The Blaylock Wellness Report

Living a Long, Healthy Life

Edited by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
July 2010 Vol. 7, No. 7

Key Points Killer Headaches:

• Migraine attacks go
Natural Ways to Stop
beyond painful headaches
— and require serious
And Prevent Them
attention Most of us have, on occasion, suffered from a splitting headache
that interfered with enjoying our day or doing our work. However,
• Migraines start in a central while most headaches are easily controlled by taking an over-the-
location and rapidly counter medication, some headaches go beyond being merely a
spread — called spreading painful nuisance.
depression Some headaches are absolutely agonizing and even dangerous —
and a migraine headache is the most dangerous of them all.
• Studies show people who How dangerous can a migraine be?
suffer from migraine Recently, it was disclosed that people who late in life develop
migraine headaches with an aura have a sixfold increased risk of
headaches have more having a stroke. That is pretty frightening.
glutamate in their systems Ironically, even though experts estimate that 28 million Americans
suffer from migraines, most of these headaches go undiagnosed
• Migraine attacks can
because doctors do not know how to diagnose or treat them.
occur daily and can be Those of you who have been regular readers of the newsletter
devastating know that I constantly talk about the role of inflammation in disease.
This is not just my opinion, but that of most researchers.
• People with migraines Yet, in the case of these attacks, there is more to the story than just
are more susceptible to mere inflammation.
epilepsy As a migraine sufferer, what you want to know is what to do to
prevent them, and what to do should one begin.
• Find out what supplements However, in order to prevent migraines and minimize them once
can help stop migraine they begin, I think people should at least understand the basics of
attacks what is going on in their bodies. It makes things a lot clearer, and it
helps with things, such as controlling diet.
While a host of new medications have been developed to help
• ASK DR. BLAYLOCK patients deal with these attacks, I’m going to tell you about safer and
• Supplements for dementia; more effective natural ways to attain the same goal.
curcumin for gall bladder
What Causes a Migraine Headache?
problems; Does milk Migraine headaches can have many different types of symptoms:
thistle interfere with • A migraine can have an aura (flashing lights sensation) or no
prescriptions? aura.
• Some migraines are very intense while others are mild.
Page 2 The Blaylock Wellness Report July 2010

• Some can cause temporary paralysis on one side Back then, scientists believed that the artery first
(hemiplegia) or numbness in the extremities or went into spasm, which decreased blood supply
face. to the visual parts of the brain, and caused the
• Migraines can cause loss of vision in one eye or flashing lights one sees in the beginning of an
in half of the visual field. attack (the aura). Sudden dilation of the arteries
• Some can even cause coma. followed, which triggered the pain. Unfortunately,
When I was in medical training, we didn’t have this idea also left a lot to be explained.
a clue as to what caused this mysterious type of Most people who have had a migraine attack
headache. Scientists knew that drugs that regulated know it feels as if half of their head becomes
serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter, seemed to play extremely sensitive to pain (hypersensitivity). That
a role, but there were contradictions. is, the pain fibers are firing like mad. In fact, they
For example, if too much serotonin caused the can become hypersensitive to all pain until the
headache, why did taking tryptophan often make attack passes.
it better? Tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin Some people even have the aura and no headache,
— it should have made the headache worse. which is called a “migraine without a migraine.”
In the beginning, migraine was considered to be Then, there are those who do not experience the
a problem of the blood vessels around the brain aura — this is called “migraine without an aura.”
and scalp. What occurs in the brain in these two types of
migraine patients — those with an aura and those
BLAYLOCK TIP
without — differs.

Migraine Headaches: Serious Business

Computers Creating Headaches Fortunately, most migraine attacks occur only
once or twice a month and last less than an hour.
There has been a dramatic increase in
tension headaches caused by people working
But for some unfortunate people, the attacks can
long hours on computers and sitting for hours occur almost daily and can last over 24 hours.
doing paperwork. Stress adds to this type of When migraine attacks occur more often than 15
headache. Tension headaches can be some of times a month for at least three months, we call it
the most severe headaches and most resistant a chronic migraine. It is these unfortunate people
to treatment. Here are some simple remedies. who spend a lot of time in the emergency room.
Stop working at your computer or desk
every hour and stretch your neck muscles.
Thus far, scientists studying this problem have
While stretching, give the muscles in the back concluded that the process begins with a focal
of your neck a good, deep massage. Many point of over-excitation in the hyper-excitable
people are surprised to find that they have cortex of the brain. From this site, a wave of
severe pain when they massage their neck suppressed brain cell activity spreads out like
muscles. This is a result of not stretching neck circles of water when a pebble is thrown in a pond.
muscles adequately.
I have cured a number of people of vertigo
This is called spreading depression.
and dizziness just by teaching them how to The wave of depressed brain-cell activity moves
massage their neck muscles. Neck muscle very slowly (3 mm per minute) over the cortex and
spasm is a major cause for spells of dizziness. then sends impulses into the deeper parts of the
These exercises could save you a trip to the brain, primarily the midbrain and trigeminal nerve
doctor. nucleus. Interestingly, this spreading depression
Apply a warm, wet cloth to the back of
your neck, while massaging your neck muscles.
moves at the same rate as the appearance of the
Include the muscles of your shoulders and those symptoms of the migraine attack.
between your shoulder blades. A professional The flashing lights, often appearing as a slowly
massage can help a great deal. You can use an growing, scintillating, zig-zag neon light in half
assortment of analgesic rubs such as Bengay or of the visual field, occurs when the wave of brain
essential oils. depression spreads through the visual cortex of
the brain.
July 2010 The Blaylock Wellness Report Page 3

