By Dr Erin Wiley
Spring has sprung, and for many people the thrill of the gorgeous weather is tempered with itchy water eyes and a runny nose. While you may see your allergies as an annoyance, they are also a reflection of the status of your overall health.
An allergy by definition is an inappropriate immune response. Your immune system attacks allergens (like pollen) the same way it would attack a foreign bacteria or virus. Over-stimulating your immune system can lead to increased frequency and severity of allergies, and a tired immune system does not have the same time and attention for fighting infection and repairing damaged cells. An integrative approach to your immune function and your overall health can help you develop a healthy lifestyle plan that will not only decrease your allergy symptoms but also improve your overall health.
An integrative approach offers you the ability to focus on the treatment modalities that are right for you, as an individual. Working with your Naturopathic Doctor can help you develop a plan that is sustainable and meets your overall needs. Let’s take a look at some of your options.
Histamine is responsible for the inflammatory symptoms associated with allergies: redness, itching, and swelling. Histamine is released by our immune cells when they are irritated by an allergen. Certain natural remedies can help prevent the release of histamine by making our immune cells more resilient under stress. These substances are often referred to as stabilizers and can be taken during allergy season to decrease your symptoms.
Avoiding your individual triggers to allergy will decrease your symptoms, calm your reactions and strengthen your overall immune system. The first step is to identify to the source or sources of your allergies. Seasonal allergens (tree, grass, and ragweed), dust, cat, dog and mold can be tested by your Naturopathic Doctor. Additionally, food sensitivities can also be tested. Food sensitivity elimination will also calm inflammation and improve your overall immune stability. Once you know to the sources of your allergies, a plan can be put in place to help you avoid your triggers.
Examples of allergen avoidance include:
- Rinsing allergens away with a netti pot
- Using dust covers and removing carpet
- Keeping your windows closed when pollen is circulating
- Using Hepa-filters on vacuums and air filters
- Avoiding scented products, including candles, laundry detergent, soap, air freshener and anything with “fragrance and perfume”
- Following a hypoallergenic diet
The Digestion- Immune Connection
Your digestive system and your immune system are intimately connected. Your immune system lines your digestive tract, scanning everything that comes into your body and labeling it as either safe or unsafe. Food sensitivities, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, drugs, pesticides and other chemicals irritate your immune system and the ecology found inside the bowels. Gut bacteria are very important to both bowel and immune health. A healthy balance of bacteria will calm the immune system and down-regulate the allergic response. Taking probiotics, consuming a healthy diet and heaving healthy bowel movements are the first step to improving immune health and addressing the root causes of many allergy symptoms.
Detoxification and Immuno-toxicity
Unfortunately, we live with a great deal of exposure to chemicals that are toxic to the immune system. As the level of exposure and the body burden of chemicals increase, so does immuno-reactivity. The immune system recognizes these chemicals as foreign and mounts a chronic inflammatory immune response.
Working with your Naturopathic doctor you can learn how to avoid chemical exposures and how to support liver, kidneys and bowel with toxin elimination. Supplements can also be used to lower the chemical burden on the immune system. Your ND can also test your body burden of toxic chemical such as pesticides, volatile solvents, BPA, phthalates, parabens and more. Resources are also available for identifying allergens and immunotoxic compounds in your cosmetics and personal care products through www.ewg.org and the Sate Cosmetic Database (add link to http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/).
Getting the Support You Need
Taking charge of your allergies and supporting your overall immune health requires a great deal of education and the right support. Lifestyle changes can be challenging, but your Naturopathic doctor can help. Treating the root cause of your symptoms is the key to feeling great and promoting long term health. Perhaps the most powerful tool you have is developing a strong relationship with your health care provider. Should you have questions about an integrative approach to allergies our team is here to provide answer and help you achieve your individual health goals. We hope to see you soon!
Dr. Erin Wiley is the Clinic Director of the Integrative Health Institute. IHI operates as a true integrative medical team where clinicians interact and communicate directly about their clients care. In her practice, Dr. Wiley has a special interest in digestive health, endocrinology and hormone balance with a clinical focus on fertility, menopause, anxiety, depression, healthy weight loss, detoxification and environmental medicine.
