Your eyes itch and water, your nose is running, you are constantly sneezing and you're covered in hives. It's allergy season again, and all you want to do is curl up into a ball of misery.
What are allergies?
Allergies are abnormal immune system reactions to substances that are harmless to most people. When you are allergic, your immune system mistakenly believes that this substance is harmful.
Substances that cause allergic reactions, such as certain foods, dust, plant pollen or medicines, are known as allergens. In an attempt to protect the body, the immune system produces IgE antibodies to that allergen. Those antibodies then cause certain cells in the body to release chemicals into the bloodstream, one of which is histamine.
The histamine acts on the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin or gastrointestinal tract and causes symptoms of the allergic reaction, the most common of which include eczema, hives, hay fever and asthma attacks. Future exposure to that same allergen will trigger this antibody response again. This means that every time you come into contact with that allergen, you will have an allergic reaction.
Some allergies produce multiple symptoms, and in rare cases, an allergic reaction can become severe and is called anaphylaxis. Signs of anaphylaxis include difficulty breathing and swallowing; swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body; and dizziness or loss of consciousness. Anaphylaxis is life-threatening and a person experiencing it must receive medical treatment within a half hour.
What are common allergens?
Allergens are all around you and can be anything that you eat, inhale or touch:
- milk, eggs, peanut, tree nuts like walnut, cashew, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat account for 90 percent of all food-related allergic reactions, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
- chemicals in household cleaners, paints and carpet glue
- prescription drugs such as penicillin and Aspirin
- animals, especially cats, who produce pet dander
- insect venom, including bee stings
- essential oils, even those that are genuine certified organic
- indoor allergens, such as dust mites and indoor mold, are a major cause of allergy and asthma symptoms
Allergy-proof your home
Allergy treatment begins at home! Here are a few suggestions: avoidance is always the best treatment for allergies; keep the home cool, between 68 F (19 C) and 72 F (23 C); maintain a low humidity between 40 to 50 percent; make sure there is good ventilation; install an air filter and don't use chemical sprays in your home.
The good news is that you really don't have to strip your house down to bare bones to make it allergy proof. Thorough and regular cleaning generally makes a huge difference in keeping your house as mold and dust-free as possible. Patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis that are due to dust mites, molds and other indoor allergens can feel better by taking simples steps as mentioned above.
Allergy testing
If you have not already done so, see an allergist for testing. Many people with untreated allergies are not aware of how much better they can feel once their symptoms are properly diagnosed and managed. After diagnosis, the allergist will give you the treatment options and/or prevention measures that's right for you.
Allergy treatment
and prevention
Standard medical treatment for allergies involves taking decongestants and antihistamines. In severe cases, doctors prescribe immunotherapy, known as allergy shots. These treatments work well for some people but not for everybody since they treat the symptoms, not the cause, which is a confused immune system.
Alternative treatments are available with herbs and herbal remedies, such as milk thistle, garlic, ginkgo biloba, stinging nettle, chamomile, feverfew, horseradish, Chinese bitter lemon, cayenne pepper, and pokeweed shoots.
Elderberry, peppermint, birch juice or tea, goldenseal tincture, guava and watercress are also useful remedies and are high in vitamin C, which is beneficial for allergy sufferers. In early fall, you can strengthen your immune system with cat's claw, pau d'arco, echinacea and stinging nettle tinctures. Homeopathic products are also useful.
Among the preventive measures to keep your immune system strong are:
- supplementing your diet with plenty of fibre
- getting moderate sun, fresh air, plenty of sleep
- avoiding stressful situations
- eating slowly in a relaxed atmosphere
- lymph drainage
- reflexology
- relaxation techniques and deep breathing exercises
- herbal bath, clay-wraps
- hot and cold water therapy
Klaus Ferlow, HMH, is an innovator, lecturer, researcher, writer and president, founder and co-owner of Ferlow Botanicals, Div. of Ferlow Brothers Ltd. www.ferlowbotanicals.com.