Migraine ‘Auras’ • Food sensitivity from various foods

A number of symptoms can occur just before the • Exposure to glutamate in the diet
headache begins, such as the visual aura, localized • Both conditions are triggered by hypoglycemia
numbness, a feeling of weakness in a limb or — low blood sugar
side of the body, confusion, difficulty thinking or In fact, people with epilepsy often experience
speaking, and in rare cases, vertigo. Usually these headaches after a seizure.
last for just five or 10 minutes and then subside, When the wave of electrical activity triggered by
to be replaced by the throbbing, intense headache the spreading depression moves into the trigeminal
— which most often affects one side of the head. nerve (a cranial nerve that provides sensation to the
In some people, the attack is so intense it triggers face), it triggers inflammation and excitotoxicity.
vomiting and extreme prostration. This, in turn, causes the blood vessels of the brain
When I was practicing, a young man came to and meninges (membranes between the skull and
my office complaining of not being able to see on brain) to constrict and then dilate.
one-half of his visual field — it was as if a line
was drawn right down the middle of his vision,
and he could see nothing on the right side (called About Dr. Blaylock
homonymous hemianopsia).
It turned out that he had a history of migraine Dr. Russell Blaylock edits
attacks, but most were rather mild. [Link]’s Blaylock Wellness
This attack was much more intense and Report. He is a nationally recognized
board-certified neurosurgeon, health
prolonged, and afterwards he remained blind in practitioner, author, and lecturer.
the right visual field. He attended the Louisiana State
We call these “migraine strokes,” and they occur University School of Medicine
when the spasm of the artery feeding the visual in New Orleans and completed
fields on one side of the brain is very intense and his internship and neurosurgical
causes a stroke (infarction). Fortunately, they residency at the Medical University
of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C.
are rare.
For the past 26 years, he has practiced neurosurgery in
Recent studies have shown that four major addition to having a nutritional practice.
events occur in the brains of people who have He recently retired from his neurosurgical duties to
migraine headaches: devote his full attention to nutritional studies and research.
• Localized inflammation Dr. Blaylock has authored three books on nutrition and
• Reduced production of energy wellness, including “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills,”
“Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life,” and
• Low ionic magnesium levels
his most recent work, “Natural Strategies for The Cancer
• High levels of glutamate Patient.” An in-demand guest for radio and television
I call this constellation of events programs, he lectures extensively to both lay and
immunoexcitotoxicity. All of these also occur in professional medical audiences on a variety of nutrition-
epilepsy, a related neurological disorder.1 related subjects.
Interestingly, people with migraines are more Also, Dr. Blaylock has been appointed to serve on the
Scientific Advisory Board of the Life Extension Foundation.
susceptible to epilepsy, and they also suffer from
He is the 2004 recipient of the Integrity in Science Award
other disorders of immunoexcitotoxicity, such as granted by the Weston A. Price Foundation.
depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. In addition, Dr. Blaylock serves on the editorial staff of the Journal
the same drugs used for treating epilepsy also of the American Nutraceutical Association and on the
improve migraines. Yet they differ in that seizures editorial staff of the Journal of American Physicians
are a spreading of cortical electrical activity while and Surgeons, official publication of the Association of
migraine is a spreading depression. American Physicians and Surgeons.
He previously served as clinical assistant professor of
There are other symptoms that migraine neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical
headache and seizures share: Center in Jackson, Miss., and is currently a visiting professor
• They are both triggered by flashing lights of biology at the Belhaven College, also in Jackson.
(strobe effect)
Page 4 The Blaylock Wellness Report July 2010

It is the trigeminal nerve fibers from the receptor6. This is the same excitotoxicity process
brainstem that innervate (supply with nerves) these that scientists are now convinced is linked to any
arteries and triggers the intense pain. number of other neurological disorders:
The exact presentation of the migraine — • Seizures
numbness, speech problems, memory problems, • Depression
hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body), • Anxiety
or coma, depends on the area of the brain most • Panic attacks
affected. Migraines without auras are thought to • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
originate in the hippocampus, an area essential • Parkinson’s disease
for learning, memory, and emotional behavior. • Alzheimer’s dementia
Hemiplegic migraines, which are much more • Huntington’s disease
serious, start in the motor cortex. • Various tics

