Spring/Summer 2002

Linda Mitchell

Migraines are a life-altering and life-limiting condition. If you have never experienced a migraine, imagine the feeling of an elephant stepping on your head and that this lasts several hours or longer. The pain can be so intense that even a sliver of light hitting you feels like an unbearable blow. I suffered from migraines for three decades. Rather than accept migraines as a part of my life, I embarked on a long journey to find a cure.

Besides neurological causes of migraines, most are caused by allergies. Since my first migraine at age 18, I have been through all the appropriate testing offered by western medicine, which determined that my migraines were not caused by a neurological disorder. I diligently followed the advice of Western medicine doctors, trying all the recommended medications. As these treatments consistently failed, I tried several naturopathic treatments, food elimination diets and supplements, but still remained trapped in the life of migraine I was afraid of almost everything I ate since so many foods triggered my migraines. I even restricted myself from social engagements. I couldn’t dine out comfortably because I had to get an exact ingredient list for anything I ordered, have chefs eliminate ingredients, send back dishes and endure waitstaff who couldn’t understand why I was so picky.

As you can probably guess, migraines negatively affected my entire family. Not only did I live in fear of triggering the intense pain, but I felt incredible guilt at the sadness of my children seeing Mom bedridden in pain. Similarly, my husband endured years of worry, not knowing how to alleviate my agony. And I felt angry about all the days that I unwillingly missed for the simple reason that I just could not function.

Everything changed a few months ago when my daughter mentioned that a friend of hers knew about a treatment that could eliminate allergies. Eliminate the allergies that I had spent years discovering were the very cause of the migraines? I was very skeptical after trying so many other treatments, but my determination to be pain-free led me to find out what it entailed.

When I telephoned Marcia Costello at Rising Sun Acupuncture, she was extremely helpful and patient with all my questions. She explained the treatment, and invited me to visit her office. At my first appointment, I was given a medical form. This began the careful examination of my medical and emotional history. Next it was on to the actual testing and treatment. As strange as it sounds, I felt extremely excited. Marcia exuded confidence and put me at ease. Deep inside, I suspected that she might be my “Angel,” the person who could help me after all these years of pain.

Using the science of kinesiology, Marcia tested my body for sensitivities to several common foods (a few that I hadn’t even associated with migraines). The kinesiology involved testing my muscles for strength while I held a vile of the substance in my hand. She explained that in order to eliminate the allergy you must eliminate all the components of the allergy. Having spent a long time trying to associate migraine attacks with what I ate prior to the attack, I was now aware that it wasn’t as painfully “easy” as eliminating certain foods.

Marcia taught me that in order to successfully clear allergy sensitivities, you must first address the basics. This means treating essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins that strengthen the immune system. This sequential clearing helps to avoid severe allergic reactions during the treatment (which includes slight exposure to these allergens). In addition, eliminating these basic components from your list of sensitivities can actually decrease the effects of other known allergies -- even before you are treated for it. An example of how this works, is observed in my daughter who is also being treated by Marcia. My daughter has a severe reaction when exposed to animals, especially dogs. As she began treatment, she became aware of other ailments and sensitivities related to the basics. As treatments cleared these sensitivities, each of the ailments lessened and disappeared. She was actually able to be around dogs with minimal reactions before treatment began for the animal allergy! Similarly, I started feeling better after the basic treatments, before I had even started treatment for my known allergies. That’s the exciting part of this regiment -- you start to feel better right away and see positive results with each treatment.

Besides treatments in Marcia’s office, I learned that strict adherence to the Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Treatment (NAET) protocol is required to fully benefit from the healing and actually eliminate the allergy. Marcia provided a workbook that details this process. For instance, after each treatment session there is a 25-hour meridian time restriction. This is the time when the energy molecule must travel uninterrupted from the brain through the twelve energy pathways (meridians), which represent major organs and areas of the body. During this time, the patient must avoid contact with the specific substances addressed in treatment. This can be challenging, but the information in the workbook guides the process. As the body establishes a clear energy flow through the pathways, symptoms of the allergy can actually occur. On two occasions, I developed a migraine during the 25-hour restriction. I did not let this discourage me, but viewed it as a final cleansing. While it may sound daunting, committing to the treatment regime was nothing compared to the pain and discomfort I had endured with allergies.

Another important part of the treatment for me, was my comfort with the practi- tioner. Marcia Costello of Rising Sun Acupuncture is an extremely compassionate, understanding practitioner committed to healing her patients. Marcia’s office is warm and inviting, making each session an incredible experience of relaxation, peace and love. Marcia has credentials in both Western and Eastern medicine. She is also in regular contact with Dr. Devi Nambudripad, the founder of NAET, through a practitioner support system. So in addition to learning from her patient’s allergies, the practitioner support system serves to constantly increase her knowledge.

I have been undergoing the NAET protocol treatment for a few months with incredible results. It still amazes me when I try to understand exactly how it is working. In fact, letting go of Western medicine constraints about how the body works allowed me to become absorbed into this treatment protocol. I also found that keeping the treatments close together made the treatment period easier and brought faster results.

Migraine sufferers need only to realize that the body is trying desperately to tell you that it needs attention. Without neurological problems, migraines are caused by bodily reactions to an allergen. What I learned from Marcia is that the allergen can be food, environment, smells, or even an emotional link to a substance. Until these allergens are eliminated, the body will continue to function on a compromised immune system and sensitivities will continue to manifest as the immune system gets weaker. This causes ailments in other areas of the body, even when a migraine attack is not happening.

It’s a cascade effect: antibodies are constantly fighting these “foreign” invasions, so the body is constantly at war. No wonder we feel so awful! Symptoms of depression, mood swings, anger, anxiety, brain fog, lack of energy and disinterest can be caused by allergies and are very typical of migraines sufferers. A migraine is a warning signal that something negative is happening. It took me years to find out what that was, and how I could correct it.

I still can’t believe that I am eating foods, symptom-free, that I haven’t eaten in 20 years. It was an amazing day when I ate chocolate again! I no longer worry about going out to social functions or to restaurants. I still eat healthy, avoiding junk and prepared foods because I want my body to be treated to the very best after so many years of restrictions. What’s different is that I thoroughly enjoy my food now and eat with a positive attitude, eliminating the emotional attachments that existed before. I am almost completely cleared of all the allergies that restricted my eating!

I feel blessed and thankful that I was connected to Marcia Costello at a time when I thought I had exhausted all my options for getting better. The NAET treatments have permanently eliminated my food allergies, allowing me to feel incredible -- both physically and emotionally. The depression, mood swings, anger and lack of energy are things of the past. Sometimes I am so happy, full of energy and giddy that my family hardly recognizes me. Thanks to Marcia Costello and Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Treatment (NAET), I look forward to a future of good health, free of the pain and fear caused by migraine attacks.
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This article was contributed by Linda Mitchell. She hopes that her story will inspire other migraine sufferers to seek out holistic health treatments and discover life without migraines.