Natural Tips For Allergy Season

Spring is in the air. Literally. From weeds to spores to grass and tree pollens, the warm weather is almost here, driving airborne allergen levels through the roof. That means your allergy symptoms -- the sniffling, sneezing, and itchy eyes -- are in overdrive and apt to stay that way for months.
What can you do? Here are suggestions for helping you find some much-needed natural relief this season.
Neti Pots
What could be simpler than rinsing away allergens with saltwater? Neti pots, small vessels shaped like Aladdin’s lamp, have been used in India for thousands of years to flush the sinuses.

• Alittle dose of saltwater can rinse away pollen grains and help reduce allergies and other forms of sinus congestion. Neti pots are widely available online and at natural food stores.

• Use your pot about twice a day during allergy season, especially in the morning and after spending time outdoors. You also can use a neti pot before bed to prevent snoring caused by allergies and promote optimal overnight breathing

Quercetin

• A natural plant-derived compound called a bioflavonoid, quercetin helps suppress histamine production in your body. (Quercetin also is a natural antioxidant that helps mop up molecules called free radicals that cause cell damage, which can lead to cancer.)

• Though many foods are high in quercetin, allergy sufferers will most likely need to use supplements to build up enough of this compound to prevent attacks. The recommended dosage is about 1,000 milligrams a day, taken between meals. It’s best to start treatment six weeks before allergy season

Allergy Fighting Foods

• A German study, published in the journal Allergy, found that participants who ate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to suffer allergy symptoms than those who didn’t regularly eat these foods.

• Omega-3s help fight inflammation and can be found in cold-water fish, walnuts and flaxseed oil, as well as grass-fed meat and eggs.

Stinging Nettle

• If you decide you need an antihistamine but want a natural option, stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) behaves in much the same way as many of the drugs sold to treat allergies, but without the unwanted side effects of dry mouth and drowsiness.

• Nettle actually inhibits the body’s ability to produce histamine. It’s a common weed in many parts of the United States, but the most practical medicinal form is a freeze-dried extract of the leaves sold in capsules.

• Studies have shown that taking about 300 milligrams daily will offer relief for most people, although the effects may last only a few hours.

Butterbur

• Derived from a common weed in Europe, butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is another alternative to antihistamines, though it may be hard to find in the United States.

• A Swiss study, published in British Journal of Medicine, found that butterbur was as effective as the drug cetirizine, the active ingredient in Zyrtec. Even though cetirizine is supposed to be a nonsedative antihistamine, researchers reported that it did cause drowsiness, though butterbur did not. Participants in the study took 32 milligrams of butterbur a day, divided into four doses.

• A word of caution though — butterbur is in the same family as ragweed, so it could worsen allergy symptoms in some cases. Effects of taking butterbur over a long period of time also are unknown.

Sublingual Immunotherapy

• Specific immunotherapy, otherwise known as allergy shots, has been used widely to inject patients with diluted doses of certain allergens to help build immunity over time. However, allergy shots can take three to five years to be effective, and a small percentage of people suffer severe reactions to this treatment.

• New studies have found a gentler way to acclimate the body to pollen and other allergens called sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), which has been used for the past 20 years in Europe. In SLIT treatments, patients put drops of a very small dose of the allergen (initially a 1:1,000 dilution) under the tongue for two minutes, then swallow.

• The daily therapy begins before peak pollen season for seasonal allergy sufferers, but also can be used to treat year-round allergies, though treatment must be specific to the type of allergen.

Modified Food: The Danger From Within

Working as a health counselor in the world of modified food is very challenging. I have many client's that ask me my personal opinion over food that is processed in a lab over a science experiment. This process of my career will challenge my inner me especially when I have to see many patient's with chronic disorders of food sensitivities and full blown allergies that plague my client's daily life. I guess my bottom line would be to simply go organic as much as possible but you first have to understand exactly where the concern is coming from. Let's begin....


What exactly is modified food?

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food have had genetic material (DNA) changed using biotechnology. Scientists add and take away genetic defects or genes to make the plant more resistant to disease. Genes from scorpions, humans, or other plants and animals are added to create a stronger plant. However, the Organic Consumers Association and other agencies say this process harms plants and animals by creating a dangerous mortal threat and crop crisis across the country.

Potatoes that have been modified using a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis are often eaten by insects, but this food creates toxins in the insects' bodies, leading to paralysis and death. And while scientists will not admit why bees are dying, some people speculate that it may be due to genetically modified foods.

Crop Failure

• Genetically modified foods increase the incidence of crop failure. This is a serious danger because it threatens the future of food by wiping out crops. Natural News reported that GMO corn plants in South Africa failed to produce kernels. This type of issue may occur more often as many farmers have switched to genetically modified seeds. Leaving the foods in their natural state without modifying their genes is one way to prevent this.

Toxins

• Genetically modified foods can be dangerous when ingested, claims the Mother's For Natural Law website. This is especially true for more vulnerable species such as animals in the wild. Some of these foods create toxins when exposed to stomach acid of insects and animals. The effects on humans are unknown because significant studies have not been done, and the GMO industry is not regulated. GMO foods are an experiment because many foods appear to be harmless but the long-term effects are not yet known. When genetically modified foods have evidence of causing harm to humans, these strains are taken out of grocery stores and destroyed, but the damage has already been done. Many organizations fear that genetically modified foods threaten the food supply.

Death

• Some genetically modified foods have caused death in a small number of people, according to the Global Healing Center. Many Americans became very sick and some died from genetically altered L-tryptophan added to tomatoes. This food was taken off the market and destroyed, but this is an example of what manipulating genes can do. There are also claims that genes spliced from soybeans and Brazil nuts have caused severe allergic reactions and death.

 

Health risk of GMO's 

Allergic Reactions

Modifying plants genetically introduces viruses, bacteria and other substances into the food. The human body is not accustomed to these changes occurring in the food. The Organic Consumers Association notes that when genetically modified soy was introduced in the United Kingdom, food allergies increased by 50 percent. Genetically modified soybeans include a protein that is allegedly an allergen. Reports have surfaced on allergic reactions linked to genetically modified corn and papaya.

Altered Organ Size

Studies performed on animals that were fed genetically modified foods showed a decrease in the size and function of many internal organs. Rats that were fed genetically modified potatoes ended up with smaller-than-normal livers, while another group of rats that were fed genetically modified canola had heavier-than-normal livers. Other organs that were affected included the heart, brain, pancreas, intestines and stomach. Because studies on humans have not been done, it is unclear whether these exact reactions occur in humans who ingest these foods. Time and further research are needed to fully understand the impact on the human body, though these animal studies do indicate that there may be a risk to our internal organs as well.

Other Possible Health Risks

Other possible health risks that have been observed in animal testing and in independent studies include infertility, decreased immunity, high blood sugar, inflammation of the lungs and kidneys and precancerous growths in the intestines. An increased risk of premature death and a higher infant mortality rate has also been observed in animal studies.

The bottom line is to know and understand what you are putting in your body. Make note of your reaction to certain foods and shop organic or local as much as possible. Just remember....YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!