The Genetic Link Pharmaceutical Treatments of Migraine

There is also a strong genetic link between Most studies of migraine drugs involve the
migraines and most of the genes involved in milder cases, with virtually no studies examining
regulating brain cell ion channels — microscopic effectiveness in chronic migraine patients. This
pores that regulate the passage of various essential make the drugs look more successful than they
ions into the brain cells2. Chief among them: really are.
• Sodium Most anti-migraine drugs, such as gabapentin,
• Potassium topiramate, and tiagabine, have been found to, in
• Calcium one way or another, reduce immunoexcitotoxicity.
Interestingly, one of the most powerful links Most, as stated, are also used to treat seizures.
with epilepsy — glutamate — plays a role in both While these drugs are tolerated in most people,
disorders. It is accepted that elevations in brain some can have serious and life-disrupting side
glutamate play a major role in causing seizures, effects. Newer drugs under development block
and most of the newer seizure medications block NMDA receptors or one
various glutamate receptors. of the other glutamate
A fall in estrogen
Several studies have shown that people, including levels can precipitate receptors (such as the
children, with migraine have significantly higher migraine attacks, mGluR5), since they
levels of glutamate in their spinal fluid and plasma and normal, stable attack the problem at its
than people without migraine3,4. (Interestingly, levels prevent them. origin.
when people are starting to have an attack, their The highest incidence One of the available
brain glutamate levels begin to rise tremendously of migraine attacks drugs that has shown
and remain elevated throughout the attack.) occurs in women promise is memantine,
Glutamate is the brain’s main excitatory during estrogen a drug that reduces
neurotransmitter; that is, it excites the brain. and progesterone NMDA-receptor activity
Too much glutamate and the brain becomes fluctuations — without completely
overexcited. Many studies of people with migraine during menarche, shutting it down.
have shown that their brain is in a hyper-excitable menstruation, and This is important
the use of oral
state, even between attacks5. since this receptor is
contraceptives.
Children with migraine often cannot sit still — essential for memory,
they are very excitable and restless, especially if an learning, and many
attack is imminent. other functions. Early studies using memantine
have shown a significant effectiveness in preventing
The ‘Spreading’ Migraine migraine attacks7.
Recent studies have tracked down the culprit for Studies have shown that the neurons within the
the “spreading depression,” and it is activation of trigeminal nucleus and ganglion secrete a powerful
a particular glutamate receptor called the NMDA inflammation-generating substance (CGRP) during
July 2010 The Blaylock Wellness Report Page 5

an attack. This substance plays a major role in magnesium (Mg2+). High estrogen levels have
initiating the intense pain and sensitization to pain been shown to lower Mg2+ levels, thus making an
associated with the migraine attack. attack more likely9. Normal, physiological levels of
Drugs are being developed to reduce the level of estrogens did not interfere with levels of Mg2+.
this substance. Low concentrations (normal levels) of
progesterone raised Mg2+ levels, and high
Migraines During Pregnancy doses significantly lowered it, again making an
And Menstruation attack more likely. Testosterone had no effect on
In general, women who have menstrual migraine magnesium levels.
(attacks with menstruation or with the onset of Again, this emphasizes the importance of keeping
menarche), do not have migraine attacks when they one’s magnesium levels normal, which is especially
are pregnant. important in pregnant women.
Yet, some unfortunate women will continue to If a woman starts her pregnancy with low
have attacks during pregnancy. magnesium levels, she is more likely to suffer from
Because of its rarity, women who have migraines a worsening of her migraine and a she will have a
during pregnancy should be checked for other higher risk of blood-clotting disorders and cerebral
causes, such as cerebral aneurysms, venous cerebral vasospasm, should she have an AVM or aneurysm.
thrombosis, and arteriovenous malformations Some studies have shown that magnesium
(AVMs) or tangles of arteries and veins. supplementation also reduces the baby’s risk of
I operated on a young woman during her last few having a neurological birth defect.
weeks of pregnancy who was originally diagnosed
with simple migraine, but was later found to have a Treating and Preventing
bleeding AVM. Both baby and mom did well after Migraine Attacks
surgery. Many people with minor migraines are
A fall in estrogen levels can precipitate migraine successfully treated with a variety of drugs, but
attacks, and normal, stable levels prevent them. only a few of the complicated or chronic migraine
The highest incidence of migraine attacks occurs sufferers benefit significantly.
in women during estrogen and progesterone This means something is being overlooked,
fluctuations — during menarche, menstruation, and mainly the major pathophysiological cause of most
the use of oral contraceptives8. migraine attacks — immunoexcitotoxicity.
The incidence of menstrual migraine is as high as Most of the migraines I treated were chronic
60 percent to 70 percent. migraines that had been failures of traditional drug
Most women have attacks, usually without aura, treatments. Here are some natural treatments for
during their period (menses), which is the time of migraine:
greatest hormone fluctuation. 1) Correct your diet. A number of foods and
Interestingly, estrogens have a significant effect food additives are known to precipitate a migraine
on magnesium balance, especially the form most attack. In many cases, the attack may occur hours
associated with migraine headaches — ionic or even days after exposure. The most common
triggers include chocolate (which contains
Exclusive to Current Subscribers phenylethylamine and tyramine), aspartame,
sulfites, nitrates, nitrites, alcohol, caffeine, and
Current subscribers have instant access to any and products containing excitotoxin additives.
every past edition of The Blaylock Wellness Report. The most important triggers to remove from your
Simply go here: diet are excitotoxin food additives.
[Link] I have treated a number of people with
intractable, severe migraine headaches who
The password for every issue is provided were usually unresponsive to traditional drug
in the introductory e-mail. treatments. Most of these people spent many days
every month in the hospital emergency room.
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Page 6 The Blaylock Wellness Report July 2010

