By: Mary Hanna
The Feverfew herb is a member of the daisy family. Feverfew has instilled new hope for fewer and milder migraine headaches. In ancient Greece the herb Feverfew was used to reduce swelling and for women's menstrual distress. The herbs name is a Latin derivative meaning to chase away fevers. You may even say it was the aspirin of the eighteenth century. It was used to treat fevers, menstrual and rheumatic pain. Herbalists stopped using the herb for a few hundred years, but now the herb Feverfew is being used to combat migraine headaches.
The plant grows to about two feet high and it is a perennial. The leaves are doubly divided and have a tooth like edge. The flower will look very much like a daisy with white petals and a yellow center. Feverfew requires lots of sun and good drainage; it is very easy to grow and is considered a weed.
There was a time when the whole plant was used medicinally, now only the leaves of the Feverfew are used. It is best to harvest the herb before the plant flowers. Pick the leaves and either dry them or freeze them. The Feverfew leaves will have a strong, bitter, and aromatic scent.
Migraines are still a mystery to the medical and holistic community. But there have been many studies done on the herb Feverfew. Over aggregating of platelets in the blood appear just before a migraine forcing a release of serotonin. Serotonin causes the blood vessel to dilate. Feverfew, or more correctly the parthenolide contained in it, will stop over-aggregating keeping the blood vessel normal resulting in less painful, less frequent or cessation of migraines.
After many studies the compound in Feverfew is parthenolide which inhibits the brains chemicals that dilate blood vessels. Use three to four leaves to make an herbal tea. The leaves have a bitter taste so you might want to stir a little honey in the tea. You could also make a tincture using 1-2 teaspoons daily. There are no side effects except some people said that chewing on the leaves gave them mouth sores.
If your migraines are chronic you need to find what is triggering them. Keep a migraine diary and write everything you did on each day. Record what you ate, how you slept, even what you smelled and how you feel. Compare the days when you did not have a migraine to the ones when you did have one. Compare several days together. You should be able to tell what is affecting you before an onslaught of the migraine.
If you don't want to grow the herb, there are herbal compounds available. There are a few things that are crucial when buying a herbal supplement with Feverfew. First, try to get a product that has about .7% of parthenolide, remember this is what makes feverfew effective against migraine headaches. Many Feverfew supplements have varying amounts of parthenolide, .7% is good amount. Two other components should be in the tablet.
Riboflavin, or Vitamin B-2, keeps your co enzymes stable, they are necessary for keeping your brain functioning well. There are studies being done to see if Riboflavin could be used on it's own to treat migraines, but it seems to be more effective with the other two ingredients.
Magnesium is the third ingredient that you should find in the supplement. In many of the studies of it is showing to be a critical component for people who suffer from migraine headaches. Without magnesium, in your body you will lack sleep, develop stomach pain, shorten you breath or make you feel weak. It has been shown to lessen migraine pain.
There is one product that I have seen recommended time after time and that is MigreLief. I do not work with that company and get no financial gain by mentioning them in this article. You can find it in health food stores and on the internet.
This migraine therapy must be done daily and will take at least four weeks for you to see a difference. Isn't worth four weeks worth it to lessen and perhaps eliminate migraine pain? It may take up to three months to see a serious benefit for you and to get rid of those awful migraine headaches. Do some research on the herb Feverfew; you'll be glad you did.
