Headaches – the most common disease and everyone knows some home remedy for this annoying pain. In fact, in addition to ibuprofen or an aspirin tablet, there are also completely natural options that you can use to treat headaches or migraines.
One of these variants plays a particularly important role in our daily lives - it's coffee! Yes, coffee is actually considered a natural remedy for headaches. But this is a very general statement, because strictly speaking, it is not the coffee as a whole that provides the pain-relieving effect, but the invigorating substance caffeine that is found in the coffee bean. You can find out exactly how this interesting headache remedy works in this blog article. Elias Fischbacher from the Wildkaffee Rösterei wishes you lots of fun discovering it.
Coffee for headaches - caffeine as a pain blocker
You have already read in the above section that it is not just coffee that helps against headaches or migraines. Strictly speaking, it is the caffeine that has the pain-relieving effect. The caffeine enters our bloodstream very quickly and can be detected after about half an hour. It acts as an enzyme formation blocker, which prevents the release of prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is a local hormone that is responsible for pain mediation in the human body. Have you ever heard of acetylsalicylic acid? Probably not. This acid is often taken in tablet form and has the same effect - it has a pain-relieving effect.
Coffee against headaches & migraines - it's all about quantity!
Coffee, with its caffeine content, ensures that our metabolism runs at full speed and gets going. Caffeine also increases fat burning. Coffee consumption causes the individual food components to be broken down more quickly and used to supply the body with energy. When you consume healthy foods with good nutritional values, these nutrients are better absorbed by your body and cells, which improves your energy balance and burns more calories.
In addition, caffeine increases heat production in the body, which burns some additional calories. The increase in blood pressure and heart rate provides a certain boost to the metabolism, which also has a positive effect on losing weight with coffee.
Coffee against headaches - insider tip against migraines
Let's come back to the coffee against migraines tip. The recipe for a strong coffee against a severe migraine attack can be further developed with a little trick. Nevertheless, you should not forget that your body needs absolute rest, sleep and, above all, darkened rooms. This is especially true for more severe migraine attacks.
However, if the symptoms are milder, you can take action early on. Coffee can help you here, or more precisely, espresso is the best choice as a home remedy for migraines. Mix your espresso with freshly squeezed lemon juice and drink it at the first sign of an impending migraine.
Coffee for headaches - Where does coffee with lemon come from?
But who came up with the crazy idea of mixing an espresso with lemon juice to get rid of a headache? In fact, this remedy has long been considered an old home remedy in Italy. This trend has actually spread throughout Europe. If you search the internet for a home remedy for headaches, you will repeatedly come across the espresso-lemon juice mixture, which is affectionately called "Citresso" in Italy. The rule is that this wild mixture relieves headaches quickly and easily. It is the mixture of caffeine and vitamin C that makes it effective. This was even tested by the University of Freiburg and actually found to be correct. The mixture is even said to work as a home remedy for hangovers. The remedy has been used in southern Italy for years to cure hangovers and is considered an excellent remedy for a hangover.
Coffee against headaches -Citresso preparation
In terms of taste, Citresso is not really a highlight. Preparation is straightforward. Only 3 or 2 ingredients are needed.
1. A double espresso – e.g. our Wilderer Espresso with 20% Robusta & therefore extra caffeine
2. Half a squeezed lemon
3. Optionally some sugar – The sugar ensures that the caffeine and vitamin C get into your bloodstream faster.
All three ingredients are mixed to form a "cocktail". Then you can drink your mixture. Obviously, you won't find it to be a real treat in terms of taste. But the vitamins in the lemon juice stimulate the formation of a messenger substance that, in combination with the caffeine, can relieve your headache or migraine symptoms. In fact, vitamin C and caffeine are added to many headache medications.
Coffee or caffeine as a trigger for headaches?
However, if you overindulge in coffee, you may experience the opposite effect. If you consume too much caffeine, you will have to deal with unpleasant side effects such as headaches or tiredness. The same thing can happen to you if you go through caffeine withdrawal. You will feel a mild, subtle headache for a longer period of time, but don't worry, these symptoms usually disappear within 12 to 24 hours.
But caffeine withdrawal also brings with it other mild symptoms such as mild circulatory problems, nausea or even irritability and lack of concentration. So if you want to reduce your coffee consumption a little, it is advisable to reduce the dose gradually and supplement it with alternatives such as high-quality green tea from Tea Spitz.
Coffee against headaches - Conclusion!
Does coffee help against headaches? This is partly true, because caffeine is considered a pain blocker and there is plenty of caffeine in coffee. Stronger coffee is particularly recommended for migraine attacks and the headaches that result from them. The caffeine in coffee goes straight into the bloodstream and acts as an enzyme blocker, which specifically blocks the hormone that mediates pain in the brain. Caffeine is even more effective when paired with vitamin C! This is probably where the old Italian home remedy, Citresso, comes from. It is an espresso that is mixed with half a lemon and optionally a little sugar and drunk quickly.
This is considered a home remedy for headaches and is also used in southern Italy to cure hangovers. The two substances caffeine and vitamin C are also used in combination in headache medication. But be careful! Coffee and caffeine are not magical cures, which is why you should make sure you consume them in moderation. Otherwise, if you consume too much caffeine or coffee, you could have the exact opposite effect: headaches. Even if you are going through caffeine withdrawal, you will still get a mild headache for about a day. As with any luxury item, it's all about the quantity! #staywild