It seems that most physicians who treat migraines • Whey protein

ignore the strong connection between migraine • Sodium or calcium caseinate
attacks and high levels of • Stock
glutamate in blood and • Broth
spinal fluid. Turn to Natural Many processed foods
In fact, the severity of the Supplements for Relief contain several forms of
pain is directly related to the glutamate additives.
level of the glutamate in the Migraine attacks can be devastating. Studies have shown that
While pharmaceutical drugs are pushed
brain. by doctors and drug companies for
all of these can damage
It makes no sense to pump their own benefit, natural supplements the brain and precipitate
patients full of drugs and have been shown to be tremendously migraine headaches.
narcotics and never tell them effective. Here are the dosages for the The only way to avoid
that their diet is a major most effective supplements: food excitotoxins is to
source of their problem. It’s prepare your food fresh.
• Riboflavin — 200 mg twice a day
like trying to treat arsenic • Thiamine (vitamin B1) — 100 mg
But even then there are
poisoning, but letting the three times a day foods that naturally
patient continue to eat food • Niacinamide — 100 mg three times contain high levels of
contaminated with arsenic. a day glutamate.
Studies have shown that • M
 ethylcobalamin — 5,000 mcg a day How the food is
foods containing MSG • Folate — 400 mcg a day prepared also makes a
• CoQ10 — 200 mg twice a day (Life
(monosodium glutamate) Extension CoQ10 [Link])
difference. For example,
can increase glutamate • L-carnitine — 500 mg two to three meat gravies, stock, and
blood levels anywhere from times a day broth are all very high
twentyfold to fiftyfold, and • L-carnosine — 500 mg two to three in excitotoxic glutamate.
that it can enter the brain, times a day Tomatoes, when pureed
especially in areas known to • R-lipoic acid — 100 mg twice a day as a sauce or as tomato
with meals
trigger migraine (trigeminal paste, are very high
nuclei). Glutamate also in glutamate and can
increases sensitivity to all precipitate a migraine
types of pain10. headache. Beans, nuts (peanut butter), mushrooms
MSG is not the only source of glutamate. The (especially portabella), cheeses (especially
food industry uses disguised names so that they can parmesan), and dried or condensed cow’s milk are
add glutamate additives to food without the public all high in naturally occurring glutamate.
knowing it. I am often asked if natural glutamate is safer than
The following are just some of the names the “artificial” glutamate. First, there is no such thing
industry has come up with: as artificial glutamate — it is extracted from foods.
• Natural flavoring All glutamate and aspartate is excitotoxic in high
• Carrageenan concentrations.
• Hydrolyzed proteins Another often-overlooked trigger for migraine is
• Isolated soy proteins and soy protein reactive hypoglycemia. With Americans consuming
concentrate massive amounts of sugar over a lifetime, more

A note from Dr. Blaylock: Advertisements for various supplements may appear in the newsletter or
attached to the newsletter. I have nothing to do with these advertisements and do not endorse them. The
only supplements I endorse are those that I list in the newsletter. This is not to say that I object to the
supplements; it’s just that I am not familiar with the supplements being advertised.

