Allergies - 6 Ways to Get Rid of Them for Good

Allergy season has begun again. Coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, mucus, tiredness...ugg what about allergies IS good? Nothing. As I have observed our clients over over the last couple years, I have noticed one thing, allergies are getting worse, not better. More people have allergies and the severity of symptoms seems to be ever increasing. What is causing this phenomenon and is there anything we can do to alleviate allergies form happening in the first place? The one thing I love about holistic medicine is that the answer to, is there anything I can do to get rid of these damn allergies, is always YES! No you don't have to live with them. No you don't have to go through your day drowsy and miserable from over the counter medicines. There is a reason allergies are increasing in severity and there are many things you can do to get rid of allergies for good.

What Causes Allergies?

If you think the answer to this question is pollen, you are in fact WRONG. Nothing outside of the body causes any health symptom. This includes colds, flus and allergies. The fact is if your body is healthy and strong on the inside even if germs or in this case pollen is placed directly into your body your body is intelligent enough and designed to take care of the problem. In one famous study that proves this point, cold germs were taken and physically placed inside of the nasal tissue of the study participants. With active cold germs placed inside of the body you would then think all of the study participants came down with the cold virus. This turned out to be not the case, in fact more then half of the participants did not ever come down with the cold virus. Why? In the famous words of Louis Pasteur's, "The germ is nothing, the soil is everything." 

Allergies are simply a sign of an over reactive immune system. Allergies tell us the immune system of the body is overburdened, not functioning optimally and is now reacting to anything and everything. 80% of the immune system resides and is created within the gut. The most important influence right now on the increase in allergy symptoms is our food supply. Contaminated with toxic chemicals, GMO organisms and franken-stein type food products like wheat and soy in it's present form, the gut the body is constantly under assault. Food chemicals and GMO's damage and kill off important cells of the immune system and cause confusion within the body and immune system itself. Foreign objects, such as man made chemicals and genetically modified organisms, would normally be processed by the body, made inactive and disposed of, but because of the large amount we are now consuming the immune system is being overwhelmed and destroyed. Because we overwhelm our immune system daily with these contaminants the immune system goes on high alert, looking for anything and everything that may cause the body harm. At the same time it is functioning less effectively and efficiently because of how damaged and over run it has become.

One recent study showed that those exposed to certain types of pesticides had a higher rate of allergies. The chemicals are called dichlorophenols (DCPs). They are created by the breakdown of common pesticides, including chlorinated chemicals used to purify drinking water. They also turn up in moth balls, air fresheners, deodorizer cakes in urinals, and certain herbicides sprayed on crops. “They’re quite common,” says researcher Elina Jerschow, MD, an allergist at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. (1)

Is it any wonder then that a small amount of spring or fall pollen causes the immune system to over react? As this cycle continues throughout someone's lifetime allergy, as well as other health symptoms, begin to increase. This is one of the main reasons children these days have such a higher rate of allergies. They are bombarded with processed, sugar filled, chemically laden GMO foods. 

6 Ways to Get Rid of Allergies For Good

1. Eliminate All Food Allergens - This includes all genetically modified foods (buy organic foods only), foods filled with chemicals (again buy only organic foods or make your own from organic grown foods), wheat (see our article on To Be or Not to Be Gluten Free http://rawvitalitytotalhealth.blogspot.com/2014/05/to-be-or-not-to-be-gluten-free.html), soy, corn and peanuts. These foods are not inherently bad but because of how these foods are now grown they have been morphed from what they originally where into a food that causes reactions within the body. When you are trying to calm down the immune system, steer clear of foods known to over stimulate the immune system. 

2. Eat Fresh Fruits & Vegetables - During the allergic response, oxidants in your system team up with histamines to attack the body, causing an allergic response. Carotenoids, a phytopigment (chemically active color) in plants defend against those oxidants. Food sources of carotenoids include carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, papaya, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Fresh fruits and vegetables also help to flush the build up of toxins in the body. Choose organic produce to reduce your exposure to additional body harming toxins. 

3. Antioxidants - Antioxidants help to defend against oxidants which can trigger the allergic response as previous mentioned, but other specific antioxidants have been found to help eliminate or reduce seasonal allergy symptoms. Recent studies have shown that supplementing with antioxidants can actually do more harm to the body then good, a better approach is to increase the body's own antioxidant production. You do this by eating foods and herbs that activate something called Nrf2 in the body and eating fresh foods high in antioxidants. To learn more about Nrf2 and the harm supplementing with antioxidants is doing to your body watch this short discussion by Dr. Shawn Talbott (http://kdvr.com/2014/08/07/are-we-taking-too-many-vitamins/) We sell a natural Nrf2 activator in the Raw Vitality products store that we have seen help with reducing allergy symptoms www.rawvitalitytotalhealth.com

4. Probiotics - Probiotics are friendly bacteria in the gut and are intrinsically related to a healthy immune system. Probiotics are killed and naturally depleted in most bodies because of the high amount of antibiotics and toxic food additives circulating in our food system, all of which kill this friendly bacteria. A high quality probiotic supplement and eating only organic foods can help to replenish friendly bacteria and naturally strengthen the immune system. 

5. Get More Sunlight -  Sunlight is important to a healthy body and healthy immune system. Without it, our bodies lack vitamin D which is needed to regulate hormones and also for a strong immune system. Know your body and skin type and never allow your skin to burn, but do get some Sun exposure on bare skin each and every day. Increasing your sun exposure will increase your levels of Vitamin D increasing the health of your immune system. 

6. Living Juices - Living juices, juices that have not been processed, refined, or heated, remove toxins stored in tissues and cells, deeply hydrate the tissues and infuse the internal environment with the highest levels of Vitaimin C, antioxidants, oxygen, enzymes and vitamins and minerals. Juices specifically remove toxins from the insulating sheath that surrounds the nervous system, helping to calm and restore balance to an overly active nervous system. 

These are some essential tips to helping end the cycle of seasonal allergies and heal the underlying root cause. For an individualized approach to reversing seasonal allergies for good, talk with our knowledgeable holistic health practitioner and make this the last season you suffer needlessly!

Join our next group cleanse coming in September 2014! Details found on our web site at: www.rawvitalitytotalhealth.com/Events

Raw Vitality is a holistic health system and cleanse that provides you with all the tools, education and support you need to prevent and reverse chronic health conditions naturally while achieving the highest levels of health and vitality!

Raw Vitality teaches 

• Natural eating principals
• Healthy stress management practices
• Balanced, consistent, exercise
• Green living strategies 
• Medicinal herbs

We teach and offer everything you need to restore and maintain your health in a natural and balanced way through ongoing group cleanses, holistic health workshops, teaching programs for industry professionals, cooking classes, individual cleanses, natural and organic products, education and support.

Get a free taste of Raw Vitality with 10 Fresh, Fast & Healthy Raw Vitality Recipes at www.rawvitalitytotalhealth.com

1. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20121203/food-allergies-pesticides