Andrea Pesate Belozercovsky shares more of the strategies that continue to help her be active, engaged and upbeat. Maybe they can work for you, too!

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Partner with a specialist. Andrea is thankful to have found a neurologist who treats numerous patients with Chronic Migraine. “She’s wonderful because she’s open to the newest treatments,” she adds. “Plus, she listens to all my concerns and understands that I will come to the offi ce with questions about the latest research.”

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Try essential oils. “Shortly before I started on the injectable drug, I noticed some improvement from using essential oils,” she explains. In fact, Andrea’s doctor suggested she continue with essential oil therapy, which has been shown to relieve symptoms related to migraine (including head pain, nausea and vomiting) in a percentage of patients. Her favorite: M-Grain Essential Oil by Young Living, which is a mixture of various oils, such as basil, lavender and peppermint.

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Keep track of your triggers. While Andrea has learned that a few uncontrollable risk factors can lead to migraine (such as the weather and hormonal fluctuations), she’s also realized that other personal triggers can usually be avoided, including loud noises and super-crowded surroundings, as well as certain foods — with wine migraines. She called her doctor immediately and said she wanted to give it a try. Andrea experienced some improvements during the first two months. “When you suddenly go three days without a migraine, your expectations become more real,” she adds. After the third month, her health drastically improved. “It’s been life-changing — I feel almost cured!” she says. “I’m down to four or five migraines a month that are much less intense and can be treated with acetaminophen. If someone would have told me six months and soy topping the list. “I’ve stopped eating red meat and cheese on a regular basis and only indulge on special occasions,” she says. “And I’ve found that popcorn, cooked onions and some fermented foods give me migraines, too.”

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Find a happy medium. Even though Andrea does her best to keep her migraines at bay, she also refuses to give up life’s little pleasures. “I’m a young person and I don’t want to live in a bubble,” she states. “Every now and then, I will eat the ‘bad’ foods or have a few cocktails knowing that I will probably spend some time in bed the next day. But it’s okay — doing so allows me to create memories with my kids and unforgettable moments with my husband and our friends. It’s my choice, and now that I can control how many migraines I have, I feel like I have control over my life.”