Please note that this advice is generic and not specific to any individual. You should consult with
your doctor before undertaking any medical or nutritional course of action.
July 2010 The Blaylock Wellness Report Page 7

than 50 percent of the public now suffers from BLAYLOCK TIP

reactive hypoglycemia, which means when they
eat sugar-containing foods or high glycemic foods, Why Tea Is So Good for You
their blood sugar drops precipitously for several
minutes to hours. Teas contain a number of active compounds,
When blood sugar drops, the brain reacts by including catechins, quercetin, kaempferol,
chlorogenic acid, theanine, theobromine and
releasing high levels of glutamate from its cellular theophylline. Of greatest interest to scientists are
stores — often enough to trigger a migraine the catechins, which may reduce stroke, heart
attack. failure, cancer, and diabetes.
Remember — people with migraines already Green tea contains approximately 30 percent
have higher brain-glutamate levels than normal. catechins, and amounts are even higher in white
It is critical to get on a sugar-free diet and to tea. The lowest levels are in black tea.
Tea is a major source of quercetin in the
avoid excess amounts of foods that are high on diet. Quercetin is a potent flavonoid that is anti-
the glycemic index. Most vegetables are low in inflammatory. It also protects against cancer and
glutamate. protects the brain.
2) Exercise regularly. Exercise has a great
number of benefits and has been shown to reduce
the number of migraine attacks. This could be magnesium levels using oral supplementation.
for several reasons, including the fact that exercise Some studies have shown that people admitted
increases brain-repair chemicals (neurotrophic to the ICU with low magnesium levels had a
substances, such as BDNF, NTF, etc.) and reduces significantly higher risk of dying than those with
blood glutamate. higher levels.
Exercise also reduces stress, and stress is a strong While this may be a sign of a sicker patient, other
trigger for migraine attacks. Stress is known to studies have shown that magnesium plays a vital
increase brain inflammation, excitotoxicity, and role in heart function and protection during sepsis
free-radical generation. Supplements such as (widespread infection).
L-theanine, St. John’s wort, L-tyrosine, taurine, and One study which measured ionized magnesium
green tea extract also calm the nerves and relieve levels in the occipital lobes of 78 patients with
stress. several types of migraine and cluster headaches
3) Combat migraine attacks with supplements. found that ionized magnesium was lower in all
Many studies have shown that people with forms of the headache than normal.
migraines have lower ionized-magnesium levels Researchers theorized there might be a
(Mg2+) than headache-free individuals11 and people connection between impaired energy production in
with cluster headaches had the lowest levels. the brain and the low magnesium13.
In addition, some studies have shown that I have found that with acute migraine with
intravenous high doses of magnesium stop acute aura, drinking a mixture of 700 to 1,000 mg
migraine attacks in up to 80 percent of people of magnesium citrate/malate and 4,000 mg
tested12. of pyruvate in 8 ounces of distilled water can
Oral magnesium has been shown to prevent terminate the attack in a minute or less.
migraines, but it is difficult to reach levels needed Eating a low-glycemic carbohydrate diet can also
for adequate protection. raise blood glucose and help stem the attack, but
Some studies used magnesium oxide and people with reactive hypoglycemia risk a rebound
diarrhea became a problem before adequate blood of hypoglycemia.
levels could be reached, especially in children. The pyruvate has been shown to reduce brain
More absorbable forms of magnesium, such as inflammation and provide energy for the brain. The
magnesium citrate or citrate/malate ([Link]. mix should be prepared fresh at the time it is to be
com — Pure Encapsulation brand), are expected used. It cannot be stored.
to have better results. But be advised: It may take Those with migraine, especially juvenile migraine,
as long as six months to fully restore low brain- should take magnesium regularly to prevent
Page 8 The Blaylock Wellness Report July 2010

