Take a holistic approach to your headache. Step back and look at the past 24 hours of your life. Have you eaten sensibly? Did you get a decent night's sleep? Have you moved your bowels since waking up this morning? Are there deadlines you need to meet? Do you have added pressures at home or at work? Is there something you're dreading?

Now that you probably realize the reason for your headache, what should you take for it? Don't refuse any offer. Studies show that more than 90% of headaches are brought on by nervous tension, so most of our remedies are for the common tension headache. Only a few are for the more serious migraines.

Natural home remedies
Headaches are such a headache! Use your instincts, common sense and patience to find which one of these remedies works best for you and your headache. Research scientists tell us that almonds contain salicylates, the pain-relieving ingredient in aspirin. Eat 15 raw almonds to do the work of one aspirin. While it may take a little longer for the headache to vanish, you won't run the risk of side effects. (What the scientists need to find now are fast-acting almonds.)

Apply a paste of freshly ground clay or freshly ground sandalwood to the forehead, let dry, rub off by hand and wash. Apply a paste of one part ground cinnamon and one part water to the forehead to relieve headaches from cold air. Get a little bottle of essence of rosemary and rub a small amount of the oil on your forehead and temples, and also behind your ears. Then inhale the fumes from the open bottle four times. If your headache doesn't disappear within a half-hour, repeat the rubbing and inhaling once more. For headaches, eat a banana every time the linger headaches appear. B6 or B complex vitamins can prevent headaches or lessen their severity

Relief from the East
This remedy seems to be a favorite of some Indian gurus. In a small pot, combine 1 teaspoon of dried basil with 1 cup of hot water, and bring it to a boil. Take it off the stove, then add 2 tablespoons of witch hazel. Let it cool, then saturate a washcloth with the mixture, wring it out and apply it to the forehead.