Discover essential strategies in "The Migraineur's Guide to Surviving Christmas and Holidays." Learn how to manage triggers, maintain routines, and set boundaries for a stress-free festive season while living with migraine. Read more for actionable tips!

Unless you've been out of the loop lately, you've probably noticed the rise in ADHD diagnoses, especially among women nearing peri-menopause. Many of my clients have shared that they've recently been diagnosed with ADHD or suspect they may have ADHD.

This shift has led me to dive deeper into understanding ADHD, particularly as I began noticing a surprising overlap between symptoms and drivers of both ADHD and migraine episodes. Research is also starting to confirm what I've observed—there’s a growing body of evidence pointing to a link between ADHD and a higher likelihood of experiencing migraine attacks.

Here's what recent studies reveal about this connection

Metabolic Balance® is a 12-week nutrition program for hormonal and metabolic health. While weight loss may occur naturally when it's right for your body, the program's primary focus is overall health. And when the body is in balance, the frequency and severity of migraine attacks can also be reduced.

Many of my clients know that I like to talk about how the microbiome (you know - the trillions of microbes living in our gut) affects our brains, mood and emotions.

I wanted to share some fascinating insights from a recent article in BBC Future I came across, which highlights the significant impact our gut bacteria have on brain and mental health.

By the way, while this article focuses on brain health, the microbiome also plays a key role in metabolism and weight loss, immune health and of course digestive health.

Have you ever felt like your brain can't seem to focus on anything, and even the simplest tasks feel like a huge chore? It's like mental fatigue sets in, and you can't seem to shake it off. It's frustrating, right?

Also known as cognitive dysfunction, it can be challenging to find the words to describe fog. And it can make everything in your life feel overwhelming.

Read on for naturopathic approaches to brain fog.

B vitamin capsules

A couple of decades ago, hydrogenated fats/oils and seed oils were promoted as a healthy alternative to saturated fats and butter.

However, we now know that these oils can be harmful to our health and can aggravate many conditions - including migraine.

Migraine attacks are often thought of as just severe headaches (grrrr! don’t get me started on THAT myth), but for those of us who suffer from them, we know they can be much more than that.

One of the lesser-known (and I think fascinating) aspects of migraine is that the disorder has the potential to induce smell or olfactory hallucinations. In other words, we can perceive smells that aren't actually there. I call them “phantom smells”! This usually happens in the “aura” phase of migraine just before the pain attack hits.

Are you migraine attacks your internal smoke alarm?

An article on how to choose the best magnesium and dose for migraine.

Could you have high-functioning migraine? Plus a resource to help others understand migraine, and how they can support you.

Fascinating research on how one of our go-to painkillers – paracetamol – used widely for headache and migraine. Not only does paracetamol dull our pain, but also inhibits our capacity for empathy and joy.

Is there a connection between Candida in the gut, and migraine frequency and severity?

Fed up with pain but also don't like the idea of regularly taking painkillers? You might be interested in learning more about palmitoylethanolamide (PEA).

Numerous studies have delved into the connection between chocolate consumption and migraines. Contrary to popular belief, the evidence linking chocolate as a consistent trigger for migraines is weak. Article includes a recipe for migraine-friendly chocolate!

We know that individuals with migraine have higher baseline levels of inflammatory markers compared to those without the condition. What’s more, these inflammatory markers further increase during a migraine attack. (I swear you can feel this happening!)

Here are ways to naturally dampen down inflammation.

Research suggests that the quality of the therapeutic relationship significantly influences therapy outcomes. When clients feel understood, respected, and supported by your healthcare practitioner, you are far more likely to experience positive changes, develop insight, and achieve your therapeutic goals.

Researchers have proposed that the brain cells of some people with migraine may have mitochondrial dysfunction.

And some of the essential nutrients required in energy production - vitamin B2 (riboflavin), CoQ10 and magnesium, and more recently, vitamin B1, have been shown by research to help some people with migraine when used in therapeutic doses.

Have you thought about your thyroid today?

I hope so because your thyroid is a BIG deal!

Thyroid hormones help your body regulate the metabolism of all your cells. And this is critical for maintaining a healthy body weight and having the energy to live your life.

I hear many of my clients say that the medication they had been taking for migraine had stopped working. Or maybe it didn’t work as well as before, it took longer to kick in, or they needed more drug to get the same effect.

This article explains why this happens, and what you can do about it.