Are you suffering with allergies?  Did you ever wonder what caused them?  Most feel they are stuck with their allergies, not true.  There are many reasons underlying allergies, and hence ways to heal from them.  Here are the details! (I am not talking about the kind of allergies that can send you to the ER, I am talking about the other kind of allergies)

Why do I have allergies and what can I do about them? 

1) At some point there was an exposure to the allergen when the health of your mucous membranes of your eyes, nose, throat, lungs, or gastrointestinal lining was compromised. This allergen then got through the protective layer into the blood stream, and caused a reaction – foreign substance alert!

Things that decrease the health of your mucous membranes are:

  • Dehydration causing dry cracked mucous membranes – how allergens get into the blood stream
  • Use of steroids or NSAIDS – aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, Flonase nasal spray which cause the body to not make as much healthy mucous which pushes out the allergens
  • Use of antibiotics which kill the good bacteria in our membranes which is a part of our natural protection
  • Stress directly depletes our immune system
  • Adrenal fatigue. Adrenals produce our natural cortisol which is anti-inflammatory. See Adrenal blog issue.
  • Poor nutrient status and diet.
  • Eating foods you are intolerant to that contribute to the lack of health of the gastrointestinal tract.

2) Another cause of allergic reaction is due to an increase of histamine in the body. When the histamine in the body is being produced faster than the body can get rid of it, we have symptoms. Histamine is produced to set off the alarm in the body that there is a foreign invader that must get out! Its a good thing then right?

Reasons why my body doesn’t get rid of histamine well:

  • Genetics. Actually we can have biochemical pathway issues, thus making us have more histamine than others Are you one who gets red blotchy skin easily? This could be you. Test your genetics at www.23andme.com and I will interpret them for you.
  • Poor nutrient status. It takes a symphony of vitamins to push these pathways, even if they are working properly. Such as vitamin C, magnesium, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, thiamine, vitamin D to name a few.
  • Overload: If you are eating poorly, have poor digestion, you could have such a build up in your body of histamine.
  • Bogged down liver:  if the body is circulating an abundance of toxins, the liver will be too busy handling these to deal with histamine.  These other toxins burden the liver and use up vital nutrients needed to detox histamine.

3) Inherited allergies

Such as those in a new born, which seem to dissipate in time.
Allergens we get through the placenta from our mother, usually these are to foods, such as dairy, nuts, shellfish.

4) Toxins disrupt the immune system

High levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, barium, aluminum and other environmental toxins can build up in the body over time. They affect our immune system. They block certain biochemical pathways so things don’t work as they should.  They change the balance of immune cells from TH1 to TH2 dominant.  One of the first clues one has heavy metal build up is allergies.

So I have allergies, What can I do?

1) Can I heal from allergies? Yes!

Yes, it is possible to lessen or eradicate allergies. To do this, you must get rid of the cause, stimulate the body to heal by feeding it what it needs to have healthy mucus membranes, strong immune system and adrenals and finally the right nutrients needed to lower histamine.
Yes, if we can lower your overall histamine level, by cleaning up the diet, healing the mucus membranes, healing the GI tract, heal tired adrenal glands, unburdening the liver…  it is possible the allergy symptoms will disappear.
Yes, there is sublingual immunotherapy which helps. This is a therapy much like allergy shots, yet it is not invasive. Sublingual sprays are given on a daily basis in increasing potencies. This therapy is available at our office.

What can I do now to help?

1) Supplements:

  • Quercitin – found in onions, stabilizes the cells that make histamine
  • Stinging Nettles – promotes the health of the membranes
  • NAC – helps to make the mucus membranes healthier
  • Bromelain – promotes healthy membranes
  • Buffered vitamin C
  • High dose B vitamins, in their absorb-able forms
  • Vitamin D which stabilizes immune system

2) Homeopathic Remedies:

  • Histaminum – a homeopathic remedy – use on first onset of symptoms
  • Allium Cepa – covers common allergy symptoms

3) Foods to avoid

  • Avoiding High histamine foods can help.  Foods such as citrus, nuts, chocolate, coffee, black or green tea, fermented foods.
  • Avoid eating farmed fish, which contain high PCB toxins, and large fish such as tuna, which contain high mercury. Which Fish handout.

4) Sublingual Immunotherapy – (SLIT) – a new way to eradicate allergies, similar to “allergy shots” except without the needles. Using sublingual sprays daily of tiny amounts of the allergens, in increasing dosages over time, trains the body to not react to the allergen.

Once a four year old boy came to me who broke out in a rash all over his body when he pet his dog. We ran a blood test through a standard lab (covered by insurance) and sure enough he was allergic to dogs. We ordered the SLIT and after a month of taking the sprays daily, he no longer broke out when playing with his dog friend.

5) Get tested

6) Other things

7) Call me for help, this can get complicated without guidance! 480-607-0299

As always I welcome your questions, comments and support!