Bachmann Rolls Out Migraine Defense

as reported on Political Wire

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) Politico reports that Bachmann "released a letter from the attending physician to the Congress attesting to her 'overall ... good general health.'"

"Dr. Brian Monahan wrote he has extensively evaluated Bachmann, in consultation with a neurologist, and found that she is able to control it with as-needed doses of sumatriptan, which is used to treat migraine pain, and odansetron, an anti-nausea drug... Monahan described Bachmann's diagnosis as 'migraine headaches with aura,' a reference to the minority of migraine sufferers who experience perceptual disturbances, such as visual changes or strange smells, in advance of their attacks."

If Michele Bachmann would be using the real Migraine Defense from Tuliv, she could be preventing her migraines from ever happening and therefore eliminate the need for medications and avoid the possibility of having a debilitating migraine.

Please contact Rep. Bachmann and let her know that Tuliv Migraine Defense can help her, as it has you and so many others, live a migraine free life.

For more information on migraine prevention and Migraine Defense see http://migrainedefense.com/

Summertime Migraines

Summer should be a time for fun, vacations, back yard activities, enjoying theme parks, and even working outside. If you suffer from migraines, it can also be a time when the sun and heat make your head hurt while you experience an increase in migraines.

In this article, I want to share information that can help to keep your migraines under control during these summer months. Unfortunately many summer activities such as time in the sun, tanning, and heat will cause an increase in one or both of the two natural elements (nitric oxide and tyramine) involved in the formation of a migraine headache.


Tanning. Many people still want to have a nice tan in the summer. For those who don't have the time to spend in the sun, sunless self-tanning products in the form of lotions, sprays, gels, and pills are often used. Some of these products can cause extreme headaches for a migraineur because they contain the amino acid L-tyrosine to accelerate the tanning process. Be sure to read the label and not use any product that contains L-tyrosine or indicates that the product can increase tyramine in the body.

Depending on the amount applied and the body's reaction, a headache can occur within hours or days of the application. When there is a delayed reaction, a product may be overlooked as the problem. Since it may be difficult to determine the cause of your headache or to know if a product is involved, please feel free to contact us (see email address and phone number below) to get our help. Also if you have experienced a headache after using any product, supplement, or drink, please let us know about it so that we can share it on our trigger list.

Heat and Sun. Many migraineurs are affected by heat especially after being outside on sunny days. When we investigated what happens when the body's heat increases, especially in the head, we found that the body produces nitric oxide to expand blood vessels to increase the blood flow in an attempt to cool the body.

For a migraineur the expanding blood vessels in the head and an increased level of nitric oxide in the body may be the trigger that results in a migraine headache.

 On hot sunny days, a hat with a brim can be very helpful. Hats are in fashion today, so don't worry if you are the only one wearing one. Staying out of the sun completely may be the best solution.

Summer Fun. Whether you are enjoying activities on vacation or working hard in the yard, strenuous activities can result in a headache. The harder the body works the more blood it needs to keep the muscles working without fatigue. Again, the way it increases blood flow is by producing nitric oxide. As we mentioned above, the increase in nitric oxide levels can result in a migraine headache.

Enjoy the summer by trying to stay cool and watch out for products and drinks that contain the amino acid L-tyrosine.

See Heat Protection Tips

Migraine Defense is designed to work by building a defense against internal migraine conditions and some of the external triggers. A migraine-free summer is still within your reach and right now is the best time to order your Migraine Defense.

Let me hear from you today. Our toll-free phone number is 1-866-367-5953 or send an me an email at Lyle@Tuliv.com

Lyle

Nutritional Yeast and Autolyzed Yeast

Question: I am wondering if nutritional yeast is a common migraine trigger, as I know that warm yeast breads can be as well as yeast extract and autolyzed yeast. I have been reading about the nutritional benefits of adding nutritional yeast to foods, and am wondering if this is a good idea. Would love to heat your thoughts. Thank you. --- Amy

Answer: Hi Amy,

Good questions about nutritional yeast and autolyzed yeast.

It is my understanding that "autolyzed yeast" is another name for processed free glutamic acid or what is commonly called MSG. This should always be avoided by anyone who gets migraines as it is a major trigger. See http://www.truthinlabeling.org/II.WhereIsMSG.html

Nutritional yeast is a good source of both tyrosine and phenylalanine. Unfortunately, both of these can be problematic for migraineurs. Heat does not destroy or change either of these and so cooking or using it is a "raw" format delivers basically the same amounts.