attacks. The dose depends on age and body weight. CoQ10 is quite successful, and I feel it would work
Those who weigh more than 100 pounds can take even better than the studies imply, because the
magnesium citrate/malate in a dose dosage was too low in most of these
that will provide about 1,000 mg a In one interesting studies. It may take as much as 200
day. To determine the actual dose, you trial, 32 people with to 300 mg three times a day to reach
need to check the label, which will episodic migraine, with maximum effectiveness.
tell you the amount of magnesium per and without aura, were In one interesting trial, 32 people
capsule or tablet. treated with 150 mg with episodic migraine, with and
For the Jigsaw brand, this is about of CoQ10. An incred- without aura, were treated with 150
two tablets four times a day (www. ible 61.3 percent of the mg of CoQ1016.
[Link]). patients had a greater An incredible 61.3 percent of
I would also caution that calcium than 50 percent reduc- the patients had a greater than 50
can be a powerful trigger for migraine tion in the number of percent reduction in the number of
days with a migraine
attacks and should be avoided in large days with a migraine headache.
headache.
doses (greater than 600 mg a day), and The benefit occurred slowly.
completely avoided should an attack For example, after one month of
begin. Remember, the NMDA glutamate receptor, treatment they saw a 13.1 percent reduction in
the receptor most associated with migraine attacks, the frequency of attacks, which increased to 55.3
works by allowing calcium to pour into the percent by the end of three months.
neurons and glia of the brain. It has also been shown that CoQ10 not only
4) Increase brain energy. A powerful link to increased energy levels in the brain, but also
migraine attacks is poor energy production in increased magnesium levels within brain cells17.
specific brain cells. This has been shown in a A couple of important points need to be
number of studies done on migraine victims, emphasized here.
including juvenile migraine14. First, most studies test natural substances like
The problem seems to be with impaired they test drugs — that is, using low doses and
mitochondrial function — the main energy factory testing them one at a time.
of all cells. Ironically, studies have also shown These natural products have a very wide margin
that mitochondrial deficiency is linked to many of safety, and, in combination, are often more
neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s beneficial than when taken alone.
dementia and Parkinson’s disease. I also caution that some of these supplements,
Impaired brain energy greatly magnifies such as R-lipoic acid, can cause significant
excitotoxicity — the central mechanism in migraine hypoglycemia in some people, and hypoglycemia
and neurodegeneration — and it dramatically can trigger a migraine attack. This is most likely
increases free radical generation, something also to occur in people with pre-existing reactive
seen with migraine headaches. hypoglycemia.
There are a number of supplements known All antioxidants reduce migraine severity and
to significantly improve mitochondrial energy may reduce the number of attacks; this includes
production that are used in severe mitochondrial buffered vitamin C and mixed tocopherols
disorders. These include vitamin K, pyruvate, (vitamin E).
malate, riboflavin, vitamin B-1, pyridoxine,
niacinamide, methylcobalamin, folic acid, Reducing Inflammation Is Key
L-carnitine, L-carnosine, R-lipoic acid, and Several new studies have shown that
coenzyme Q10. inflammation, which is linked to excitotoxicity
Some studies have found that high doses (as (immunoexcitotoxicity), plays a major role in
much as 400 mg a day) of riboflavin can reduce the migraine headaches18.
number and severity of attacks . 15
Inflammation in the trigeminal nucleus appears to
CoQ10, both alone and in combination with cause the intense pain and high levels of sensitivity
riboflavin, can also significantly reduce attacks. to pain seen in people with migraine headaches.
July 2010 The Blaylock Wellness Report Page 9

Reducing inflammation reduces the triggering and BLAYLOCK TIP

pain. Several supplements dramatically reduce
inflammation. How to Fight Back
Not all have been tested in people with migraine Against Headaches
to see if they help, but they should. Feverfew,
a common remedy for migraine, is an anti- Common headaches can be a pain, but
there are ways to fight back:
inflammatory.
Here are some more important anti- •P  oor posture is a sure cause of tension
inflammatories: headaches. If you find yourself sitting for an
• Curcumin and quercetin. 500 mg of each extended period, make it a point to practice
good posture. Make sure you get up and
mixed with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive
stretch, too. Neck and shoulder muscles
oil and taken twice a day create a powerful contract throughout the day and poor posture
anti-inflammatory combination. The downside contributes greatly. Get up periodically and
is that both can induce hypoglycemia, which move around concentrating on stretching.
can make the pain worse, but it is more likely • A major cause of headache is stress, so take
in people with severe reactive hypoglycemia. In time from your busy day to relax.
• Sleep is essential. One of the most common
my experience, many people have had dramatic
causes of headaches is lack of sleep, so be sure
headache relief using this combination. There are to get what your body needs — usually eight
a great many other benefits of this combination hours.
as well. • If you get a headache, apply a warm compress
• Mixed tocopherol natural vitamin E. This form to the affected area. Soak a towel in warm
contains high levels of gamma-E, which is a water and apply it to the back of your neck.
• Get a massage! You hardly need an excuse for
powerful anti-inflammatory which also reduces a massage, but a headache provides a good
excitotoxicity (Unique-E found at [Link]. one. Massages can go a long way to relieving
com 400 IU twice a day). tension headaches. To release tension, massage
• Silymarin. (milk thistle extract from www. the back of you neck, your scalp and your
[Link]) 200 mg a day reduces activation of shoulders.
• Make sure you eat — hunger is another
the brain’s immune cells (microglia) that reduces
common cause of headaches. But what you
brain inflammation. eat is vital — stay away from excitotoxic food
• Omega-3 oils high in DHA or pure DHA. additives.
Carlson’s Norwegian Fish Oil ([Link]. • Drink plenty of water. Water can cool your
com) contains high levels of both EPA and body down, which can reduce headaches.
DHA. It is lemon-flavored and well-tolerated. Eight glasses of distilled water a day are
recommended.
Two teaspoons three times a day will reduce
inflammation. Also, 200 mg of pure DHA (as
Neuromins from [Link]) taken three
times a day also reduces inflammation without
the side effects of EPA. While we do not completely understand why we
Get plenty of restful sleep. Increasingly, we are sleep, we know that one of its functions is to allow
learning that sleep plays a major role in brain our brain to repair itself and to consolidate our
health and can determine how we feel throughout memories and thoughts.
the day. Recent research has also found that the sleep

