re excited to get to know you. Download the Evidation app today.

Consistent physical exercise is foundational to any weight loss journey, regardless of your current health or the goals you’re pursuing.

When paired with a healthy diet, physical exercise can help people from all walks of life maintain a healthy weight while creating long-term, sustainable habits to improve their lives.

Creating a consistent exercise routine takes time and commitment, and giving yourself grace is essential as you find the forms of exercise that work for your body and your lifestyle.

Fortunately, there are so many ways to get physical exercise, and walking outside or on a treadmill is one of the most common ways people choose to work out.

This post explores the many benefits of walking for weight loss and why it’s such a popular form of exercise for people of all different ages, sizes, and backgrounds.

Key benefits of walking for weight loss

As you explore walking for weight loss and maintenance, there are important benefits you should know about.

While walking comes highly recommended by medical professionals, it’s also a popular choice for athletes, those recovering from injury, and everyone in between. Let’s explore why this form of physical activity is so widely embraced and what positives it can bring to your journey.

Metabolism boost & burning calories

Metabolism plays a role in weight loss; it’s defined as how your body uses energy or burns calories. Unfortunately, we don’t have total control over our metabolism, which is partially related to genetics and our health history.

However, some of your metabolism can be controlled by lifestyle and the activities you perform regularly. The more movement you participate in during the day, including physical exercise like walking, the faster your metabolism works. Building consistent daily habits that include more movement, whether taking a walk during lunch or walking for 30 minutes after work in the evening, will contribute to a faster metabolism.

A high or faster metabolism means your body will burn calories during movement and while your body is resting. This is an ideal scenario for weight loss because your body is still working even when you’re no longer exercising. Weight loss is much more attainable if you burn more calories than you consume.

Sustainable and low-impact

Many choose to add walking to their exercise routine because it’s low impact and easy on the body. Regular walking at a moderate pace usually doesn’t add any strain to your muscles or joints, particularly the hips, ankles, and knees.

Walking offers minimal risk of injury, unlike other high-intensity cardio exercises like cycling or running. It’s also a more sustainable method if you want to work out for longer periods of time; you can walk longer or farther without overexerting yourself.

Many individuals add a few walks a week to their workout routine as a way to let their body recover; you control the pace, the distance, and the duration, making it a very sustainable form of exercise, whether you’re power walking or just strolling with a friend or your dog.

Cardiovascular health

The body needs cardiovascular exercise to maintain a robust and healthy heart. Engaging in regular cardio exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of disease, and even reduce inflammation throughout the body, all by strengthening and exercising the heart!

Cardiovascular exercises range from high intensity like jump rope, boxing, rowing, and running to lower impact exercises like hiking, walking, and swimming. You don’t have to push your body to its limits to get a great cardio workout. Moderate or brisk walking is a fantastic way to get the heart pumping, improve blood flow, lower cholesterol, and much more.

General health and well-being

Whether you’re on a committed weight loss journey or just looking for new exercises to maintain your weight, physical exercise, like walking, is a great way to take care of the body and the mind.

Some people take long walks to free their thoughts, gain new perspectives, and even meditate. By getting fresh air or a change of scenery, many experience a change in outlook or even the “runner’s high” without engaging in high-intensity cardio exercises.

It’s no secret that physical exercise of any kind can significantly impact your mood. During exercise, the human body releases adrenaline and endorphins, which are known to improve mood and stress levels.

Additionally, regular physical exercise like walking has been shown to improve the quality of sleep, particularly for middle-aged and older adults.

Experts recommend anyone over 18 get at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night so the body can recharge and repair itself so you can wake up energized, healthy, and ready to take on the day!

As you add more cardio workouts to your weekly schedule, ensure you stay hydrated. As your body works harder and sweats more during your workouts, your body will need more water to function properly. As a general rule of thumb, experts recommend men drink 125 ounces of water each day, and women drink 91 ounces per day.

How many calories does walking burn?

According to Mayo Clinic, 30 minutes of brisk walking can help you burn at least 150 calories per day. The farther you go and the faster your speed is, the more calories you’ll burn along the way.

Many wearable devices will help you track these metrics, regardless of where you are on your journey to wellness. Whether you’re training for an event or setting a weight loss goal for yourself, having a supportive device can help you achieve those goals by tracking your progress along the way.

How often and how far should I walk?

Depending on your current physical health and if you want to lose weight by walking, most experts recommend starting with slow-paced walks for a short, manageable distance.

Start by going for 2–3 walks per week for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. You can add time and distance to your walks as you build endurance and muscle strength. Before you know it, you'll be walking 30 minutes a day and loving every minute of it.

Keep your health a priority with the Evidation app

Walking is a low-impact and enjoyable way to add physical exercise to your daily routine. Is weight loss from walking possible? Most definitely! Starting small and creating healthy, sustainable exercise habits takes time and commitment, but with apps like Evidation in your corner to track your progress, you’ll be achieving your goals in no time. Download the app today and get started on your health and wellness journey!

