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DESCRIPTION
An allergy is an inappropriate response by the body's immune system to a substance that is not normally harmful. The immune-system is the highly complex defense mechanism that helps us to combat infection. It does this by identifying "foreign invaders" and mobilizing the body's white blood cells to fight them. In some people, the immune system wrongly identifies a nontoxic substance as an invader, and the white blood cells overreact and do more damage to the body than the invader. In this way, the allergy response becomes a disease in itself.
FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Nasal congestion.
Coughing.
Wheezing.
Itching.
Hives and other skin rashes.
Headache.
Fatigue.
CAUSES
The substances that provoke allergic responses are called allergens. Almost any substance can cause an allergic reaction in someone somewhere in the world, but the most common allergens include:
Pollen (trees, grass, flowers).
Dust (dust mites).
Certain metals (especially nickle).
Cosmetics (eye makeup, face creams, hand lotion, perfumes).
Lanolin (lamb skin, wool).
Animal hair & dander (cat, dog, rats, mice, rabbits, sheep, horses, cows).
Animal feathers (birds).
Insects and insect venom (bees, hornets, wasps, spiders, cockroaches, mites).
Common drugs (penicillin, aspirin, sulfa drugs).
Food additives (benzoic acid and sulfur dioxide).
Chemicals found in soap and washing powder.
Molds. Many people are allergic to molds. Molds are microscopic living organisms, neither animal nor insect, that thrive where no other life form can. Molds live throughout the house - under the sink and in the bathroom, basement, refrigerator, and any other damp, dark place. They flourish in the air, in the soil, on dead leaves, and on other organic materials. They may be destructive, but they are also beneficial. They help to make cheese, fertilizing gardens, and speed decaying of garbage and fallen leaves. Penicillin is made from molds. Mold spores are carried by the wind and predominate in the summer and early fall. In warm climates they thrive all year round. Cutting grass, harvesting crops, or walking through tall vegetation can provoke a reaction. People repairing old furniture are also at risk.
Foods. Food also can provoke allergic reactions. Some of the most common allergenic foods include chocolate, dairy products, eggs, shellfish, strawberries, wheat, and peanuts. Food allergies and food intolerances are not the same thing. A person with a food intolerance unable to digest and process that food correctly, usually due to a lack of a certain enzyme or enzymes. A food allergy, on the other hand, occurs when a person's immune system generates an antibody response to the ingested food. Food intolerance can lead to allergy, however, if particles of undigested food manage to enter the bloodstream and cause a reaction. Some allergic reactions to food occur as soon as one starts chewing. Foods that are highly allergenic are easy to identify and eliminate from the diet. A delayed reaction is harder to detect. An irritating cough or tickle in the throat may be a sign of food allergy.
No one knows why some people are allergic to certain substances. However, allergies do run in families, and it is also believed that babies that are not breastfed are more likely to develop allergies. There may be an emotional cause to the problem as well; stress and anger, especially if the immune system is not functioning properly, are frequent contributing factors.
FOOD ALLERGY SELF-TEST
If you suspect that you are allergic to a specific food, a simple test can help you determine if you are correct. By recording your pulse rate after consuming the food in question, you can reveal if you are having an allergic reaction. Using a watch with a second hand, sit down and relax for a few minutes. When completely relaxed, take your pulse at the wrist. Count the number of beats in a sixty-second period. A normal pulse reading is between 52 and 70 beats per minute. After taking your pulse, consume the food that you are testing for an allergic reaction. Wait 15 to 20 minutes and take your pulse again. If your pulse rate has increased more than 10 beats per minute, omit this food from your diet for one month, and then retest yourself. For the purpose of this test, it is best to use the purest form of the suspect food available. For example, if you are testing yourself for an allergy to wheat, it is better to use a bit of plain cream of wheat cereal than to use wheat bread, which contains other ingredients besides wheat. This way you will know that whatever reaction you observe (or fail to observe), it is the wheat that is responsible.
