ALLERGIES
Christina Cooke, ND
This short article will explore a billion-dollar condition affecting millions. What are allergies? How can you find out if you have them? What are the conventional and more natural treatments that are helpful?
Types of Allergies:
q IgE: Immediate reactions to foods or inhalants that cause itching, hives, and constriction of airway, which can lead to death. Peanuts are one of the most common in children.
q IgG: delayed reactions which are really sensitivities, causing other reactions that occur 3-4 days after eating a food. Symptoms can include GI complaints, foggy thinking, and fatigue.
q Environmental allergies: Most common are dust/mold, pollen, and pet dander.
How to test:
If you suspect that you have an allergy or sensitivity, there are a few different tests that can be performed.
q Blood test for IgE and IgG are available. Your doctor can order these, or you can ask a naturopath to run these. US Biotech, a lab often used by naturopaths, has been studied and has an excellent track record for consistency when given unmarked samples run on the same person which they reported with the same results.
q EAV: This testing has been done in Germany for over 50 years and works on a more energetic level, much like a lie detector tests the body’s response. It reports results that have been favorably compared with blood tests.
q Scratch test: This is testing for a reaction to a dilute substance injected into the skin.
Treatment Approaches:
Conventional medicine is now recommending other approaches to allergy symptom relief. Besides antihistamines and cromolyn sodium, options include:
q Nasal irrigation: Use a little neti pot and bulb syringe to flush out one nostril at a time. This clears the mucous that holds onto the pollen.
q Clean your environment: Remove other irritants like dust, mold, excess pet dander, and carpeting and use an air filter in your bedroom.
q Herbs: Plants like nettles, quercetin (nature’s antihistamine), and butterbur, or combinations of these, are great herbs that work to lessen inflammation and reactivity.
More natural options:
q Regulate your biochemistry: Taking probiotics (acidophilus and bifidus) may help dial down the allergic response.
q Consider homeopathy: This 200year-old medicine matches your symptoms with a medicine so that it is more individualized to you. It’s inexpensive, does not have drug side-effects, and may not have to be taken every day. Find a naturopath or homeopath that can choose the best medicine for you.
