Normally when I write a detailed article for my readers and subscribers to my newsletter I am trying to explain some simple exercise, nutrition, or lifestyle based solutions to a common health problem that they may be dealing with. However, with this article about migraines and headaches I feel like I pose more questions than I provide answers or solutions to, as it is such a complicated topic to discuss. Having said that, I hope by the time you have read all the information I am about to explore you may be clearer as to what factors may be causing your specific problem so you can implement the right corrective solution. This is part one of a two part series due to the amount of information I had to cover. In part two I will discuss the various things you can do to control your migraine attacks and hopefully prevent them in the future.

Learning to breathe correctly for daily living and for exercise is one of the most important things you can ever do to improve your health. I have spoken in great detail about this in numerous articles about breathing before, explaining how poor breathing mechanics can disrupt everything from PH balance, emotions and gut health, to posture, core function, and even how well we metabolise our food. Unfortunately, many people remain completely ignorant to learning good breathing techniques and do not even know what good breathing is, yet alone be able to execute it. What is the best technique? Well, just like everything to do with health and fitness there is no one way, or “only” way to do this. There are many different methods and philosophies of how to do this. Some are harder to learn than others, and many have a specific objective or population in mind for teaching the breathing method a particular way. However, the one thing that they all share in common is that you need to significantly slow your breathing rate down and keep your mouth closed. In this article, I will look at several different breathing methods and allow you to decide which version is best suited to you.

Many people will tell you the answer to this question is to join a Yoga class. To some degree they are right as there are many poses that demand these two skillsets, however, not all Yoga classes provide this and not all of the exercises will relate to functional movement. Holding a pose for set period of time is great, but the timing is not what you would encounter in a real-life situation that often moves fast and requires instantaneous reflexes. There are many people who come to see me for help who possess great flexibility but lack joint stability and control of movements. On the flip side of this are others who have incredible stiffness but lack mobility. Finding ways to improve both of these essential skills is critical for improving their movement efficiency so they can achieve their goals with health and fitness. In this article, I will share with you a workout I have used successfully with many people in the past. Not all of the exercises may relate to your specific needs so you can easily add or subtract exercises as you feel necessary.