What are allergies?
According to Dr. Elson Haas, author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition, allergies are a result of our physiological and biochemical interaction with the world around us and within us—with the foods we eat, chemicals we encounter and even natural substances in our immediate environment that we ingest, inhale, touch—and with various internal microbes and body tissues. Common allergic problems include hay fever, hives, eczema, contact dermatitis (ever touched poison oak?) and asthma.
How do seasonal allergies occur?
The symptoms of seasonal allergies occur when the body is unable to differentiate between self and non-self – so it reacts by making antibodies and releasing certain chemicals like histamine. The immune system essentially identifies relatively harmless environmental triggers (like mold, dust mites, pollen, insects, food, animal hairs and pet dander) as harmful, foreign invaders. Developing allergic reactions depends on bio-individualized risk factors, such as family history, level of exposure to allergen triggers, digestive functionality and use of antibiotics and stomach acid suppressors. Even if you don’t have allergies every year, you could experience a hypersensitivity to allergens. Hypersensitivities are less intense and are more delayed – days later – reactions to an allergen. This often happens when you visit or move to a new area.
Why is my body reacting more than others?
The reason why some people experience a more intense reaction – or hyper-response – is due to the fact that when antibodies attach to allergens, a domino effect of internal reactions gets triggered – Including the release of histamine. When histamine is released into the system, it can cause an inflammatory reaction that manifests mainly in the skin, mucous membranes, lungs and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. You might even experience mood changes, gas and bloating, headaches or pain and fatigue during allergy season.
What even is histamine?
Histamine is a compound in the body that is released from mast cells. It helps the body remove allergens like pollen and other triggers from the body – through a normal process of elimination. Histamine also helps to control appetite and tells our body how to respond to foods. It also plays a role in the circadian rhythm of the body and is a major regulator of the hypothalamus in the brain. When you take those over-the-counter medications (or even allergy shots) for allergies, normal processes can be disrupted. Another condition arises when your body produces too much histamine and can’t properly break it down – which can lead to histamine intolerance. This occurs when the enzyme (diamine oxidase or DAO) responsible for breaking down histamine is deficient because of things like GI dysfunction, intestinal permeability (leaky gut), bacterial overgrowths or eating histamine-rich foods that block DAO enzymes or cause them to function improperly. Examples of histamine-rich foods include alcohol, chocolate, fermented foods and beverages, dried fruits, avocados, eggplant, spinach, deli meats, shellfish and aged cheese. While there is no way to completely eliminate histamine from the diet, a functional nutritional therapy practitioner can offer tips and recommend therapeutic supplementation to restore histamine functionality.
YOU MAY HAVE HIGH HISTAMINE IF YOU EXPERIENCE:
- Seasonal or food allergies
- Hay fever
- Hives
- Eczema
- Inflammation
- Migraines or headaches
- Nasal or sinus congestion
- Runny nose or post-nasal drip
- Breathing difficulties or asthma
It’s all connected
While I mainly touched on seasonal allergens for this post, everyday food reactions are quite common, especially when one primarily eats a Standard American Diet (SAD) and has high levels of stress. The reason for these reactions lies in the fact that the GI tract is home to the highest level of immune activity in the body. There is a DIY tool called the ‘Coca Pulse Test’ that you can use at home to gauge your reaction to foods. You’ll want to take your one-minute pulse rate while at rest – then record the pulse again before and after consuming the food in question. If your pulse increases by more than 12 – 14 beats per minute after eating, you might be allergic to that particular food.
SUPPORTIVE NUTRIENTS & HERBS FOR ALLERGIES:
- Water!
- Hydrochloric acid (HCl)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Quercetin
- Pantothenic acid (B5)
- Folic acid
- B6 and B12
- Vitamin A
- Zinc & other minerals
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Glandulars
- L-amino acids
- Local honey
- Nettle leaf
- Echinacea
- Astragalus
- Mullein leaf
- Passionflower
- Wild cherry bark
- White willow bark
- Cayenne pepper
- Garlic
- Slippery Elm bark
- Marshmallow root
- Licorice root
- Comfrey root
If you’re experiencing unexplainable allergy-like symptoms, a food sensitivity could be the answer because whether you are conscious of it or not, food impacts how we feel. Food sensitivities are common triggers or contributors to symptoms – to assist you in discovering the root cause of symptoms, I utilize the MRT 176 food sensitivity test. This is a patented blood test that quantifies how strongly your immune cells react to 176 different food and food chemicals by measuring intracellular mediator release indirectly. It’s incredibly enlightening and useful! I'd love to learn more about how I can help you. Reach out to me today to set up a free discovery call to see if we’re a good fit!
