Sarah Harris N.D.
Specialist Naturopath – Holistic Nutritionist – Herbalist – Homoeopath – Remedial Therapist
Hey kids! Who’s that sneezing, sniffing, or scratching over there?
With spring in full bloom, now is the perfect time to treat and prevent those annoying allergy symptoms—they are a nuisance, and you don’t have to put up with them.
So, kids… does your dog make you sneeze like crazy? Do your favourite foods leave you feeling bloated, tired, or cranky? Or do pollens and grasses make your skin super itchy? If you said yes to any of these, raise your hand! You’re not alone—millions of people, kids and adults alike, are dealing with allergies like hay fever, asthma, food sensitivities, and eczema.
But why does your body react like this?
Basically, your body is having a hysterical response to an overload of seemingly harmless things like pet hair, food, or pollen. To deal with this overload, your body releases a chemical called histamine. Its job is to trigger the removal of the allergen from your body. Unfortunately, as it does this, it can create symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes, swollen skin, bloating, or even diarrhea. These are classic signs of an allergic reaction.
ALLERGIES ARE LIKE ONIONS—THEY HAVE LAYERS!
Right now, the main ways to manage allergies involve avoiding allergens and reducing histamine levels (with antihistamines, for example).
But how do these things get to the point of overload and why does your body treat them like a threat?
There are a few key factors that cause your immune system to respond this way:
- Your immune system is made up of barriers with ‘immune soldiers’ embedded in them and placed behind them. If the barriers are damaged more allergens can enter the inner sanctum, putting increase pressure on the immune system.
- The aforementioned barriers, include the digestive tract, the respiratory mucous membranes and the skin.
- Nutritional deficiencies, infections, dietary irritants, chemicals, microbiome imbalance and stress can all damage these important barriers.
- As mentioned, once these barriers are damaged, the immune soldiers will continue to fire their chemical weapons (histamine) until the danger is over. This will result in inflammation- redness, swelling, heat, discomfort, itching, sneezing and dysfunction.
- Prolonged overload of these allergens, results in the immune system being imprinted with a memory that can be easily triggered by even small amounts of the allergen.
ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF ALLERGIES
A holistic approach to managing allergies focuses on both the causes and symptom relief and, if necessary, retraining your immune system to tolerate allergens.
As a Naturopath, I am trained to treat both the cause and effect of allergic response. My strategy involves dietary and lifestyle changes and the use of specific herbs and nutrients. By particularly focusing on the reason why your allergy presents, I can help you to break the cycle of this irritating problem.
THE NATURAL HELPERS
Some of the herbs and nutrients that I use, include:
- Albizzia, Baical skullcap, Eyebright, Elderflower and Nigella. Despite their funny names, they have both antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Quercetin and Bromelain are powerful antioxidants that can help retrain your immune system, reduce congestion, and cut down mucus production.
- Reishi and shiitake mushrooms can help to support immune health, reduce wheezing, and control excess mucus.
A DIET THAT HELPS BUILD TOLERANCE
Following a specific diet alongside targeted supplements can reduce symptoms and increase your tolerance to allergens. By temporarily avoiding foods that cause gut inflammation, you give your immune system time to ‘reset’ and become more tolerant. Eventually, you can slowly reintroduce those foods to find the right balance, so you stay symptom-free while still enjoying your favourite foods.
Imagine enjoying the things you love—petting your dog without sneezing, eating your favourite foods without bloating, or having a picnic in the grass without itching. When you establish and treat the unique reasons behind your allergy presentation your imagination can become a reality.
If you would like to begin your journey toward a less reactive life, please do not hesitate to book an appointment with me, by calling our reception team on (03) 5221 8220.
Yours in good health,
Sarah
