Headache brakes: we look at four of the most common causes of summer headaches—and how to stop them

Natural Health, June, 2007 by Sophia V. Schweitzer

FREQUENT TRAVEL, changes in weather and routine, and seasonal food indulgences can trigger summer aches of the cranial variety. When you recognize the causes and know how to avoid them, you can stay pain-free all season--and eat ice cream and hot dogs galore.

Trigger: dehydration

Dehydration means one thing: You're losing more water than you're taking in. In summer, it's hotter and most of us are more active. If you sweat and neglect to replenish the fluids you lose through perspiration, you could be dehydrated, which can lead to a headache.

HEAD IT OFF: Drink at least eight glasses of water a day--more if you're very active. If you still get a headache, drink 16 ounces of water, and rest for 15 minutes, advises Betsy J. Pepper, M.D., a staff physician at Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, Ill. If dehydration is the culprit, you should feel relief shortly.

Trigger: icy treats

When cold particles from a frozen drink or ice cream touch the roof of the mouth, they activate nerve radiation that causes blood vessels around the brain to swell, leading to a vascular headache.

HEAD IT OFF: You don't need to skip the treat; just keep ice cream, pina coladas, and ice cubes away from the roof of your mouth. If you do end up with a headache, drink something caffeinated. "Caffeine can constrict dilated vessels around the pain-sensitive areas of the brain," explains Pepper, "but only if you normally don't drink it."

Trigger: cured meats

Popular picnic meats such as hot dogs and salami often contain sodium nitrite, a powerful preservative that induces migraine headaches in nitrite-sensitive people.

HEAD IT OFF: Check labels on hot dogs and other cured meats to be sure they're free of nitrites. (For a list of editor-tested beef, chicken, and even vegetarian nitrite-free hot dogs such as those from Applegate Farms or Organic Valley, visit www.naturalhealthmag.com/hotdogs.)

Trigger: boat or car travel The motion of a boat or car causes the eyes and inner ear to send conflicting signals to the brain, causing motion sickness. Symptoms include headache and nausea.

HEAD IT OFF: Keep windows open and fresh air circulating, and bring a travel pillow to minimize movement of the head. Focus on the horizon line or another steady, distant point. If those strategies fail, keep ginger capsules handy. Studies suggest ginger can alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness. Take 500 to 1,000 mg every four hours until nausea subsides.