Did you know that you can reduce and eliminate allergies? Allergies are often a result of other stressors on the body. Our bodies are incredible; however, they can only take so much. Over time, bad foods, toxin exposure, continuous stress, lack of sleep, and other things take a toll on our health.
When your immune system is compromised, it becomes more sensitive and reacts to certain irritants, which otherwise would not affect you. Allergies are your body’s response to these irritants. The symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that it needs extra support. Whether you have food allergies, airborne allergies, and/or seasonal allergies, read on to determine how you can relieve symptoms naturally and/or to conquer them once and for all.
Different Types of Allergy Responses
First, it is important to know that there is more than one type of allergy response. When you have an allergy, your body sees a foreign matter (dust, pollen, food, etc.) as an invader and it launches an inflammatory response to try to flush out the invader. The body actually sends out antibodies to “devour” the allergen. This response can be immediate or it can take days to result in symptoms.
The immunoglobulin E (or IgE) antibody is the most immediate immune response and typically occurs within minutes. In the process of eliminating and/or neutralizing the invader, different chemicals like histamines are released, resulting in symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes, congestion, itching, hives, etc. This is what most commonly occurs in seasonal (airborne) allergies. Another example is someone severely allergic to peanuts or shellfish, where their airway closes upon contact with the allergen, becoming life threatening.
Other antibodies such as IgA, IgD, IgG, and IgM are a more delayed immune response, so it can be difficult to see which irritant or allergen caused the reaction. Some foods, for example, can cause an emotional reaction the next day or even 3 days later. In some cases, it can take up to 8 days before a symptom arises.
Continuous exposure to these antibodies can result in all sorts of symptoms. Gut-related reactions can include bloating, gas, and irregular bowls; but can also result in headaches, moodiness, depression, and anger. (Gut and brain issues are closely tied together.) Other reactions may result in things like dark circles under the eyes, red cheeks or ears, eczema, and even chronic ear infections and asthma. Long term, if left unchecked, more serious illnesses can occur, including autoimmune diseases.
Underlying Causes of Allergies
Allergy symptoms are typically a sign that your immune system is compromised in some way. The symptom is your body’s way of telling you to take action. If not, more serious health problems will occur down the road.
Some of the more common causes for allergies include:
- Congested Liver – The liver is one of the main organs your body uses to eliminate wastes and toxins. It also naturally supplies the antihistamines your body needs to neutralize the histamines created by IgE-type allergies. When the liver is overburdened by junk food, alcohol, and environmental toxins, it cannot do its job and allergy symptoms become worse. Often the liver needs to be cleansed and nourished so that it can function properly again.
- Poor Digestion – When you are not digesting your food properly, you are not eliminating toxins and you are not absorbing your nutrients like you should. This further compromises your immune system. Having the proper balance of gut flora (good bacteria) is also key. Eating junk food, genetically modified (GM) foods, conventional produce with pesticides, and taking medications all put additional stress on your digestive system. Gluten and dairy are often big culprits. You must also be properly eliminating your wastes on a daily basis.
- Weakened Adrenals – The adrenal glands are key to handling stress. Long-term exposure to stress can run down the adrenals. Examples include work stress, too much exercise, not enough sleep, traveling, divorce, etc. It can even include an overexposure to toxins and EMFs. When the adrenals are not working optimally there is very little stress hormone production to help balance the additional stress of allergy antibodies.
- Candida Overgrowth – Most commonly known to cause vaginal yeast infections, Candida albicans is a fungus and can cause many health issues such as cradle cap, skin rashes, weight issues, and endometriosis, just to name a few. There are actually multiple strains of Candida. It is normal to have small amounts of Candida in our body, but if the balance of good and bad gut bacteria is off-kilter, it will cause Candida to flourish, making you more susceptible to allergies. Strong cravings for sweets and bread are often a sign that Candida needs to be brought back under control.
- Microbe Overgrowth – When various organs and body systems are out of balance, including the gut flora, microbes such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi can flourish. When left undetected, these microbes can cause low grade infections and/or inflammation that further weakens your immune system. Examples include a focal infection in the teeth, a parasite in the the digestive tract, a virus hiding out in the spleen, etc. It may require some detective work, but once resolved there can be great improvement in your immune system.
- EMF and Wireless Overexposure – We are bombarded with man-made frequencies on a daily basis. Cell phones, wi-fi, bad wiring, smart meters, dirty electricity, artificial light, etc. all take a toll on our health over time, causing weaknesses in the body that leave you open to things like allergies. It is important to reduce your exposure as much as possible and create safe areas in your home, especially your bedroom.
