May 20, 2008

Allergies? What You Can Do To Enjoy the Weather

Many researchers believe that more than half of the population in this country suffers from allergies of one sort or another, and this probably includes you and me.

So what are allergies? Allergies are the result of an immune system that is confused, mistaking something that should be considered friendly for something that needs to be attacked. Why would an immune system do this? When I speak with allergy sufferers in my herbal practice, I see the same pattern repeating itself. Almost everyone has a history of stress in their background.

So, what does stress have to do with anything? When one is stressed out, the sympathetic (fight or flight) part of the autonomic nervous system is activated and the parasympathetic (feed and breath) part is suppressed. All energy is shunted to the brain, heart and large muscles so that one can "run from the saber toothed tiger". The digestive, urinary, reproductive, and most importantly, the immune system are suppressed. We are designed to run, run, run from the saber toothed tiger, and then get back to the village where we are safe. Whew! Now the sympathetic system can kick out and the parasympathetic system can kick back in, so the immune system can busy itself healing the wounds we have sustained. The problem is that we no longer have a village to go to, so most of us end up in situations where we are maintaining long periods of low or high levels of stress. This means that the immune system is suppressed over long periods of time, resulting in an confused immune system that can no longer distinguish the difference between friend and foe.

So now one has an unhealthy immune system that is attacking all manner of environmental substances, both toxic and non-toxic, that may be inhaled or may touch the skin. Modern medicine sees the problem as an immune system run amok, and so various drugs are prescribed to suppress this overactive immune system, thereby reducing symptoms of inflammation. What I am seeing repeatedly is long-term suppression of the immune system often eventually developing into an immune system that is so unhealthy that it no longer recognizes the difference between self and not-self, resulting in auto-immune conditions.

Most holistic practitioners recognize the problem as simply an unhealthy immune system that needs support and regulation. There are several ways one might support and "de-confuse" an unhealthy immune system. The obvious first choice is to eliminate as many toxins from the environment as possible in order to let the immune system rest and recuperate. Eat vegetables and grains grown organically, maintain a varied diet of unprocessed and whole foods, and be aware that sugar depresses the immune system for up to three hours after ingestion. Coffee stimulates the adrenals to trigger a sympathetic nervous system response, further suppressing the immune system. Try substituting green tea which delivers half the caffeine and contains polysaccharides which will enhance the immune system.

Some herbal medicines that have been shown to regulate an unhealthy immune system are the mushrooms reishi, shiitake, and maitake, which serve to not only enhance and activate the immune system but have been shown to fight cancer and stimulate the body's own anti-viral mechanisms. Try using shiitake and maitake fresh in soups (reishi is a woody, hard mushroom that works best by extraction), or get them in concentrated form from our online store or from your local health food store.

Other herbs to consider are astragalus and echinacea, which will stimulate and increase the number of T-cells and macrophages in the immune system. Additional herbs that serve to cleanse the blood and tissues of toxins as well as improve overall immune health are our spring friends, dandelion and red clover. The Daily Immune Tonic is a great blend to take throughout the winter to reduce allergic symptoms in the springtime.

Because stress has such an influence on allergic response, it is important to support the adrenals and the nervous system during allergy season and throughout the winter. There is a whole category of herbs called "adaptogens" that support the adrenals and help the body "adapt to stress". They protect and nourish the various organs associated with the parasympathetic (feed and breathe) system of the body. Some of my favorite adaptogens are the ginsengs, Asian ginseng, Panax ginseng, (which is considered a "yang tonic" and is best used by one who gets cold easily and/or has low energy during the day), American ginseng, Panax quinquifolium, (which is considered a "yin tonic" and is best used by one who gets overheated easily, has trouble sleeping at night, or has night sweats), Eleuthero root, Licorice root, Astragalus root, Codonopsis root, and Schisandra berry. I take them in combination as have found that synergy of herbs tend to work better than single herbs and with fewer problems. The Adrenal Strength and single serve Energy & Endurance are two blends that nourish the adrenal glands and protect the systems of the body against stress.

"This is all well and good", you might say, "but I need some relief now!" The herbs Nettles, and Eyebright can not only bring this welcome relief but, taken over time, will decrease the frequency and severity of allergic reactions. The desert herb Yerba Santa serves as a mucous membrane regulator, helping the body to dry up a runny nose and drippy sinuses or to moisturize dry, sore, itchy nasal passages.

The Nettles Decongesting Blend and Sinus & Nasal Seasonal Relief are two blends that can supply relief from allergic symptoms within 30 minutes of taking them.

So enjoy the springtime, stay out of the drug store, take a walk and breathe freely!