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An Increasing Trend in Allergies & Asthma
According to the latest statistics, the rates of allergies and asthma have skyrocketed in the past 40 years, for reasons that have been frustratingly unclear. Springtime in the air for people with allergies normally sends you scuttling for your box of tissues. Well, you are not alone, because each year, millions of Americans search for relief from seasonal allergy symptoms that accompany the new growth in the spring. Pollens, molds, grasses, and budding tree growth are customary culprits, contributing to the classic presentation of hay fever—itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and sinus congestion with pressure and/or pain. For numerous sufferers, springtime gratification such as gardening and hiking can provoke persistent allergic reactions that interfere with daily activities such as work, school and a restful sleep.
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The Autoimmune Connection
Allergies can be linked to autoimmune diseases. Elimination diets or blood tests may establish food hypersensitivities. While never proven by official research, approximately 10% of the sufferers from joint inflammation find their symptoms diminished to some extent when they eliminate foods from the nightshade family, including peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, paprika and tobacco (cigarette smoking is an absolute no-no). Eradicating sugar, white flour, caffeine, dairy products, citrus fruits and alcohol, and cutting down—if not eliminating—red meat also assists numerous people to reduce the ravaging effects of autoimmune diseases.
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Autoimmune conditions may be generated by delayed food sensitivities that cause leaky gut syndrome (or intestinal absorbability problems), whereby undigested food particles are able to find their way into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, the particles are dumped into other body tissues where the immune system attempts to purge them and inflammation incurs. A healthy intestinal lining is impervious to antigens and toxins, however, if the lining of the gut is weakened the immune defenses have to work overtime to deny entry to invaders. Quite simple, a leaky gut allows invaders to journey where they are not welcome, which in turn will set off an autoimmune response.
Studies are under way to establish the relationship between allergies and autoimmunity. If you are stricken with an autoimmune disorder, allergy testing or eliminating suspect foods can facilitate getting your symptoms under control.
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Allergy Detection: The Common & Often Unnoticed Symptoms
It is simple to detect an allergy that presents itself swiftly and clearly in the form of a runny nose and itchy eyes as a consequence of exposure to a certain agent such as cats or peanuts. It is extremely difficult to find out the allergy that has ambiguous symptoms or takes hours to show its effects. Symptoms may be severe or mild and can include:
- Mood Swings
- Bed-Wetting in Children
- Poor Memory or Fogginess
- Dark Circles Under the Eyes
- Red-Rimmed or Swollen Watery Eyes
- Red / Burning Ears
- Fatigue
- Joint and Muscle Pain
- Extreme Salivation
- Runny Nose
- Constant Nose Rubbing (A number of people with allergies have a crease just above the bulb of the nose from
- excessive rubbing, or one nostril will be stretched in the direction of the rub)
- Inflamed Tonsils and Recurrent Throat Infections
- Skin Rashes & Eczema
- Diarrhea, Gas, Constipation, Nausea, Bloated Stomach, Heartburn and Stomachaches
- Excessive Sweating
- Headaches & Dizziness
The Abuse of OTC Drugs and Antibiotics
Most of us in the alternative medicine arena know that allergy medicine is a huge business, with an immense array of non-prescription over-the-counter products to address nearly any complaint. Bear in mind, however, that they are not appropriate for all patients. In addition to their side-effects such as sedation or nerve reaction, allergy and sinus medications could be incompatible with certain prescription treatments and the chronic health conditions they treat, including high blood pressure, asthma, glaucoma, prostate problems, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder. Even in the best case scenario, allergy medicines could generate detrimental side effects that limit their use on a regular basis.
A recent study from the University of Michigan Medical School might have unearthed a clue. Now it turns out that the rise of another phenomenon—the use of antibiotics—may hold the answer. The University researchers found that antibiotics seem to prime the immune system to over-react to substances it could just as well ignore.
When the research team gave laboratory mice a five-day course of antibiotics, the animals showed the same effect seen in humans; an upset in the balance of yeast and other microbes in the gut. They then exposed the mice to several common allergens. The mice given antibiotics were hypersensitive to them, while the other mice had a normal immune response.
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In the past, we have always thought of allergies and asthma as involving mainly the respiratory system. This research, however, suggests the microbes in the gut play a significant role. The results support a theory that our modern society is too sanitary. According to the results that support the “hygiene hypothesis”, when you are not exposed to very many bugs, your immune system has a hard time differentiating between a harmless substance (such as pollen) and a dangerous toxin, so it is likely to overreact.
A growing number of holistically minded people are seeking natural alternatives to the traditional drugstore offerings. With their temperate actions and minimal side effects, botanical and alternative remedies are a good option for many a sufferer. In contrast to a trip to a big chain drugstore, the preparation of natural remedies is more similar to a craft than a chore, calling to us to slow our tempo, reflecting on the beauty and usefulness of nature’s wealth.
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