CONSIDERATIONS
IgE is an antibody formed by the body as part of an allergic response to a food substance (or any other substance that initiates an allergic response). If IgE is present in your lung tissue, it frequently causes symptoms such as shortness of breath or asthma. If present in the skin, it can cause hives. If IgE is present in the wall of the intestinal tract, it can result in severe pain, gas, or bloating. IgE can be present anywhere in the body, causing severe problems. Even healthy natural foods can have an adverse effect if you are allergic to them.
Cerebral allergies can cause swelling of the lining of the brain. Entire food families can cause such allergic reactions in suseptible individuals. Recurrent headaches, or schizophrenic, violent, or aggressive reactions can be an indicator of cerebral allergy. Foods such as corn, wheat, rice, milk, chocolate, and certain food additives, are the most common offenders.
Research reports that taking aspirin before consuming an allergenic food makes it possible for more of the allergy-provoking food to be absorbed. In contrast, taking Aerobic Bulk Cleanse from Aerobic Life Industries combined with aloe vera juice may slow the absorption of foods that cause a reaction. Taking oat bran or guar gum in the morning works in the same way. Wheat bran is not recommended as a source of fiber for allergy prone individuals because wheat is highly allergenic.
Research is being conducted on the ability of coenzyme Q10 to counter histamine for asthma and allergy sufferers.
MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Chemical Allergies
HERBAL & HOLISTIC RECOMMENDATIONS
HERBS
Ephedra (ma huang) is good for relieving nasal and chest congestion. Caution: Do not use this herb if you suffer from anxiety, glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, or insomnia, or if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor drug for depression.
Goldenseal root aids absorption of nutrients. Caution: Do not take goldenseal on a daily basis for more than one week at a time, and do not use it during pregnancy. If you have a history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or glaucoma, use it only under a health care provider's supervision.
Other herbs that can be beneficial for allergies include burdock, dandelion, and echinacea.
For relief of allergic symptoms, take 2 to 3 teaspoons of yerba mate in 16 ounces of hot water on an empty stomach. RECOMMENDATIONS
Rotate your foods. Eat a different group of foods for each of four days and then repeat the cycle. You can select as many of the foods allowed on a specific day as you like, but it is essential that no type of food be ingested more often than every four days.
See Detecting Your Food Allergies and fill out the Food Sensitivity Questionaire. Then omit from your diet for 30 days any food you have listed as consumed 4 times per week or more.
Avoid the following foods until it is determined you are not allergic to them: bananas, beef products, caffeine, chocolate, citrus fruits, corn, dairy products, eggs, oats, oysters, peanuts, processed and refined foods, salmon, strawberries, tomatoes, wheat, and white rice.
Follow a fasting program. After a fast, you can try adding back the "foods to avoid" in very small amounts, such as 1 teaspoon at a time. Record your reactions after eating. If you feel bloated or have a slight headache, an upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, a rapid pulse, or heart palpitations after eating certain foods, eliminate them again in small amounts. If you experience a reaction again, eliminate them from your diet permanently.
Avoid any food products that contain artificial color, especially FD&C Yellow No.5 dye. Many people are allergic to food colorings. Other food additives to avoid include vanillin, benzyldehyde, eucayptol, monosodium glutamate, BHT-BHA, benzoates, and annatto. Read labels carefully.
Take the underarm temperature test to determine if you have an underactive thyroid. Also see Hyperthyroidism .
Be sure to take only hypoallergenic supplements, as these do not contain potentially irritating substances.
Keep rooms free from dust and use a dehumidifier in the basement. Use mold-proof pain and a disinfectant on walls and furniture.
Do not smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.
Avoid taking aspirin within 3 hours of eating.
For airborne allergies, try using an air purification device. The Air Supply personal air purifier from Wein Products is a miniture unit that is worn around the neck. It sets up an invisible pure air shield against microparticles (including dust, pollen, and pollutants) and microorganisms (such as viruses, bacteria, and mold) in the air. It also eliminates vapors, smells, and harmful volatile compounds in the air. The Living Air XL-15 unit from Alpine Air of America is an ionizing unit that is good for purifying the air in the home or workplace.
