Here’s What You Can Do to Breathe Easier and Feel Better, Naturally.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, and you’re stocking up on meds and tissues, read on. As a member of the sniffling and sneezing community, you’ve probably relied on drugs and sprays for relief for many years. Yet, they offer mixed results, and while they may treat the symptoms, they do little to tackle the underlying cause of allergies.
Allergies- What’s Really Happening?
An allergy is an immune response triggered by certain foods, substances like dust, or irritants such as pollen. Allergies are actually disorders of the immune system, and the symptoms are caused when your body releases histamine to attack the offender. When your immune system is run-down, your allergies will worsen, so let’s find out how to strengthen the immune system.
They’re Not All in Your Head? Allergies Begin in Your Gut
70% of our immune cells are in the gut. And since allergies are actually activated by an immune response to a certain trigger, it makes sense that by looking at gut health first, we can better identify allergy triggers. Many of our systemic environmental allergies are exacerbated by the foods we eat. So, if we work to make the gut flora healthier by eliminating foods that are triggering an immune response, seasonal allergies get better.
The Gut-Food-Allergy Connection
Interestingly, many people with tree allergies can be sensitive to some fruits. And dairy is another major food group that is a common allergy trigger. Dairy causes increased mucus production and studies have linked dairy with some autoimmune conditions. Eliminating dairy in the diet has helped many seasonal allergy sufferers. Personally, eliminating dairy worked for me. For my seasonal allergies, I took three to four different medications to help alleviate symptoms. When I stopped eating dairy, I was also able to stop taking allergy meds. Daily exercise, meditation and getting plenty of rest, combined with the dairy elimination, really helped me control my seasonal allergies. But, everyone is different, and while dairy was a key food trigger for me, it’s important to identify your individual triggers to address the underlying causes of the immune responses to allergens.
Prevention is Key
You can defend yourself against seasonal allergies in a number of ways. Physical activity, optimal nutrition, rest, and stress management directly affect immune system function, so consider these tactics:
- Identify foods that are causing inflammation and making your environmental allergies worse.
- Fortify your immune system with key nutrients, vitamins and minerals and reduce digestive inflammation. A healthier gut means less seasonal allergies.
- Stay hydrated with eight to 10 glasses of water each day to help expel toxins, including mucus.
- Exercise regularly to build the immune system.
- Get enough sleep to strengthen your system and modulate your immune responses.
- Make time for relaxation to assist with stress management, a major influence on the immune system. Meditation and yoga are great relaxation tools.
Treating allergies takes patience, and a combination of removing triggers and boosting your immune system. At Shakthi, we identify your triggers and discover what nutrients are deficient to help fortify the immune system. Learn more about how Shakthi Health and Wellness Center can help you breathe easier, naturally.
Call us today at 301-703-5067 or book your appointment online.