Breathe Easy

By Janelle Deeds CNC, NE, Nutritional Consultant, Functional Endocrinology Specialist

Sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery, red eyes -- these are just some of the symptoms that more than 35 million Americans face each year as the pollen from trees, grass, flowers and plants make their way into the air.

Allergies are immune reactions to every day substances that most people can tolerate. "Allergens," as they’re called, can include inhalants such as pollens (e.g., ragweed), dust, animal hair or mold. Other common allergens also are found in foods including wheat, peanut, soy or egg. These two types of allergens - food and inhalant-can join forces to increase your suffering. This is often referred to as the toxic load. Your body reaches a point where it just can’t tolerate another irritant and symptoms become prevalent. An important approach to preventing allergies is reducing your ‘immune load" - that is, eliminating stressors on your immune system above and beyond seasonal allergens.

It has been estimated that about 90 million Americans suffer from sensitivity to gluten, while celiac disease, a severe form of mal-absorption caused by gluten, has now been found 50 times more prevalent than previously suspected. About 1.5 million Americans are thought to suffer from it. Celiac disease occurs frequently not only in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms (gas, bloating, belching, indigestion etc.), but also in relatives and others with numerous common disorders, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms.

As a society, we are addicted to simple carbohydrates. Most people find that they can give up the breads, cookies and crackers…for a while. However, so many of the packaged items in the grocery stores are full of gluten, fillers, chemicals and toxins that cause inflammation in your digestive system. So it isn’t just about the bread. It is about your body’s ability to function properly. It is the processed foods, pastas and baked goods that are all lurking with the promise of spiking insulin levels and triggering adrenal fatigue. You know that red puffy face, slightly drooping eyes and inflamed nose? It looks like you have a cold but what you have is major stress. You do, internally.

What about externally? Let’s face it, most of us are running around like mad, responding to alarm clocks, time clocks, the needs of our bosses, families and over extended finances. Finally, at the end of a long day, we find time to fulfill our needs – food and rest. There was hardly time to eat a decent meal during the day, but when we get home we know we can make better choices. However when we get home oftentimes we are too tired to even think of cooking healthy and dishes, so quick, convenient/prepackaged and filling foods are generally on the menu. Lifestyle choices play a big part in how we are able to stay healthy. Finding time to relax, eat right and exercise are very important factors for keeping your body’s first line of defense alert prepared.

The immune system plays a central role your health. It protects us from disease by recognizing and eliminating or removing foreign material (invaders) from our bodies. Exposure to a variety of chemicals can affect this system adversely; putting us at risk for illness and disease. An allergic reaction is actually an oversensitive immune system triggering a misdirected immune response. The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances, such as bacteria and viruses. In contrast, an allergic reaction is when the immune system reacts to substances (allergens) that are generally harmless and in most people do not cause an immune response. These reactions are mainly due to an overburdened, internally congested and clogged internal environment of the body.

There are many alternatives to over the counter or prescription drugs. The gentlest and best tolerated by the body long term are herbal and nutritional supports. Western herbs, specifically, nettle leaf is a natural antihistamine that also has the benefit of detoxifying the liver. Quercetin is an anti-oxidant found in the peels of apples and red onions. Many forms of quercetin supplements are formulated with bromelain, a digestive enzyme from pineapples, which can help relieve inflammation of sinuses.

You can help alleviate allergies by increasing foods that are high in anti-oxidants in your diet. This includes organic fruits and vegetables like green leafy vegetables, broccoli, turnips, carrots, pineapple, papaya, and beverages such as green tea and oolong tea (helps reduce excessive mucus).

Also to build your immunity, consider adding the dried herb astragulus to soups and/or fresh herbs like rosemary, ginger and garlic. It's a natural way to integrate herbs into your meals to further support balanced immunity and reduced allergies.

It is a rare occasion when a client comes in without any symptoms of gastrointestinal distress or allergy symptoms. Micro-organisms in the gut are often the culprit when it comes to viral or bacterial infections that inflame the tissues and when foods which are irritating to the client’s system are eaten day after day, the combination eventually build up to allergic reactions. What do we do in our clinic about this?

• Remove potentially offending foods: glutinous grains, peanuts, soy etc. – crosscheck with HealthWalk’s Galvanic Skin Response G.S.R. technology to determine exact allergens for the client.
• Look for offending micro-organisms through Vital Hematology, Galvanic Skin Response G.S.R. and/or bio-markers testing and analysis (Functional Endocrinology) and recommend appropriate nutritional supplements to address the issues.
• Increase whole foods - organic and locally produced foods choices such as leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and sprouted grains and to maximize nutrients
• Support health through stress reduction and exercise.
• Add a probiotic to the daily diet like HealthWalk’s BioNue™ to give the body the good intestinal bacteria for a healthy balance and better nutrient absorption.

So, breathe easy this season. Take a preventative approach to supporting your immune system and don’t forget to stop and smell the roses…I dare you!