Cachoo! Allergy time?

Do you have

• sneezing
• runny nose
• itchy eyes?

If so, you have lots of company this time of year. It may be due to seasonal allergies, also called hay fever.

On the other hand, do you have

• low energy
• brain fog
• headaches
• joint pain
• skin problems
• digestive problems
• inexplicable anxiety?

You may not even notice, especially if it happens day after day. Surprisingly, these symptoms may be due to allergic sensitivities, a more low-grade, persistent reaction.

Why is that important?

The many people who have low energy, problems with digestion, or headaches may dismiss it as “normal.” In fact, these may be signs of undiagnosed allergic reactions.

What is significant is that people who suffer from one allergy tend to suffer from many, due to the fact that allergies are a sign of a deeper dysfunction. If your body spends much of its resources trying to handle an allergen like pet dander, you body becomes more susceptible to other potential allergens.  It is essential to get to the root cause of these allergies in order to truly get relief.

Allergic sensitivities might not look like what you expect

Can you believe that respiratory allergies don’t only affect the respiratory system and that food allergies may produce symptoms other than indigestion?

In fact, allergic sensitivities to food, such as sugar, can cause joint pain due to inflammation. Gluten sensitivity can produce lethargy and brain fog.

In the same vein, inhaling mold doesn’t simply affect our breathing. It can also cause headaches and itchy skin.

To top it off, many chemicals, such as MSG or artificial sweeteners can even affect our emotional well-being, producing nervousness and anxiety.

And what are you doing about it?

If you take prescription medications, or even over-the-counter medications, you actually could be making yourself and your allergies worse.

While you may get temporary relief from antihistamines, decongestants, or corticosteriods, you may be suffering uncomfortable side effects. What’s worse, loading the body with these drugs puts a strain on the liver in processing them, and you may actually be making your allergies worse.

Doctors who prescribe allergy medications will admit that even though you may  be getting symptomatic relief, the way these medications actually work is by masking symptoms. They don’t get to the underlying cause. Doctors who use these medications know that there is no medication that actually gets to the cause.

What’s left? It is up to you to take it in your own hands and do something about some of the causes. Then if you wish to go further, you may consult with a practitioner of natural medicine to go even deeper.

Where do I start?

Countless of us have food allergies or sensitivities. Now, all of us don’t go into intense swelling and constricted breathing or anaphylactic shock as an allergic response, but there is an immune system reaction all right. Remember, that reaction can look like:

• headache
• brain fog
• indigestion
• energy crashes

The good news is that you don’t need to have an extensive allergy test before you start to do something about it.

The fact is that only seven foods account for the vast majority of allergic sensitivities. Just by drastically reducing or eliminating these foods, you can have a head start on calming allergic reactions.

• dairy products
• gluten-containing foods (mainly wheat, barley and rye)
• sugar
• alcohol
• peanuts
• eggs
• mold-containing foods (such dried fruits, moldy cheeses, and mushrooms)

So, by eliminating or just reducing your intake of these foods you can lessen your total allergenic load and help reset your body to eliminate your allergy symptoms.

What if I have hay fever symptoms, but the pollen count is low?

If you find yourself having the itching, runny nose, watery eyes like hay fever, but find no pollens around, or it lasts through the year, you may be reacting to mold somewhere.

Mold is common in any damp area in the home such as bathrooms, basements, or anywhere a sink or pipe has a slow leak. You may catch black mold because it is easily visible, but many other forms of mold are not as easy to spot. Check all humid areas. There are even tests to detect mold in your home.

You know you are eating mold when you choose Roqeufort or blue cheese, even brie. But you also may be inadvertently eating mold. Certain foods such as peanuts, dried fruits, melons, and even green salads may contain enough mold to set off a mold-sensitive individual.

What is already in my body that keeps me from reacting allergically?

A big part of your immune system is in the gut. The immune system is what gets activated in an allergic reaction. The largest amount of cells in your gut that contribute to your immune system are the bacteria that live there. There is a broad range of bacteria, some help process food, others synthesize nutrients. There are certain strains that are recognized to be beneficial in balancing the immune system.

If you have terrible bloating, gas, cramping, and constipation, all your gut bacteria may not be working for you, but working against you instead.

You may pick up unhealthy bacteria from vegetables and fruits grown in contaminated soils. As well, your food may be contaminated during processing. How many recalls have you heard for meat, chicken, spinach, or other produce lately? That is for the pathogens that have sickened people. It is also the case that harmful bacteria may not make you sick with fever and diarrhea but make more low grade symptoms like bloating and occasional cramping.

The solution: taking a high quality human bio-identical probiotic, the beneficial bacteria.

The HMF (human micro-flora) brand has been highly researched and incorporates the strains that do the most for you. They will help you keep a mix of beneficial bacteria so that your immune system is happy and is less likely to mount an allergic reaction.