Seasonal Allergies - healing them naturally

by Iva Lloyd, ND

It is time to get prepared for allergy season. Those irritating symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes due to pollen from trees, grass, flowers, and plants can be dramatically reduced or even eliminated using natural therapies.

Allergies are one of the most common conditions where people seek natural treatments. That is because natural therapies do not suppress the symptoms. They provide effective symptom relief while strengthening a person's immune system and decreasing their susceptibility, both short-term and long-term.

If you tend to suffer with allergies the following steps can greatly decrease the severity and frequency of allergy symptom and smay help increase your resistance:

Home Preparation: 
Allergies are not only triggered by pollen. They can be caused by or worsened by dust mites, household factors and by pollen that you carry on your clothes and hair. Steps you can take at home include:

• Limit the use of carpets as they tend to be a breeding ground for dust mites. Bare floors that are vacuumed and damp-mopped frequently is best.
• Replace your curtains with shades.
• Dust-mite proof pillow and mattress covers are your first line of defense against dust allergies. It is also helpful to wash bedding, especially pillow cases, more frequently during allergy season.
• Look into a cool-mist humidifier to lessen nasal congestion and wheezing.  On the other hand, if you have a lot of carpets in your home you may actually need a dehumidifier as dust mites love humid environments. A dehumidifier can also prevent mold, another allergen.
• Clean your furnace/air-conditioner filter frequently to remove pollen.
• An air purifier with a Carbon and HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air filters) will help to keep the air inside your house healthier.
• Unfortunately you are better to keep your windows closed, especially on windy days, to minimize the pollen that comes into the house.
• Limit access of pets to specific areas of the home. It is best to keep them out of your bedroom to ensure that you get a good nights sleep. It can also help to bathe pets frequency as the dander on pets is water-soluble.

Minimizing Personal Exposure

Minimizing personal exposure is the most important step, although it is not always easy. Some of the following can help:

• Air pollution can both cause and worsen allergy symptoms. On hot smoggy days it is best to minimize the time you spent outside. It is also best to limit any gardening or outdoor exercise to early morning or cool non-breezy days.
• Avoid people that smoke. Tobacco is a notorious irritant that increases a person's susceptibility to allergies and worsens existing allergies.
• When outside choose eyeglasses with side shields to protect your eyes from pollen irritants that are blowing around.
• If you need to clean out that dusty garage or rake your grass it is best to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth and to wear goggles to protect the eyes. 
• Nasal lavage is a must for anyone that suffers with congestion and runny nose. Irrigating the nose with a salt water solution often helps to soothe upper respiratory allergies by removing irritants that become lodged in the nose.
• Personal hygiene steps. 
• After you have been outside for awhile it may be beneficial to wash your hair to remove pollen. 
• A hot shower may help as well as it can lessen symptoms like sneezing and congestion. 
• Breathing in steam refreshes and soothes irritated sinuses and decreases the mucous in nasal passages.
• If your eyes bother you try rinsing them with cool, clean water.
• Other factors that contribute to allergies include:
• Stress is a trigger for many people. If you recognize that stress is your primary trigger you may find that treating the stress directly is as beneficial, or more, than treating the allergies.
• Insomnia. Sleep is necessary for healing and repair. For some allergies cause insomnia, for others allergies are worse because of insomnia. Ensuring that you get a good night sleep is critical to allergy management.

Recommended Dietary Changes

Dietary changes are necessary in preparation of and throughout allergy season. During allergy season the immune system is working overtime. As a result, there are less resources available for digestion. The result is that food intolerances are much worse during allergy season. The following recommendations often help:

• Ensure that you drink adequate water. Water helps thin out the mucous and decreases the feeling of congestion.
• Eliminate sugar as it suppresses immune function even more.
• Eliminate dairy as it increase mucous production. Avoiding dairy is critical for anyone who suffers primarily with congestion.
• Cut out bananas as they are known to increase the production of mucous.
• Reduce wheat as wheat intolerance is commonly worse in allergy season.
• Food additives are known to worsen allergies. Most important you want to figure out what foods you reaction to and reduce your consumption of these foods during allergy season. If you are not aware of your food sensitivities than it may be worthwhile to look at doing food sensitivity testing.
• Link to food and allergies. If you have allergies to environmental toxins it is often best to avoid foods that have similar proteins.  For example, 
• Ragweed: melons, bananas, cucumbers, zucchini
• Birch: pears, plums, apples, peaches, kiwi, cherries, celery, carrots, fennel, parsley, almonds, walnuts
• Grass: peaches, melon, oranges, tomatoes, garlic, onions, celery, peanuts, port, egg whites
• Mugwort: melons, carrots, celery, bell peppers, sunflower seeds
• Late: apples, bananas, melons, kiwi, avocado, papayas, potatoes, tomatoes, chestnuts
• Foods which may be beneficial include:
• Peppermint tea has anti-inflammatory and mild anti-bacterial properties. Many people find that it lessens allergy symptoms.
• A dose or two of horseradish or wasabi can clear the sinuses and increase mucous flow.
• Honey has been shown to help reduce symptoms. Add it to hot water or other teas.