- Poor Sleep Habits – Sleep is not just about feeling rested. When you sleep, your body is able to detox and regenerate. In fact, your brain actually shrinks up to 60% during deep sleep, allowing it to squeeze out toxins that drain through your brain’s glymphatic system and out your channels of elimination (liver, colon, kidneys, lungs, and skin). If you are not getting quality sleep due to stress, high EMF exposure, eating the wrong foods, etc., the additional toxins in the body can result in allergic reactions during the day.
It is not unusual for more than one underlying cause to be occurring at the same time. No two people are the same, so it is important to determine the specific issue(s) and help the body heal and become stronger. If the core issue is not resolved, not only will the allergies get worse over time, but it can eventually result in more serious health issues later on.
Finding the Cause, Not Covering the Symptoms
If you have allergies, conventional medicine will often prescribe antihistamines or allergy shots. However, neither of these gets to the root of the problem. Often, it will make matters worse. Antihistamines, for example, have side effects that put additional stress on the body. Allergy shots are designed to desensitize the body so that it no longer responds to the irritant. However, this irritant is a sign that your body needs help. The symptom may go away, but it does not mean that the underlying problem is resolved. Instead, the suppressed allergy is pushed to another part of the body where it can manifest a new symptom. More serious health conditions can eventually occur.
When healing the body naturally, you are doing much more than treating (or covering up) the symptom. In fact, when working with allergies, it is often best to do very little for the symptoms so that you can monitor the progress as you work on the cause(s). As the underlying causes are resolved, the symptoms will typically go away on their own. (When symptoms are interfering with your daily life, homeopathic and herbal remedies are a good temporary measure. Temporarily eating a low-histamine diet may also be helpful.)
Contrary to popular belief, allergies are not necessarily genetic either. Just because your Mom or Dad had allergies does not mean that you need to suffer. When you are born, your Mom passes on her good gut flora to you through the birth canal and breast feeding. If she was deficient, you will be too. Growing up as a family eating similar foods and living in the same environments leads you to similar health concerns as well. The key, then, is to change this pattern.
Drawbacks of Traditional Allergy Testing
There are various conventional lab tests for checking allergies but each has some drawbacks. The most common is the skin prick test. However, this test only checks for immediate visual reactions to a possible allergen, the IgE type of allergy. It can be useful for airborne type allergens. It is not accurate for food allergies, since foods can also cause IgA, IgD, IgG, and IgM reactions, which are more delayed.
A blood test is more accurate for checking delayed antibodies, which often occurs with food, however only IgA and IgG are typically checked. Blood tests might give you more insight into what is going on inside the body, but the immune system is very complex. In addition to other antibodies, the body produces a number of chemicals in response to the foreign invaders or allergens. Histamine is one example. Other inflammation producing chemicals or molecules include leukotrienes, prostaglandins, eicosanoids, cytokines, serotonin, etc.
You should also know that as you starting addressing the root causes, your sensitivities and allergies will change. An initial blood test may tell you that you are allergic to eggs, for example, but you may not need to eliminate eggs forever.
A Better Option to Eliminate Allergies
Conventional tests can be helpful, especially as a way to narrow down the initial culprits. However, other tools are available, things like muscle testing and other bio-energetic assessments, that can better help you navigate finding the underlying issues and deficiencies.
By energetically checking the body’s meridians and organ weaknesses (instead of looking for the symptoms), you are getting to the root of the problem. Microbes and toxins should also be checked. A wide variety of culprits can be reviewed in a relatively short period of time. When you determine your core issue(s), very specific steps can then be taken to start to heal the immune system and allergies.
Each person is different and requires a different combination of healing strategies based on what is found in an energetic screening. Frequently, toxins need to be cleared out, sometimes in a specific order. Certain organs often need additional support using specific healing supplements and/or cleansing strategies. Reducing your exposure to EMFs and wireless radiation, especially in the bedroom, is another key strategy.
If you have had health issues for a while, identifiable nutrients typically need to be replenished. Diet changes are also often required. All these can be determined with the help of a holistic practitioner who is looking at the bigger picture, so that a specific program can be put together for you.
It is also interesting to note that as you heal your body naturally over time, you typically heal in the reverse order of how the symptoms presented. If you are working on a more chronic issue, for example, and the issue starts to resolve, it is not unusual for old allergies to return temporarily. This is actually a good sign. As you continue to truly heal, the allergy symptoms will also dissipate and eventually clear up.
You don’t have to live with allergies forever! In the mean time, however, if you have a life-threatening allergy, be sure to consult your medical provider.