If you’re someone who has migraines, you know that a migraine is more than “just a headache.” There are a wide range of neurological symptoms associated with this condition, and auras are one of them. About one in three people who have migraines also have auras with them.

What are migraine auras?

A migraine aura is a visual and sensory disturbance that occurs with a migraine. Many of the disturbances are visual, such as flashes of light or the development of blind spots. However, these symptoms can also be neurological, such as tingling in the hands or face. Typically, auras occur before the headache, within the hour before the discomfort starts, but they can also happen without head pain. Auras are a symptom of migraine, even if there isn’t a headache.

For many people who experience a migraine aura for the first time, the symptoms are frightening. Thankfully, they don’t cause any damage and aren’t harmful in the long term. Shedding light on this common symptom of migraines and how to best manage them is helpful in assisting people in managing their migraine condition.

Symptoms of migraines with auras

Migraine auras are highly personal to the individual, and as such, there are many different migraine aura types. According to Mayo Clinic, some of the visual disturbances that you may experience include:

• Blind spots, sometimes with an outline
• Floating zig zag lines
• Shimmering or seeing stars
• Loss of vision
• Changes in vision
• Light flashes

In addition to these visual disturbances, you may experience:

• Weakness in the muscles
• Difficulty with speech
• Numbness or tingling in the face or hands, usually one side only

These symptoms can be startling, and they can make you feel as though something even more serious than a migraine is happening. Knowing that auras are a normal part of migraine headaches for some people can be helpful. That said, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor if you have concerning neurological symptoms just to ensure it’s not something more serious. Cleveland Clinic also recommends an eye exam to ensure that the aura symptoms aren’t due to changes in your vision.

Treatment for migraine auras

Migraine auras are a part of the migraine for some people, so the treatment is the same as the treatment for migraines. Pain relievers and triptans are the most common lines of defense against migraine, but doctors are researching additional medications. With any medication, always follow your doctor’s guidelines and take it as prescribed.

What causes migraine auras?

Doctors are still researching what causes a migraine aura, but the current research indicates it may be due to electrical or chemical waves that move across the brain during a migraine. Your symptoms are connected to the area of the brain that has this electrical or chemical wave. This wave doesn’t harm the brain or the nerves, but it does trigger the aura.

Migraine aura triggers

Like migraines, auras can have many triggers. Each person has their own set of triggers, and a key to managing migraines is learning what yours are. Some common triggers include:

• Hormonal changes, such as during menstruation
• Not getting the right amount of sleep
• Reactions to certain foods
• Reactions to medications
• Bright lights
• Overall stress

Once you identify your triggers, you may be able to reduce the number of migraine aura events you experience through lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes to reduce migraine auras

While medications for migraine can help with migraine auras, lifestyle changes to help avoid triggers can also be beneficial. These lifestyle changes might help:

Supplements

Some research has shown that CoQ10, magnesium, and riboflavin can reduce migraine frequencies. Always check with your doctor before starting new supplements, especially if you are on medications that could interact, but these might provide some help.

Stress reduction

Finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as meditation, deep breathing and other relaxation techniques, increased sleep and even counseling, may help you with your migraine. Stress increases the risk of migraines, so reducing stress may reduce the number you have. While you can’t avoid all stress in life, managing it where you can may reduce your migraine and aura frequency.

Trigger avoidance

While it’s not always possible to avoid migraine aura triggers, sometimes you can. For instance, if you’ve determined a certain food triggers a migraine, then try to avoid that food. Environmental triggers, like strong perfumes or bright lights, may not be avoidable.

In order to avoid triggers, you must first identify them. Some people find keeping a migraine journal to be helpful. This journal helps them track their migraines and what they’re doing when one hits. Over time, it can give a snapshot of what might be triggering migraines, so the person can try to avoid those triggers. Of course, sometimes migraines happen with no trigger, but if you can pinpoint a trigger, then you can take steps to avoid it.

Setting a routine

Having a routine for when you sleep and eat is a good idea when dealing with migraines. Getting too much or too little sleep can increase your risk, and drops in blood sugar may spark a migraine as well. Eating and sleeping at the same time every day could help.

Drinking water

Drinking more water rarely hurts anyone, and this is true for people with migraines. Mild dehydration may be a trigger for some people. You might be able to help your symptoms by striving to get the right amount of water for your body and activity level.

Track your health and triggers

If you’re focused on migraine prevention through lifestyle changes, then tracking your health may help. You can use tracking devices and programs to record food intake, water intake and exercise, and then use that along with your migraine journal to track symptoms and triggers. While you’re tracking these things, connect with Evidation to reward yourself for the healthy lifestyle changes you’re making. Download the app today!