Chapter 12: Headache

Opinion: The absence of direct evidence of a condition’s cause does not mean the cause is not there. In this situation we should use surrounding circumstantial evidence, absence of disproof and of course that wise old friend, logic.

The common form of headache is the condition I am describing here. The common form of headache is actually a result of blood vessels in the brain expanding abnormally. Expansion of these blood vessels is painful, and this is what the patient experiences. The reason that these blood vessels do expand is multifactorial. Ultimately these factors result in an acute deficiency of blood vessel serotonin. This substance in addition to being a very important neurotransmitter is very important for controlling the caliber or size of brain blood vessels. When serotonin is sufficient the blood vessels size should be normal. No headache. When serotonin isn’t sufficient, blood vessels size will increase and stimulate the pain receptors. Headache.
It is important to know that serotonin is continually produced within the brain but also used up continually. Hypothetically if the production of serotonin were to stop suddenly, then what ever is available at that point will be used up within one hour.
Another aspect where serotonin levels (or absence thereof) can worsen the severity of the headache is that serotonin itself plays a role in modulating (controlling) the magnitude of pain by its effect on neurons (nerve cells), which transmit the pain signals to the brain center which perceives pain. So when serotonin production is on the low side pain perception, its magnitude, will be higher.
There are other substances and chemicals that have a bearing on the caliber of brain blood vessels, such as oxygen levels in the blood, body blood pressure, adrenaline levels, and carbon dioxide levels in the blood (blood acidity). These improve directly or indirectly by following the Pillars of Health.
Back to serotonin. Serotonin will implement its effect of vasoconstriction (decreasing the caliber of the blood vessels), by way of interacting with certain receptors of the blood vessels. This would appear to be the mainstay mechanism by which medications such as sumatriptan, almotriptan, and zolmitriptan help people who are experiencing migraine (and other vascular) headaches.
Applying The Pillars Of Health will ensure maintenance of serotonin in sufficient levels especially if additional amino acid building blocks are supplied. Since serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan it is helpful to have it present abundantly in a person’s intake. Tryptophan is present in many protein foodstuffs, such as turkey and most cheeses. As a supplement tryptophan used to be available, but was removed from markets because what was being produced was impure. That product led to a disease called eosinophilic myalgia, which was fatal in a number of instances. Instead of tryptophan I would suggest 5 – HTP, which is ultimately transformed into serotonin just as well or if not better than the original tryptophan. Do be aware that taking this supplement, 5-HTP, when you have the headache won’t do much towards relieving the headache at the time. Rather it will help by commencing a buildup of the amino acid pool in the body over time. Make sure this is acceptable to your doctor as there can be interactions, side effects and make sure it is from a reputable conscientious source.
The production of serotonin is enhanced by The Pillars Of Health by virtue of the following:
• Regular sleep will economize use of serotonin in a natural way, as closing one’s eyes and decreasing bodily activity will use much less serotonin appropriately.
• Eating healthy will provide the building blocks for serotonin and the other substances necessary for maintaining brain blood vessels at a healthy caliber.
• Physical activity will stimulate the production of all energy substances and hormones (thyroxin, cortisol, and adrenaline), which will enhance and promote the production of serotonin.
• Pending the positive effects of The Pillars Of Health, it may be reasonable to be on an antidepressant that will enhance the presence of serotonin and elevate its absolute levels in the brain and thereby decrease the severity somewhat of headache and pain. Note to doctors - I am talking about serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The SRI may be enough to abolish the headache altogether. Please don’t think this is a rapid process. It takes time.
Also the goal here is to use it only temporarily as a helping tool and not for life. I prefer this kind of help to using for example narcotic analgesia because of absence of habit formation and dependence. Do keep in mind though that this or agents of this kind (the SRI) will make the brain dependent on them to maintain a certain level of serotonin and if you stop them abruptly there will be a withdrawal effect.

I wish a wonderful healthy life for all humanity.
End of prelude.