How Yoga Saved Me From Daily Migraines

"Hello. My name is Shannon Beat and I suffer from migraine headaches." This is what I thought each time I walked into a support group for people suffering from migraine headaches. I was suffering from daily migraines that were very debilitating starting back when I lived in Omaha, Nebraska in 2006. I really did try everything to...well, make them stop. These migraines were ruining my life. I kept food journals. I took medication. I found an awesome doctor. I went to support groups. My diet was restricted because of all of the migraine triggers (barometric pressure changes, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, salad dressings, fresh breads, caffeine, soy sauce, florescent lighting, and MSGs to name a few). I was skinny. I was stuck on the couch 'knocked out' because of the full body pain of my migraines, auras and side effects of medication. {I. felt. like. I. was. dying. every. single. day} I even had to stop taking college classes at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. At the time, I was trying to start Master's classes after completing my undergrad degree in Speech-Language-Hearing at the University of Kansas in 2005. Needless to say, I couldn't even sit in a classroom because of these migraines. Still no M.A., but I digress (it's not a touchy subject at all).

It was awful. I knew something had to give. I signed up for a yoga class at a community center which was really my introduction to yoga. After this yoga class I was introduced to Bikram Yoga by my supervisor at the time. I am not in contact with her anymore, but I wish I could tell her that she changed my life. She wanted me to go and at least try it. So, I did. I went and paid my $15 for one class and I tried it. I was hooked.

Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 postures in a heated room that is usually 105 degrees. Yes, I said that right. There's more on Bikram Yoga here. I practiced this often while living in Omaha before moving back to the Kansas City area. I have done yoga on and off since then- Bikram and various other types of yoga. I, of course, changed from hot yoga to pre-natal yoga while I was pregnant with my two daughters and didn't step foot in a heated room. I have noticed that a lot of the studios in Kansas City have variations of Bikram Yoga, typically called Hot Yoga. For instance, the class I attended today was heated to 95 degrees and consists of a more 'flow' yoga. Still, it is great for me and allows me to sweat!

Yoga has really changed my life by helping decrease the amount of migraines I experience. I feel yoga represents my struggle and how I cope with migraine. I love it and how it detoxifies my body of my triggers. I am not perfect but am getting better. I constantly remind myself that it is called a yoga "practice" for a reason. Unfortunately, migraines are smart. They change, go away, come back. But I am a strong person and can handle it. My yoga practice will be by my side.

{Namaste: My soul recognized your soul. I honor the light, love, beauty, truth and kindness that is within you because it is also within me. In sharing these things there is no distance and no difference between us. We are the same, we are one.}