PLEASE NOTE: All information presented in The Blaylock Wellness Report is for informational purposes only. It is not specific medical advice
for any individual. All answers to reader questions are provided for informational purposes only. All information presented in The Blaylock Wellness
Report should not be construed as medical consultation or instruction. You should take no action solely on the basis of this publication’s contents.
Readers are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being. While the information found in The
Blaylock Wellness Report is believed to be sensible and accurate based on the author’s best judgment, readers who fail to seek counsel from
appropriate health professionals assume risk of any potential ill effects. The opinions expressed in The Blaylock Wellness Report do not necessarily
reflect those of Newsmax Media.
Page 10 The Blaylock Wellness Report July 2010

molecule melatonin plays a major role in brain When it occurs late in life, you have a
protection and can reduce the incidence and combination of new risk factors, which include
frequency of migraine headaches19. possible high homocysteine levels, low ionized
Melatonin has been known to reduce brain magnesium levels, and high glutamate levels in
inflammation and protect the brain against your blood and brain.
excitotoxicity. Recent studies have shown that Remember — homocysteine, especially
children with various developmental disorders are its metabolic products (homocysteic acid,
often deficient in melatonin, but they should not homocysteine sulfonic acid, etc.) is a powerful
be given melatonin unless a definite deficiency has excitotoxin.
been determined by laboratory testing. All of the tips I have listed here — especially
A high intake of excitotoxin food additives can dietary changes — reduce immunoexcitotoxicity
suppress melatonin production by the brain. By damage, and therefore also reduce your stroke
age 50, melatonin levels begin to decline, and they and heart attack risk.
can be quite low after the age of 70. I also want to emphasize that one of the main
The exact dosage depends on the concentration effects of immunoexcitotoxicity is the generation
required to induce restful sleep. For some, 0.5 of enormous amounts of free radicals and lipid
mg is sufficient. Others require doses as high as peroxidation products. Therefore, combinations
6 mg to 9 mg. Take melatonin 30 minutes before of antioxidants will reduce the risk of all three
bedtime on an empty stomach. Extended-release conditions.
and sublingual forms are available. Because migraine headaches have strong links to
I do not recommend melatonin aspartate, since certain genes, one should be careful not to ignore
aspartate is an excitatory amino acid (potential children’s complaints of headaches.
excitotoxin). But migraine attacks are a lot more than just
headaches — they involve defects in cellular
Migraine Sufferers Take Heart energy production, difficulty maintaining
It’s a daunting statistic — people who develop magnesium levels, and elevations in excitotoxin
migraine headaches with an aura after age 45 glutamate.
have a sixfold increased risk of having a stroke. Too few studies have been done to see if there is
The reason for the high-stroke risk — and a higher incidence of migraine sufferers in other
heart-attack risk — is because the same process, neurological disorders, such as neurodegenerative
immunoexcitotoxicity, is responsible for strokes, diseases. That is why it is important to protect
heart attacks, and migraine headaches. yourself and your children early.

References 10. Crosby V., et al., J Pain Symptom Manage, 2000; 19 (1): 35-39.
1. Rogawski, M.A., Arch Neurol, 2008; 65 (6): 709-714. 11. Aloisi P., et al., Headache, 1997; 37 (6): 383-385.
2. Chioza B. et al., Neurology, 2001; 56 (9): 1245-1246. 12. Mauskop A., et al., Headache, 1996; (3): 154-160.
3. Ramadan N.M. CNS Spectr, 2003; 8 (6): 446-449. 13. Mauskop A., et al., Headache, 1993; 33(3): 135-138.
4. Vikelis M., Mitsikostas, D.D., CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets, 14. Lodi et al. Pediatr Res 1997; 42(6): 866-871
2007; 6 (4): 251-257. 15. Bianchi A., et al., Vitamin Horm, 2004; 69: 297-312.
5. Welch K.M., Headache, 2005; 45 Supplement 1: S25-S32. 16. Rozen T.D., et al., Cephalagia, 2002; 22 (2): 137-141.
6. Peeters M., et al., J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 2007; 321 (2): 564-572. 17. Barbiroli B., et al., J Cereb Blood Flow Metab, 1999; 19
7. Bigal M., et al., Headache, 2008; 48(9): 1337-1342. (5): 528-532.
8. Silberstein S.D., Goldberg J., J Reprod Med, 2007; 52 (10): 888-895. 18. Longoni M., Ferrarese, Neurol Sci, 2006; 27: S107-S110.
[Link] W., et al., Brain Res Bull, 2001; 54 (1): 83-89. 19. Peres M.F., et al., Expert Opin Investig Drugs, 2006; 15 (4): 367-375.
July 2010 The Blaylock Wellness Report Page 11

Ask Dr. Blaylock

Attention Blaylock Readers:
Dr. Blaylock welcomes any questions or comments you would like to share.
Each month, he will select a few to be published and answered in the newsletter.
Please remember that he cannot answer every question.
When submitting a question or comment, please include full name, city, and state.
Please e-mail the doctor at: askblaylock@[Link].