Tyrosine is found in almonds and other foods that often trigger migraines. Like anything else, one person may be able to tolerate something that is a major trigger for another person.

If you do decide to try it, keep a record of when you ate it and then see if you experience any headache symptoms within the next 36 hours. This is not always a guarantee that it won't affect you later as it builds up in your body.

My advice would be to avoid it.

Thank you for asking, Lyle

Migraines can be prevented - Read More

Think Before You Eat a Migraine Trigger

Someone once said to me, "I get a migraine headache every time I eat onions. What can I do to stop these headaches?"

Even though the answer should be obvious to all, the obvious is often missed. People will tell us they know exactly what triggers their migraines and yet they do little or nothing to avoid the trigger. This, I believe, is one of the main reasons for failure of any type of migraine prevention program. Some thinking is required to end migraines.

When my son was about six years old I started playing checkers with him. Checkers is a relatively simple game to learn and play. During one game when I was slow to move a piece he announced, "It's your move dad," to which I replied, "I'm thinking." His immediate response was, "Hey, no fair thinking."

The stakes are higher with migraines than they are playing checkers. When you lose by not thinking in the migraine game you get punished with pain. Thinking about what you eat, drink, do and even what medications you take is a requirement for the success of a migraine prevention program. You don't have to become a migraine researcher to end migraines; you simply must pay attention and do a little thinking.

Thinking about what may have triggered your last headache can be helpful in preventing the next one. Any time there is a change in your migraine pattern, you should ask yourself "why?" Think about what changed, including what you may have eaten, drank or done within the 36 hours prior to the headache. Reviewing this information may reveal the trigger that you can avoid in the future.

We can help you in this process when you contact us. We generally start by visiting about your migraine pattern including frequency, duration, the time of the day when your headaches most often start, and what are your known triggers. Reports of sudden changes in patterns can be most alarming events that we will help investigate.

Recently Eileen (Migraine Consultant at Tuliv) visited with a lady whose headache pattern got worse after she started taking spirulina. Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green alga which has gained a great deal of popularity in the health food world as one of the new so-called functional foods.  

Eileen researched spirulina and found that it contains one of the highest rates of L-tyrosine (which becomes tyramine) and another amino acid called L-phenylalanine which produces even more tyramine in the body.

Tyramine, as we have stated many times before, is one of the components necessary to produce the chemical in the body that causes a migraine to occur. Migraineurs should avoid anything that contains L-tyrosine or increases tyramine in the body (see triggers list).

Eileen's research demonstrates the dedication we at Tuliv have to help all who suffer from migraines regardless if they use our products or not.

To do this type of research and make this connection to headaches does require thinking, but you can benefit from the migraine research Eileen does by reading our website, blog, facebook and asking for her help (there is no charge for phone and email consultation).

If your migraine pattern has changed, call or email us for help. If your migraine medication or program is not working for you, think about trying Tuliv Migraine Defense for migraine prevention to live a migraine-free life.

What are your migraine triggers? Today we are asking for your help in our research by letting us know what triggers your headaches so we can add them to the migraine trigger list. If you are unsure about what may be your triggers, contact us so that we can help you.  

Send us an email (click here) with your trigger list or call us at 1-866-367-5953.

Let us hear from you today.

Lyle Henry – Migraine Research

Stroke - the Hidden Danger of Migraines

Recently in the news we have read about strokes, brain lesions, and even obesity being attributed to migraines. In February many saw Serene Branson suffer live on TV from what was first thought to be a stroke and then later confirmed as a migraine - most likely a familial hemiplegic migraine.

Each year, nearly 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke, which is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.   The latest findings published in the American Journal of Medicine, which combined the results of 21 previous studies, confirms a connection between migraines and ischemic stroke -- the most common form of stroke, occurring when a clot disrupts blood flow to the brain. See stroke warning signs from American Heart Association.

Across the studies it was found that migraine sufferers at any age were about twice as likely to suffer an ischemic stroke as people without migraines. Anyone who suffers from migraines should be seeking safe and effective ways to prevent migraines in order to reduce the risk of suffering a stroke.

What is also alarming about the study reported by Dr. Saman Nazarian, the senior researcher and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, is that the HRT (hormone replacement therapy) 
that is commonly prescribed as a migraine treatment via birth control pills (including ring and patch), as well as progesterone and estrogen supplementation, may actually be adding to the possibility of having a stroke.

The risk of stroke caused by migraines and HRT treatments for migraines are too high to be ignored. The challenge one faces after a stroke are life changing and alter normal activities including driving, employment, parenting young children, and often means a dramatic change in personal relationships.

