These are exciting times! More and more people today are taking charge of their own health. Consequently there are many natural health stores and a myriad of natural health products available to laypeople. Since March is Allergies Awareness month, the focus of this article is natural health for allergies.
There are two main categories of allergies: seasonal allergies and food allergies. Commonly, the trigger for seasonal allergies is food allergies. Underlying all of this is the liver and a potential toxic load. The liver is the ultimate filter for the body. Everything must pass through the liver and be broken down. Nutrients need to be broken down and recycled through the body; toxins must be broken down to be excreted. When the liver is overwhelmed it can become congested, which can result in difficulty excreting and eliminating toxins through primary elimination routes such as the bowel and bladder. When these elimination pathways are challenged the body utilizes secondary excretion routes, including the lungs, skin, and sinuses. When these tissues are overwhelmed by processing an increased toxic load, a person can develop asthma, eczema, seasonal allergies, and much more.
To combat and eliminate allergies successfully, it is important to consider several strategies:
- It is beneficial to reduce the stress on the body and specifically the liver by eliminating certain foods that cause the liver to become congested, including refined sugars, preservatives, processed foods, genetically modified foods, and pesticides.
- Another way to support liver health is to reduce general inflammation in the body by eliminating pro-inflammatory foods, which are foods that contribute to increased inflammation in the body. This can be achieved by eliminating gluten from your diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. More information on gluten elimination diets can be found at www.instituteofimt.com, by visiting the pages on clinical services>> treatment>> nutritional wellness>> gluten sensitivity>> gluten elimination diet.
- Additional inflammatory foods include peanuts and peanut oil. Even though most people don’t experience anaphylaxis from eating peanuts, this food does appear to contribute to inflammation and stress on the liver in most individuals.
- To further reduce inflammation it is helpful to eliminate highly acidic foods such as nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers), coffee, corn, meat (grass fed beef is considered less acidic), and alcohol.
- Almonds have been found to contribute to liver congestion secondary to the intense processing forced upon almond growers in this country. In September 2007, the USDA, FDA, and California Almond Board passed a mandate that all almonds including organic go through a sterilization process that includes chemical and/or high-temperature treatments. This toxic process results in stress on the liver. Unfortunately, labeling of this process is not required.
- In addition to reducing bad foods, it is important also to increase healthy foods, such as green leafy vegetables, organic fruits and vegetables, green tea, whole grains such as quinoa, and cold water fish such as cod and tilapia.
- Drinking plenty of water is a vital component to keeping your body clean and preventing storage of toxins and allergens.
- Aerobic exercise as a regular routine is an important tool for supporting drainage of your lymphatic system and ultimately, drainage of toxins.
- Daily baths in Dead Sea salt or another mineral salt blend supports the excretion of toxins and allergens.
When allergies are prevalent, it indicates that there is an underlying layer of inflammation and immune deficiency. As important as it is to eat healthy foods, to support optimal recovery from allergies, nutritional supplements are essential to accelerate the healing process. Studies have shown that these supplements can help:
- Milk Thistle or Silymarin for liver support
- Essential Fatty Acids are natural anti-inflammatories
- B Vitamins support liver detoxification pathways
- Probiotics support the immune system and a healthy gut
- Thymus Extract has immune stimulating effects
- Bromelain (enzyme from pineapple) is a natural anti-inflammatory
- Pappain (enzyme from papaya) is a natural anti-inflammatory
- Cat’s Claw reduces allergy-related respiratory symptoms
- Vitamin E, Grape Seed and Acai are anti-oxidants that supports liver detoxification pathways
- Horseradish has been shown to have antibiotic activity
- CoQ10 improves cellular energy
- Quercitin (from onions) reduces allergy symptoms such as sinus congestion
- Astragalus extract combats allergies by clearing the intestines
- Green Tea improves immune health
Now is the time to implement your New Year’s resolution for improved health via natural living. Though there is an upfront increased cost associated with healthy living, the benefits – such as a longer life with greater health and more time to spend with your loved ones – outweigh the cost a thousand times!