We just completed a trip from Colorado to Iowa to pick up another bull, and then on to Oklahoma to put him into the pasture with our heifers. The new bull is a really nice one too, and while we hated to have to buy another one, we think he will work out nicely. We are trying to stay optimistic about it all.

1. Feel the top ridge of your eye socket under the eyebrow. You will discover a small groove in your skull about the center of the top of the eye socket. In this groove is a nerve which is very sensitive to pressure. If you compress this nerve, it will be very painful. However, the pain will stimulate the pituitary to release endorphins immediately. The endorphins are the body's own natural painkillers and are more powerful than morphine. To stimulate the nerve, push hard against it for about 10 seconds. Repeat about 20 times and then rest to see if enough endorphin was released to stop the headache. 2. Try putting a cold compress on your forehead or behind the neck. Many headaches are caused by tense neck muscles. Conversely, use a moist hot pack to loosen up tense muscles - see which works best for you. 3. Massage the ears and ear lobes. 4. Similar in concept to the endorphin release - nerve stimulation through acupressure can offer some relief of symptoms. Search for "Do- in" or "acupressure" on the web. 5. Drink a glass of water. Headaches are often caused by dehydration, and rehydrating will often relieve that headache. This is not a quick fix, but if you find yourself getting headaches when you are dehydrated, pay particular attention to getting an adequate amount of water, especially when traveling. 6. Magnesium deficiency is another common cause of headaches, especially migraine. Our health food store sells a product called CALM, a powdered, flavored magnesium added to hot water to make a pleasant drink. Another option is to get a bottle of magnesium citrate at the grocery store. It is in the pharmacy section and comes in a little green bottle. Take 5 ounces of the magnesium on an empty stomach and the headache will go away. The magnesium citrate is sold as a laxative; however, 5 ounces will not have this effect. Magnesium citrate hydrates the gut - it is not a true cathartic laxative. 7. If you suffer from migraine headaches, try taking HTP6 and Iodine tabs daily. They help increase blood flow in the brain, relieving headaches.

So - we may be a little hard to get in touch with, and we may be a little slower than usual getting your orders out to you for the next couple of weeks. Please be patient with us as we work through this. We are checking our emails and phone messages and will get back with you as soon as we can.

Lois & Allan

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