In selecting the best method of migraine prevention, one should always consider what the consequences of taking certain preventives are and if possible avoid those that may cause other damage to the body or brain. Topamax, for example, can cause serious side effects including kidney stones, birth defects, eye problems, vision loss, suicide attempts, bone disease, and memory loss according to the PRESCRIBING INFORMATION provided by Topamax.

As a migraineur you eventually deal with three major issues: 1. The migraine, associated pain, and related problems, 2. Physical changes and conditions that can result from prolonged migraines, i.e. higher risk for strokes and brain lesions,  3. Dangerous risks and damage caused by pharmaceuticals (including HRT) used in attempts to prevent migraines.

Granted, as any migraineur that suffers the pain of migraines, the first objective and ultimate desire is to stop the headache pain from reoccurring and many are willing to risk the problems from associated pharmaceutical treatments. Or as my wife Eileen used to say prior to the discovery of Migraine Defense, "I need to get vertical and will worry about the consequences later."

Fortunately for Eileen and others like her who now take Migraine Defense for migraine prevention, she is safe from the problems associated with migraine drugs and has lowered her risk for stroke while living a migraine-free life.

One additional point, I would like to remind everyone that no matter what treatment you seek, you should also stay abreast of how migraines form and what can trigger them. Be aware that many prescription drugs, health foods and drinks, and things like probiotics, can also be major factors in contributing to migraines.

A change in your migraine pattern could indicate that you have introduced something new into your system or your body's age is becoming a factor. For this reason, we make ourselves available to you by phone and email to answer your migraine questions. There is currently no cost or obligation for consultation.

Everyone knows someone who suffers from migraines and may be at risk for stroke. Please tell them they can find help at www.Tuliv.com and by calling 1-866-367-5953. Don't wait until something happens, forward this message to a friend today. 

 

BIRTH DEFECTS FROM TOPAMAX

FDA Warning Issued March 4, 2011

"New data suggest that the drug Topamax (topiramate) and its generic versions increase the risk for the birth defects cleft lip and cleft palate in babies born to women using the drug when they become pregnant or use the medication during pregnancy," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today.

"Health care professionals should carefully consider the benefits and risks of topiramate when prescribing it to women of childbearing age," said Russell Katz, M.D., director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Alternatives should be considered.

For more information on Topamax Side Effects and safe alternative of migraine prevention, see www.Tuliv.com.

NOTE: Please forward this warning to friends who are taking Topamax.

See Full FDA Report at www.FDA.gov

Botox for Migraine is Not Convincing

Research on Botulinum Toxin (Botox) for Migraine is Not Convincing

February 15, 2011 — Despite botulinum toxin A (Botox) being approved for use in chronic migraines, published evidence on the effectiveness of this treatment for headaches is unconvincing, according to an article appearing in Drug and Therapeutic Bulletin (DTB).

The evidence from two published double-blind studies does not suggest a huge benefit, said Dr. Iheanacho, author of article. "We're not talking about abolition of chronic migraine headaches here; we're talking about a slight reduction."

In addition, Botulinum toxin A treatment for migraine is costly, and the toxin can actually cause headaches, pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms, "which is obviously not an ideal outcome," said Dr. Iheanacho.

"When you consider all those factors together, it doesn't add up to much benefit in our view," he said.

Published Trials

The DTB article describes 2 published double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of botulinum toxin A in chronic migraine. The first included 679 adults who received either the toxin or placebo every 12 weeks in 31 injections in the head and neck. This study found that the frequency of headache episodes at week 24 did not significantly differ between the two groups - the placebo did equally as well as the botulinum toxin injections.

The second study was identical in design, except that it measured headache days rather than headache episodes, but had the same basic results.

Questionable Benefit

To further discount any benefit of botulinum toxin A injections, it is known that these injections produce effects noticeable to those receiving the toxin but not the placebo. "If people knew or could tell or could guess that they got Botox because of the effect on their head and neck muscles, you have to worry about whether any benefits you see are an added placebo effect rather than one specifically attributable to the drug," said Dr. Iheanacho.

Cost Factor

Another drawback to botulinum toxin A use in headaches is the cost. Every treatment (31-39 injections) costs about $443 and is repeated every 12 weeks, so the annual cost is $1600.

All these factors together suggest that botulinum toxin A does not add significantly to the treatment of migraine, said Dr. Iheanacho. "We don't think it offers much to people with chronic migraine as far as we can tell from the evidence available."

DTB is owned and published by BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association.