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HAY FEVER, ALLERGIES,
SINUSITIS
Article by herbalist Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
With the onset of spring many
of you have been experiencing
the negative effects of hay
fever, allergies and sinusitis.
I wanted to address this
uncomfortable condition and
give a deeper understanding of
what is going on in your body
and give some recommendations
for treatment.
The numerous symptoms
of allergies include headaches,
fatigue, sneezing, watery eyes,
and stuffy sinuses.
These symptoms are all caused
by an adverse immune response
to dust, pollens, mites, animal
dander, smoke chemicals and
food. It is estimated that over
35 million Americans suffer
from allergies.
Let's look at the different
types of allergies.
Allergies fall into
two types, those
caused by environmental factors
and those caused by food.
Either type can contribute to
asthma, bronchitis, rheumatoid
arthritis, diabetes, eczema,
migraines, chronic fatigue
syndrome, kidney problems,
weight gain, heart palpitations
and depression.
There are four types of
allergies; type one
causes an immediate reaction
usually within 15 to 30 minutes
and types two through
four are characterized by
delayed reactions.
These delayed reactions are
often overlooked but are very
common.
Environmental
allergies are caused
mostly by pollens of trees,
weeds, grasses, dust, molds and
smoke according to Dr.
Wilkinson, who practices
environmental medicine in
Yakima, Washington. He also states “cosmetics,
perfumes, household cleaners,
and certain fabrics can trigger
an allergy response."
The foods most
commonly found to cause
allergies are
wheat, corn, dairy, egg whites,
tomatoes, soy, peanuts,
chocolate, as well as food dyes
and additives.
The biggest question I get is
what causes allergies?
Let's look a bit closer and see
what is going on in the body.
An allergic reaction
is simply
the body's way of protecting
itself. In an
allergic reaction, the
immune system
overreacts to a foreign
substance that the
body feels is harmful. In
response, your
immune system releases
histamine and other
chemicals into the blood in an
effort to destroy the substance
that has entered the body.
One of the primary causes of
allergy response is an impaired
immune system.
Dr. Leon
Chaitow has found that a
number of factors negatively
impact the immune system. These
include increased toxic burden
due to pollution in all forms,
disturbance of infant immune
systems through repeated
immunizations and vaccinations,
and damage to healthy
intestinal flora due to
over use of antibiotics and
steroids.
Another doctor, John Mansfield,
an allergy specialist states;
other causes of food
allergies include
nutritional deficiencies, a
repetitive diet, chemicals in
the food chain due to
pesticides and preservatives
and chronic intestinal
yeast (candida)
overgrowth.
"Leaky gut syndrome"
or excessive
permeability in the
digestive tract is
another major cause of
allergies. The immune
system reacts to particles of
undigested or partially
digested matter
that leaks into the bloodstream
from the intestines.
Many different types
of medications that have many
drawbacks treat the
symptoms of allergies. Mostly
they suppress the symptoms and
inhibit the normal body
responses that are trying to
restore balance and health.
Let's look at some of these
allergy products:
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Antihistamines-
are often used
to dry up a runny nose.
They have numerous side
effects, such as,
drowsiness, blurred vision,
loss
of appetite, nausea, and
excessive dryness of the
nasal and throat passages.
In order for healing
of allergies to occur
it is necessary to
address their cause
rather than just treat a
symptom. There are
many natural therapies that
have been proven to
be effective in treating
allergies including diet,
herbal, nutritional,
acupuncture and homeopathy.
Let's look at diet and some of
the herbals that brings about
this balance.
Dr. Braly
suggests that a
four-day rotation diet
is one of the
simplest and most effective
measures anyone can take
to both prevent and deal with
allergies.
This means that you are not
eating any one food more often
than every four days. He also
suggests a diet
including a variety of fresh
fruit and vegetables,
seed and nuts, low fat
non-dairy animal protein, the
use of whole grains but
restricting wheat, corn and
white rice and other foods with
a high
gluten content.
Nutrient deficiencies
are another problem
when it comes to allergies. Dr.
Michael Murray N.D., a
naturopath, recommends the
following list:
In many instances I
will recommend the inclusion of
probiotic
bacteria in the
form of fermented foods and
live bacteria yogurt or taking
an enteric-coated acidophilus
supplement. Also the
use of digestive enzymes can
aid in the
digestion of food and thus
reduce the amount of potential
allergens.
There are many herbal
remedies that have
been used to aid the symptoms
of allergies. These are found
in many forms. Homeopathic
remedies are taken in pellets
or liquids and produce no
negative side effects. Herbal
teas and capsules are also
available. Be cautious
of
ephedra
containing products
if you have high blood
pressure or heart conditions.
Some specific herbs
that work are goldenseal root,
it works by shrinking swollen
nasal passages and is anti
bacterial, (not to be used long
term at high doses), red sage
and goldenrod help
eliminate mucous.
Yarrow, myrrh, and
thyme are astringent
and help contract inflamed
tissues and
reduces secretions and
discharges. Echinacea,
astragalus,
and suma
work to boost the immune
system. Ginger root
and cayenne pepper have
anti-inflammatory properties.
Be sure to check an
authoritative source before
beginning these therapies.
Try to follow these five steps
for a successful treatment
plan:
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