Compliled by Shalom and Margo Helman with help of fellow Jangloers.
Thanks to everybody for your ideas on how to get rid of headaches during dry days in Jerusalem. Here are the thoughtful responses I got:
**It is always good to drink a lot, especially in Jerusalem where recommendations range from 8-20 glasses of fluid a day. However, for persistent headaches the one to ask is your family doctor.
**drink small amounts of water but constantly. Don't eat meat cause it requires large amounts of
water to remove waste
**I feel your pain! I have used saline nasal spray here and it helps. I got it at a little pharmacy near my apt on Azza St. It's a french (I think) product called Sterimar. But I am sure that there are other
brands too.I have also found a little aroma therapy diffuser at a new age shop in the center of town. You fill a little ceremic "kettle" with water and light a candle under it. It helps put moisture in the room. I don't think that it will be much help in the summer when most of the window are open though. Good luck!
**The dry weather may not be your problem. During the past few years, the amount of airbourne particles in the air (sand, dust, air,pollutants) has really grown. I find that that's usually the problem and not the "dry"
**You can try keeping windows closed and using a humidifier that is evaporative (such as Kaz). It may be a good idea to track when it happens to you so that you can tell if there is a particular seasonal/morning/eening time that is better or worse.
**Water also doesn't help me, it just runs through. I eat fruits of the season, more in summer of course. That helps. The headaches come if I havent eaten 'liquids' for a while, like in a weather change. Then I take one-two panadeine (incl codeine)or equivalent to help the headache go away within an hour and also eat a couple of fruits. For some reason if I don't take the pills the headaches stay all day. When travelling I also never bring water only fruits. This helps me, hope it helps you too.
**I know what you mean because I have the same. You need to care of the headache as soon as it begins. I just read that the plant "Ben Charzit" which is of the marigold family but not the same, can be made a tea and drink a few cups several times a day. I just bought a bag from an her growing place but the usual place I buy my herbs for medicinal purposes (I treat my sister of whom I am the caregiver, with herbs) is just outside the Machane Yuda Shuk, across from the Kaspomat, the name of the store is Hadassa and ask for the Ben Charzit plant from them, they will know. If they do not have by some chance, because they usually have all herbs, across the street on Jaffa Rd. is Oplakta Pharmacy which also carries herbs in dry leaves, ask them for that. Easy summer!
**Do anything that will put more moisture in your inhaled air. Use a COLD MIST humidifier. Breathe through a very damp cloth. If you use an EVAPORATIVE type air conditioner, it will cool and HUMIDIFY the air on shirav days. Also it uses much less electricity tham a compressor type air conditioner.-----
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