Welcome to the Natural Life
Must You Suffer?
Here in Southern California, spring has definitely arrived and everything is blooming prolifically due to the unusually wet season we had this year. For some of us, it is just a joy to see all the colors and plant varieties, but for others it is a very challenging time for their health due to allergies.
Rather than running to the pharmacy for symptomatic relief, it might help to understand the underlying reasons for the allergies in order to fortify yourself against further allergy attacks. It would be great to not feel like a victim, and take control of your health and be able to breathe easily and actually enjoy smelling the roses! First we will address the various reasons for allergy problems and then we will discuss various ways to turn them around.
Overall, it seems the reason that allergies occur have everything to do with overall health and immune function. Allergic reactions consist of the body over-reacting to some element; whether it is food, pollen, dust, etc. In a balanced, healthy body, those kinds of reactions only occur in specific instances and actually help the body to deal with foreign invasions. An allergic reaction is a heightened reaction of an over-active, over-stimulated immune system.
Adrenal Function
According to many health professionals, the problem behind many allergies is an imbalance in the functioning of the adrenal gland. Allergies and the need for medical intervention have risen dramatically in recent history. The adrenal gland regulates such bodily functions as sugar balance, mineral balance, and sexual development. Our modern diet has severely limited the kinds of nutrients necessary for healthy adrenal function. Vitamin C complex is key to maintain adrenal function. And keeping blood sugar levels normalized by not eating refined carbohydrates is an absolute necessity. What is required is a nutritional and supplemental program to rebuild and rebalance the adrenal cortex.
Leaky Gut Syndrome
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bugs in the gut may be causing many allergy symptoms felt in the head, from runny noses to trouble
breathing, researchers said on Wednesday. And antibiotics
could be to blame, the researchers told a meeting of the
American Society for Microbiology.
The findings could help explain the puzzling rise in asthma and allergies across the developed world in recent decades, the
University of Michigan researchers said.”
A healthy GI (gastrointestinal) tract is an absolute must for balanced immune function. When the intestinal tract no longer contains healthy bacteria and is invaded by pathogens, the leaky gut occurs which does not allow for proper immune function. Antibiotics, unhealthy diet, chlorine, stress, and many other factors that are part of our modern lifestyle destroy healthy bacteria. Research indicates that altering intestinal micro flora can lead to changes in the entire immune system, which may produce symptoms elsewhere in the body. Remember: Anything you inhale, you also swallow. So the immune cells in your GI tract are exposed directly to airborne allergens and particulates.
What You Can Do
Working in the natural health field, I have seen many people experience great results from working with the body’s natural health-building capacity. I would like to share with you what I have learned.
Herbs
Healing plants such as ginger, nettle, echinacea, astragalus, and reishi can all be beneficial in supporting and healing the immune system. They are specific for allergies and asthma.
Nutrients and Food
As mentioned earlier, Vitamin C is essential for healing. Another important nutrient is the flavonoid Quercetin. This is especially important in cases of asthma. Quercetin can be found in rose hips, hawthorne berries, elderberry, cabbage, spinach, garlic, white grapefruit, apples, cranberries, kale, pears, grapes, and onions.
Super Sprouts and Algae- free radical scavengers, which also seem to assist in relieving congestion in the lungs. Many allergy sufferers have had great results using these in assisting them to be allergy free.
Blue Green Algae- rich in chlorophyll, which cleanses toxins in the blood. Also high in many nutrients which are scientifically known to directly build immunity.
Enzymes- Aid in detoxification and in keeping the blood free of unwanted proteins, which are the result of leaky gut syndrome.
Acidophilus- absolutely necessary for healthy GI function.
