Allergies

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Spring has sprung, and allergies are in full bloom. Scientific studies suggest fifty million people suffer from assorted seasonal, chemical or food allergies. What variety do you have and what are the solutions?

What is an Allergy? Allergies are a response by the immune system to a particular food, inhalant, or chemical. Oftentimes the terms "allergy" and "sensitivity" are used interchangably. A "sensitivity" tends to be more general, and may include a true allergic reaction, but may also include reactions that due not produce an immune response. These types of non-allergic responses are really intolerances to a particular substance, food or toxin. Detecting allergies and other sensitivities involves eliminating or reducing exposure to the sources and can be a time-consuming and challenging task. Supporting the immune system is a healthy alternative to reducing the possibility of allergies and sensitivies.

What are some of the symptoms of Allergies? Common symptoms may include itchy, watery eyes; sneezing; headache; fatigue; postnasal drip; runny, stuffy, or itchy nose; sore throat; dark circles under the eyes; an itchy feeling in the mouth or throat; abdominal pain; diarrhea; and the appearance of an itchy, red skin rash.

Types of Allergies:

Hayfever is a common seasonal allergy during this time of year when trees are pollinating. The pollen grains released by plants become airborne and settle in your nose, causing itchy, watery eyes, and runny noses. In allergy-prone people, a well-meaning immune system produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) to fight pollen invaders. These antibodies stimulate an inflammatory response which causes histamine to be produced and released into the bloodstream which causing the symptoms of itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, etc in response to the allergen, which the body considers an invader.

Food Allergies affect a large percentage of children and adults within the population of the U.S. A food allergy occurs when your immune system responds defensively to a specific food protein that is not harmful to the body. The first time you eat the offending food, your immune system responds by creating the antibodies (immunoglobulin E or IgE). Continue Article

The information presented is for informational purposes only. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Consult your doctor or healthcare practitioner for any health problem and before using any supplements.

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When you eat the food again, the IgE antibodies spring into action, releasing large amounts of histamine in an effort to expel the "foreign invader" from your body. Symptoms may appear almost immediately, or up to two hours after you've eaten the food. Symptoms can include a tingling sensation of the mouth, swelling of the tongue and throat, hives, skin rashes, vomiting, abdominal cramps, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, a drop in blood pressure, or even a loss of consciousness. The most common foods that create this type of immune response in the body are milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and nuts (such as peanuts,walnuts, pecans and almonds), fish and shellfish.

Drug Allergies occur when the drug first enters the body, and the immune system responds by creating specific disease-fighting antibodies ( immunoglobulin E or IgE antibodies) that recognize the drug as a foreign substance. As the drug is taken again, these antibodies spring into action, releasing large amounts of histamine in an attempt to expel the drug from the body. Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. The most common drug associated with allergies is penicillin or other similar antibiotics. Other drugs commonly found to cause reactions include sulfa drugs, barbiturates, anticonvulsants, insulin, local anesthetics such as lidocaine, and iodine.

Insect Allergies most frequently occur after a person has been stung by a bee, wasp, yellow jacket, hornet or fire ant. Most people are not allergic to insect stings and may mistake a normal sting reaction for an allergic reaction. However, people who have experienced an allergic reaction to an insect sting have a 60% chance of a similar or worse reaction if they are stung again. A normal reaction will result in pain, swelling, and redness around the sting site. A mild allergic reactions might include one or more of the following symptoms at the site of the sting; pain, redness, mild to moderate swelling, itching, warmth at the sting site.
A severe allergic reaction may include one or more of the following symptoms; difficulty breathing, hives that appear as a red, itchy rash spreading beyond the sting, wheezing, or difficulty in swallowing, rapid pulse, restlessness or anxiety, dizziness or sharp drop in blood pressure.

Contact or Dermatitis Allergy occurs when the skin comes into direct contact with an allergen(what the body considers to be an invader), resulting in hives and skin rashes. Common causes of contact dermatitis include topical medications, perfumes, makeup and plants, such as poison ivy. Although skin allergies rarely cause dangerous reactions, symptoms are uncomfortable and unsightly and can become chronic.

Natural Remedies are a way to support the immune system and get to the core of your allergies by treating the underlying cause. Conventional medicine treatment may involve antihistamines, corticosteriods, nasal sprays and other drugs which may become both habit forming or allergy provoking agents themselves. Using natural remedies allows the bodies natural intelligence to find its own solution with our support. Natural remedies teach us to focus on the body as a whole, integrated unit. For example, in a food allergy, incomplete digestion (leaving tiny protein or partially digested food particles) may be linked as a cause to trigger an immune reaction to specific foods. For this reason, it is recommended that food allergy suffers look towards digestive enzyme supplementation and a proper, balanced diet as a line of defense against creating allergic reactions. Another means of supporting the immune system against food sensitivites and allergies is by providing sufficient friendly intestinal and bowel flora in the digestive and elimination tracts. In addition, sufficient amounts of Vitamin C and quercitin through supplementation, can be a detoxifying agent against the histamine responses produced in an allergic reaction. When considering natural remedies, and a wholistic approach to healthcare, our body's natural immunity is lowered by emotional or physical stress, poor diet, smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol. Using immune enhancing supplementation, improving positive self image, lowering stress levels, loving more, finding laughter in unlikely places, and using sweetness as a spice in life,are all natural remedies to enhance your body's natural immunity and build a strong immune system to discourage sensitivies and allergic reactions.