Q: Is it safe to take milk thistle on a daily basis function, but also reduces brain inflammation.
when taking prescribed drugs such as Zocor, Vinpocetine, huperzine, and phosphatidylcholine
Namenda, and Aleve? all increase brain acetylcholine and improve brain
— Lawrence L., Henderson, Nev. blood flow.
Vitamin D3 plays a major role in protecting
A: New evidence indicates that the components the brain and reducing brain inflammation.
of milk thistle, silymarin, sylibin, etc., can inhibit The B vitamins supply the brain with energy,
specific detoxification enzymes in the liver, such as as does R-lipoic acid, vitamin K, niacinamide,
CYP3A4. methylcobalamin, folate, acetyl-L-carnitine, and
This enzyme is used to metabolize certain drugs L-carnosine.
and if it is impaired, one can experience drugs that One of the first changes with neurodegenerative
hang around in the body too long or reach doses diseases is a loss of brain energy. It is also
that become toxic. important to remove pesticides/herbicides from
Because milk thistle stimulates liver health and your home environment.
improves some detoxification, I would not suggest
its use in combination with pharmaceutical drugs. Q: I had a sarcoma tumor on the large vein that
carries blood to the heart (the inferior vena cava)
Q: Are there any supplements that help with the and it was successfully removed. The bad news is
onset of dementia? that the sarcoma has metastasized to the lungs. Are
— Barbara D., Hobe Sound, Fla. there supplements that will help?
— Chris P., Albuquerque, N.M. 
A: There are a number of supplements that
in animal model studies of human dementia A: Sarcomas are tumors that are highly resistant
demonstrated significant effects. to conventional treatments. There is evidence that a
Early studies of natural vitamin E demonstrated a number of alternative treatments may help contain
significant slowing of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s the cancer.
disease symptoms in a dose of 600 IU to 1,000 IU I would recommend that you get a copy of
a day. my book on the subject, “Natural Strategies for
The most recent studies indicate that curcumin, Cancer Patients,” by going to my website www.
quercetin, hesperidin, ellagic acid, resveratrol, [Link].
silymarin, and niacinamide can slow or even Some of the most impressive supplements to
reverse the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. inhibit cancer growth and invasion include green
DHA from fish oils has been shown to protect the tea extract, curcumin, quercetin, ellagic acid,
brain and reduce the number of Alzheimer plaques modified citrus pectin and vitamin D3 (in higher
significantly. doses — 5,000 to 10,000 IU a day.
Magnesium reduces brain inflammation and The curcumin (500 mg) and quercetin (500 mg)
excitotoxicity, which reduces the progression. are better absorbed if mixed with a tablespoon of
Alpha-GPC increases brain acetylcholine, which extra-virgin olive oil and taken four times a day
not only improves brain acetylcholine memory with meals or food.
Page 12 The Blaylock Wellness Report July 2010

Q: Are there other ways to flush or clean out the Q: Many common foods (among them tomatoes,
gall bladder? Is surgery the only way to treat gall aged cheese, and mushrooms) contain a natural
bladder problems? form of glutamate. Does this make it unsafe to eat
— Jerry K., Carlsbad, Calif. these foods or too much of them?
 — John S., Marriottsville, Md.
A: Studies have shown that curcumin flushes out
the bile ducts and gallbladder by increasing bile A: Under certain conditions, yes. Glutamate
flow and stimulating contraction of the gallbladder. from foods is just as toxic as glutamate that is
It is also a very powerful antioxidant and anti- manufactured. People having neurodegenerative
inflammatory. Other studies show that gallbladder diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS) and
attacks secondary to gallstones (if they are non- malignant tumors should completely avoid these
obstructing) are strongly related to low magnesium foods and this includes all cheeses; cow’s milk
levels and inflammation in the gallbladder. (especially powdered and condensed); all soy
The magnesium reduces the chemical products; juices from meats, stock, and broth; diets
reactions needed to form gallstones and reduces high in any meat; most nuts; and beans.
inflammation in the liver, bile ducts, and Young children, pregnant women, and those over
gallbladder. Studies have shown that people having age 50 should eat these foods only in moderation.
gallstones frequently have low magnesium intake. Tomatoes, while high in glutamate, are of concern
Take 500 mg of magnesium citrate/malate twice a only if pureed or in a liquid form. All liquid forms
day ([Link]). of glutamate are more dangerous because they
R-lipoic acid is a powerful natural antioxidant are absorbed faster and produce higher, sustained
that in particular protects the liver and this will blood levels.
reduce inflammation in the draining bile ducts. The
dose is 50 mg twice a day ([Link]). Eating
a healthy diet, devoid of fried foods and omega-6
fats and oils will greatly improve the problem.

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