Natural Allergy Pharmacy

The following supplements and herbs are known to effectively reduce the frequency and severity of allergy symptoms.

• Vitamin C acts as an antihistamine, which means that it can reduce the severity of allergy reactions. It is most effective when taken prior to the onset of allergies and continued throughout allergy season. 
• Nettle is a wonderful and safe herb for all ages. It is  considered a general health tonic as it is high in carotene, vitamin K and quercetin. It is well known as an effective herb for lessening the severity of allergies and for strengthening the immune system.
• Magnesium is a good choice when allergies affect breathing function. It is also a good muscle relaxant and is known to support many aspects of health.
• Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased allergy symptoms. If you are concerned about being deficient it may help to take Vitamin D.
• Quercetin is a bioflavonoid with anti-inflammatory properties. It is generally used at the onset of allergy symptoms as it acts similar to an anti-histamine in that it blocks histamine and hence reduces allergy symptoms.
• Bromelain is known to decrease nasal swelling and it thins mucous. It is effective in cases of sinus infection and congestion.
• Homeopathic remedies, such as BIO84, Luffeel and Aller-gen can all support the body's ability to prepare for allergy season. They are like the "natural alternative" to over-the-counter allergy medications. They are great to have on hand for when allergies start as many people find them an effective way to lessen allergy symptoms. There are also some great single homeopathic remedies such as allium cepa or euphrasia that are specific for addressing allergies.

Other Natural Therapies:

For those stubborn allergies or if you want to decrease your allergy symptoms in a hurry the following treatments may also be beneficial.

• Acupuncture is effective in reducing the severity and frequency of allergy symptoms.
• Intravenous therapies can be helpful for severe allergies or when allergies have exhausted a person.
• Check out the link on the breathing blog that illustrates a specific breathing technique to clear congestion.  Ensuring that you are breathing properly can be one of the easiest and most important factors in allergy management.

No one needs to suffer with chronic allergy symptoms. By scheduling an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors we can help you figure out the best treatment plan for you. It is time to stop suppressing symptoms and actually get a handle on your allergies.

Dr. Iva Lloyd is a naturopathic doctor at Naturopathic Foundations with a focus on identifying the true causes of symptoms and diseases and on treating the whole person. Please call the clinic at 905-940-2727 to book an appointment with Dr. Lloyd, ND.

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Prepare For A Challenging Allergy Season

The mild winter and early spring will mostly result in a challenging allergy season. Those that suffer with runny noses, sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing and nasal congestion would do well to take some extra precautions early this year.

Seasonal allergies result when the immune system overreacts to pollen, grasses and trees. The irritation of the eyes, throat and nose is actually the body's attempt to get rid of toxins, preventing them from going deeper in the body. There are many ways that you can decrease your symptoms and modulate (control) the body's response to allergens including:

• Allergy Testing. If you have allergy symptoms but you have never been officially diagnosed with allergies, it is helpful to have a blood test to clarify exactly what allergens you have and the degree you need to avoid them. 
• Avoidance. Knowing what toxins to avoid and paying attention to air quality reports will let you know when it is best to plan your outside activities.
• Sinus Rinse. Nasal lavage involves filling a neti pot or sinus rinse bottle with warm, slightly salty water and squirting or pouring the water into the nostril. The water easily runs out bringing any mucous with it. It is a simple technique that can be done daily to decrease nasal congestion and to reduce sinus pressure.
•  Water. Drinking adequate water (typically 1/2 your body weight in ounces) helps to thin the mucous and decrease the feeling of congestion.
• Avoid these foods. Foods such as dairy, bananas, yeast and processed foods can increase the amount of mucous in the body. Avoiding these foods and any known food intolerances can dramatically decrease seasonal allergy symptoms.
• Increase these foods. Berries, dark green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, spirulina, flax seeds, chia seeds and fish, such as salmon and sardines can assist in decreasing the overreaction of the immune system.
• Exercise. Movement increases circulation which helps to expel toxins, supports the immune system and decreases the stress response of the body.
• Sleep. When you are well rested your immune system is less reactive. Typically, the more stressed a person is and the more exhausted, the worse their symptoms.
• Spring Cleaning. Increasing the dusting and vacuuming in your home and changing the air filters regularly can help remove indoor allergens. It is also a good idea to leave your outside shoes at the front door and change your clothes as soon as you get home as pollens can stick to fabric. If your allergy symptoms are severe it is best to keep windows and doors closed and to shower before bed.

Everybody's symptoms are different. For some the primary symptom is sneezing, for others it is the watery eyes or the constant congestion. Hence, what works for one person doesn't always work for another. There are a number of natural remedies that effectively treat allergies. To figure out what works best for you visit your naturopathic doctor.

For the month of March and April you can book a naturopathic visit to review your allergy symptoms and to determine your best treatment options for $45.00.  Call the clinic at 905-940-2727 to arrange a convenient time.