"Dr. Erin Wiley anasema: ""Mvua imeanza kuchipua, na kwa watu wengi msisimko wa hali ya hewa nzuri ni tempered na macho maji itchy na pua runny." Ingawa huenda ukahisi kwamba mzio ni jambo linaloumiza, unajua kwamba hali yako ya afya ni mbaya sana. Kwa ufafanuzi, mzio ni majibu yasiyofaa ya kinga. Mfumo wako wa kinga huwashambulia virusi vya mzio (kama vile chavua) kwa njia ileile ambayo ingewashambulia bakteria au virusi vya kigeni. Kuchochea mfumo wako wa kinga kupita kiasi kunaweza kusababisha kuongezeka kwa mzunguko na ukali wa mzio, na mfumo wa kinga uliochoka hauna wakati na umakini sawa wa kupambana na maambukizo na kurekebisha seli zilizoharibiwa. Njia ya kuunganisha kwa kazi yako ya kinga na afya yako ya jumla inaweza kukusaidia kuendeleza mpango wa maisha yenye afya ambayo itapunguza tu dalili zako za mzio lakini pia kuboresha afya yako ya jumla. Njia ya ujumuishaji inakuwezesha kuzingatia njia za matibabu ambazo zinafaa kwako kama mtu binafsi. Kufanya kazi na daktari wako wa naturopathic inaweza kukusaidia kuendeleza mpango ambao ni endelevu na hukidhi mahitaji yako ya jumla. Hebu tuangalie baadhi ya chaguzi zako. Histamini husababisha dalili za uvimbe zinazohusiana na mzio: mwekundu, kukwaruza, na uvimbe. Histamini hutolewa na chembe zetu za kinga zinapokasirishwa na kichocheo. Baadhi ya dawa za asili zinaweza kusaidia kuzuia kutolewa kwa histamine kwa kufanya chembe zetu za kinga ziwe na nguvu zaidi chini ya mkazo. Dawa hizi huitwa stabilizers na zinaweza kuchukuliwa wakati wa msimu wa mzio ili kupunguza dalili zako. Kuepuka vichocheo vya mtu binafsi kwa mzio utapunguza dalili zako, utulize athari zako na kuimarisha mfumo wako wa kinga kwa ujumla. Hatua ya kwanza ni kutambua chanzo cha mzio wako. Allergens msimu (mti, nyasi, na ragweed), vumbi, paka, mbwa na kuvu inaweza kupimwa na Daktari wako Naturopathic. Kwa kuongezea, unyeti wa chakula waweza pia kupimwa. Kuondoa hisi ya chakula pia kutatuliza uvimbe na kuboresha utulivu wako wa kinga kwa ujumla. Baada ya kujua chanzo cha mzio wako, unaweza kupanga mpango wa kuzuia mzio. Mfano wa kuzuia allergens ni pamoja na: - Rinsing allergens mbali na sufuria ya netti - Kutumia vifuniko vya vumbi na kuondoa zulia - Kuweka madirisha yako kufungwa wakati chavua inazunguka - Kutumia Hepa-filters kwenye vacuums na filters za hewa - Kuepuka bidhaa zenye harufu, ikiwa ni pamoja na mishumaa, detergent ya kufulia, sabuni, freshener ya hewa na chochote na <unk> harufu na harufu<unk> - Kufuata lishe ya hypoallergenic. Mfumo wako wa kinga huangalia kila kitu kinachoingia mwilini mwako na kukiita salama au si salama. Vyakula vilivyotengenezwa, sukari, pombe, dawa, dawa za kuua wadudu na kemikali nyingine huchochea mfumo wako wa kinga na mazingira ya ndani ya matumbo. Bakteria za matumbo ni muhimu sana kwa afya ya matumbo na kinga. Usawa mzuri wa bakteria utatuliza mfumo wa kinga na kupunguza mmenyuko wa mzio. Kuchukua probiotics, kula chakula cha afya na kusonga vizuri ni hatua ya kwanza ya kuboresha afya ya kinga na kushughulikia sababu za msingi za dalili nyingi za mzio. Ugonjwa wa kinga na sumu ya kinga: Kwa sababu ya hali hii, kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa kuambukizwa na kemikali ambazo ni hatari kwa mfumo wa kinga. Kadiri kiwango cha mfiduo na mzigo wa mwili wa kemikali unavyoongezeka, ndivyo immuno-reactivity inavyoongezeka. Mfumo wa kinga hutambua kemikali hizo kuwa za kigeni na huanzisha majibu ya kinga ya uvimbe wa kudumu. Kwa kushirikiana na daktari wako wa naturopathic, unaweza kujifunza jinsi ya kuepuka kuambukizwa na kemikali na jinsi ya kusaidia ini, figo na matumbo na kuondoa sumu. Viongezeo vya chakula vinaweza pia kutumiwa kupunguza mzigo wa kemikali kwenye mfumo wa kinga. Kwa mfano, unaweza kutumia dawa za kulevya kama vile dawa za kuua wadudu, kemikali za kutuliza, BPA, phthalates, parabens na mengineyo. Vifaa vya kugundua virutubisho vya mzio na kemikali za kinga katika vipodozi na bidhaa za huduma ya kibinafsi zinapatikana katika tovuti ya www.ewg.org na Sate Cosmetic Database (kuongeza kiungo kwenye http: www.ewg.org.sk.de). Kupata msaada unaohitaji: Kuchukua jukumu la mzio wako na kusaidia afya yako ya kinga ya jumla inahitaji elimu kubwa na msaada sahihi. Mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha yanaweza kuwa magumu, lakini daktari wako wa naturopathic anaweza kukusaidia. Kutibu chanzo cha dalili zako ni ufunguo wa kujisikia vizuri na kukuza afya ya muda mrefu. Labda chombo bora zaidi unachoweza kutumia ni kuanzisha uhusiano mzuri na mtoa huduma yako. Ikiwa una maswali juu ya mbinu ya ujumuishaji ya mzio, timu yetu iko hapa kukupa jibu na kukusaidia kufikia malengo yako ya kibinafsi ya afya. Tunatumaini kukuona karibuni! Daktari Erin Wiley ni Mkurugenzi wa Kliniki ya Taasisi ya Afya ya Pamoja. IHI inafanya kazi kama timu ya kweli ya matibabu ya ushirikiano ambapo madaktari huingiliana na kuwasiliana moja kwa moja juu ya huduma ya wateja wao. Katika mazoezi yake, Dk Wiley ana maslahi maalum katika afya ya utumbo, endocrinology na usawa wa homoni na umakini wa kliniki juu ya uzazi, menopause, wasiwasi, unyogovu, kupoteza uzito kwa afya, detoxification na dawa ya mazingira.