Nutrients Supplement Suggested Dosage Comments AntiAllergy Formula from Freeda Vitamins As directed on label. A combination of quercetin, calcium pantothenate, and calcium ascorbate (vitamin C). Bee Pollen Start with a few granules at a time and work up to 2 tsp daily. Strengthens the immune system. Use raw crude pollen, preferably produced within 10 miles of your home. Caution: Bee pollen man cause an allergic reaction in some individuals. Discontinue use if a rash, wheezing, discomfort, or other allergic symptoms occurs. Calcium 1,500-2,000 mg daily. Needed to help reduce stress. Use calcium chelate form. And
Magnesium750 mg daily. Needed to balance with calcium. Multienzyme complex
or
pancreatinAs directed on label. Take with meals. For improved digestion. Caution: If you have a history of ulcers, do not use a formula containing HCl. Raw adrenal
and
raw spleen
and
raw thymus glandulars500 mg each twice daily. To stimulate proper immune function. Vitamine B Complex 100 mg daily. Needed for proper digestion and nerve function. Use a high-stress formula. Consider injections. Plus
pantothenic acid (vitamin B6
and
vitamin B 12300 mcg 3 times daily. Needed for proper assimilation of nutrients. Use a lozenge or sublingual form. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids 500 mg daily. Stimulates kidney function. Natural carotenoid complex (Betatene) As directed on label. Free radical scavengers that stimulates immune response. Quercetin
(Quercetin-Cfrom Ecological Formulas is a good source)500 mg twice daily. Increases immunity and decreases reactions to certain foods, pollens, and other allergens. Plus
Bromelain100 mg twice daily. Enhances absorption of quercetin. Or
Activated Quercetin from Source NaturalsAs directed on label. Contains quercetin plus bromelain and vitamin C. Acidophilus As directed on label. Take on an empty stomach for easier access into the small intestine. Helps to maintain healthy intestinal flora. Use a nondairy formula. Aller Bee-Gone from CC Pollen As directed on label. A combination of herbs, enzymes, and nutrients designed to fight acute allergy attacks. Coenzyme Q10 100 mg daily. Improves cellular oxygenation and immune function. Free-form amino acid complex As directed on label. Supplies protein in a form that is rapidly absorbed and assimulated. Use a sublingual form. Germanium 60 mg daily. Stimulates the immune system. Glucosamine sulfate
or
Acetylglucosamine (N-A-G from Source Naturals)As directed on label. Important for regulating the mucous secretions of respiratory system. L-Cysteine
and
L-tyrosine500 mg twice daily, on an empty stomach. Take with water or juice. Do not take with milk. Take with 50 mg vitamin B6 and 100 mg vitamin C for better absorption. Promotes healing from respiratory disorders. Helpful for stress and allergic disorders. Manganese 4 mg daily for 3 months. Take separately from calcium. An important component in many of the body's enzyme systems. Use manganese chelate form. Multivitamin and mineral complex As directed on label. All nutrients are needed in balance. Use a hypoallergenic formula. Potassium 100 mg daily. Necessary for adrenal gland function. Use potassium protinate or potassium chelate form. Proteolytic enzymes
or
Infla-Zyme Forte from American BiologicsAs directed on label. Take between meals or an empty stomach. To aid digestion and destroy free radicals. Caution: Do not give these supplements to a child. Vitamin A 10,000 IU daily. Necessary for proper immune function. Vitamin E 600 IU daily. Necessary for proper immune function. Zinc 50 mg daily. Necessary for proper immune function. Do not exceed a total of 100 mg daily from all supplements. Vitamin D 600 IU daily. Essential in calcium metabolism.
ALLERGY LINKS
You have allergies or suspect allergies and may need professional consultation and allergy testing.
You have any increase of symptoms or other signs of allergies.
You have any unexpected or unusual symptoms. Some people may have sensitivity, allergies, or other health conditions which would prevent them from using certain herbs or other treatments.
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