Tension Headaches

People with tension headaches commonly report these symptoms:

Episodic Tension Headaches (occurs less than 15 days per month)

• Pain is mild to moderate, constant band-like pain, pressure or throbbing
• Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head.
• Pain usually begins gradually, and often occurs in the middle of the day
• Pain may last from 30 minutes to several days

Chronic Tension Headaches (occurs more than 15 days per month)

• Pain may vary in intensity throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present
• Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head
• Pain comes and goes over a prolonged period of time

Associated Symptoms of Tension Headaches include:

• Headache upon awakening

• Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep

• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability
• Disturbed concentration
• Mild sensitivity to light or noise
• General muscle aching

Migraines

The symptoms of migraine headaches can occur in various combinations and include:

• Moderate to severe pain (often described as pounding, throbbing pain) that can affect whole head, or can shift from one side of the head to the other
• Sensitivity to light, noise or odors
• Blurred vision
• Nausea or vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain - Sometimes
• Loss of appetite - Sometimes
• Sensations of being very warm or cold
• Paleness - Never paid attention before?
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Fever (rare)
• Bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, wavy or jagged lines (aura)

Cluster Headaches

• Intense one-sided pain described as having a burning or piercing quality that is throbbing or constant
• Pain is located behind one eye or in the eye region, without changing sides
• Pain lasts a short time, generally 30 to 90 minutes. But, it can last from 15 minutes to three hours. The headache will disappear only to recur later that day (most sufferers get one to three headaches per day during a cluster period).
• Headaches occur very regularly, generally at the same time each day, and they often awaken the person at the same time during the night. - Only because I wake up with them and they don't go away.

Breakfast Proteins

Is your breakfast low on protein? Get creative. Add one of these protein sources every day:

* Eggs, cooked any way you like them (hard-boiled eggs are easy to have around for a quick protein boost)
* Unsweetened yogurt or cottage cheese with berries
* Refried beans spread on whole grain toast or tortillas
* Nut butters
* Burritos with eggs or beans and cheese on whole grain tortillas
* Breakfast steaks, lean pork chops or turkey bacon
* Chicken or vegetarian breakfast sausage
* Hummus on whole grain or corn tortillas
* Nuts added to oatmeal, yogurt or cereal
* Tempeh
* Scrambled tofu
* Unsweetened kefir
* Cheese sticks
* Cream cheese on whole grain crackers

Ideas for Inspired Lunches

Stuck in a peanut butter and jelly rut? Try these ideas for a little something different:

* Whole wheat tortillas spread with peanut butter sprinkled with raisins or dried cherries, rolled up and cut in two.
* Pizza quesadilla or a tomato cheddar soup and cold antipasti spread including tortellini, meats, cheeses and green beans served with grapes any other fresh, bite-size fruit.
* Hummus and spinach wrap, cherry tomatoes with string cheese, and yogurt.
* Baked corn chips, black beans, cheese wedges and fresh pico de gallo with jicama sticks.
* Whole wheat or buckwheat noodles with peanut sauce, sugar snap peas, a pear, almonds and a fortune cookie.
* Tuna salad with grated carrots, served with crackers or in a pita.
* Cheese triangles served with pepperoni and whole wheat crackers for stacking.
* Crostini (toasted French/Italian bread slices) served with chopped olive salad, roasted turkey and hard-boiled eggs.
* Vegetarian brown rice sushi rolls with soy or ponzu sauce.
* Smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumbers on mini bagels.
* Shumai dumplings/potstickers packed cold with ponzu sauce or peanut sauce.
* Vegetable fried rice (make the night before or use dinner leftovers).
* Chocolate almond butter with graham crackers.
* Fruit kabobs made from assorted colors of melon balls and other fruits on a bamboo skewer, served with yogurt for dipping.

Grab-and-Go Natural Snacks

One thing that differentiates snacks from meals is that they should be easy and quick. Pack your pantry and fridge with the following foods so kids can grab and eat them without needing any help or prep work:

* radishes, pre-cut or baby carrots, pre-cut bell peppers, squash, celery (with optional dips or spreads)
* “finger fruits” like grapes, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, cherry tomatoes
* easy to handle fruits like apples, pears, plums, bananas
* nitrate-free deli meats
* smoked or canned salmon
* soy milk
* string cheese, cheese cubes or pre-sliced cheese
* low-fat yogurt
* hard-boiled eggs
* nuts and seeds/dried fruits/trail mix
* cereal/granola
* popcorn
* soy or rice crisps
* high-fiber whole wheat crackers
* applesauce
* fruit leather
* dark chocolate